NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake North – Tournament Recap

August in the big water on the Dead Sea can be tough enough, throw in high sunny skies with about 2,000 wake boats on a final summer weekend and you’ve got a tough day to catch ’em on Beaver Lake. A solid turnout of 68 anglers took on the deep blue in Northwest Arkansas and did pretty well overall in finding fish.

NSKA Beaver Lake North Tournament Results

A lot of discussion of pre-fishing revealed that things had been tough on the water.  Fish had been finicky in weeks prior to the tournament, but a cooler stretch of days may have helped turn them around a bit for tournament day. A strong 81% (55 anglers) turned in a keeper, while a respectable 29% (20 anglers) of the field were able to catch a limit. These are good numbers for Beaver Lake any time of year, but especially in the summer.

NSKA Beaver Lake North Big Bass caught by John Evans, 19.75″ in length.

Jeriamy Vann took first place with a 80.25″ limit of Largemouth, followed by Vince Minnick’s strong 78.25″ limit of Smallmouth.  Big Bass was won by John Evans with a 19.75″ Largemouth, followed by Jeriamy Vann with a 19.25″ and then Vince Minnick with a 19.25″ Smallmouth tank.

The top ten finishers were as follows:

  1.  Jeriamy Vann – 80.25″
  2.  Vince Minnick – 78.25″
  3.  John Evans – 75.50″
  4.  Tyler Zengerle – 74. 25″
  5.  Chad Warford – 73.75″
  6.  Jimmy Thomas – 73.50″
  7.  Declan McDonald – 73.00″
  8.  Carson McBride – 70.25″
  9.  Christa Hibbs – 68.75″
  10.  Tim Hotchkin – 67.75″
NSKA Beaver Lake North Angler Recaps

Top finishers Jeriamy Vann, Vince Minnick, John Evans and Tyler Zengerle reflect on the tournament and explain how they caught ’em in this roundtable recap.

How did you think about approaching the north end of Beaver, what was your overall plan?

Jeriamy – My plan was to go with the pattern that had worked for me in the Beaver Lake South tournament and to try and fish close to the Highway 12 Bridge.

John – I looked at Google maps for an entrance to coves that I could drive to. Living in Joplin, I usually don’t get a chance to pre-fish, so I looked at several areas until I found one that looked promising. My backup was Big Clifty where i fished the Beaver lake tournament, so in a nutshell I threw a dart and fished there.

Vince – My overall plan was to try and get away from the heavier boat traffic and I figured it would be lighter up closer to the dam. Earlier in the summer I accidentally found a spot that had some nice smallmouth, so I made the plan to go fish it and launch at Lost Bridge North.

Tyler – My overall plan for this tournament was to find a smallmouth bite and they were going to be up by the dam. I chose to fish Lost Bridge North because I’ve been camping at the Lost Bridge South Park for the last 5+ years, and I knew I would struggle catching fish out there with limited structure and tons of boat traffic. I pre-fished Lost Bridge North the Monday before and liked what I saw, so I stuck with it.

The bite was tough to find bigger fish, how did you catch your limit?

Jeriamy – Both my bigger fish came early in about 15′ to 20′ of water by just bumping the bottom. The other three keepers were a little more shallow.

John – I usually throw finesse baits, but have topwater and spin baits ready to entice any bites when it looks promising.

Vince – My spot had a deep trough between main lake points that were about 100 yds apart. After catching a fish off of each point early the fish moved into the deep water as the sun got higher. All of my fish came in 14’-23’ of water. My entire limit ended up being smallmouth with my largest being 19.25”. I caught my 19.25 and 16.25 on a drop shot with a 4lb test Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon leader and a Strike King Dreamshot “Magic Color” drop shot bait in 23’ of water. I saw them on my finder and dropped down to them and fortunately they were hungry.

Tyler – I started the morning in the first big cove to the left of the ramp, and was amazed to find that I was the only one in that cove until late morning. My first fish was caught in a brush pile on a PB&J finesse jig, and it was a 15.25” largemouth. Moving down the bank there were more boulders and rocks, so I switched to a Trapper Tackle shakey head with a Gambler Lures Sweebo worm in watermelon red. Caught another 15.25” largemouth, plus my biggest 16.50” fish. I just needed two more bites and it was a struggle for a bit. I noticed some fish were still chasing minnows, so I put on a small Flicker Shad just to have a chance of catching my limit no matter how big. Instantly caught a 12” smallie and 11.50” spot, which completed my limit at 70.5”. I knew I needed at least 73.75” to pass whoever was in second at that time, so finally at the end of the day, I caught a 15.25” smallie to cull my smallest which put me at my final total of 74.25”. Only two of my keepers were smallies, and the other three were largemouth, which surprised me.

August fishing is really tough, what’s one tip you have for people fishing this time of year?

Jeriamy -I think the thing that helped me was focusing on fishing very slow and deliberately. The last two fish I caught, I threw my jig in pretty much the same spot three and four times in a row before getting a strike.

John – I work for the early morning bites, then as the sun rises I focus on the shaded areas.

Vince – My only tip for the summer is don’t be afraid to fish the clear water…you just have to use your finder to find fish in the deeper water and then try to be patient. Also don’t be afraid to go down in size of your fluorocarbon, you just can’t horse them in.

