Tag Archives: Swepco Lake

NSKA

Hammer Time – 20+ Inch Bass Historical Breakdown for NSKA NWA

What is an iconic number in kayak fishing that gets everyone’s attention? It doesn’t matter where you go, what the event is or who is fishing – catching a “Twenty” immediately is recognized as an accomplishment. It’s a clear bar of what’s seen as a “big” fish. Even more so in a live tournament setting when the pressure is on. There are times you are out on the water in a tournament and run into someone who says they heard so and so has a twenty.

It’s big news.

Cole Sikes caught this 23.50″ giant in 2017. Source: TourneyX

Catching a big bass as a kicker in a tournament to finish out your limit usually will put you in contention to place in the money – especially in NW Arkansas where giants can be elusive. (except for Swepco!) With half of the season or more on Beaver Lake, it can be particularly difficult to catch these big fish.

So how often are 20s caught in NSKA NWA tournament competition? Who catches them? What does catching a “20” means to your chances to win?

Let’s find out.

Just How Rare is a 20+ in Competition?

Honestly when I started doing some of this research along with Kyle Long, we thought it was maybe more rare than it really was. However, as I look at the data, it actually is VERY rare in the overall big picture. During the past three tournament seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) there have been 8,012 keepers submitted in NSKA NWA events – yet only 72 20+ bass submitted. Out of these 8,012 keepers, here is how it breaks down year by year as a percentage:

 Total Fish# 20+Percentage
2020            2,721190.70%
2019            2,128110.52%
2018            1,635171.04%
2017            1,528251.64%
             8,012720.90%

This is pretty clear…there is less than a 1% chance that any of the bass an angler submits in live competition will be twenty inches or longer. But don’t despair or give up, it can happen for any angler and lightning can strike at any time!

One of the very few 20+ Smallies. Caught by Jon Wofford on Pumpback. Source: TourneyX.

NSKA NWA Hammers

Overall, only 38 anglers are responsible for catching the 72 20+ bass in live NSKA NWA competition. Of this group, only a handful of anglers have more than one 20+ over the past three years. Cole Sikes leads the way with the highlight of three 20+ largemouth caught on one day at Lincoln Lake. He’s followed by Rance Richardson who caught FIVE 20+ largemouth that same day at Lincoln. Wow! Overall there were nine 20+ caught that day on Lincoln lake.

Here’s a list of the anglers who caught a 20+ in live NSKA NWA competition since 2017. (Note – There are anglers who have a 20+ in previous years, before the current NSKA was formed)

Angler# 20+
Cole Sikes8
Rance Richardson7
Jason Kincy5
Dwain Batey4
John Wofford3
Justin Brewer3
Kyle Long3
Justin Phillips3
John Evans3
Bo Sarratt2
Jose Rodriguez2
Rob Barnica2
Craig Wood2
Sam McClish1
Jason Coleman1
Wayne Johnson1
Avery Metcalf1
Ryan Paskiewicz1
Chris Needham1
Michael Burgess1
Clay Johnson1
Billy Bowden1
Andrew Newsom1
Toua Khang1
Josh Goforth1
Brayden Richardson1
Bill Campbell1
Danny Dutton1
Baron Meek1
Ethan Dhuyvetter1
William Jones1
Celo Delgado1
Declan McDonald1
Nathan Henthorn1
Jerry Cornelius1
Cody Milton1
Jason Cossey1
Tyler Zengerle1
72

The largest concentration of big bass caught in live events is no doubt from Lincoln Lake, followed by next level lakes of Elmdale, Pumpback and Siloam City Lake. Beaver Lake produces some, but they are few and far between.

The Biggest and Baddest Bass

So enough about numbers, what about size? Here are the largest bass caught in live NSKA NWA competition since 2017:

LengthAnglerYear
23.5Cole Sikes2017
22.75Jason Coleman2020
22.5Kyle Long, Craig Wood, Sam McClish, Sikes2019, 2019, 2020, 2017
22.25Nathan Henthorn2017
22Justin Brewer, Rance Richardson, Jason Kincy2018, 2019, 2020

Jason Coleman’s 22.75” was an absolute monster and probably more like 23.75” or 23.5″ because he had a 1” penalty on his photo submission! Wow!

The largest official NSKA NWA bass caught in live competition is the 23.50” tank caught by Cole Sikes in 2017 at Lake Elmdale, I suspect on a jig. Ha!

Jason Coleman’s beast which should have measured more than 23″ but that mouth is a bit open… Source: TourneyX

It’s Go Time!

In 2021 get out there, have fun and fish! Any cast could net you a 20+ tank! You don’t have to only throw certain baits to catch them either, almost any technique can do it at the right place and right time. I’ve caught 20+ bass on crankbaits, topwater, chatterbaits, jigs, spoons, and soft plastics. Keep fishing and be optimistic that you can catch ‘em!

Heavy Hitters Coming Back for 2021!

If this is getting you excited about catching big bass, watch for information coming soon on the return of the NSKA NWA Heavy Hitters competition for the upcoming season. This is a live tournament cumulative big bass competition that gives you something to aim for in every tournament. There will be a $10 entry and the pot goes to the winner at the end of the season.  Details coming soon.

NSKA

Hitting the Road – NSKA Road Runner Tournament Preview

The best tournament of the year on the Natural State Kayak Angler (NSKA) schedule takes place on May 12 when anglers hit to road to their favorite fishing hole in search of the best limit. The NWA Road Runner taking place right in the middle of the spawn is likely to produce the most limits and the highest totals of the season.

