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NSKA

King of the String Recap / Video / Heavy Hitters

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Whew boy! That was quite the shootout for the recent NSKA NWA King of the String tournament. As the old saying goes, you gotta beat the King to be the King. Who came close? Who came out on top? How did the King stay on top? Read on…

Well the pre-tournament predictions by many were too low, by a lot, for the most part. Here on KFF I predicted the winner would have 25-27 fish total (not far off) with a total of 335″ in length (not close). The real shocker was how far down the standings people were with fish totals that would have been top 10 last year! In retrospect, those of us bemoaning the tough fishing were just sucking, apparently the fish were there to be caught.

Tyler Zengerle’s best five was a huge total of 90+” and deserves a shout-out. Maybe it was good karma for his smiley face on the identifier?

KOS Results

There were 62 anglers registered for the event, who accounted for 541 bass, an average of 8.7 fish per angler, up almost one BPA from last year. Tenth place in 2021 caught 20/253.75″ compared to 16/210 in 2020, and 20th place in 2021 was 12/167″ compared to 10/138.25″ in 2020. Performance was up in 2021 over 2020.

Roy Roberts has ended any debate (if any existed) on who is the King of the String with his third straight win of this event. That’s insane, unbelievable, and phenomenal. He’s definitely set the mark as his 2021 total was 28/373″ while his 2020 win total was 28/375.75″. Wow! Talk about consistency. That’s the number. You want to win next time, beat 28 fish and break 380″ and that might get you there.

Josh Howard took 2nd place with 27/358.25″ while Craig Wood took 3rd place with a 23/304.50″ total. Kyle Long took Big Bass with a 20.50″ hog with a magical spinnerbait landing. The rest of the Top 10 were: Dwain Batey, Cole Sikes, Devon Esry, Michael Burgess, Tyler Zengerle, Jason Coleman and Jason Adams.

My day on the water could have used some improvement, making some adjustments after a really bad start to salvage a few fish. Overall though it was my standard MLF performance, plus an early morning call to wake up my wife, lol. Here’s the video should you want to watch the recap:

Angler Roundtable

As usual, one of the awesome things about kayak fishing is how we are willing to share our experiences. The top anglers shared a lot of great details about their day and how they caught them. Lots of great stuff in here from Roy Roberts and Josh Howard!

What area of the lake did you go to and why?

Roy – I fished the clear water on the north end of the lake. I knew the water would be warmer up in the rivers and fish would be more committed to the spawn so I was a little nervous about my decision. However, in this format I wanted to fish my strengths and stick to the area of the lake I am most comfortable. I didn’t get a chance to practice so I just closely watched the conditions leading up and had a pretty good feeling where the fish would be. Another reason I chose this area was the strong population of all three species of bass. Being able to quickly change techniques and target different groups of fish was a key to get consistent bites all day.

Josh – I went up the river arm. Honestly, I wrestled with that decision all week. Based on history, research and the MLF format, I originally I had narrowed it down to 2 areas around the mid-lake area. The day before the tournament, I completely changed my game plan.

Craig – I chose Natural Walk as my spot for the tourney because it has several creeks coming in and there are a lot of spawning areas as well. One creek/cove gave me ten fish and the motivation to carry on.

Did you change anything or what was your mindset to try to catch numbers?

Roy – My game plan was to power fish shallow for the early bite on some steeper banks. This part went well…I had 10 fish by 8:30 on a crankbait / jerkbait / swimbait just covering water. That bite tapered off and I was working some pockets out of the wind with little success. The cold front had pushed the fish down to 18-20 foot range and they were holding tight to the bottom. Because of the wind I couldn’t use my normal finesse techniques to target these fish so I tied on a Carolina rig with a heavy sinker and a Zoom Centipede. The wind was brutal but bites were consistent. Because of the wind I had trouble feeling the bites and lost several nice fish. I just kept my head down and fished this pattern as efficiently as I could for the rest of the day.

Josh – My approach was to keep moving and cover water. I usually tend to target a small area and then work to get all I can out of that spot, but for this event I felt I needed to cover as much water as possible and keep my bait in front of new fish. Every time I felt myself slowing down or spending too much time in one area, I had to remind myself to keep moving.

Craig – I thought I would throw a spinnerbait and pick up fish, but just 15 minutes in I lost confidence in it, so I started pitching a jig and it produced bites. The storm may have caused them to hold them a little tighter to their spots and the jig gets in tight to those small strike zones.

We have a lot of new anglers this year, any advice for them in tournaments?

Roy – Man there are so many cliches and everybody has their opinion. It’s exciting to see new anglers getting involved and asking good questions. If I had to say one piece of advice I would just say be yourself. Understand what your good at and use that during competition. The hardest thing in bass fishing is chasing dock talk or someone else’s fish. I think people put too much pressure on “practice”. Me included. Just go out have fun, try new things, and learn the lake. Apply what you learn, block out some of the noise, and have fun. I’ve probably read as many articles and watched as many videos as anybody, but the knowledge I have gained firsthand far outweighs anything else.

Josh – Fish your strengths and control the controllable. Identify your strengths or the way you prefer to fish and then seek water that fits your style. I’m not saying “don’t try new baits or be reluctant to adapt to conditions”. I changed my area and plan the day before the tournament because I did not have 100% confidence in it. Win or lose, I want to spend the day fishing the way I want to fish. Control the controllable. This Club is absolutely stacked full of hammers it’s critical to me that I minimize wasted time. A couple minutes here or there can really add up throughout the day and I need every minute, every cast I can get. Organization, maintenance, ATTITUDE are all things that can cost you fish.

Craig – My advice is be patient. Its taken years for me to recognize subtle changes in a bass’s willingness to bite.

What’s your boat/kayak setup/type?

Roy – I have a Hobie PA12 with the 180 drive. I love this kayak. I got it about this time last year and it was a gigantic upgrade for me. I don’t have any fancy motors or electronics but it gets the job done!

Josh – I fish an Old Town Predator PDL. I’ve had it for 2 years now and love it. It’s been very reliable and gives me the confidence to fish any water or weather condition I encounter. Last year I installed a Power Pole Micro Anchor and I cannot say enough about it. Other than my pedal drive, my Power Pole is my #1-can’t fish without accessory.

Craig – I fish out of a Hobie Pro Angler 12 and it gives me the ability to carry a lot of gear and be comfortable in all conditions. I will always fish from a Pro Angler. Also the addition of great sidescan imaging has helped immensely. Congratulations to Roy, the shear amount of fish he caught and upload successfully was incredible.

Kyle Long’s Big Bass was caught on a spinnerbait. I was curious how Kyle’s fish count record keeping would change for MLF. looks like he was marking them off!

Heavy Hitters Update

Oh we have a horserace here in the Heavy Hitters pool. (Still time to enter…) Kyle Long is off to a great start, with two solid bass to get things going, but there are several right behind him. Right now those with at least one 20 are a threat. The good news is nobody is out of it yet, we’re taking the top five best fish, so anyone can make a run!

Table Rock is next up, an interesting curveball to the schedule. Should be some huge totals caught there during the ongoing spawn. Get ready to roll!

NSKA

NSKA NWA Road Runner Recap / Roundtable / Heavy Hitters

The first tournament of 2021 had some familiar and some new names in the top 10 as anglers to the road, seeking out the best water they could for this event. Shogun (thanks!) was the sponsor of the Road Runner and the radius for the event was 50 miles from the Shogun restaurant in Fayetteville.

A warming trend during the week were capped off by a serious round of thunderstorms and heavy rain in the northern part of the radius on Friday night. This made for some tough decisions on where to go. Because of the storms and rain, el presidente Taylor Frizzell wisely moved the start back an hour that morning.

Road Runner Results

With the event coming early in the season combined with rainy and stormy weather, participation was a respectable 73 anglers. Overall, 35 of 73 (48%) anglers turned in a limit, while 63 of 73 (86%) turned in at least one bass. This is on par with the last two Road Runners held in March, and in fact a bit up from last year.

Once again, one lake showed up as usual in the Road Runner. Siloam City Lake produced the win again. In five of the last six NWA Road Runners, Siloam City Lake has been the winning lake – 2018, 2019, 2020 (2nd RR) and 2021. Additionally, in these same six events Siloam City Lake has put NINE anglers in the top four spots.

Sam McClish’s 20.25″ bass looks like its downed some beer and wings right before this pic. It won Sam a NSKA 20+ sticker. Dwain Batey and Cole Sikes got’em too!

Event favorite, Dwain Batey, took first place with 93.25″ and Big Bass of 21.5″ to take home some good $$. Sam McClish took 2nd place with a strong 86.50″ while Carson McBride jumped back into things with 86.25″ for third place. The rest of the Top 10 were Michael Burgess, Roy Roberts, Ian Howard, Heath Berner, Cole Sikes, Justin Wright and Michael Sandlin. See the full results on the TourneyX tournament page.

My day was a disaster, marked by poor site selection followed by poor judgment and poor execution. If you haven’t seen the video of the debacle, check it out on YouTube.

Angler Recaps

Good news for those of us who didn’t do as well, the top four anglers sat down to share their secrets for finishing in the money! Kayak anglers are a different breed and one of the awesome things about our club is the willingness to share and help others. Here’s what Dwain, Sam, Carson and Michael had to say:

1. Where did you go and why?

Dwain – I chose Siloam Springs City lake, there were a lot of good options within the radius, but having just came from fishing the Hobie event in Broken Bow I didn’t have much time to pre-fish, so picking some random place especially this time of year didn’t feel right. I was able to fish a couple hours on Tuesday and Wednesday and just checked a few baits. As soon as I would catch a fish I’d put that bait up and switch to something else. I got bit on 3 baits in practice.

Sam – I pre-fished 3 other lakes the last couple weeks, but with the shad kill I was skunked each outing. I went to Lake Atalanta for a couple hours the weekend before the tournament and caught a few 14s on a jig and chatterbait.

Carson – I went to Lake Sequoyah, I have a lot of time on the water there and feel very confident during a road runner style event.