Tyler – The key to doing well in the hot summer is to find fish as early as possible. The later it gets, the harder it is to get a bite. Don’t be afraid to start shallow because there are always fish there and just throw what you’re confident in. You can fish deeper later in the day for bigger fish. All but one fish were caught in less than 8 ft of water.

What’s your favorite rod and reel combo?

Jeriamy – Right now my favorite combo is the one I used in the tournament. Abu Garcia Black Max baitcaster with an Abu Garcea Vengeance 7 foot rod.

John – I use a Pflueger President reel , with a Berkley eMotion rod. When all else fails I break out the Dynamite and a dip net! lol

Vince – My rod and reel used in this tournament that caught most of my fish was a new Lews Infinity 6’6” Med Action Spinning Rod, that will be coming out to retail in 2019. My Spinning Reel is a Pflueger Supreme size 25.

Tyler – Usually, my favorite combo is a 7’3” MH Stunner HD rod by Fitzgerald Fishing, paired with a Lew’s Speed Spool with 12lb Fluoro. For this tourney, my favorite was a 7’3” MH Stunner HD spinning rod paired with a Shimano Sahara with 10lb fluoro.

Check out the complete tournament results for NSKA Beaver Lake North on TourneyX.

 

 

NSKA

Arkansas Junior Anglers – Friends and Fishing

Special to kayakfishingfocus.com courtesy of Aaron McBride:

The Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA), the largest kayak bass fishing club in Arkansas, and the cornerstone of the Razoryak Tournament Trail, is proud to have several active Junior Angler members. These young men are not just tag-alongs with their fathers either, as each one of them are long-standing members who have had their turn taking the adult member’s money in a tournament or yakpot setting. These boys aren’t beating up on a bunch of weak sticks, NSKA features a lot of talented fishermen who have a lot of success on the national scene.

Jacob Hudson, Carson McBride, and Declan McDonald at the 2016 Arkansas State Championship.

Anyone involved in kayak fishing in the region likely knows exactly how serious these kids are on the water. I’m not sure of any other club nationwide that boasts this number of quality skilled youth anglers in their club – all posing a serious competitive threat. As these boys approach their Senior year of high school, I thought it would be fun to do a feature on this great group of anglers.

Making Friends
Declan and Carson at a tournament weigh-in as Junior Anglers.

One thing that really stands out is that most of these kids started kayak fishing at the same time, not knowing each other. Since that first tournament to kick off the 2015 season, these kids have fished nearly 100% of the NSKA events. Carson McBride and Declan McDonald, both 13 at the time, had big aspirations to not only prove their ability, but to beat the adults. Friends since the 4th grade, they were a little surprised to see some other kids trying kayak tourneys for the first time. Brayden Richardson showed up with his dad, Craig. Baron Meek was there with his uncle, Justin Wright.

Jacob Hudson was the first Junior Angler in the group and now competes as an adult.

All four of these kids were in the 8th grade! And we cannot forget the OG: Original Junior Angler Jacob Hudson. Jacob was a couple of years ahead of this new group, and had fished the previous season as the only youth. Jacob now competes in the adult category and has continued to do well as an angler.

Carson and Baron at a High School event.

From that day on, these five kids gravitated to each other at pre-tourney checks, weigh-ins, and on the water. They regularly schedule fishing trips outside of the tourneys. Carson and Baron even teamed up to fish the High School circuits in bass boats.

Jr. Angler Award
Carson receives his first Junior Angler award from Tournament Director Jeff Malott.

The creation of the Jr. Angler award at every tournament really pushed these boy’s competitiveness. I loved watching them show up at weigh-in wondering how each other did, and who was going to win. Through it all, they have enjoyed a great friendship and supported one another. If one does well, the rest are quick to congratulate him. It didn’t take long for the rest of the club to realize that these kids weren’t just there to compete for top Junior Angler.

Winning Ways

These four boys have all finished in the money several times. This season alone, two out of our five NSKA events in 2018 have been won by a Junior Angler. Baron beat a record field of 80+ anglers in our season opener at Beaver Lake South with a crankbait at Natural Walk. Brayden won the other Beaver Lake event, throwing his Neko rig near Beaver Shores. With the Beaver Lake North event approaching, I guarantee you that Carson and Declan are going to give it everything they have to try to outfish the field. These two did show out a little for the River Valley Kayak Anglers event on Ozark City Lake back in April, showing the Fort Smith circuit that the northwest Arkansas kids mean business. They finished 1st and 2nd respectively in this night tournament.

In 2018 the Junior Anglers have been winning adult events. Baron won Beaver Lake South, Brayden won Beaver Lake, and Carson took 1st at Ozark City Lake with Declan finishing 2nd.
Angler of the Year Race

Speaking of Declan and Carson, they both sit at 3rd and 4th place in the NSKA AOY (Angler of the Year) points. It’s anybody’s race to take as there are two events left and anglers get to drop their lowest two scores. A lot can happen when the final fish is caught and scores are tallied. Both of these Junior Anglers are major threats to steal the title from one of the adults.