Every angler should be able to find water to fish that fits their style or strategy. In the road runner format, anglers will be able to choose from almost any publicly accessible body of water within a 30 mile radius. Private water, farm ponds, Bella Vista lakes and SWEPCO Lake are off limits!  For a breakdown of the key lakes in play for the tournament, check out last year’s road runner preview article.  Another thing to keep in mind is the further out in the radius you go, the higher risk you have of not making back to weigh in or cutting out fishing time.

IMPORTANT NOTE – Because this is a road runner, ALL eligible water is off limits after Wednesday in this week, not just where you plan to fish.

2018 NWA Road Runner radius is 30 miles from Lowell, Arkansas.

NWA Road Runner Means Big Totals

Choosing your own water generally leads to good results for anglers and there are some common bodies of water which have been key to success the past few years:

In 2015 Beaver Lake produced the winning total of near 80″, with Lake Bob Kidd producing 2nd place, Crystal Lake 3rd, and Lincoln Lake producing 4th and 5th.

In 2016, Beaver Lake produced first place again with the Dead Sea giving up a strong 86″ with Lake Bob Kidd, Siloam City Lake and SWEPCO Lake rounding out the other money placements.

Last year in 2017, Lake Elmdale was the big dog in the road runner. First place with a huge 93.75″ as well as second place came out of Lake Elmdale. The same lake also produced a 23.5″ monster for Big Bass.  Third and fourth place came from SWEPCO Lake (off limits this season). Overall, a strong 67% of anglers caught a limit, with 93% turning in a keeper – by far the best performance in recent tournaments by the field.

This 23.5″ tank was caught by Cole Sikes at Lake Elmdale in the 2017 NWA Road Runner to win Big Bass.

2018 Angler Preview and Predictions

I asked two of the most successful NSKA anglers over the past year to join me in previewing and predicting the upcoming event.  Dwain Batey (last year’s champ), Taylor Frizzell and Cole Sikes shared their thoughts in this roundtable discussion.

Name the two lakes which will most likely produce the winning limit.

Dwain – The two lakes that I think are most likely to hold the winning fish are Lincoln Lake or Lake Elmdale. Both of these lakes have a great population of larger fish, though at times both can be very stingy, and the recent inflow of flooded waters could really change things in the area. This is typically good for Elmdale, and bad for Lincoln, but to be honest I haven’t fished either one enough this year to get a good feel of what’s going on.

Taylor – I think someone fishing Lincoln Lake or Shadow Lake has a great shot at the winning limit. This time of year is always a great time for both spots.

Cole – Lincoln Lake or Elmdale.

Jason – The numbers don’t lie, history shows it likely will be Beaver Lake. If not there Elmdale or Lincoln for those who can find the best fish.

How do you decide or narrow down where to go when a road runner gives you so many options?

Dwain – I will probably just wake up that morning, if I go to sleep at all, and randomly pick which lake feels right for the day and go all in on that one. I pre-fished Elmdale recently and I plan to fish Lincoln before the event off limits, this will give me a good idea on which lake I should hit for the event. Hey, if they’re both fishing poorly I might go somewhere crazy like Siloam Springs City Lake for the tournament, we’ll see.

Taylor – When I get a chance at a road runner I tend to look at my favorite spots to fish and then go back and see how I did in those areas in years past. This year though things seem to be happening a little later with the up and down weather we have had so it could work or be a bust.

Cole – How do you decide or narrow down where to go when a road runner gives you so many options? I typically pick lakes I have confidence in and know they have big ones.

Jason – Probably one that I don’t throw…honestly jigs should be the key with fish up and around cover.

What will be some of the key baits to catch fish this week?

Dwain – I would say that my key bait would be a Skirmish Baits M9 squarebill crankbait, but with the recent heavy rains it might wind up being a jig or spinnerbait if the water is really muddy. There may be enough time to let it clear back up some in a few lakes, and then I would probably be targeting fish with the squarebill, and probably a topwater since it’s post spawn for the most part in our area now. I had a little something figured out before this rain that I am holding on to, but we’ll see if it plays in the event, if it does I’ll spill the beans afterwords.

Taylor –  I think some of the key baits are going to be jigs, chatterbaits, and a Ned rig because let’s be honest everyone is throwing it even if they won’t admit it.

Cole – This time of year when the fish are in all stages of the spawn you can catch them on about anything. I think it will be a junk fishing type tournament.

Jason – Scouting is difficult because you can’t get to many places to check them out. So I’d go somewhere you are the most comfortable with and familiar. No reason to risk a tournament day on a lake where you don’t have some spots.

Predict the winning total, and Big Bass.

Dwain – Winning length will be 89.5 inches and 21.25 inches for Big Bass.

Taylor – I think anyone with around 86 inches is going to be in a good position to win and big bass will be 21 inches.

Cole – The winning total will be 81.50” and 20.25” for Big Bass.

Jason – This is usually some of the biggest totals of the year, so I’d say 85.25″ for the winning limit and 22.5″ for Big Bass.

 

 

News

Bass Boat vs Kayak Tournament Fishing

Kayak bass fishing continues to grow in popularity and as a result, more and more glitter rocket anglers have moved into the kayak tournament scene. How does bass boat vs kayak tournament fishing compare? Is there an adjustment to transition from bass boat tournaments to kayak tourneys? Why are boaters moving into the kayak realm? Can kayak anglers compete with bass boat anglers?

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Armada of kayak anglers
Armada of kayak anglers ready to take of at a tournament on SWEPCO Lake.

Experienced bass boat and kayak tournament anglers Cole Sikes, Nathan Henthorn, Bo Sarratt and Carson McBride weighed in on the topic in this roundtable discussion. These anglers have proven their abilities on the water with tournament wins or top finishes in the Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) trail – one of the largest kayak fishing groups in the country.