Michael – I started off at Mills Creek on Table Rock. My research for spring time screamed this would be a good cove to fish and catch some big girls. It had a channel creek running into it. Deep banks and a feeder creek.

2. Did the big rain the night before affect your fishing area?

Dwain – Yes, but in a positive way. This time of year City Lake gets a lot of floating slime that really hampers fishing with moving baits. Well Tuesday pre-fishing it wasn’t that bad, and I caught a few fish on a crankbait, but the very next day it was so bad I couldn’t throw a crankbait at all. So the rain actually pushed some of that stuff on through with the current and let me actually fish a crankbait during the event.

Sam – With the rain I had planned for it to really help push the fish to the banks, I was wrong. I paddled around trying to figure out my next move and kept graphing fish in the 25-30ft range on steep drops.

Carson – The big rain the night before majorly affected the whole lake, with the white rivers running into it, the lake progressively got muddier throughout the day, so I tried to stay away from the mud line by fishing the very north end of the lake all day.

3. General approach that worked for you, techniques, etc,?

Dwain – I started out by demoralizing Kyle and Cole by catching 4 fish in the first 16 minutes within sight of them throwing the new Skirmish Baits AIM7 jerkbait in my Batey Shad color. You have to set the tone for the day, you know? In all seriousness, I couldn’t believe those fish were in that spot, much less eating the jerk bait on command, but it really did help me mentally the rest of the day to pull up and look like I knew they’d be there. Then that stopped working, and I didn’t catch the 5th fish for a while, finally figuring out what I mentioned above that the slime wasn’t as heavy and I could throw my crankbait. Well I caught one pretty quickly on that for my limit fish. I culled all of those early fish starting with a 17” on a ned rig at 10:33 am, and then one about every half hour up to an hour, to cull to my final total at 1:06 pm. The last 4 culls were all on the flat sided crankbait, wasn’t one of mine, didn’t even have custom paint on it. The fish were off the edges of spawning flats feeding up as they waited on “go time” which isn’t far off if these warm temperatures hold up at least for these smaller lakes anyway.

Sam – The only option I had at that point battling the crosswind was to tie on an A-Rig.

Carson – I threw a jig all day long around lay downs and rock and that is what I threw all day long basically, never even had a ned rig tied on.

Michael – After 5 hours and only 1 good fish to show for it that creek wasn’t producing for me. When I arrived at my 2nd location the rain pretty much blew out every spot I fished the week before. I found a bank wall with the same setup and started to throw a jig. My 3rd cast and I got bumped, was the only thing I needed to know I was in the right area and throwing the right color. I also caught them early on a jerkbait and on a craw colored crankbait.

4. What was your key fish and anything special about the catch?

Dwain – After my jerk bait bite stopped working, I picked up the ned and caught a17” fish that was in my final bag, but that didn’t produce anything else, and I had just stopped running that down a full bank to give it a legitimate shot to work, and when I pulled off that bank I picked up the flat sided crankbait and hurled it out in a slightly deeper spot where fish have been known to stage and caught the 21.50″ which gave me confidence to keep throwing that flat side. From there I caught one almost an hour later that was a good cull, then about 30 minutes later again with a good cull, then another hour and my final cull all on that same flat sided bait. The main key was just believing that they’d show up as the day went on, and having the confidence to wait them out.

Carson – I had 2 key fish actually, very late in the day I decided to do something big, I have a spot I can go to and normally feel good about catching a good one or two but wasn’t confident because of the rain, I said screw it and made the move anyways, that’s where I caught a 19.75″ and a 17.75″ in the last hour of the whole thing, bumped me from 74 inches to 86.25″ total.

Sam – I’d like to say my key fish was catching my 20.25″ but it had to be the first fish I caught that was a 16” it helped confirm (1) Those were definitely bass at 30ft and (2) they were hungry. That bite was hot from 10:15 ’till about 12:30. I caught about 11 fish in that timeframe doing that. I didn’t get a single bite before then or after that.

Michael – Highlights of my day was watching a coyote swim across the cove chasing a deer and getting checked by the game warden for the first time ever.

Dwain Batey’s Big Bass, I like how the top fins are at full attention!

Heavy Hitters Update

Well, I’m off to a bad start on this one. Need to get a good fish in the Road Runner to get things going. Here are the current standings, with Cole and Brian and Jason off to a great start! Who will be crowned this year’s Heavy Hitter? Still time to enter since you have 7 events left and only need best 5, check out the rules and how to sign up.

Next Up – MLF on Beaver Lake

How many “Beaver Lake Specials” can you catch? Those 12-inchers can win this one for you if there are enough of them. Get ready and see you on the water.

Tournaments

2020 NWA NSKA Classic Championship Recap / AOY / Sportsman of the Year

The second annual NSKA NWA Classic Championship took to Beaver Lake for a two-day tournament that stretched from the dirt and wood of the White River to the open crystal clear rocky waters near Beaver Dam. A great angler Jeriamy Vann won the 2019 Classic and the field was strong and set for a showdown in September. The Classic Championship was a great idea and has really gained traction in the club as a goal to qualify for many anglers. The Top 25 were invited to fish, and 23 were able to take on the lake in 2020. Special thank you to Nite Ize who sponsored the event yet again and to Chad Warford for his help in making this all happen.

On a personal note, I was very concerned about preparing and competing in the Classic because my Hobie 360 Drive broke down halfway through the Beaver Lake North event and needed replaced. As the days ticked by working with Hobie on a replacement I was getting very nervous but the new drive arrived a few days before the event and I was all set. Thank you to Dave at Oklahoma/Tulsa Kayak – they have been great to work with and he’s had my back every step of the way!

Classic Results

Being a two-day event it’s a bit difficult to capture the action from both days, but it is important to recognize individual daily performances by these anglers.

Day One – Hwy 412 and Twin Bridges

It’s unclear if any anglers went to the Twin Bridges launch area, it sure seemed like everyone was at the 412 launches on Saturday morning. This day we’d be battling the Elites boat tournament for water as well. As expected from this strong group of anglers, 87% turned in a limit and everyone had a keeper. Nobody knew what each other had, but Taylor released the rank order and the top five were: Jason Kincy (83.75″), Cole Sikes (78″), Chris Needham (76.5″), Justin Brewer (76.25″), and Ryan Paskiewicz (75.5″) .

There were some big fish caught on day one. I was able to land a 20.25″ largemouth in the first half hour which got the juices flowing for the day. That Beaver Lake bomb held up for Big Bass of the weekend. Jon Swann also pulled a nice 19″ Largemouth to put him in the top ten for day one!

This big Largemouth hit my War Eagle lure like freight train. – Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com

Day Two – Indian Creek and Beaver Dam

The conventional wisdom that day one would be the big fish day and day two would be the dinkfest didn’t really play out that way. Monster Smallmouth came to play on day two. Ryan Paskiewicz, sitting in fifth after day one had a monster day two, leading the top five: Ryan Paskiewicz (83″), Devon Esry (77.5″), Cole Sikes (77″), Dwain Batey (76.75″) and Roy Roberts (76″). Ryan pulled the biggest bass for day two with a 19.5″ Smallmouth, and others caught some tanks up north: Devon Esry (19), Roy Roberts (18.5), Cole Sikes (18.5, 17.25), and Tyler Zengerle (18.75).

Ryan’s big smallie from day two almost shook up the Classic. What a Birthday present! – Photo: TourneyX

In the end, it was close close close! I did just enough to hold on with 75.75″ on day two to win the Classic by one inch over Ryan. He sent me a picture of his giant smallie with some smack in the middle of the day and had me FREAKED out! Just knew he was going to catch me and I tip my hat to him for a dominating day two.

Your Top 10 finishers for the Classic Championship:

  1. Jason Kincy 159.50
  2. Ryan Paskiewicz 158.50
  3. Cole Sikes 155.00
  4. Chris Needham 149.50
  5. Dwain Batey 148.25
  6. Michael Burgess 146.75
  7. Tyler Zengerle 145.00
  8. Jeriamy Vann 145.00
  9. Jon Swann 144.75
  10. Billy Bowden 144.25
Receiving the hardware from the legend himself, Taylor Frizzell. Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com

Angler of the Year Race

The Classic plays a huge role in the AOY points race, contributing double the points as a usual event. The race really came down to how a couple of anglers were going to finish in this event unless both of them completely tanked. Dwain Batey or Justin Brewer were most likely to take the AOY title, and it was a razor-thin margin in the end. Dwain had a strong tournament, finishing 5th overall. Justin’s strong day one gave him a leg up to survive Dwain’s day two push. Justin Brewer is your 2020 NSKA NWA Angler of the Year!

The Top 10 AOY finishers qualify for the All-American Classic on Harry S. Truman Lake:

  1. Justin Brewer
  2. Dwain Batey
  3. Ryan Paskiewicz
  4. Cole Sikes
  5. Chris Needham
  6. Jason Kincy
  7. Tyler Zengerle
  8. Jon Wofford
  9. Roy Roberts
  10. Michael Burgess
Justin Brewer, 2020 NWA NSKA AOY – Photo: Justin Brewer

Angler Recaps

The top finishers from the Classic shared their stories of how they did it on the opposite ends of Beaver Lake:

Overall, which way/where did you go on day one and day two?

Jason – On day one I launched from the smaller 412 ramp and chose to fish in that general area and didn’t go too far south or north. Really just covered a lot of water on day one zipping around running a pattern or two. On day two I put in at the dam, thinking there would be a lot fewer anglers up in that area for more empty water.

Ryan – On day one launched out of the north ramp at Ramsey and headed north near War Eagle Marina. Day two I went across the main lake and through the cut. I fished my way back to the ramp both days at around 12:00.

Cole – Day one, I ran south because it’s probably the area I know best of the entire lake and I prefer dirtier water. On day two, I ran to the very back of Indian Creek hoping there would be some stain in the back and possibly get into some Largemouth. I was able to get a very small limit first thing but didn’t like the way it looked so moved to the main lake and started fishing for Smallmouth.