Junior Angler of the Year Race

While Carson and Declan are eyeing the top AOY spot, another good race to watch is the NSKA Junior Angler of the year award. It’s shaping up to be a close call, just like last year. The first Junior AOY award was in 2015, and was awarded to Baron, who dominated all year. In 2016 the title went to Carson. Last year was a tight race, with Declan and Brayden battling it out for top Junior AOY. What nobody saw coming was Carson’s 2nd place finish in the season finale on Beaver Lake, shooting him up the standings and winning Junior AOY for the 2nd year in a row.

Natural State Kayak Anglers 2015 Junior AOY Baron Meek, 2016 and 2017 Junior AOY Carson McBride
National Recognition
Carson McBride receiving his scholarship at the 2018 Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship.

All four of the current Junior Anglers qualified for the 2018 Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship on Kentucky Lake. Baron had baseball obligations and could not attend, but Carson, Declan, and Brayden all went to Kentucky Lake to try their luck against 752 of the nation’s best. Only a handful of youth fished in the main event, but those that did were obviously just as capable as the adult competitors. KBF does a good job getting youth involved with their Young Guns event and other activities. However, the kids that qualified for the big show want everyone to know they mean business, and rightly so. Some of these kids were there last year and are well known to each other. They are all good sticks. In that event, Carson took top Youth honors with a very respectable 39th place finish overall, a sizable check, and a four-year fishing scholarship to Bethel University.

A Bright Future for the Junior Anglers
Brayden and Carson take a break from kayak fishing and hop in the bass boat.

Within the next year, these four boys will be aging out of the Junior Angler category. I believe all four will be turning 18 before or during the 2019 season. It’s been great fun watching them grow and develop their skills. The adults in this group took them under their wings and have been truly awesome with them. They have been so much fun to watch. Hopefully this group can attract another group of kids to take up the sport of competitive kayak bass fishing. We’ve had a few kids show up and fish an event or two, but never really stuck with it. The next up and comer is Channon Thomas, who has fished several events over the last couple of years with his father, Jason Thomas. Hopefully we will see a new influx of the next round of Junior Anglers. No matter what happens, it’s been fun watching these kids grow into fine young men.

NSKA

NSKA Draw 4 Recap – Hitting the Century Mark

In last week’s tournament preview article there was no indication in the predictions we would see the huge limits turned in by the top finishers. Almost sixty Natural State Kayak Anglers fanned out across five lakes on a hot Saturday in the Ozarks. The five lakes fished were Elmdale, Bob Kidd, Crystal, Lincoln and a late addition of Siloam City Lake due to the size of the field. On a hot summer day the fish weren’t supposed to cooperate, but the leaderboard provided historically big catch totals.

Rance Richardson displays his 21.25″ bass on Lincoln Lake. Rance had a one day total of 102.75″ – Kayakfishingfocus.com
Tournament Results

The last time the NSKA held a Draw 4 event, Lincoln was the skunk of the group of lakes with almost everyone drawing that lake having a terrible outing. The tournament in 2018 was radically different as Lincoln lake showed out for anglers who were fortunate enough to draw that lake.  Of the 58 total participants of the Draw 4 event, 50 (86%) submitted a fish, with 28 (46%) turning in a limit.

Rance Richardson won on Lincoln Lake with a NSKA record 102.75″ followed by Cole Sikes with 94.5″ and Carson McBride in 3rd with 86.25″ also on Lincoln Lake. The top 10 anglers looked like this:

  1.  Rance Richardson – 102.75″ (Lincoln)
  2.  Cole Sikes – 94.5″ (Lincoln)
  3.  Carson McBride – 86.25″ (Lincoln)
  4.  Jason Kincy – 84.25″ (Lincoln)
  5.  Jason Thomas – 78.5″ (Siloam City Lake)
  6. Chad Warford – 78.25″ (Bob Kidd)
  7.  Josh Sherrill- 76.5″ (Lincoln)
  8.  Jason Adams – 75.5″ (Elmdale)
  9.  Kyle Long – 75.5″ (Elmdale)
  10.  Tyler Zengerle – 75.25″ (Siloam City Lake)

Big Bass was a tie between Rance Richardson and Jason Kincy with 21.25″, however Rance Richardson won the tiebreaker to take the title for the day. View all of the NSKA Draw 4 Results on TourneyX. 

Lincoln Lake 21.25″ largemouth tied for first for Big Bass. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
Angler Recaps

The anglers in the money for the day provide a recap of how they got the fish to bite and how they assembled their limits.

1. Overall what approach worked for you in catching your fish?

Rance – I started the morning half way down the dam trying a Whopper Plopper, after a few casts and no luck I quickly moved to a squarebill and medium diving crank bait that I always have good luck on at Lincoln. I tried different plastics with no luck so I decided to stick with the crankbaits and cover a lot of water. Both gave me fish but the bigger ones came off the medium diving crankbait in water 5 feet or less.

Cole – My game plan for the day was to start out fishing shallow and then move out deeper once the sun came out. I started the day off really slow and only had two small dinks and a 15 incher at 10 a.m. I moved out deeper and that’s when I started catching the better quality fish. I was catching them in 10-15 feet of water on a SlowTown Custom jig.

Carson – My approach to this tournament was to try and get a limit early. Which I did, so I just kept fishing and hoped for better bites. All my fish came off of a jig in shallow water around shaded areas.