Why do you participate in kayak bass fishing tournaments after having competed in the bass boat category?

Carson – I always loved fishing the War Eagle Creek and wanted to explore more of it so I really wanted a kayak. Once I finally got one I found out about tournaments and now I love it.

Cole – I still fish both boat and kayak tournaments but i just love to fish because of the challenge. Every day is different and a new puzzle to solve. With kayak fishing, there are more elements to deal with so it is even more of a challenge.

Bo – I do the kayak tournaments because I fish with my uncle out of his boat in team tournaments. I bought a kayak so I could go fish on my own time and doing the kayak tournaments is just a lot of fun for me.

Nathan – I am from Oklahoma City and moved to northeastern Oklahoma after college, away from my dad and his boat. I needed a cheap and accessible way to get on the water, and fell in love with kayak fishing.

What has been the biggest adjustment in moving from big boat tourneys to kayak tourneys?

Cole – The biggest adjustment from moving from bass boat tournaments to kayak tournaments is determining the location you’ll be fishing. The obvious thing is that you can’t cover as much water from a kayak than a bass boat but wind is one of the biggest variables.  If you have 10+ mph wind from a certain direction then it typically groups the kayak anglers on one part of the the body of water which decreases the amount of fishable water.

Bo – The big adjustment for me between kayak and big boat fishing is the limited amount of stuff you can bring and not being able to move around. In our big boat tourneys we have 25-30 rods in the boat along with lots of tackle. In my kayak I can take 8 rods and my 8 small boxes I have in my black pack.

Carson – I constantly move back and forth between boat tourneys and kayak tourneys. I would say the biggest adjustment is limiting yourself to not as much water and not having as many rods. In the boat I can take 15 rods out there but in the kayak I normally only take 6 rods. I always bring my tackle crate in the boat so I normally have the same amount of tackle.

Nathan – The biggest adjustment is committing to an area like Carson said. That makes decision making about an area to fish that much more important.

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Kayaks ready for a shotgun start on Lake Fort Smith.
Kayaks ready for a shotgun start on Lake Fort Smith.

Do you prepare any differently for a bass boat vs kayak tournament? How?

Nathan – I prepare by doing much more Google maps research. And if I pre-fish, I might trailer to different locations. I don’t do a lot of actual pre-fishing because I like to have an open mind, and what caught them one day might not catch them the next, especially in the springtime. I will do more paddling around and looking at my graph than anything.

Cole – Overall, I do not prepare any differently for a kayak tournament than a bass boat tournament however you have to be more methodical in the area you’re choosing to fish. Since you’re not able to run and gun as well from a kayak you need to fish high-percentage areas depending on the seasonality and stages of fish.  If it’s a new body of water that I’m not familiar with, I like to choose an area that provides a variety of different structure and cover that are relatively close. This gives me the ability to try and determine if fish are shallow, deep, or are they relating to flats, weeds, rocks or wood and then expand on any patterns I might have discovered.

Bo – The only difference in a kayak tourney is that I have to narrow down the one area that I want to fish all day. I never do that in a big boat tourney.

Carson – I do prepare myself differently for a kayak tourney because like I said you are limited to a smaller area. I try to find a place that has a little bit of everything as far as fishing terrain goes. With the boat we have been down at hickory creek on Beaver Lake and weren’t catching them so we motored up to the dam. In the boat your only limited to as much water as you want.

Is there anything that is easier in a kayak tourney than a boat one? Harder?

Nathan – It is easier getting started fishing kayak tourneys than bass boat. Kayaks are much cheaper than bass boats!

Cole – Overall, kayak fishing is much more difficult than fishing from a bass boat.  There are only a few instances of where I think fishing from a kayak is easier. One is that you’re able to get to areas that a bass boat might not be able to which means less-pressured fish.  Secondly, sometimes it’s easier to skip baits around cover from a kayak because of how close you are to the water’s surface creating a better casting angle.

Bo – I do not think there is anything easier about fishing a kayak tourney. Wind effects more, have to deal with your phone and Hawg Trough are the main things I can think of making kayak tourneys harder.

Carson – One thing that’s easier in most kayak tourneys is length limit is 10 inches for all species but in boat tourneys depending on where your at it’s different. Beaver Lake is 15 inches for Largemouth and Smallmouth and 12 inches for Spots. That’s a lot tougher than trying to catch five 10 inch fish.  So, normally it’s easier to get a fast limit in a kayak tourney. One thing harder in a kayak is dealing with wind and conditions and also trying to measure your fish and take a picture and then submitting them rather than sticking your fish in the live well real quick and then getting back to fishing.

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Bass boats ready to motor all over Beaver Lake for a big tournament.
Bass boats ready to motor all over Beaver Lake for a big tournament.

“My advice to a boater getting into kayak tournaments is…”

Nathan – … learn how to take and submit photos correctly right off the bat. You also need to learn boat control and position. Casting angles are a little different. The wind is a much bigger factor. A kayak with a rudder is a must-have.

Cole – …just because you get a fish in the boat doesn’t mean she is getting an easy ride back to the weigh-in.  There is still work to do. You must practice handling and taking clean photos of your fish because they could flop off your board at any moment and could result in possible loss of winnings.

Bo – …is get you a couple techniques that you have confidence in and take them with you on the kayak. Get a finesse technique for tough days and some good power fishing techniques for when you’ve got wind and clouds or dirtier water and go with those.

Carson –  …to learn to fish smaller areas instead of having the mindset to be able to run all over the place. And, to learn to fish slower and more patiently.