Chris – I put in at the southern ramp at 412 and worked my way north. Found a very specific pattern early which gave me confidence. On day two I just winged it. I’ve never fished that area before and made my decision on where to go when I got to the ramp and saw there was more wind than projected. I went east from Indian Creek and focused on wind blown banks.

Did you change any approach when it came to strategy or pre-fishing with a two day tournament?

Jason – Unlike some of these other guys I have to really work on pre-fishing to figure out what’s going on. So I did pre-fish both areas in advance and pre-fishing was terrible, especially the south. Since I didn’t find anything good, especially in the south, I just stayed around some water I was just familiar with.

Ryan – My biggest concern was day one because you can’t win it on day one but you can certainly lose it. My goal was to simply find a limit hopefully a kicker. I fished history mostly on day one and it paid off. I didn’t pre-fish the South end. I eliminated some water pre-fishing on the north side. I chose to go away from the crowd and fish a relatively quiet area. I thought they’d be shallow and I knew I had ground to make up so I stuck with my jig and it produced some solid bites.

Cole – I was only able to pre-fish two weeks prior to the tournament because my wife and I were on vacation in Montana. I was able to get a rough idea of what could potentially work for tournament day and just ran areas I felt comfortable and confident in.

Chris – My approach didn’t change for a two day event. I just went fishing and was hoping to execute my game plan and fish clean which I did. I didn’t have any time to pre-fish since we just had a baby.

Of all the fish catches for the weekend, talk about the one that meant the most to you.

Jason – You would think it would be the 20.25″ which was huge, but I was really upset with myself later over a mental mistake. On day one I had a really good limit in the afternoon and was trying to cull. I threw back THREE bass between 15-15.25″ thinking my smallest was a 15.25″. Late in the day I looked at my limit and saw I had a 14.75″ and was just sick and wanted to puke right then in my kayak. Instead of panicking, I knuckled down and caught a 16.25″ with a Bomber crankbait to cull that smaller one and then I just knew it was my day.

Ryan – It was my Birthday and I really just wanted to have a good day up north. I seem to always catch fish but at times struggle to find size. About 8:00 on day one I caught my PB Smallmouth. I knew then I had a chance to make a run. It went 19.5″ and was I couldn’t ask for a better gift!

Cole – I had two fish catches this weekend that meant the most to me. On day one, I was able to catch a 16.25” at 2:58 pm that slightly separated me from the pack of 74 to 76 inch anglers. On the final day, I was really struggling and went hours without culling any fish. I moved to the main lake and was able to catch an 18.50″ Smallie which gave me more confidence to keep pushing and not quit.

Chris – The fish that meant the most to me was a 16” smallie on Sunday. I was hardcore struggling getting bites but as soon as I caught the fish my confidence came back. I instantly caught another decent one then another. I went up and down this 75 yard stretch of bank for hours. Every time I got bit or caught one. It was unreal it kept replenishing like that.

Making the Classic was an achievement, what was your favorite event from the year and why?

Jason – Love, love, love the Classic format that puts everyone on equal footing. And I’m not sure if there’s another kayak event in the country like this that put anglers in dirty river water on day one and big clear water on day two. It’s the ultimate test. Just not a fan of the road runners, Beaver Lake (a.k.a. Dead Sea) is an iconic fishery and always feels like a big-time bass event. Hope the King of the String is on Beaver only next year.

Ryan – This year started off horribly with a zero….. but I turned it around and had my best year yet. This Classic was amazing even though I came up an inch short. That being said, winning and getting Big Bass in Beaver South has to be my favorite this year. It’s incredibly hard to win, much less cash checks on this trail and I’m proud to say I’ve won one.

Cole – The Classic was by far my favorite tournament. I feel like the way we have the Classic set up makes it an equal playing field and really challenges the anglers. Everyone is dealt the exact same conditions and whereas some other tournaments it is all about if you’re on the hot lake or not.

Chris – I really enjoyed our MLF style format. That format suits my style of fishing. Catching numbers usually isn’t a problem but quality is.

159.9″ and 20.25″ won this event, what are your predictions for winning total and Big Bass for the State Championship on Beaver?

Jason – Beaver Lake is fishing pretty well lately, but it’s going to be tough for those coming in from the other clubs to get up to speed and some are going to get smacked right in the face by the Dead Sea. However, there are great anglers in Arkansas and Beaver heats up in the fall. BIG bag needed to win this one: 161.75″ and a 21″ for Big Bass.

Ryan – I think Beaver is gonna fish well for State. I’m predicting 157.5” will win. Big Bass will go 20.75”.

Cole – I personally think it will take an average of 80” a day to win but would not be surprised to see someone catch close to 163”. Big bass will also be about the same in the 20″ to 21.50″ range.

Chris – 155” and 20.5” for the W.

Sportsman of the Year – Kyle Long

This season’s Sportsman of the Year is Mr. Kyle Long. He’s very deserving of the honor and many people don’t know, he was key in getting us back on Beaver Lake with the permits and paperwork needed because of Covid. Asked Kyle a few questions about this honor:

Me with Kyle Long at Lake Fork, Texas.

What does it feel like to be named SOTY? I value it up there with any accomplishment or accolade I’ve ever received.  I am so appreciative. 

What does the club mean to you? I can’t even explain it fully but when you get to be my age, and that all the stuff you once had that’s gone can be found again…It’s overwhelming.  It’s emotional.  I didn’t know a single person in this club three years ago…and now it’s my team.  My guys I’d go into battle with.  I love it to my core.  And when I say it…I mean the people.  A club is only as good as the people that make it up.  And this club has elite people.

For people new to the club or to kayak fishing, any advice to find your place? I’m not saying the way I did it is the best but it worked for me.  I tried to integrate slowly.  A lot of these relationships seem to have been built and fire tested so I didn’t want to be off-putting lol.  I went to every meeting and tournament on the schedule.  I hung out and visited and formed relationships at the weigh-ins and then volunteered to help if the need arose.  When it did, I jumped on it.  Then I just tried to fill the role of a good team player.   As we get bigger, we’re going to need more people to help so if you think you have a passion for it…work your way in, find a role that needs filled…and fill it.

Performance Points Rankings

Performance Points show the history of competition finishes over a rolling 5 year and 3 year trend. This recap article got waaaay too long, so watch for an update on end of season standings on Performance Points coming next week.

NSKA

NSKA 2020 Beaver North Recap / AOY Race / Classic Field Set

The Dead Sea in August on the last weekend before school starts is not the friendliest environment for kayak fishing tournament. A lot was on the line as we came down to the wire on the AOY race, Heavy Hitters and finding out which top 25 would make the year end Classic.

Fifty-five anglers took on the warm water, tough bite and wake boat anarchy conditions of Beaver Lake for the season finale for NSKA. Personally I love, love, love, a tournament on Beaver Lake in August when conditions are tough as nails. It’s a great test for anglers to be creative and open their bag of tricks to find a good bite. Combine the summer pattern with the race to catch some fish before the wake boats and jet skis hit the water and you have an exciting challenge.

Yes, I know you are in a boat. Thanks for zooming close to me so I could see it. No, I don’t really want to wave back at you. I’ve seen one before.

Tournament Results

Traditionally an event on Beaver Lake in August and September will give you a winning total in the mid-high 70s and a Big Bass of around 19″. Those trends held true this time around. Overall, it was a difficult day with a pretty low 42% of anglers turning in a limit and only 82% submitting at least one keeper.

Anglers at the top were bunched up with Devon Esry taking the win with 77″ followed by Justin Brewer with 76″ for second place and luckily I took third with 75.75″ in total. Dallas Prouty took the Big Bass prize with a 19.75″ Beaver Lake tank.

Here were the top 10 finishers:

  1. Devon Esry
  2. Justin Brewer
  3. Jason Kincy
  4. Kevin Tadda
  5. Jon Swann
  6. Dwain Batey
  7. Jason Coleman
  8. Jason Fields
  9. Billy Bowden
  10. Cole Sikes
Beaver Lake Smallmouth from the Beaver North Road Runner caught on a Yum Baits plastic. – Source: kayakfishingfocus.com

Angler Roundtable Recaps

One of the great things about fishing is how many different ways you can catch fish on a given day and be successful. In this tournament roundtable, Devon Esry, Justin Brewer, and Kevin Tadda join me in sharing how they caught ’em and finished in the money.

What part of North Beaver did you go and why?

Devon – I went to Ventris and worked my way to Coose and back. Of all of the places I pre-fished, Ventris was the only area that provided a consistent pattern with more bites.

Justin – I chose the Prairie Creek area. I’m not a big fan of clear water so I chose the most southern part of the lake that I could find.

Jason – Torn between a couple of areas, I chose to put in at the campground at Lost Bridge and fished Indian Creek. Having pre-fished a couple of other spots I really felt like the clear water was the best chance to ensure a limit.

Kevin – I had pre-fished Van Winkle and did not do very well there, so I went to one of my favorite spots, Lost Bridge North. I have not done very well there in the past, but there are fish there usually and it is out of the way of most of the boat traffic, which is what i was mostly looking for. Last tournament I went to Ventris and ended up fighting more waves and boats than fish. 


What were some of the key baits or techniques you focused on or worked for you?

Devon – I started the morning with a black buzzbait and went straight to my shaky head once the topwater bite turned off.

Justin – I started the day on a Spook hoping for a topwater bite that has been non-existant all year for me with no success. I then went searching for a day pattern. Found some success with throwing a Yum Baits finesse worm on a shaky head and a Texas-rigged Yum Baits Spine craw on any wood or brush I could find.

Jason – Going into the day I expected to throw some topwater early and then move deeper later on. Early on I threw several things including a Heddon Spook, War Eagle buzzbait, popper and a wake bait. After the sun got high and moved out deeper I focused on drop shot and carolina rig.