Jason – My initial plan to burn the banks early with a buzzbait didn’t pay off, and finally worked my way around to the back of the lake and caught some small ones on a Bandit 100 squarebill. I kept trying some of the soft plastics I had planned on but they didn’t yield any catches and when I’d go back to a squarebill I’d catch one. The last couple of hours things really slowed down so I switched to a jig around rocks and that netted me a couple of late culls.

2. All of the top anglers were on the same lake, did that change how you were fishing or mindset knowing others there were doing well?

Rance – I didn’t change the way I was fishing. Cole was making me nervous toward the end when I saw him catch a big one and the leader board was turned off so I didn’t know how close he was.

Cole – I knew Rance was on fire so I knew I needed big fish to even have a chance. I started fishing the deeper rock piles where the fish were not pressured and it paid off for me. I broke off on two other 20+ inch fish that would have made things interesting! It was a really awesome day watching the other guys catch big fish all around me!

Carson – It didn’t change my mindset at all I just kept on doing what I was doing because I knew it was working and I had a ton of confidence with it. I knew the fish were biting based off of what I had heard so I just kept grinding at it.

Jason – I’d had a very slow start and only filled in my limit at around 10:30. Compared to what I was seeing from Carson and Rance (even took a photo of Rance and his big one) I was discouraged and felt like I was out of it. When I finally caught a big one, that let me know maybe I could still make a run at a decent total.

3. Describe your biggest fish catch of the day.

Rance – Biggest one of the day was around 10 a.m. toward the back of the lake. It was very shallow in full sun light so I stuck with that pattern the rest of the day and it was working all around the lake.

Cole – I caught my biggest fish around noon in about 15 feet of water next to some of the big rocks offshore. I knew it was going to be a big fish the way she bit. I set the hook and I was almost certain it was an 8 pounder when I hooked into her because she was so heavy. It turned out to be a 21” fish but pretty sure it weighed at least 6.5 pounds.

Carson – My biggest fish catch of the day was an 18.25 incher and he slammed my jig as I was reeling it back in for another cast.

Jason – I was about to call it an early day, having a small limit and knowing these guys were smashing it, I was pretty pissed off at myself for losing three big fish already. Heading toward the ramp around 11:00 a.m., I had just told Cole I was about to load up and then hooked a 21.25″ fatty on a squarebill. No way I could leave then so I kept going and slowly grew my total. I had about 54″ when I caught the big one and finished with 84.25″ three hours later. Good lesson to never give up.

Other Lake Champs

One of the very cool things about the Draw 4 is the different water brought into play. I asked the top anglers on the other lakes how they caught fish on their lake.

Primarily how’d you catch most of your fish , and when you drew your given lake or got there, what was your overall strategy for the day?

Jason Thomas – Siloam City Lake – Everything I caught was on white Slowtown spinnerbait. And when we drew I was a little bummed to have a lake that I didn’t really know anything about. But after getting there I decided to run the bank quickly with a crankbait just to get to know the lake and maybe pick up a fish or two along the way. After a couple of hours and no fish I was beginning to get worried. Then the wind picked up a little and I decided to go to my spinnerbait. After about twenty minuntes that paid off and all my fish were caught in about a 100 yard strip of bank in about 3 to 5 feet of water.

Josh King – Crystal Lake – Bites were few and far between, but patience paid off by slow fishing a jig. Like most, I’d assume, the plan was to catch everything early on topwater. Then either pick the lake apart to cull or go find some air conditioning. Unfortunately after two hours of no topwater bites, I had to slow it down and grind it out.

Jason Adams – Elmdale (Tie) – Fish bit on three baits. The first on was on a carolina rig in the middle of the lake by the overhead lines. Carson put me on his go to lure and it worked for a 13.25 bass that fell pray to a green lizard. This was around 8 am so I was glad to get on the board. Tried to duplicate it and it didn’t work. I saw Kyle Long pick up one in the back and noticed he was throwing something black. The water was stained so it made perfect sense. So getting a jig made up in black and blue was the ticket to getting the next fish and filled a limit. I had a Skirmish square bill tied on the other rod and that helped me cull two fish that ended up being the largest fish in the livewell at the day. All of these fish came from the same lay down. Noticed if I backed off for about 15 minute it would replenish. The jig produced all day. Hitting the stand ups in shallow water and swimming it back to the boat really produced. Couldn’t believe how many fish there was in 6” to 1’ of water. Typically fish are deeper when its this hot.

Kyle Long – Elmdale (Tie) – I started by going straight across from the ramp and threw a buzzbait a little bit. Since I always have a Texas rig tied on I threw around the first lay down I came to and caught a 12.25″. Then caught an 11.5″ at the next one. Fished along some more and noticed lots of birds and then fish hitting topwater really shallow…inches of water. Threw a frog a little but nothing. Started throwing a Texas rig in the same areas and caught a 16.25″ then another 12.25″. Caught my fifth fish doing the same thing at 8:15 a.m.  Felt good to have a limit by then. By this time I had fished my way down to the shallow end. Kind of outsmarted myself at that point and went back to the deep end to drag a jig deep to try to get some big bites. Should have stayed put in hindsight. Didn’t boat a fish from 8:15-1:00. At around 11:00 a.m. I started targeting lay downs again but the bite had stopped. Threw a drop shot a while, cranked a while, nothing. Went back to fishing a Texas rig at laydowns and caught a 19.5″ at 1:00. I knew from the leaderboard I needed a little more and finally got another 13.75″ on a Wiggle Wart at around 2:20 p.m. Every fish but the last one came in 3 feet of water or less. All my scoreable fish but one came on a black and blue Beaver style bait on a Texas rig. I had only been on the lake once and I thought if I didn’t catch a few early on top I’d have to crank or dropshot deeper to grind out a limit. My strategy changed pretty quickly when the Texas rig bite was on. Of course I left that bite which was a mistake but that 19.5″ midday ended up being the kicker I needed to finish tops on the lake for the day.