Could kayak anglers be competitive vs boaters in the same tourney? Why or why not?

Nathan – Kayak anglers could be competitive if it’s on a lake where that angler is seasoned and has some good spots. But on a trail that has many stops it would be very difficult.

Cole – No doubt, and a few anglers proved that this past year at the Beaver Lake tournament on April 15th. I wasn’t able to fish the kayak tournament because I was fishing the Everett Team Trail bass boat tournament that same day on the same body of water. We had a little more than 150 bass boats in that tournament and it took 17.64 pounds to win. In the kayak tournament, Dwain Batey, Craig Wood and Nathan Henthorn all had just under an 18” average that day which is probably around a 3 pound average. To put this into perspective, their best 5 weighed at least 15 pounds. My dad and I placed 4th with over 16 pounds, however, these kayak guys did it by themselves without a partner. This proves that they can be competitive but on a day to day basis the bass boat guys would have an easy advantage.

Bo – If the tourney started like big boat tourneys all from the same place I don’t think they could compete, but if the kayak people were allowed to put in where they please I think it could be. I know I had an Everett tourney last year the same day there was a kayak tourney on Beaver and Dwain Batey probably would’ve gotten top 10 in our tourney with what he caught that day. I think the body of water would make a difference as well.

Carson – Yes I do think that kayak anglers could compete with boat anglers because in a kayak you fish slower it seems like and you really pick everything apart and catch more fish in a smaller area. In the boat it feels like your fishing faster and you miss fish that you could catch in a kayak. I’ve fished many kayak tourneys while there was other bass boat tourneys going on at the same time and have done as well as I could have if not better than if I was in the boat.

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NSKA

2018 NSKA Tournament Schedule Preview

The new year is upon us in Northwest Arkansas and that means a challenging season ahead for anglers in the NSKA Tournament trail.  This year should be big for the Natural State Kayak Anglers with seven events on beautiful Arkansas waters.

For those who have fished in NSKA the past couple of years you will notice a couple of differences for 2018. The warm and cozy waters of SWEPCO Lake are not on the schedule due to the limited parking situation. Additionally, you better get your Beaver Lake maps out, with three events on the premier lake in the area.

Before diving into each tournament on the schedule, here’s a snapshot of the NSKA Tournament events for 2018. Mark them on your calendar now:

  • March 10 – Beaver Lake South
  • April 21 – Lake Fort Smith
  • May 12 – NWA Road Runner
  • June 16 – Beaver Lake
  • July 14 – Draw Four
  • August 4 – Beaver Lake North
  • September 8 – Table Rock (Beaver Town)
NSKA Tournament Schedule Analysis

Beaver Lake South – As mentioned, in previous years SWEPCO Lake kicked off the season and bass were easy to catch in the warm waters in early March. This year will be a different challenge with Beaver Lake South up first. Water should still be a bit chilly and the bass might still be sluggish. The zone for fishing this event is the Hwy 12 bridge and south. We’ll see what the #deadsea has in store for us this year.

Lake Fort Smith – Back on the schedule for 2018 is Lake Fort Smith, a beautiful mountain lake south of the Bobby Hopper tunnel. April showers bring flowers, but they also can bring muddy waters to this usually clear fishery. One of the great things about this event is it will be a shotgun start from the ramp area which makes for a spectacle. I’m not going to lie, this is a weird lake and I used to dislike it…but really missed it last year. It has a bit of everything from deep bluffs to standing timber to creek run-ins to grass edges. Keep your head on a swivel, there’s a reason some refer to it as Snake Fort Smith.

NWA Road Runner – The glitter boat crossovers had their advantage back on Beaver Lake South, but now the hardcore kayak anglers get their turn. With a true NWA Road Runner, kayaks can be put in almost anywhere in pubic waters. Tiny lakes or rivers with secret spots come into play here as NSKA anglers will scatter across the area to pick the type of water and situation they think will produce on tournament day. That deep brushpile on your favorite body of water that only you know about might be the winning ingredient. Kayak heavy lakes like Lincoln, Siloam Springs, Wilson, Crystal Lake and Elmdale will have a part to play in the outcome. Swepco doesn’t follow the traditional seasonal patterns of the other lakes and will be off-limits for the road runner.

Beaver Lake – Access to the full lake for the June event should really allow anglers to choose how they want to fish the lake. From the clear water and smallmouth central at the dam all the way up to the river will provide a multitude of options. June is a beautiful time of year on Beaver, but is also buzzing with activity from fishermen to the party crowd. Most of the lake will be well into post-spawn time which could make things tough, but I think NSKA anglers will find a way to pull in some big limits. An added bonus to this date is that it coincides with a KBF Open on Beaver Lake same day, so anglers could fish both events should you so choose.

Draw Four – My absolute favorite event of the year is the Draw Four road runner. All participants will draw from one of four area lakes right before tournament time and that will decide where each angler will fish. The Draw Four lakes have not yet been determined, but will be announced well before tournament weekend so people can prepare. Doing well in this event means that you are able to quickly adapt to whatever water luck has chosen for you. Being in July, you better catch’em early in the day…

Beaver Lake North – This one will be the grinder of the season and a good test for anglers. Beaver Lake in August is usually in full #deadsea mode and is an opportunity to see who really can put fish into the kayak. Smallmouth up near the dam area might be the key for this time of year. By this event the Anger of the Year race should be taking shape and the top contenders may be able to seal the deal with a good day on Beaver Lake. Fishing in this one will be limited to the Hwy 12 bridge and the dam.