Kevin – First thing in the morning i tried a Whopper Plopper because I had never thrown one before and wanted to see if I could get a topwater bite started. I quickly realized that wasn’t working but there were fish around me attacking the surface. I tied on a Heddon Spook Jr. to give a smaller profile and a little less noise and that was the key. I targeted the first point I came to and on about the second cast I caught my 17″ bass. While i was taking pictures of that one, a few more were hitting the surface by the trees behind me. Once starting with the Spook, it was the only thing I threw until about noon. I would throw it at a school blowing up, and catch one, I would cast again and it would throw it, then i would keep going as fast as I could reset and ended up getting four before 9 a.m. I let that area calm down a bit, and went into the first cove where I threw into some timber at the very end not really expecting anything to be there and another 16″ nailed it as soon as it hit the water. I had a limit for the first time ever with lots of time left in a tournament.

What was your key fish and the circumstances around that?

Devon – I feel like my key fish was the first fish I got after I had a limit. I was able to cull my smallest and focus on areas that seemed to be producing bigger fish. The fish started getting in the muddy water from all the pleasure boats. It was a struggle up to this point to cull the smaller fish.

Justin – My key fish was an 18.75″ Smallmouth. It was my key fish because leading up to that point I’d had a pretty tough morning. Catching that fish turned my day around, mainly by building up confidence in a bait but also having an 18.75″ fish in your limit on Beaver is a great bonus.

Jason – Hard to choose between a couple of them. My first catch was a 17.25″ largemouth and that made me feel like I’d be able to contend for the day which was great motivation to focus and fish hard. But the 17.5″ smallie I caught late morning really put me into a good total and topped off the limit. This was also my PB smallmouth so that was fun.

Kevin – After leaving the cove I went back to the first point and kept throwing the Spook and pretty much paddled in circles with the bass blowing up the surface all around me until about noon. Once that bite slowed down, I went to my swimbait after seeing all the luck that John Wofford has had on those. The water was extremely clear about 5-7 feet down and i could see several big ones following it to the boat. A couple even lightly took it and when i set the hook i watched it slip away from them. I slowed down my retrieve and the next one was hooked.  it was a 16.5″ and kicked off another round of hits and misses all the way up to 2:30. I was able to cull my smallest fish and had a couple others that were even bigger that I should have gotten in the boat. All in all though it was the best day I have ever had on the water and I didn’t want to leave but i was exhausted. 

What’s one technique or bait you learned or executed better this year that has been important to your success?

Devon – The topwater bite has been the most challenging, but also the most rewarding this year. The Whopper Plopper and buzzbait produced some decent fish and helped me reach a limit more quickly when they were on. Knowing when to put it down is something I’m still learning.

Justin – My main technique I learned and executed better this year was mind and emotion control. Years before I have been bad at keeping my composure and keeping an open mind. If I didn’t I have limit or at least a couple of fish during the early hours of a morning I would get frustrated and my mind would start running 100 mph trying to figure out what to do. But come to find out if you keep calm and fish the conditions with what you know to fish, the bites will come. Some days they won’t but those are days everyone has from time to time.

Jason – Going into the year I really wanted to focus more on fishing and skipping a jig and that’s been a big help this year. Sometimes a jig seems to be the only thing they will bite.

Kevin – My go to is a shaky head with a Zoom worm, most of the time i can catch fish with it but they are usually not the size I need to compete. In the last few tournaments, I have saved it for the last resort and worked on throwing more deep lures like lipless cranks and swim jigs targeting structure and rocks further away from shore. This season I learned that I needed to cover more water and not just throw against the shore where I think there always should be fish shallow, but to be more tactical to find a faster pattern. Getting away from my comfort zone with the deeper baits helped me cover more water and catch bigger fish. 

AOY Race and Classic Qualifiers

As the regular season comes to a close, the AOY race has become pretty clear. With a good finish in the Classic, Justin Brewer may have it wrapped up. However, Dwain Batey is close on his heels and could steal it if Justin falters. If they both stumble significantly in the classic, then there is a list of anglers including Wofford, Coleman, Roberts, Paskiewicz, Needham, Zengerle and Sikes who could maybe pull it off with a Classic win. Reminder, the Classic is worth 200 points, so each spot is worth more than normal.

The Classic field overall has been set with 394 points this year to make the cut. There were some anglers who just barely missed that mark and didn’t make the cut. Rumor has it the Classic locations have been selected and will be announced soon. Good luck to all of the competitors!

Heavy Hitters Final

When the year began there is no way I would have expected it to end up this way as a group of NSKA competitors entered in a side-pot big bass competition. I was lucky enough to hold off a last-minute push from John Wofford.

Top 5 Heavy Hitters and total inches for best five:

  1. Jason Kincy – 95″
  2. John Wofford – 93.25″
  3. Ryan Paskiewicz – 90.75″
  4. Kyle Long – 88.25″
  5. Justin Phillips – 88″
  6. Michael Burgess – 87.75″
  7. Roy Roberts – 87″
  8. Cole Sikes – 86.75″
  9. Tyler Zengerle – 86.5″
  10. Jeriamy Vann – 84.25″
Three of the 2020 Heavy Hitters winning fish, it will take more than 95″ to win next year! – Source: kayakfishingfocus.com
NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake South Recap – Dinkfest / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race Update

Beaver Lake in the spring earlier this year was a barrel of laughs for anglers who found lots of fish, including big fish, all over the lake and easy to catch. Well the laughter is on hold for now as Beaver Lake in the summer heat is an entirely different proposition.

The only two Beaver Lake South tournaments in the past few years prior to this one yielded winning totals of 70.25″ and 75″ which were indications of what was in store for the 61 anglers who took to the water on a scorching Saturday in July. Fighting the fish, the heat and the jet skis made for a grinder of a day.

Beaver Lake native species: Southern Fishus Interruptus

Tournament Results

Overall, the quantity of fish caught wasn’t that bad considering the conditions. The caliber of anglers in NSKA has certainly improved, accounting for more fish in the yak. A very good 54% of anglers (down from 75% in June) turned in a limit, with an awesome 95% turning in at least one keeper. The challenge of course was catching fish of good size.

Of the 274 fish caught and submitted, only 16 bass were 16″ or above. Sixteen! Out of 274! Thirteen of 61 anglers accounted for the 16″ and above club (J Brewer (2), J Phillips (2), R Paskiewicz (2), J Kincy (2), H Wofford, J Wofford, K Long, D Kelley, R Roberts, D Esry, P Vongpraphanh, D Mathews, and V Vang). The “Beaver Lake Specials” of 13s and 14s were the trend of the day.

Justin Brewer found the right formula to win with four OK keepers and a good kicker adding up to 76″ which is right in line with summer on Beaver Lake. Hope Wofford just barely missed out on the win by placing 2nd on a tiebreaker – she also had 76″ on the day. Justin Phillips finished 3rd with 74.5″ of bass.

Big Bass was won by John Wofford with a 19.25″ largemouth, and Justin Brewer edged out Hope Wofford again in a tiebreaker with an 18.50″ bass for 2nd Big Bass. (Tough breaks for Hope!)

Wofford’s 19.25″ Big Bass.

Angler Roundtable

Here’s how the top anglers on the day did their damage. Justin Brewer, Hope Wofford and Justin Phillips share their path to success on that hot day.

Where did you go on Beaver and why?

Justin B – I went in trying to find cooler water so I chose to fish way up the War Eagle.

Hope – To be completely honest, I don’t get a ton of say in where we choose to go. I let John make that decision and roll with it. I did tell him I didn’t want to get beat up by the wind and pleasure boaters so we opted for Twin Bridges.

Justin P – I ended up going to Blue Springs. I had pre-fished a handful of spots and it seemed my more consistent bites came from that area.

Overall what strategy did you have for the day and did it play out like you thought?

Justin B – My main goal was to get on a good early bite and maybe find a cull through out the day. It did not work that way. I didn’t find a limit until 9-10 and my key fish fish didn’t come until noon.

Hope – My strategy was simply to beat my last tourney score and catch a limit earlier than last time. I wanted to try and fish my strengths, but also to try out a few baits I tend to leave alone. I definitely stuck to my strategy and it worked.

Justin P – My strategy was fairly simple; start shallow with some top water and shallower crankbaits first thing in the morning and then move out to deeper water with sharper drop-offs as the sun climbed in the sky. Going into it, once the sun got up I felt like I could catch them on a jig and a deep diving crankbait in that 15′-19′ range as I had in practice.

What were the key baits for you for the day?

Justin B – I ended up finding a short section of the river that was super dirty with less than a foot of visibility and that small section is what held my fish. I rounded out my limit swimming a Booyah swim jig with YUM Baits chunk trailer. When that bite died off I tried something a little different and tied on a Booyah Flex II chartreuse squarebill and that’s what got me my bigger bites.

Hope – I played my strengths and stuck with a spinnerbait (which I used to despise) and Texas rig. I also landed my first fish on a squarebill. To say I hate treble hooks is an understatement, but I saw a spot where I knew the squarebill would work and it paid off.

Justin P – In the morning it was calm and with the low light conditions I caught my first small keeper on a whopper plopper. However I was having to fish it in a slow method utilizing short pulls. I felt like I was burning too much time so I put it up and got out a DT6 and started covering water. I caught my next 4 keepers utilizing it and pitching a jig. At this point it was just before mid morning. I had a 16″ and the rest small keepers. I decided to start transitioning to steeper banks and testing the deeper waters looking to cull. I finished my starting stretch and moved out to the “river” section focusing on the bluffs. With the wind picking up I was able to keep culling utilizing a chatterbait and a jig.

In the summer it is key to beat the heat, do you have any advice or steps you take to stay cool?

Justin B – I carry a gallon Yeti jug with me so I have plenty of ice cold water and I also where a long sleeve hooded shirt to keep as much sun off as me as possible. Periodically I’ll wet my hat and the sleeves of my shirt. That helps provide just a little more coolness throughout the heat of the day.

Hope – I always have my gallon jug of water. I added a bottle of Gatorade for the extra heat as well as a cooling towel. Feet are in the water as much as possible! Thankfully the breeze kept it very bearable until around noon.