Chad Warford – Lake Bob Kidd – I fished Bob Kidd earlier on in the season during the NSKA NWA Roadrunner in May. It was interesting to see how the fish responded then vs. this weekend. I concentrated on three main baits for Bob Kidd based on the current conditions and what I had learned from in May. The bite was a little tougher right out of the gate but by 6:45 a.m. , I had logged 3 fish using a Berkley drop shot green pumpkin minnow. The wind was calm until late into the morning which became my toughest time and didn’t get another bite until just after 11:00 a.m. As the wind picked up, I keyed in on areas that would likely hold fish during windy conditions and indeed, had my next two fish to round out my limit by 11:45 a.m. Now that my limit was secured, it was time to find the bigger fish. As the temperature rose, I adjusted my strategy and searched for the bigger fish deeper. Early on I caught all of my fish in water 4′-8′ deep. As the temperature rose, I began looking for them in 14′-20′. It took almost two hours to key in on a pattern that would allow me to cull a few of my smaller fish. I found an area that did have structure but also dropped off deep, relatively quickly. It wasn’t enough to just find deep water because I tried that all morning and into the early afternoon and it didn’t work. With the wind finally getting after it and the sun scorching the earth (and me), finding a steep drop off, with structure was the key to successful day on Bob Kidd. And of course, not giving up. The conditions were no doubt tough and it would have been easy to call it at noon with a five fish limit, but I tend to do my best when its a challenge and would encourage anyone faced with difficult situation not to give up. Just keep narrowing down your options!

 

Reviews

How Hard Is It To Stand In A FeelFree Lure Kayak?

Special to Kayak Fishing Focus courtesy of Ethan Dhuyvetter.

As a 6’5 fisherman, I have always had some trouble with my “sea legs”. I honestly thought that firing crankbaits on windy points while operating a trolling motor was going to be the death of me while fishing competitively in college. Somehow, I managed to survive despite multiple instances where I nearly took a nose dive into the lake.

FeelFree Lure Kayak

So when it came to picking out a fishing kayak the year after I decided to part ways with my boat, I realized that it wasn’t going to be easy to find a watercraft which I can effectively stand in. After researching numerous kayaks which fit my price range, I took a leap of faith and ordered a FeelFree Lure 11.5 from an online retailer.

A couple weeks later, I picked it up at a random warehousing facility on my way to Lake Taneycomo, Missouri for some trout fishing with a couple of my college roommates. Being new to the kayak fishing game, I quickly realized that this wasn’t your ordinary kayak. It was heavy, stable, and incredibly comfortable. After a few hours on the water, I even tried standing….

Let’s fast forward 3.5 years to current day. I still have that exact kayak and feel like I could do a handstand in it. Well, that is, if I could do a handstand in the first place. But you get the point, standing in this kayak actually comes easy for me! Heck, during the spawn, I love to “paddle board” around in search of bedding bass.

Overall, I thought this would be a helpful article for those of you who are also skeptical. Hopefully this brief write-up paired with the video which I put together will help you realize that this FeelFree Lure kayak amongst many others on the market are incredibly stable and easy to stand in, even if you are 6’5.

Ethan Dhuyvetter runs a fishing YouTube channel (Online Outdoorsman) focused on inspiring others to spend more time outside.

NSKA

NSKA 2018 Draw Four – Tournament Preview

If the NWA Road Runner is the Kentucky Derby of the NSKA schedule, then the Draw Four is the World Series of Poker, where your draw may determine your fortunes. How a particular lake matches up with an angler’s skill set or experience on that water will play a big key in who takes home the money. Get ready to adapt, overcome and improvise on either Lake Elmdale, Lincoln Lake, Lake Bob Kidd, or Crystal Lake.

These four lakes are hotbeds for kayak fishing activity in the area and everyone has a favorite among these. Small lakes in the heat of summer will be a great challenge for NSKA competitors.

Lake Elmdale has been the site of many NWA yakpots. – Source: kayakfishingfocus.com
Draw 4 History

The last Draw 4 for NSKA was back in 2016, and consisted of the same four area lakes. In that event, 38 of the 50 anglers (76%) turned in a keeper and 15 of 50 (30%) submitted a limit.  The winning total was 72″ and Big Bass was 17.5″ in length.  This has not been a big limit total event.