Beaver Town Arkansas - kayakfishingfocus.com
Beaver Town Arkansas – kayakfishingfocus.com

Table Rock (Beaver Town) – In my opinion the most scenic venue of the year for NSKA Tournaments. If you haven’t kayak fished around Beaver Town, you need to check it out. There are some big fish lurking in these skinny waters between Beaver Lake and Table Rock. This unique area allows you to fish current or find still waters if that’s more to your liking. Another shotgun start, this is a fun final event to bring everyone together. Each year there is also a big camp out at Beaver Town that weekend for anglers to fellowship. Watch for more details.

Looking Forward To The Season

Here’s looking toward a great NSKA season, watch the blog for more individual tournament previews and recaps throughout the year.

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NSKA, Tournaments

NSKA NWA Road Runner Recap

The NSKA NWA Road Runner took place on a post-front day with bluebird skies but that didn’t keep these kayak anglers from catching a lot of fish. The trend for 2017 continued with higher catch totals than in previous years. For those of you who don’t do the weekly Yakpot, it seemed to have been key for the top performers this time around.

Dwain Batey took 1st again with 93.75″ on Lake Elmdale, while Cole Sikes finished 2nd on Elmdale as well with 85.50″ and Big Bass with a 23.50″ monster.  Craig Richardson and Brayden Richardson finished 3rd and 4th with 85.25″ each at SWEPCO Lake.

A whopping 66% of the field turned in a limit, showing that when these kayak anglers can choose their spot, fish will be caught.

The top 10 was as follows:

  1. Dwain Batey
  2. Cole Sikes
  3. Craig Richardson
  4. Brayden Richardson
  5. Justin Wright
  6. Roy Roberts
  7. William Jones
  8. Baron Meek
  9. Robert Murphy
  10. David Preston

The top anglers shared their recaps on the day. Great summaries by Dwain Batey, Cole Sikes and Craig Richardson.

Dwain – There was a cold front, quickly clearing water, and ridiculous fishing pressure to deal with at Lake Elmdale, but knowing all of that I still decided I was “on them” enough to catch fish with the changing conditions and behind other boats and kayaks. My plan to fish Elmdale began with the awesome day that many of us had at the weekly Yakpot the week before, the water was high and muddy, and the fish were shallow and eating. I checked it again on Friday, and Sunday, and continued to refine my presentation each trip. I was very worried that the water would be too clear for those very shallow fish to remain that shallow by the event day, but I resisted the urge to check them again before the off limits period started. I pedaled out to my best area before start time, and was waiting there when it was time for the first cast.

I only got a couple of bites fishing through my best stuff, and didn’t put any of them in the boat. Just beyond my best area I caught a couple of 10+” to break this ice, but then I had to skip the next 150 yards of that bank because there were a series of boats and kayaks fishing that stretch. Moving on down to the next free area I finally connected with a few decent fish on the jig. Even down there I was fishing behind two bass boats that were both fishing similarly, pitching something into the same cover. Catching fish behind them really gave me confidence that I was doing something right, and different enough to catch fish with the heavy fishing pressure of the day. I made another pass down the entire stretch, and picked up a couple more fish then near the very end of it put my best fish in the boat, a 20.25″ that really anchored my bag for the day (this was at 10 a.m.).

After that I didn’t boat another fish that would cull until I found one fish away from my area on a deeper bank at 1 pm. While I had a serious game plan with several different lures, it turned out that all I needed was my jig. It was a black and blue Missile Jig, which is compact in size and profile but matched the fall rate of the larger jig I was using the week before. My trailer was a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver in a matching color. I wanted the smaller jig, and no kicking legs on the trailer because the fishing pressure and the clearing water put the brakes on the activity level of the bass. The cover that the fish were holding on also continued to change as the water cleared and fell. The first trip last week the fish were holding on vertical wood cover that was approx. 2 to 4 inches diameter, the next day they were on the base of the really big stumps/trees that were 2 to 4 feet diameter, but on the day of the tournament they had moved to the bushy stuff that was very sparse and was under ½ inch diameter. Another big change was, last week in the dirty water fish were biting the bait on the drop, and during the tournament you’d have to let it go to the bottom and hop/drag it some to get a bite.

After the sun got up and really showed how clear the water was, I really couldn’t believe that those fish were still up in a foot of water and biting the morning of the tournament, but I’m glad that I didn’t know until after I’d caught them, it could have ruined my confidence in the area to see that early in the day, but luckily it still looked dirty in the low light of the early morning when I was doing my damage. While everyone expects me to catch my fish on a Skirmish Baits M9 squarebill crankbait (and that’s usually the case) it’s nice to show some diversity and catch some fish on a slower bait once in a while.

Cole – I ended up choosing Lake Elmdale because it’s the lake I know the best outside of Beaver Lake and I had one of my best fishing trips while fishing the Weekly YakPot tournament the week before. From my experience in the past, Lake Elmdale doesn’t usually have an abundance of quality fish (18+”) but this year the lake has been on fire.

Conditions played a big role in my overall strategy. The sun and no wind always makes it a grind so I knew the early morning bite would be key. In the morning I tried to flip my jig by every piece of cover up shallow while I knew the bank was going to get hit hard by other weekend anglers. This worked for me but only was able to manage to catch some average 15” keepers. Once the shallow bite got tough, I started fishing out deeper on points and pockets hoping to catch a key kicker.

This move worked out well for me while I caught my kicker fish in a mouth of a pocket using a jig around laydowns that were not visible to the human eye. The fish was an 8.5″ cull and moved me from 13th to a 2nd place finish.  My key baits for the day were BassX Jigs with Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailers.