Justin P – The Arkansas summer heat can be brutal. When the weather heats up I usually combat it by drinking something on my way to the ramp and freezing bottles of water, (my all time favorite) Diet Mountain Dew and storing them in the hatch. Then as the day goes on, and the temperatures climb, the drinks melt. By the time I’m ready for my next beverage it still has a little ice in it and serves as a cold refresher.

Heavy Hitters Update

With one regular season tournament to go, the Heavy Hitters crown looks like it will come down to either me or John Wofford. I’m sitting with 95″ for the best five, with John in second at 89″ followed by Ryan Paskiewicz with 88.75″, Michael Burgess with 87.75″ and Justin Phillips and Roy Roberts with 87″.

My Heavy Hitter for this event. Yellow socks may be the key.

John has the biggest opportunity because he can replace an 11.75″, needing only a 17.75″ to tie me and an 18″ to win. That is unless I can replace a 17.75 with something larger. Going to be a close one!

Angler of the Year and Classic Race

With one event to go things are taking shape to identify the final contenders for AOY and also the top 25 who will make the end of season Classic. Justin Brewer and John Wofford both helped themselves in the AOY race, with Justin making the strongest move. It still isn’t settled though with 4 or 5 anglers still in the mix with one event and then the Classic to go.

Many of the anglers in the top 25 who are planning on making the Classic better not get too comfortable. There are several anglers outside of the list who either only have four scores to date or have one horrific score they can drop. If those already in the top 25 don’t put up a good score, some of them may finish out of the Classic when the dust settles.

With a month off, there’s plenty of time to rest up for the regular season finale on Beaver Lake North. See everyone on the water!

NSKA

The Dead Sea Strikes Back! – Beaver Lake 2020 Recap / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race

After a Covid-19 induced ban on tournaments on Beaver Lake by the Corp, NSKA anglers were finally able to hit the water for a day-long fishing expedition on the Dead Sea. Some of the recent tournaments on Beaver lulled anglers into a comfort zone and the predictions for this tournament had big totals and big bass in mind. Not so fast…this is post-spawn Beaver Lake.

Tournament Results

It was a mixed story for the 60 anglers entered into the event, with a lot of fish caught, but size was hard to find. A very good 92% of anglers turned in at least one keeper, with 75% turning in a limit. Ryan Paskiewicz took first place with 79.5″, Craig Wood second with 78.5″ and Tyler Zengerle took a leisurely route to third with 78.25″ on the day. Ryan Paskiewicz also won “Big” Bass with a 19.25″ largemouth, followed by Tyler Zengerle’s 18.75″ 2nd place Big Bass.

The top ten finishers were as follows:

  1. Ryan Paskiewicz
  2. Craig Wood
  3. Tyler Zengerle
  4. Chris Needham
  5. Jeriamy Vann
  6. Billy Bowden
  7. John Wofford
  8. Jason Kincy
  9. Chad Warford
  10. Devon Esry
Click to view
Ryan’s “Big” bass on the day took home the money. I can’t figure out how that camera orientation worked on this photo.

Angler Recap Roundtable

Top three finishers took a few minutes to share how it went down on Saturday.

What section of Beaver did you go to and why?

Ryan – I fished the south end of Beaver. I prefer dirtier water and have more experience and confidence on the south end. I hadn’t actually been to the area I fished but it set up to my strengths so I gave it a go.

Craig – I like the stained water of the War Eagle arm and it is an area i know fairly well. I targeted pockets of wood and brush on the main lake and avoided coves.

Tyler – I chose to go mid-lake, below Highway 12. I am very familiar with the area I chose to fish, as I have fished there a numerous amount of times. I always prefer the water color and the types of structure that surround that area. As a shallow water angler, it allows me to fish my strengths and fish with confidence.

What were the main type of baits you used (category is fine) to catch most of your fish?

Ryan – I caught my fish on four different baits. I found a few keepers early on topwater. When that dried up a bit I began throwing a Slowtown jig and a 12” Ol’ Monster worm. My big fish came on a jig. Late in the day I did some cranking deeper and caught a few but couldn’t upgrade. I caught 20+ fish on the day and was fortunate to find a kicker. I did lose one off the board that i thought was going to haunt me. It would have given me two more inches. Thankfully it didn’t!

Craig – I had a shaky head, Whopper Plopper, crankbait and a swim jig tied on. The swim jig by Slowtown Custom Lures did all the work, I caught over twenty bass during the tournament.

Tyler – My main baits were pretty simple. I used a jig made by Slow Town Custom Lures in green pumpkin. I also Texas-rigged a Burner Worm (speed worm) and Bacon Rind (creature bait), both made by Gambler Lures.

How many rods do you carry for a tournament and how many are spinning vs baitcaster?

Ryan – Too many! I brought 12 on this trip. I hate retying. I used 5 of them on this trip. I carry 3-4 spinning setups and 8-9 casting.

Craig – I carry four Trinity Fishing custom rods that I build, and my heavy action rod is my jig rod.

Tyler – I carry 11 rods. 8 of those are baitcasting and 3 spinning.

What’s one thing you have in your kayak on tourney day that people might not think to take or have handy?

Ryan – Super glue and an extra measuring device. I also carry a spare charging battery for my phone.

Craig – I don’t really carry anything special on tournament day except for a exceptional lunch – usually a Dagwood sandwich cut in six pieces so I can munch on it while moving spots.

Tyler – I’m just going to say…I’m always thankful to have Dude Wipes with me and it stinks when I don’t. Besides that, I always have a socket set for my drive, and an extra measuring device (Fish Stik) just in case I lose my Ketch overboard.

Heavy Hitters Update

Beaver Lake was stingy when it came to big fish which made it difficult for anyone to really make a big move this week. Time is running out to put some big fish on the board. I was lucky to extend my lead for the moment a bit with a decent 18″ addition to put me at 93.5″. Michael Burgess (87.75″), Cole Sikes (86.75″) and Justin Phillips (86.5″) are still in the hunt but they need to haul in some tanks coming up to take over the lead. It appears that with Ryan’s “Big” Bass from this week he’s creeping into contention but needs two or three more big fish. Or, maybe someone else will smash’em in the next events to come out of nowhere for the lead – anything can happen!

AOY Update

The Angler of the Year race took an interesting turn this week as the top contenders all came up a bit short in earning any meaningful AOY points. In fact, most of the leaders missed a huge opportunity to gain on the field, but since the top four in the rankings all had a difficult day, there wasn’t much movement at the top. Some other anglers really helped their chances to have a shot to get into the mix, especially

Watch for my AOY Breakdown later this week where we will break down some hidden data, handicap the field vs upcoming schedule, and I’ll make a prediction for the AOY winner this season.

Here are the top 25 if the Classic were held today. Green indicates a “good” points total, yellow “fair” and pink “poor” and needs replaced by a better score. Dwain Batey and Jason Coleman are the only anglers with all Green and Yellow for each event thus far.

Tournaments

NSKA Pumpback Recap / John Wofford / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race

As the crazy 2020 calendar keeps rolling along with the ‘Rona and all of its side effects causing chaos in the kayak tournament circuits. The latest disruption this past weekend was not pandemic, murder hornets or ‘Karen’ driven – it was the Bella Vista Bass Club scheduling a boat tourney on Lake Fort Smith on the same date, causing NSKA to make a move to the deep water of Oklahoma on Pumpback.

Pumpback Lake (or Chimney Rock Lake) is an interesting and confusing place. According to an old article in the Tulsa World, it uses more electricity to pump the water uphill into the lake than is generated when the water is released back into Lake Hudson. I guess it’s a profit deal that they do when there’s peak demand and can charge more for the electricity. Which explains the unpredictable timing of when water goes up and down. But I digress…

Preparing for a “shotgun” start on Pumpback. Photo: kayakfishingfocus.com

NSKA Pumpback Tournament Results

For a lake that not a ton of NWA anglers had fished very often and a very tough, hot day, a lot of good fish were caught. This is a testament to the fish population and angler skill. The numbers reflected a strong showing by the lake with 91% of anglers turning in at least one fish and a respectable 51% posting a five fish limit.

When the lake was announced my immediate thought was that all of the Okies were going to get paid with NSKA making the trek over into their territory. This was flat wrong – in fact – the top 13 finishers were from Arkansas even though there were at least a dozen Oklahomans in the field.

First place was won by John Wofford with a whopping 93” on the day including TWO Smallmouth over 20” contributing to his total. Dwain Batey was second with 89.5” and Justin Brewer third with 85.25”.

John Wofford’s 21″ Smallmouth that won Big Bass. Photo: TourneyX

John also won Big Bass with his 21” bruiser Smallmouth and Justin Phillips took second Big Bass with a 20.75” Largemouth caught late in the day.

The top 10 were as follows:

  1. John Wofford – 93”
  2. Dwain Batey – 89.5”
  3. Justin Brewer – 85.25”
  4. Cole Sikes – 83.25”
  5. Kyle Long – 83.25”
  6. Michael Burgess – 82.50”
  7. Jason Coleman – 82.25”
  8. Billy Bowden – 82”
  9. Roy Roberts – 81.25”
  10. Danny Dutton – 81”

Angler Profile – John Wofford

John Wofford dominated the day on Pumpback with his first-place finish and Big Bass. This is another good day in a recent string of good performances by John (we’ll forget the bracket challenge…) in competition with a second place finish in King of the String and first place on Pumpback. In this tourney recap I thought we’d focus a bit on getting to know John and how he’s been catching them.

John with his giant Smallmouth on Pumpback. Photo: John Wofford

First of all, what happened on Pumpback!? How’d you catch those monster Smallmouth?

Pumpback was literally a magical day. I had only fished the lake one time and only caught 3-4 fish so my expectations were not high at all and I was just concerned about getting a limit.

First thing in the morning I noticed a Shad spawn happening so I automatically began throwing shad-like baits. Right off the bat I missed a MONSTER Smallie bigger than my 21” because I was using a rod that was too light for what I was doing. Shortly after losing the first big one I noticed on my graph I was coming up on a ledge at the end of a flat/point. My first cast into there I caught my 19.5” Smallmouth. Between losing the first Smallie and catching the 19.5” one I realized I had stumbled upon my patterns for the day. I fished out that whole cove losing more and more fish and one Largemouth that would’ve went 18-19” at least.