The 2016 top 10 finishers, lake and total inches are below:

  1.  Jackie Wright, Crystal, 72″
  2.  Justin Phillips, Bob Kidd, 71.25
  3.  Vince Minnick, Bob Kidd, 66.25″
  4.  Jason Kincy, Crystal, 66″
  5.  Michael Sandlin, Elmdale, 64.75″
  6.  Benny Williams, Bob Kidd, 64.5″
  7.  John Evans, Crystal, 64.25″
  8.  Baron Meek, Crystal, 64.25″
  9.  Jeff Malott, Crystal, 64.25″
  10.  Jeff Her, Elmdale, 63.5″
Lake Previews

Lake Elmdale – This is a very popular lake for kayak anglers and is in an easy location, just off of I-540. Lots of anglers have fished yakpots on this lake and many will probably be rooting to draw this one based on familiarity. Overall, not a very deep lake, but different types of structure with both shallow flats and steep banks. This year there seems to be shallow moss flourishing which will be frustrating to some anglers.

Lincoln Lake – This is one of the legit big fish lakes in all of Arkansas. Those who fish this honey hole often have pulled out some massive bass. The challenge with this lake is getting a limit to go along with your lunker. Amazing rock formations and grass lines are the key features for this crescent shaped lake. If you pull five keepers on Lincoln, you have a very good chance to win the tournament.

The bluffs of Lincoln Lake are the signature feature of this crescent shaped lake. – Source: Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
The main dock by the ramp at Lake Bob Kidd. – Source: KUAF

Lake Bob Kidd – Not too far from Lincoln Lake sits Lake Bob Kidd, another lake known for having some good size bass. This lake has lost some of its normal lily pads and other vegetation but still is ringed by large grass beds along most of the banks. This is one of the very few (if only) small lakes in NW Arkansas with some standing timber, setting it apart from the rest. In 2016 Bob Kidd was a player in the rankings.

The airstrip is one of the things that makes Crystal Lake unique. Source: airport-data.com

Crystal Lake – Used to be known as a dink fest lake, but in past years has improved in quality. Limits will be plenty at Crystal, the fish are numerous and usually bite. This lake has two launch points, one being the main ramp on the west end, and the other is a gravel area on the far east shallow end. I call this the “panty” end of the lake, because one morning we found the largest pair of women’s underwear I’ve ever seen laying on the bank…so use this launch with caution. The dominant feature of this lake is an airstrip that runs parallel to a good portion of it’s length. The winner of the 2016 Draw 4 and many of the top 10 came from Crystal.

Angler Predictions

NSKA anglers Tim Hotchkin, Taylor Frizzell and Kyle Fields participated in a roundtable to share their insights and predictions.

Of the four lakes (Lincoln, Crystal, Bob Kidd and Elmdale) which one do you think is most likely to produce the winner and why?

Tim – I think Elmdale will pull off the W. There are a lot of fish in that lake and everyone seems to be able to catch them there. It will take someone finding 1-2 good ones there and then to round out a limit. The wild card is Lincoln if the bite is right. It will be incredibly hard to beat with it being a summer pattern, that could be a large if though.

Taylor – I think Lincoln will be the winning lake. It’s one of those small lakes that tends to give up a couple nice ones whether you know the lake or not. If the conditions are right it can produce winning number.

How does someone best prepare for a tournament when they don’t know where they are going until the night before?

Tim – I think it is just focusing on what you are good at. It’s tough to get a true pattern on 4 lakes not knowing which you will end up at. I plan to just go out with my normal set ups and adapt based on what I figure out through the day. If the day starts slow stay calm and try and figure out what the fish are doing. I have only fished one of the lakes this year so unless I get that one I will have no idea what to expect but my plan will be the same regardless what I draw.

Taylor – Preparing for this one was tough. Luckily there was enough time in advance to make some trips and check out the lakes. I might get the one I want, I might not but at least I’ve been on all of our options either way.

What is your prediction for winning length and Big Bass?

Tim – I think it will take 78.5″ to win. Big bass will be 20.25″ as each of these lakes hold quality fish and someone will find one.

Taylor – Winning length will be somewhere around 83.5″ total with a 22″ Big Bass.

Reminders

  • Captain’s meeting at the Grove in Lowell at 6:00 on Friday
  • Can be on the water at 5:15 a.m. and lines in at 5:30 a.m., lines out at 3:00 p.m.
  • Weigh-in on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. at the Grove in Lowell
  • Wear your PFD
  • Do not crowd others, or cut off other anglers. If you are worried you are too close, you are probably too close.

Sign up for the NSKA Draw 4 on Tourney X. 

 

Uncategorized

Stormr Review – Long Sleeve Performance Shirt & Sun Gloves

Anyone who fishes with me knows I’m pretty serious about my sun protection, especially in the summer. Like many anglers, I’ve been treated for skin cancer and want to avoid future issues. Because of that I’ve written this Stormr review of some of their sun gear.

Wearing the right UV protective gear is a big key to protecting your skin – especially if you are a Scottish/Irish background like I am. I don’t tan, I burn. Two of the most important tools I have in protecting myself for 8-10 hour tournament days on the water are the UV Shield Long Sleeve Performance Shirt and the UV Shield Sun Gloves from Stormr.

Stormr Review of UV Shield Long Sleeve Performance Shirt

UV Shield Long Sleeve Performance Shirt Strormr Review

This is a great sun shirt for many reasons in addition to the fact it deflects dangerous UV rays. This 50+ UV shield performance shirt is comfortable and well-made. It features a double layer of material which keeps it cool but feels more substantial than other sun shirts. The collar and sleeves are very resistant to any stretching, and I like that the collar rides just a bit higher than some other sun shirts, protecting the base of my neck. Finally, there are tiny vents in the armpit areas of the shirt which help keep me cool and reduces some of the stench created after hours sweating on the water. I’ve got this shirt in white, red, blue, smoke and yellow.