Craig – Decided to hit Swepco because for some reason it doesn’t seem to get all muddied up after rains like some of the other lakes. Brayden and I found the fish pretty quickly in the coves, mostly in a little deeper water on secondary points and structure. As the day heated up and the sun came out, the fish moved up into the flooded vegetation in the same areas. We were able to catch them all day throwing a wacky rig.

River Valley Road Runner

On the same day as NWA events, there is another tourney for those south of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel. Congratulations as well to the NSKA River Valley Road Runner Winners:

  • 1st – Chris Nemeth with 89″
  • 2nd – Christa Hibbs with 83.5″
  • 3rd – Chris Jones with 72″
  • Big Bass – Josh Baker with 22.25″

As for me, this is easily one of my worst decision making tournaments ever. Although I caught several fish, I made a last minute decision on the lake I chose and the area of the lake where I wanted to start. On that day I used a lot of go-to techniques and caught small fish but it just didn’t work for the bigger ones. By the time I adjusted the sun was out and it was just too late. Hopefully we all learned something in this event that will help us down the road.

Thank you to Jeff Malott for putting on a well organized and fun event so that we can all have some fun.

NSKA, Tournaments

NWA Roadrunner – NSKA Preview

The Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) hit the road for the next tournament to be held on Saturday, May 13 – with a Northwest Arkansas road runner event. Because of recent flooding, the River Run was postponed until later in the season and the road runner moved up in its place. Many lakes are in play and are good options for this choose your own adventure kayak fishing tournament.

Participants may choose from almost any publicly accessible body of water within a 30 mile radius (with the exception of Bella Vista lakes) including some newly approved lakes for this season. The NSKA NWA Road Runner is one of my favorite events because it allows everyone to choose an option that fits their style, and should result in a decent overall winning total.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Here are some of the primary options anglers will be considering for tournament day:

Lake Bob Kidd – I haven’t fished this lake much but it has been in the mix each time there’s been a road runner. There are some big bass in this lake and if you like vegetation and wood structure, it is a great option.

Lincoln Lake – To me this is the undisputed “Big Bass” lake in Northwest Arkansas. On average you will catch a bigger fish here than anywhere else. If it is on, the winner will likely come from Lincoln Lake.

SWEPCO Lake fatty.
SWEPCO Lake fatty.

SWEPCO Lake – The only other lake on the list which could challenge Lincoln for large numbers of big fish. This lake’s going to be a bit warmer than some others, but hasn’t heated up too much yet for the summer. A big limit could be filled quickly here, but every once in a while these bass can get tight lipped.

Lake Elmdale – Easily accessed from I-49, this is a very popular lake, meaning it gets tons of pressure and can get quite crowded. (I counted 28 cars in the lot the last time I was there) It’s a solid lake that can at times produce good fishing, however, it has never really produced top results in a road runner style tournament. Will see what this year brings.

Crystal Lake – Gaining a lot of respect in recent tournaments, this gem of a little lake is near Decatur. I’ve fished it twice in road runners, making top five in both events. Not many giant bass like Lincoln and Swepco, but a very healthy population of keepers packed into a lake of manageable size.

Beaver Lake – Here we go…this will be interesting to see who heads to Beaver Lake and rolls the dice.  Historically Beaver Lake has factored in to the top places in road runner events – there’s no doubt it has fish and some really good ones. The person who can find some bass at Beaver might roll a seven and win this thing.

Wildcards – Some lesser known lakes are also in the mix and options for competitors: Wilson, Wedington, Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoya, Lake Prairie Grove and Siloam City Lake are all possibilities. (note – am told Lake Prairie Grove is currently closed)

Historical Look Back

In 2015, my first year with AKA/NSKA, the first roadrunner was earlier in the spring (April 14) and Lake Swepco was off-limits as an option. The winning angler fished the upper Beaver Lake area near War Eagle, 2nd place came from Lake Bob Kidd, 3rd place from Crystal Lake, 4th place from Lincoln Lake/Bob Kidd and 5th place from Lincoln Lake. It took close to 80″ to win this event.

In 2016, some of the same lakes produced the top results. Although I don’t have the order of finish, I do know that Beaver Lake produced the winner with approximately 86″ and Lake Bob Kidd, Siloam City Lake and Swepco Lake were in the mix for the other top finishers.

Not a real road-runner but the NWA Draw Four tournament featured Lincoln Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Elmdale and Lake Bob Kidd. 1st came out of Crystal Lake with 2nd and 3rd coming from Lake Bob Kidd I believe.  Mid-70s was required to win this one.

NSKA Predictions

Northwest Arkansas kayak anglers Tim Hotchkin and Rob Bomstead weighed in along with me on what to expect this weekend:

What top two lakes do you think will produce the winner?

  • Jason – Based on historical data, the winner will come from Beaver Lake, Swepco or Lincoln. I’m betting Lincoln this year.
  • Tim – Swepco or Elmdale. Swepco stayed pretty clear after all the rain it’s just high from the rain. Elmdale has had alot of success lately so it will draw a lot of anglers.
  • Rob – I think Beaver or Swepco will produce the winner, although a smaller sleeper lake may surprise us all.

How does a road runner change your strategy?

  • Jason – Normally it is about finding the type of water you want to fish, but this year it is all up and dirtier than normal, so not as much of an issue.
  • Tim – It doesn’t change my strategy. If anything it helps me. I can to to whatever lake I feel confident in based on our recent weather changes and lake elevations due to all the rain.
  • Rob – Weather, water temp, water clarity, recent catches and wind all are part of the decision, however, personal confidence in a body of water and fishing how I like to fish play an important role.

Recent rains have muddied up about everywhere except Swepco, how will that affect things?