I was almost spinning out in my head after losing the Largemouth but I took a second to compose myself and changed gears. Started throwing my fluke on a MH power rod and only lost maybe 1-2 fish the rest of the day. After fishing the back of my first cove I had a few people come in on me so I decided to leave and make some runs to areas that my graph looked similar to where I hooked up with the big fish – and man did that pay off. I believe it was on my second cast in the second spot that I hooked into the 21” and the fight was on! I swore I had a Drum or a Striper on because it took forever for her to come up but once she did I about had a heart attack as I did everything in my power to get her in the net. Once I got her in a wave of emotion came over me and I had a feeling that today just might be my day. Thankfully, Ryan Paskiewicz was nearby and I hollered at him to come get a picture because I not only just broke my Smallmouth PB but I broke my kayak bass PB with a 21” Smallie!

After getting my pictures we let her go and I thanked Ryan and we went our separate ways. I tried to calm my nerves for a moment before getting back to fishing and it wasn’t two casts after the 21” I hooked into the 20.25” on a ledge 20 yards down the cove. This one I was sure was a drum but to my surprise it was the hardest fighting smallmouth I’ve ever caught. It took longer to get this one in the boat than any bass I’ve ever caught. That last big bite came at about 9:15 and from then on it was a dink fest. I moved to the north side of the lake and found some shaded areas with deeper pockets adjacent to them and managed to cull some 14’s with a 15.5” and a 16.75” around noon but other than that the bite slowed down and what I was catching were all smaller than 15.5”. I had an amazing time fishing Pumpback and it is a heck of a fishery! 

You seem to have really taken a step forward in tournament finishes this year, what’s been the biggest change or contributor to that?

I lost my Grandpa at the beginning of the season this year and I decided that I was going to dedicate this year to him. Also, I have really been working on myself to stay out of my head to not put too much pressure on myself and just fish. I ask the good Lord before every tournament to keep everyone safe for the day and to allow me to fish clean and give me the knowledge to fish to the best of my abilities.

I know you fish a lot with your wife, Hope, can you talk a bit about that and how that’s helped your fishing and/or relationship?

Haha! Oh man…kayak tournament fishing with my wife has been fun and a strain at the same time. I love taking her out with me and seeing her learn new techniques and catching fish on bodies of water she used to zero on. I’m probably a little hard on her at times but that’s because I want her to do the best she can do and she has really surprised me this year and has learned a lot each time we fish a tournament. I do worry about her sometimes though when we are on the water if there’s a lot of boats around with the weather starts to turn a little, I’ll make my way around the corner or where I can see her and she’s just out there fishing away not letting any of it bother her. I really do love the fact that she has that competitive drive like I do and we are always competing against one another in the tournaments as much as we are the rest of the field and I think that has made both of us better anglers.

John with a Beaver Lake Largemouth Bass. Photo: John Wofford

What’s the biggest thing you’ve improved on this year from a fishing standpoint?

My biggest improvement this year has just been getting back to my strengths and not trying to go out and fish other techniques that are other people’s strengths. And I am always studying bass fishing every single day, it’s almost as if that is all I think about anymore. Anytime I talk with someone, read an article or watch a YouTube video I soak up every bit of information I can and then I try to apply that to my style of fishing. And most importantly I have been able to stay out of my head for the most part this season and just went out and fished the conditions that were dealt to me instead of getting upset the conditions aren’t the exact same they were when I pre-fished.

What’s the best advice you can give an angler who is struggling halfway through a tournament? Take what you’ve done earlier and try to learn from it, make your changes and go catch some fish…but most importantly, never give up. I didn’t cull out my smaller fish until right at noon, but if I would’ve given up before that Dwain and I would’ve tied for first instead of winning.

Heavy Hitters Update

More big fish are in the books after Pumpback. I’m still lucky enough to be in the lead (75.5) followed by Michael Burgess (71.75), but there are some strong moves being made, especially by John Wofford (69.5) with his two 20+ and Cole Sikes (70.5) and Justin Phillips (71) who have 20+ inch fish on the board. It’s still anyone’s crown to win.

NSKA Angler of the Year Update

Things are starting to take shape and contenders are emerging for AOY for NSKA. After four events the contenders and pretenders are starting to separate. There is a long way to go and some big events coming up but so far it looks like Roy Roberts, Dwain Batey, Justin Brewer, Jason Coleman and Michael Burgess are best positioned. Cole Sikes is still within striking distance but has no more room for error.

Here are the top 25 anglers if the Classic were held today. Green indicates a “good” points total, yellow “fair” and pink “poor” and needs replaced by a better score.

Fishing Recap

Hobie BOS Lake Fork Recap

When the Hobie Bass Open Series (BOS) schedule came out for 2020, Lake Fork in February was one that many anglers circled on the calendar as a big fish showdown throwdown. The Hobie BOS returned to Texas with 155 top kayak anglers fired up to catch a PB or at least to try and string together a couple of limits to finish in the money.

Kayak anglers racing to their spots on Saturday morning on Lake Fork for the Hobie BOS.

This was my fifth kayak tournament on Lake Fork, one of my favorite places to go for a big event like this and a place I’d had some past success. Although the weekend didn’t go well for me overall, I still had a great time and it was once again good to be back that the Lake Fork Marina & Motel and swapping stories while eating at Tiffany’s.

Lake Fork tank from day one of the Hobie BOS tournament.

The nice warming trend leading up to practice week was moving the lake in the right direction and by all accounts big fish were being caught everywhere the weekend before the tournament. A cold front and cold rain descended on the area on Wednesday changing things up and making it brutally difficult to find active fish. Things began to improve slightly for Saturday and Sunday, just enough for a few anglers to find the bite.

Tournament Results

At the Captain’s meeting on Friday night there was much speculation as to what would win and what would place someone in the money. Most I spoke to felt like two limits would get you a check based on how difficult things had been in previous days. The conditions absolutely made anglers earn it as a paltry 17 of 155 (11%) caught a limit on day one and only 13 (8%) boated a limit on day two. Those are some stone-cold tough numbers. Conversely, a whopping 32% (49) zeroed on day one and 47% (72) didn’t turn in a bass on day two, although many had given up by then on the tough conditions. These are some of the worst catch rate numbers I’ve seen in any of my tournament recaps.

Matthew Scotch pulled in the largest bass of the event and in the history of Hobie BOS events with a 24.75″ monster pulled out of a grass mat. He also led day one with 106.75″ – another record for Hobie BOS. Day two was a slugfest for the heavyweights at the top, with Rus Snyders taking the top spot posting a 192.25″ total (98/94.25). Rus has been on fire to start the year and this continued on Lake Fork with two days that made him the champ. Talking with Rus he was very gracious and open in discussing his win and shares some of how he did it in the Angler Roundtable below. Full results can be seen on Tourney X and some great photos and videos on the Hobie BOS Facebook page.

Rus Snyders took 1st place in the Hobie BOS Lake Fork event by catching 192.25″ for his two day limit. Photo source: Hobie BOS

Arkansas Anglers Showed Out + Angler Roundtable

One of the great things about these events is that they attract top anglers from all around the country. Arkansas had a solid contingent of sticks who hit the water and placed more in the money than any other state: Arkansas 5, Texas 4, Tennessee 2, New Mexico 2, and Georgia, Missouri and Nebraska each with one.

Arkansas anglers Garrett Morgan, Eric Morris, Cody Milton, Dwain Batey and Jason Adams cashed a check in the Hobie BOS on Lake Fork.

Hobie BOS Lake Fork champion Rus Snyders and four of our top Arkansas anglers agreed to share how they did it in our roundtable recap: Rus Snyders (1st), Jason Adams (7th), Garrett Morgan (9th), Eric Morris (10th) and Cody Milton (16th).

With the tough weather conditions how did you attack the lake and handle pre-fishing?

Rus – Due to the weather that week on a couple of days I slept in a bit and had breakfast, not wanting to get out in the wind and the cold too early. Got on the water around 8 or so on these days and was wanting to fish shallow. Knowing that the north end of the lake had a lot more grass and shallow cover, that’s where I wanted to fish. However, with all of the rain, that end got really muddy and there was more rain on the way. At that point I decided to try and find some clearer water. My buddy Matt Scotch helped me jump around checking out a few different areas as I tried to put together a pattern. I found some fish on Thursday, and on Friday I expanded on that by finding a good area which was a little more isolated from the crowd and decided that’s where I was going to start.

Jason – The lake has always been tough for me. I thought about the wind direction mostly thinking the south wind on Sunday would be best. I like to fish wind blown banks and that is what I did. I didn’t have much time for pre-fishing. Got in late Thursday and got out Friday early to drive around looking at ramps. I put in at the first spot and fished for an hour. Ran into a guy who I’d helped rig his boat but had never met. His name is Bill Nelson from Fort Smith who bought his second Hobie from OMTC. I really enjoy the social aspect of these events especially talking with other anglers from Arkansas.

Garrett – Pre-fishing I checked the entire lake for water clarity, temps and signs of possible spawning activity. The first spot I went I caught a 20incher and knew I’d likely be there. I spent the majority of pre-fishing time eliminating other options and scouting for my next event there March 14th. The weather leading up had been warm and stable, we got hit we some cold winds and low night temps the three days leading up. I knew the bite would be tough but I embrace these events and feel they play to my strengths of being driven enough to always feel I have a chance until the clock hits 3 pm to find my five fish.

Eric – For me on the lake I decided to pre-fish four different areas of the lake and catch two in each spot looking for bigger fish and also looking for a good amount of bites. But then the temps dropped and changed the whole pattern and the fish locked up.

Cody – With the tougher and changing water conditions I chose to fish more mid lake. Which i don’t Generally do at lake fork but the mid lake area was fishing so much better. You had a lot cleaner and warmer water.

In general, what were some of your techniques that you used to catch fish?