UV Shield Sun Control Gloves

I’m a big proponent of sun gloves, your hands can burn and get skin cancer very easily. Having tried various types of gloves, the UV Shield Sun Control Gloves are my favorite because they come up the wrists enough to ensure they cover the gap between your shirt sleeve and wrist. I also like how thin and lightweight they are, but have a synthetic palm for added durability and a better grip when handling fish or gear. The fit is snug to the hand, which means the gloves are never in the way or cause an issue.  I’ve become so accustomed to wearing these I don’t feel right when they aren’t on my hands while fishing. The only down side to these gloves is that over time some small parts of the stitching can come loose, but this is after heavy use over a long period of time.

Check these items out along with Stormr’s UV Shield Neck Gaiter for use on the water during the hot summer months. Thanks for reading this Stormr review.

Read more about Skin Cancer and Kayak Fishing 

Fishing Tips

Picking the Right Fishing Sunglasses to Save Your Eyes On the Water

Popticals Popgun fishing sunglasses on the water. – kayakfishingfocus.com

Today is National Sunglasses Day and the date not only recognizes the important of looking good in a stylish set of frames, but also of the attention needed to protecting one of the most important assets to a sportsman – the eyes. For a safe and enjoyable summer outdoors, what do you need to look for in a pair of fishing sunglasses?

Not all eyewear is created equal when protecting your eyes from the harsh UV rays from the sun. For kayak fishermen and boat fishermen alike, there are some key consideration in choosing the right pair of fishing sunglasses for a day on the water.

Adequate UV Protection

Spending a lot of time on the lake not only means the sun hitting your eyes from above, but also reflecting off the water all day long. Your fishing sunglasses need to have appropriate UV protection. According to the American Optometric Association, any fishing sunglasses you are considering need to have these factors:

  • Lenses that block out 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B rays
  • Should screen out at least 75% of light
  • Frames should fit closely to your eyes and the shape of your face
  • Lenses should have a uniform tint, not darker in one area from another.
  • The AOA suggests a gray tint, which is particularly helpful in color recognition.

If eyes go unprotected or are exposed to periods of time without proper UV protection, it can create an effect called photokeratitis, which is also known as the sunburn of the eye. This can cause red eyes, excessive tearing, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Long-term exposure without UV protection can lead to more serious conditions including cataracts, macular degeneration, and cancer in the eye and around the eyelids.  Protect yourself with the right pair of fishing sunglasses!

Fishing Sunglasses Tech
Popticals fishing sunglasses made a difference on the clear water of Beaver Lake – kayakfishingfocus.com

For fishing sunglasses you are not only looking for UV protection but also performance. I’ve written about Popticals sunglasses previously, and how they easily fold into a compact case for easy storage when not in use. Popticals fishing sunglasses are equipped with Ri-Pel anti-smudge technology which completely repel water, oil and dust. This keeps substances such as dust, sweat, sunscreen and other oils from getting in the way and obscuring your vision. Their polarized lenses are phenomenal in seeing down into the water, reducing glare from the surface. Recently I was fishing down by the dam on Beaver Lake in clear water and it was amazing how much of a difference the lenses on my Popticals Popgear shades made. Really helped me spot the bottom structure, including a deep pool from which I lured a 17” largemouth bass with my clear Heddon spook. Wearing the right fishing sunglasses can not only help protect your eyes, but can also improve your performance on the water.

$40 Popticals Discount

As an advocate for eye safety and UV protection, I would encourage you to make sure you have a terrific pair of fishing sunglasses protecting you. Choose any brand that works best for you that meets the safety requirements listed above. If you have an interest in Popticals, contact me using the Contact link and I can give you a discount code to save $40 off of a pair. I suggest checking out the models specifically for fishing sunglasses, but they have all types of sunglasses available.

When preparing for a day on the water, take care in the sun and protect from skin cancer, it is as important as your PFD.

KBF

KBF Central Open – Tournament Recap

The two-day KBF Central Open on Beaver Lake and Grand Lake is in the books and it all came down to 1/2 inch for $10,000. Based in Bentonville, Ark., the KBF Central Open allowed anglers to fish either the Ozark reservoir of Beaver Lake with its FLW history or the sprawling Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees of B.A.S.S. Elites fame.

Conventional wisdom was that Grand Lake offered a more dense fish population and larger average bass, but anglers there were going to be handicapped by getting on the water an hour later due to an anti-kayak rule in place to prevent launching until 1/2 hour after sunrise and a longer drive back to check-in. Beaver Lake had less access restrictions, but was known to be a finicky and risky pick for those looking for big fish and consistency over two days on the water. Weather made it tough on the 68 competitors because of high skies and a muggy 91 degrees each day.

20″ Largemouth on Grand Lake from Cody Milton in the KBF Central Open tournament.