  • Jason – I think this is going to drive overall size totals higher than normal and some will catch a lot of fish. This won’t be a grind it out just for a limit in clear water event.
  • Tim – It will put a lot of stress on some anglers as their normal waters may not be fishable.  A lot of anglers may have to change their styles which could cause some anglers to try techniques they are not used to.
  • Rob – The rains definitely have changed the game plan, but good weather this week hopefully will calm things down and we should see some clearing of the water a bit.

Winning length and big bass size?

  • Jason – 86.5″ to win and a 20.75″ big bass
  • Tim – Winning Length: 78″ with a 21″ big bass
  • Rob – This group has some great anglers and I would be hard pressed not to believe someone will have them figured out. I’m going to say just over 98″ and big bass will be 22.5″

What is the key bait?

  • Jason – Spinnerbait or jig
  • Tim – Texas rigged creature bait.
  • Rob – Jig and crankbait.
Fishing Recap, NSKA, razoryak tournament trail

Swepco Lake NSKA Recap

Winter had one more blast of icy air to launch the Natural State Kayak Anglers into the 2017 season on Swepco Lake. With air temperatures at 29 degrees at take-off and water temps ranging from 68-75 degrees across the hot water lake, it was an interesting setup for the day.

As discussed in this previous article, historically Swepco Lake has not been friendly to recent kayak tournaments. This year was a different story as many fish were caught, including several big ones. Of the 61 anglers who entered, 85% turned in a score-able fish and 44% turned in a limit. Overall a great day of fishing on Swepco Lake, evidenced by 260 fish caught which included eight big fish at 20+ inches.

First place went to Rob Barnica with 89″ and second to Baron Meek with 88.5″ who both fished most of the day up around the discharge area near the power plant. I came in third place with 87.25″ while David Preston took fourth with 83.75″ and Ethan Dhuyvetter with 82.5″ was fifth.

Top 10 finishers:
  1. Rob Barnica
  2. Baron Meek
  3. Jason Kincy
  4. David Preston
  5. Ethan Dhuyvetter
  6. Roy Roberts
  7. Robert Murphy
  8. Justin Wright
  9. Rance Richardson
  10. Wayne Johnson

Rance Richardson won big bass with 21.25″. View complete NSKA – Swepco Lake Results here.

Rob, Baron and David did not provide a tournament recap, but here are mine and Ethan’s look back at the day.

Jason – A week or so out from the tournament I was feeling pretty solid on a game plan, but that was thrown out when the weather took a nasty turn that weekend. Knowing they had the generators running most of the night before it was clear that bass would be feeding early up toward the discharge but I decided to avoid the crowd and to try and find more unmolested water down on the dam end of the lake.

I wasted some time throwing a bit of topwater and tried a few other different things but did not really get settled in until mid-morning and figured out that a combination of some different YUM plastic baits (Thumpn’ Dinger and Kill Shot) on Owner hooks was the way to go. Most fish were in 12-8 feet of water and bit on a slow-moving presentation.  The bite was good until about 11:30 when the clouds began to break up and then once the sun fully emerged the bite shut off for me. As a last gasp effort to pick up a couple of inches I went up to the discharge area for the last hour but couldn’t cull a fish.

Ethan – I decided to fish this event because I thought it would be a great way to meet people and get out on a lake I’ve never been to. I was very hesitant because of the cruddy weather we had the day prior but opted to fish last minute. Having never fished a kayak tournament, I was a bit nervous that I would screw something up, but Jeff explained everything well so I had no issues.

When I got out, I figured an A Rig would work but after hearing the water temp, I quickly put that down and started tossing a jig. A football jig and a drop shot Roboworm accounted for all my fish. The fishing seemed to be best when there was cloud cover. I was catching my fish on transition banks in 5-10 ft of water, they all seemed to be pre-spawn to me which I found odd with the water temps as high as they were.

 

Events, NSKA, razoryak tournament trail

Lake Swepco NSKA Preview, or History Lesson?

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What happens to one of Arkansas’ most well known winter bass lakes meets up with scores of kayak anglers? Swepco Lake in Gentry, Arkansas, is the first trail event of the year for the Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) and historically has been stingy on tournament day.

I have competed now in three kayak fishing tournaments on SwepcoNatural State Kayak Anglers - Swepco Lake Lake and looking back at some numbers, the anglers haven’t bagged as many, or as big of fish as you might think for this premier early spring spot.

My first kayak fishing tournament there was the 2014 AKA Christmas Classic big bass event and was my first kayak tournament. On that December day there were 51 anglers on the lake, with only 31 (61%) of participants even carding a keeper. The big bass on this day was 19″ – a nice fish, but not huge for legendary Swepco Lake on a December day.  I was extremely happy to take 10th with a 16″ fish in my first event.

For March 2015 tournament recaps describe the day as very, very tough with bluebird skies and little to no wind. There were 71 anglers entered and Tim Hotchkin won this event, including big bass by blowing away the field with 80.25″ and 20″ for the big bass. Of the 71 anglers in the event, 46 anglers (65%) carded a keeper.

Anyone there in 2016 remembers how bad the wind was that day. It was downright dangerous on the water if you had a small kayak. This Swepco Lake tourney had 61 participants, with only 37 (61%) recording a keeper.  Nathan Bohannon took the win with 72″, while big bass was caught by Jason Klingman for 17.5″.  17.5 for big bass out of 61 anglers on Swepco?! (note – there was word of a 20″ fish caught but no score-able photo submitted) Only eight anglers turned in a limit on the day, with 87% of the field falling short of five fish. Was a disappointing day for me finishing 16th for the event with only two keepers.