Rus – Most of my fish for the tournament were caught punching grass mats with a 1 oz weight and a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver on a flipping hook. I switched colors for the Beaver depending on the water clarity, with black and blue in dirtier water and something like a watermelon red in clearer water. In many cases the mats would be spread a little ways apart from each other, sometimes I would have to go up to a 1/4 mile away to find the next good mats. My setup consisted of an iRod Air 775 7’7″ rod with a high speed Quantum reel with 65# braid to a 25# floro leader. Sometimes I will use 50# to 20#, but just because of bigger fish and the thickness of the mats I bumped it up for Lake Fork. One other tip I’ll share is that when I tie my leader, I’ll make it only about 4′ long because I never want the knot inside of my guides.

Jason – I planned to fish a couple of different techniques but started cranking and didn’t stop.

Garrett – On day one I caught a 20incher on a SheAngler Customs rattle trap. In pre-fishing I had caught some in shallow green grass with a chatterbait and remembered Friday I had talked with a local at the boat ramp that said he had been catching fish on white flukes Carolina rigged in shallow grass. I rigged up a Texas rig with a small 3/16 once Wicked Weights Quality Tungsten mortar bomb. It was a white neko stick with silver glitter and I cast out over a ditch onto the grass flat in the middle of this pocket and got hit right away, catching a 21incher. The next day I committed to the grass flat for the day. I had a good early bite. Setting up the same way, using the wind to my advantage as it would push my fluke on the fall toward the ditch off the flat. I caught four before 10 am, all were over 17 inches giving me 74 inches. I worked extremely hard never taking a break the rest of the day to get that 5th fish but just couldn’t find it.

Eric – On tourney day I decided to go after numbers because of the huge weather change but that didn’t work, so I threw everything out the window and went with a different strategy and it paid off on Saturday. Sunday was totally different. I went back to my Monday and Tuesday strategy throwing a black & blue football jig for the first half and the Saturday strategy the second half throwing a red crankbait.

Cody – I caught every fish on a double Colorado bladed spinnerbait and a 1 oz black and red jig. In the mornings I was slow rolling a spinnerbait in alligator grass and after about 9 a.m., I punched the same areas the rest of the day.

What makes Lake Fork special and what are some things you like or don’t like about that fishery?

Rus – Man, I was a little surprised how small the lake was for how famous it is. It definitely has some giant fish in there…I lost a 10 pounder on the first day, and caught an 8 1/2 pounder in pre-fishing. It fishes pretty big because there are a lot of ways to fish whether it is power fishing in grass/shallow or you can fish offshore, with jerkbaits, or many other ways. There is a ton of wood in the water and standing timber. This reminded me of a lake in California, Lake Sonoma, where there is a ton of wood like this. For lakes with a lot of standing timber, I try to pretend almost that it isn’t there. Some people target the trees but there are so many it can be hard to find the fish. Really, it can sometimes be better to just pay attention to depths, underwater structure, rock or other features and ignore the timber.

Jason – Lake Fork is special to me because I took 3rd place my first time here in the 2015 TOC. I came back the following year for the TOC and didn’t catch a measurable fish. That discouraged me from coming back until now. The Hobie BOS event had a 12″ limit instead of the 14″ limit at the original TOC and I thought I could get a limit easier. After this weekend I feel much more confident at this lake and look forward to coming back in the future.

Eric – The lake has amazing features with all the flats and secondary points and I’m sure with all the dead mats in the spring and summer it’s a great frog bite. Such a great experience for my first Hobie BOS tourney and national event ever. A top 10 is still unbelievable for me.

Cody – Lake Fork has always meant so much to me. I started going down there most every March since I was 9 and cashed my 2nd check ever on Fork. Every time I get around the lake it brings back so many good memories. I’ve always loved towns that live and breath bass fishing and the little towns around Lake Fork do just that. There’s several top-notch bait companies just a few miles from each other. All of the gas stations do a great job catering to fishermen. It’s a must visit lake for sure!

A Well Run Event – See you next time!

A.J. McWhorter and crew do a great job with the Hobie events. For having more than 150 anglers to deal with and a multi-day tournament it was run very smoothly. The venue of the Captain’s meetings and weigh-in was good and the identifiers top-notch. The Hobie BOS tournaments are the best run events I’ve personally been to. Will be interesting to see how B.A.S.S. conducts their events this year, I hope they have been paying attention to Hobie!

See you all back at Fork in March for B.A.S.S.!

NSKA

2019 NWA NSKA Classic Recap and AOY Race

The first ever Natural State Kayak Anglers NWA end of season Classic was held over two days on beautiful Beaver Lake in the Ozarks. The Classic was going to crown an event winner, but also would go a long way in deciding the NSKA Angler of the Year. Day one was launched out of the Hickory Creek area and day two would be out of Prairie Creek. The top 25 anglers from the regular season were ready to battle it out.

Day One – Hickory Creek

On the first day there were 24 participants who took the water on a very tough post-front, high skies bluebird day with little wind. Beaver wasn’t going to make it easy. Of the 24 anglers, all but one (96%) turned in at least one keeper, while a strong 17 (70%) turned in a limit. Big Bass for the day was a Beaver Lake beast at 20.50″ and after day one the leaders were Jeriamy Vann with 75.25″ and Ryan Paskiewicz with 75″ followed by Devon Esry, Jason Cowell and Justin Brewer with 70″ each.

Kyle Long’s 20.50″ Big Bass led the way in the NSKA Classic.

Day Two – Hickory Creek

The second day of the event was more of the same with little to no wind, clear skies and lots of sun and heat. The anglers would have a big challenge to find quality bass. On day two 23 (95%) of the 24 participants turned in a keeper and only 13 (54%) of the anglers turned in a limit. The numbers, including Big Bass for the day by Jason Kincy and Jacob Hudson both at 18.57″ showed that it was a tougher grind than day one. Top performers on day two were Andrew Newsom with 79″ followed by Cole Sikes with 76.5″ and Jeriamy Vann with a 74″ total.

Final Standings

Jeriamy Vann took first place with a two day total of 149.25″ followed by Andrew Newsom in second place with 147″ and Cole Sikes third with 145.25″.  Kyle Long’s day one 20.50″ bass was the largest of the tournament.

The top ten finishers:

  1. Jeriamy Vann
  2. Andrew Newsom
  3. Cole Sikes
  4. Ryan Paskiewicz
  5. Dwain Batey
  6. Tyler Zengerle
  7. Jason Kincy
  8. Jason Cowell
  9. Jonathan Brewer
  10. Justin Phillips

Jeriamy Vann wins the 2019 NSKA NWA Classic on Beaver Lake.

Angler Of the Year

Cole Sikes wins the 2019 NSKA NWA Angler Of the Year title.

The NSKA Angler of the Year race came down to the final event, with Dwain Batey and Cole Sikes in a dead heat in points. Cole’s higher finish in the Classic propelled him to his second AOY in a row – an impressive achievement.

Angler Recaps

The top finishers in the Classic provided their insights as to how they did it and their final thoughts on the season. Jeriamy Vann, Andrew Newsom, Cole Sikes and Ryan Paskiewicz shared their thoughts in the roundtable.

How do you compare or contrast Hickory Creek and Prairie Creek? Did you approach them differently?

Jeriamy – First off I want to thank my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. I love him and everything good in my life flows through him.  I’ve never had much luck at Hickory Creek so to be honest I tried to fish as far away from there as I could. For some reason it’s always been a tough area on Beaver Lake for me. Prairie Creek I’ve always enjoyed and one difference I think is access to a bigger portion of the of the main lake.

Andrew – I try and fish my strengths no matter the area of the lake I’m fishing. I just try and find an area I’m comfortable with and go for it. At Hickory Creek, I was able to stick with my game plan pretty much the whole day. I know the area well, so I knew where I was going all day long. At Prairie Creek, you have a lot more boat traffic. Bass boats fishing the same area kind of dictated where I was able to go. My game plan changed multiple times so I was hopping from spot to spot all day.

Cole – In my opinion, Hickory Creek and Prairie Creek fish quite a bit different even though they are only 12 miles apart. The great thing about Beaver Lake is that you can target different species depending on which part of the lake you’re fishing. Hickory Creek bass population is primarily Largemouth and Spotted bass and the water clarity usually has a little more color than Prairie Creek. Usually you’ll be able to target Largemouth up shallow and can catch a few spots around bluffs. The wild card for Prairie Creek are the Smallmouth, an angler could win a tournament by just catching Smallmouth in that area. Typically, an angler will need to fish out deeper around Prairie Creek once the sun gets up. Knowing this, I did approach them differently. While fishing Hickory Creek, I stayed up shallow all day trying to find the better quality Largemouth. While fishing Prairie Creek, I fished shallow for the first few hours until the sun got up and started targeting Smallmouth and spots out deeper.

Ryan – I actually ended up pedaling to War Eagle marina area to start and didn’t fish much if any in the Hickory area. With that being said, it fished vastly different for me. My approach on day one was to move from main lake/river channel swings and transitions to the next, covering a lot of high percentage areas. Prairie provided more water clarity and obviously fished a bit different. My initial plan was to hit a couple key main lake points. Unfortunately this didn’t produce and I then began targeting smaller main lake pockets with docks These produced some fish early but as the day went on I couldn’t get bit. Not having a lot of known areas i was left scrambling a bit as the day went on. Boat traffic and wake was another key difference and factor in comparing the two areas.

What were the primary baits that led you to victory?

Jeriamy – I caught all my fish on a jig and craw. Surprise, surprise.
It’s kinda what I do. 😁

Andrew – All my keepers both days came on a Slow Town jig. I threw a few other baits, but the jig bite was what seemed to be working.

Cole – By no surprise, every single fish I caught this weekend was on a football jig by Slowtown Custom Lures. The great thing about a football jig is the versatility, I used the exact same bait and caught fish in 6 inches to 35 feet of water during this tournament.

Ryan – No victory here but a solid finish, lol. I used a  3/8 oz round ball jig with a Rage Menace and ½ oz football jig with a Rage Craw.