So what do these numbers tell us about what to expect this weekend on Swepco Lake? A few takeaways:

  • A good portion of the field, approximately 40% is likely not to card a keeper on tournament day,
  • If you catch a 20″ you have an excellent chance to win big bass for this event,
  • A limit of five keepers likely gets you a spot in the top 10-12 places based on past history.

Swepco Lake may be a big bass lake in the winter months, but it can get finicky at tournament time. Why? Who knows? But the weather clearly changes this time of year and the schools are harder to find. Extremely high winds are frequent in March as well, which can make fishing difficult for kayak anglers. Maybe it is because having 60-70 anglers on that lake at once really pushes the envelope in finding unmolested bass.  Whatever the reason, there will be fish caught this weekend, including some big ones…just not very many.

 

Events, Fishing Recap, razoryak tournament trail

RTT Kickoff Classic Tournament Recap

This past weekend I competed in my first tournament of the season. The 2017 Razoryak Tournament Trail Kickoff Classic brought together the top kayak anglers from around the state of Arkansas for a three day online event open to fishing any public waters. This a brief recap of my 8th place finish out of 56 anglers.

First of all, congratulations to the top finishers:

  1. Dwain Batey – NSKA
  2. Rob Barnica – NSKA
  3. Terry Brown – KBA
  4. Scott Acord – KBA
  5. Justin Brewer – NSKA

The tournament was a bit disappointing to me because I felt like I had really dialed in Lake Swepco in Gentry, Arkansas, in recent weeks, catching a lot of quality fish. After a week of record high temperatures, a windy cold front moved in and turned everything upside down and I just couldn’t adjust well enough to be a top competitor. I also made some mistakes that cost me early on a couple of big fish.

Friday – Day 1

I hit Swepco on a day of very high winds and temps in the 40s steadily dropping into the 30s later in the day. Even with this, I stuck with my plan to start out with some topwater (Heddon Zara Spook) on this power plant lake and although it generated some bites, I lost the first six fish that I hooked, including a couple of large ones. It wasn’t the hooks, clearly something was off with my hookset and technique which was resulting in the bass pulling off. After this setback I was pretty dejected but remembering my pre-tournament plan I transitioned to a Norman Mad N crankbait and picked up a good sized and a mid-range keeper fairly quickly.  Later on l I hooked into an absolute monster (using a YUM Dinger) which I fought for what seemed like forever…until I pulled up a 4-5 lb catfish and I literally went on a verbal anti-catfish rant. Not wanting to give up, I stuck with this YUM Dinger approach and picked up a couple of keepers to add to my total but still only had one good sized bass. Now was the time of day where I was ready to go to my bread and butter approach with a Norman Deep N crankbait, which yielded me a 17″+ and 18″+ to round out my limit for the day, finishing with 77.25″ for day one where I was feeling pretty good in the standings until my buddy Dwain Batey submitted 90″+ that evening! For a great recap of his eventual tournament win, go give this a read. This pushed me down to 3rd for day one, which was good but I was frustrated about missed opportunities that day.

Saturday – Day Two

The cold front had really set in and temps were below or at freezing until late morning so I didn’t hit the water until around noon. As expected, nothing that worked for me on Friday was working today and I really scrambled to try and increase my limit total, trying all sorts of techniques. A pretty neat (but bittersweet) experience was sitting on the water within just a few feet of Rob Barnica as he was pulling in big fish after big fish. He was on fire with those bass and kept pulling in one after another…I believe I saw him catch four between 17″ and 21.5″ in about an hour. Although I was in the same place and throwing a very similar bait, they didn’t like my technique and didn’t bite for me. A big mistake I made on this day was spotting a big bass on a deep bed that was hard to get to, but I didn’t stay there and try to get it to bite. After putting in a bit of time on it I moved on not wanting to waste my day, in retrospect I should have stayed as long as it took since that one fish would have made my Saturday successful in upping my total. As it is, I only added a few inches and finished with 84″ on the day, culling with a couple of mid-size keepers that I caught on topwater again. (People say I’m addicted to topwater baits…)  At the end of day two I’d dropped to 5th place.

Sunday was the third day of the event, but after seeing the leaderboard after day two I could see that a win was no longer possible I decided to sit it out and spend some time at home. When the tournament ended I had fallen to 8th and finished in the top 10 which is a minimum goal for every event I enter.

A couple of equipment/setup keys I’d mention that I believe really helped in this event:

  • Was able to really give my new Shimano Citica 7:2:1 reel a workout as my main topwater and crankbait reel. It was smooth as silk and was really impressed with it.
  • As usual I used Fish Allure scented tabs on my hard baits which helped give me a good confidence boost, particularly on topwater baits.
  • Two of my keepers in my best five came on a crankbait I had never used before, but had ordered a Norman Mad N for this event to match some baitfish I’d been seeing shallow while prefishing – this definitely paid off.

All in all it was a good warm-up for the year which got me back into tournament mode and also let try out some new equipment and some new rod/reel setups under pressure.

arkansas, Bandit Lures, crankbait, Video

VIDEO – Largemouth Bass on Bandit Crankbait

Caught this Arkansas largemouth bass while kayak bass fishing at Swepco Lake. Hooked it in two feet of water using a Bandit 100 in Green Speckled Craw pattern armed with Owner Stinger treble hooks. Was 20″ and weighed 5.55 pounds.

Gear setup: Hobie Pro Angler 12, Bending Branches Pro Angler Paddle, Dobyns Fury Rod, P-Line 12lb Floroclear, Owner Stinger Trebles and Fish Allure Scented tab applied to back of bait.

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