What were the key fish you caught and what were the circumstances?

Jeriamy – Probably the key fish for me were my last two culls on day one. I had a long dry spell without a bite so I decided to change everything up in my approach and it worked out.

Andrew – At Hickory Creek, I caught my biggest bass of the day around 1:30 pm. I had not had a bite for a few hours and found myself in an area that had been heavily fished by fellow kayakers all day. Catching a good one that late in the day really gave me a lot of confidence going into day 2.

Cole – On day one at Hickory Creek, I was able to catch one quality Largemouth of 18.5 inches skipping my jig under a boat dock. That fish was the only reason I had somewhat of a decent day on day one. Prairie Creek was a grind for the most part, I had a small limit majority of the day but at 1:30 I was able to cull over 10 inches on an offshore spot where bass were loaded up. I was such in the zone, I forgot about all of the ski boats whizzing only 30 yards away from me.

Ryan – I caught a day 1 kicker around 1:30 that went 17”. On day 2, I couldn’t find the right size and fell short because of it. I was able to scrape together a limit but it just wasn’t enough against the sticks ahead of me.

First year of the Classic, what did you think?

Jeriamy – I loved the classic idea from the start. You have to earn your way there and when you get there you know you’re fishing against the best 25 anglers in our club for the year. It was a great challenge indeed. We have hammers.

Andrew – My goal all season was to make the Classic. When I realized I had enough AOY points to get in, I was super excited. The entire tournament was a blast and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be in it.

Cole –  I thought the Classic was a lot of fun, it gives the anglers all year something to work towards even if they are out of the Angler Of the Year race. I think it would be cool if we rotated different spots each year on Beaver so it’s not Hickory and Prairie Creek each time.

Ryan – Man, this was awesome. After a really disappointing season on the whole, I was able to qualify and gain some confidence on Beaver Lake and in general. The format is great and requires you to adjust, adapt and also have different plans for each day. You get to test your skills against the best that year, as well as, test yourself against a grinder of a lake. I can’t think of anything I would change.

Season is over, what’s your best memory from it?

Jeriamy – I gotta say holding that classic trophy at the end was pretty dang sweet, but I did enjoy this year overall.  I feel like I got to know some good people a little better and to me that’s really cool.
What a great fishing family !

Andrew – This was my first full season and meeting so many awesome people along the way made for my best memories.

Cole – This is a tough one, overall I had an amazing season and had lots of great memories. There are two tournaments that stuck out to me the most and I didn’t win either one. The first one would be the road runner. I chose to fish War Eagle Creek and was able to catch a huge Smallmouth and Largemouth that was good enough for 2nd place. The reason this memory was so great was because this exact creek is where I really learned to fish, it is where my family would go almost every weekend in the summer and it’s a special place to me. The second memory was that last hour of the Classic. Fishing that offshore spot in the last hour to cull over 10 inches was an adrenaline rush, grinding all day and finally pull up to the right spot in the last hour to win Angler Of the Year was an amazing experience.

Ryan – Lots of good memories but participating in the State Championship was number 1. Spending 4 days with a great group of guys fishing and hanging out was awesome. I learned a ton on that trip and can’t wait to do it again.

 

 

NSKA

NSKA NWA Beaver Town Recap

Orlando Bloom on the bridge on the Beaver bridge…probably dreaming about a giant Table Rock bass.

The region where the tailwaters from Beaver Dam merge into Table Rock Lake is one of the most scenic spots in Northwest Arkansas. The waters from Beaver Town to Holiday Island provided a lot of diversity for anglers as they took on the final regular season event of 2019. The most striking feature of the area is the yellow bridge in Beaver, Arkansas, which was the backdrop in some key scenes for Orlando Bloom in the pretty terrible movie called Elizabethtown from 2005. Hopefully director Cameron Crowe and Orlando hit the water while they were on set.

This year’s regular season finale had a lot of drama as the top AOY contenders entered crunch time and had to catch’em. Additional drama was in the air as the rest of the field tried to solidify their spot in the top 25 for the NSKA Classic coming up in September. The final 25 isn’t out yet, but based on some initial calculations there were risers and fallers based on this event.

Beaver Town Results

It was a hot, hot day in the Ozarks but the fish cooperated with a few of the anglers while they frustrated others. Overall, 39% of anglers turned in a limit while a very strong 84% turned in at least one keeper. Once again some familiar names finished at or near the top. Cole Sikes took first place with 83.75″, Dwain Batey took second with 77″ and Jeriamy Vann third with 73.25″. Sikes also took home the Big Bass prize with a 19.5″ kicker.

Top Ten Finishers:

  1. Cole Sikes
  2. Dwain Batey
  3. Jeriamy Vann
  4.  Chad Warford
  5.  Craig Wood
  6.  Michael Sandlin
  7.  Kyle Long
  8.  Tyler Zengerle
  9.  John Wofford
  10.  Jonathan Brewer

Big Bass from Beaver Town in 2019 was caught by Cole Sikes.

Beaver Town Angler Recaps

So how did the top finishers catch ’em on tournament day? The top four finishers – Cole Sikes, Dwain Batey, Jeriamy Vann and Chad Warford spill the tea on how they conquered this picturesque fishery. As the anglers did their interviews, one shared some words I felt were appropriate for the amazing natural setting and the blessings we all have to participate in this sport.

“Thank you Jesus
For your beautiful creation
And your sacrifice
‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’”

What was your overall strategy going into the Beavertown tournament?

Cole – More or less my strategy for the tournament was the same as the year before. Try to cover water early with topwater early to catch a limit, then switch to a jig and try to upgrade throughout the day. I didn’t pre-fish before the tournament but was able to figure out a pattern around 10:00 to catch some quality and for the remainder of the day I just ran that pattern.

Dwain – I had never been to Beaver Town before, So I peeked at Navionics on the computer, didn’t see anything special, just decided to go to the closest ramp, and fish it like I would any river this time of year.

Jeriamy – My overall strategy was to try to capitalize on the early bite and get a limit…and stay really focused on trying to cull before lines out. I focused on shade and ambush points mostly.

Chad – Since I had never been to Beaver Town and didn’t get a chance to pre-fish, the first part of my strategy was to pray…a lot as I needed at least a top 15 finish to secure my spot in the upcoming Classic. With that, the pressure was on. I haven’t fished rivers much for bass but overall, find structure on a shady bank and start there. Also, in doing my homework, I knew there would be good water movement at just after 11:00 as that is when the generation cycle for the day was set to start. Knowing that, I also keyed in on ambush spots. At least initially that was the plan.

What time of day did you catch your largest fish and what on?

Cole – I caught my biggest fish just after noon next to a boat dock with a Slowtown Custom jig.

Dwain – My largest fish at 17.75” was around 9 am. It was already hot and I had already put up the topwater and started using the chicken rig at that point.

Jeriamy – My largest fish was my last fish between trying to take a picture and trying to get service I barely got it in on time. I caught that one on a jig.

Chad – My big fish were scattered throughout the day up until about 1:30. Not knowing the river and where to fish, I simply headed up-river towards the dam. The fishing was slow at first with a few small ones but as the morning progressed, the bigger they got. My primary baits were the Strike King KVD 7” Super Finesse Worm on a Shaky Head Jig (multiple colors) and their new Thunder Cricket, mostly bluegill color. I had to be on the fast track to learning the water and I can’t stress enough to always watch and adapt to the changing conditions, and on that river, they changed a lot for the short time we were there. From which way the river flowed (stumped me in the morning it was moving uphill), to where the shade and limited wind was, the water temperature change, the slight rise in the river to how fast it was flowing and when. Lots of variables to consider but I quickly put the puzzle together and ended up catching my biggest fish in some very specific conditions.

Looking back on the season, what was your favorite event and why?

Cole – My favorite event of the year was the Road Runner. I decided to float War Eagle with the mindset of just trying to get a top ten finish. I knew I would catch fish but I was shocked to catch 89.25 inches with a mix bag of Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spots.

Dwain –  Probably Beaver Lake North, not only was it a win, but I got to catch some great fish on a swimbait, and that’s always really fun, especially on a lake like Beaver where it’s rare.

Jeriamy – My favorite tournament every year is the Road Runner. I like that format and I like how everyone is spread out. I would like to see the River Road Runner come back for 2020.

Chad – My favorite tournament this year (I can already hear the groans) was Lake Ft. Smith. I am always up for a good challenge and that lake seems to be the most challenging for NSKA anglers each year…except for a select few (Cole/Christa).

With the classic coming up, what are your thoughts on it and how you approach a two day cumulative tournament?

Cole – I’m excited to fish the classic, I think it will be a fun way to end the year. My approach for a two-day cumulative tournament will not change, I will treat each day as if they are just another tournament and I’ll go out there and just try to catch fish and have fun!

Dwain – I really like having it in two different areas and being two days, it will really give us a nice challenge. Multi day events are good because someone who just wanders into some fish can win a single day event, but catching fish two days in a row in two different areas is going to really give us a good idea of who was able to adapt to the different areas, and conditions. I think it will really be a fun event because of this format, and I’m looking forward to it.

Jeriamy – I really think it’s cool to have the top 25 for the season battle it out for the NSKA classic trophy. Even if you can’t win AOY you still have a shot at winning “The Classic”.  Two day tournaments are tough, and I think the most important thing is to get a limit the first day then you have a chance of winning because anything can happen. I want to thank Jeff Malott for everything he’s done for our club. I know he is looking forward to fishing more events next year and his shoes will be hard to fill.

Chad – For the upcoming NSKA Classic, I am thrilled with the new format to help determine the ultimate NSKA AOY for 2019! One lake, different launch each day, 25 of the very best for the year grinding to be the last one standing. This new format gives everyone something to compete for all season to earn one of those coveted 25 spots. I will stay with my same approach I take to each tournament with one exception, it’s a marathon and not a sprint like the others. That may change the approach slightly but going against the very best of the best NSKA anglers, the grind must be 100% focus, 100% of the time to have any chance against these great anglers!