KBF Central Open Results

Some of the top kayak anglers in the country were on hand and did well on day one with 31 of 68 (46%) of anglers turning in a limit and 82% of all entrants turning in a keeper.  The leaderboard looked like this at the end of the first day:

  1. Cody Milton 90.25″
  2.  Richard McMichael 84.50″
  3.  Mel Ashe 83.50″
  4.  Joshua Stewart 83.25″
  5.  Jason Kincy 82.75″

Day two proved to be tougher with lighter winds and increased pressure. On the second day only 21 of 68 (31%) turned in a limit with only 48 of 68 (71%) recording a keeper.  Day two results featured some of the same names in different order;

  1. Joshua Stewart 88.75″
  2.  Eric Siddiqi 86.00″
  3.  Jason Kincy 83.00″
  4.  Mel Ashe 81.25″
  5.  Cody Milton 81.25″

Final standings after both days were:

  1. Joshua Stewart 172.00″
  2.  Cody Milton 171.50″
  3.  Jason Kincy 165.75″
  4.  Mel Ashe 164.75″
  5.  Richard McMichael 160.75″

Cody Milton and Eric Siddiqi both hooked a 20″ largemouth for the biggest bass of the weekend. See complete results for the KBF Central Open here.

Angler Recaps

Top finishers Joshua Stewart, Cody Milton, Jason Kincy and Mel Ashe share how they caught ’em at the KBF Open in this roundtable.

Where did you go each day and why did you choose that lake and that part of the lake?

Joshua – I chose to fish Grand Lake. Arrived on Wednesday to prefish and started out looking at creeks and found one that had potential but couldn’t find a suitable launch. Caught some decent fish from the bank there. A lot of us ended up at the same spot I’m guessing because of the 150 foot rule and that area had a channel bend with a bridge all relatively close to the bank.

Cody – I chose to fish Grand Lake both days. I stayed in the dirty water on Grand because the fish there were staying shallower longer than they were around the dam. On the first day I wanted to hit 4 spots at 3 ramps before 10:00 a.m., with hopes of running into a big group up shallow. Fortunately, that worked out great the first day and I ran into 86 inches off my second spot. The second day I did the same but flip-flopped my starting spots and got around 81 inches pretty quick.

Jason – Being from Arkansas, I chose to go to Beaver Lake instead of Grand Lake, even though Grand is believed to have more and bigger bass. I prefished Beaver from the dam up to the river area and chose to go to the upper end because I just liked the water color and the type of cover I could find there. This area of the lake also had several ramps in close proximity in case I wanted to move around, which I did.

Mel – I fished Grand Lake also. Richie McMichael, Brad Case and I had originally planned on fishing Grand but when we found out about the rules we moved to Beaver. Me and Richie prefished Beaver on Wednesday and Grand on Thursday because we didn’t like what we found on Beaver. We decide we were going to fish Grand for the tournament that evening.

An 18.5″ Beaver Lake largemouth from the KBF Central Open. – kayakfishingfocus.com

What were your overall tactics for catching bass?

Joshua – The first day I ended up catching one of my better fish from the bank on a buzz bait in the morning due to the delayed launch time. The remainder of the day I would cruise around fishing the points and docks with a 1/8 wacky rigged Senko and a ½ ounce jig. Second day I figured I was fishing for second place because of Cody’s strong lead over the rest of the field. The wind was a little stronger so I put on ¾ ounce jig and basically caught all my fish on it. As the day went on I slowly kept culling my fish out and gaining ground. At around 1:30 I crossed to the other side of the bridge and got my biggest fish in about 5 feet of water on what looked like a little current break. After crossing back to the other side I was down a quarter inch with my smallest being 16.25″. with about 35 minutes to go I hooked into a fish with the anticipation of it being the one I needed but was 16.25″. After a few more casts I hook into a 17″ which gave me the lead by .50 inches.

Cody – After 10am I was focusing on brush piles on steep points in 18-22ft. That’s where I was getting the big bites day 1 but never got a bite off any of them day 2. All my fish came fishing a 1 oz football jig.

Jason – My plan on both days was to try and take advantage of topwater early and then fish deeper once the sun came up. Day one my plan was failing, with only one fish on topwater, so I wound up moving three times that morning trying to find something I liked, catching a keeper each time I moved, generally on a Ned rig. About 1:30 I landed on my last spot of the day and over the next hour and a half I used a Carolina Rig in deep water to move from 70″ up to 82.75″, including two 19″ bass in the last hour. On day two I started in the vicinity of where I ended day one and caught a quick four keepers on topwater and then moved to my Carolina Rig spot. Fishing that spot from 9:00-2:30 I caught 17 more keepers with the best five totaling 83″ and was lucky enough to finish third overall.

Mel – The morning of day 1 I got to the ramp I was going to launch from and it had a cable running across the ramp about 2 and a half feet out of the water. Eric Siddiqi had slept at this ramp one night so I called him to ask about the cable which he knew nothing about. He told me he was just three minutes up the lake from me and to come there and fish with him. I had originally planned to fish docks on the way to the bridge so I would have ended up down that way regardless. I caught my 1st fish bank fishing at the ramp with a Jackhammer chatter bait. After we were able to launch I fished my way to the bridge. There I was able to catch my limit on a shaky head and trick worm. Shortly after I made my way back to a point near the ramp and was able to cull two fish using a Jackhammer and fishing how I like to fish. Day 2 I basically did the same thing except I lost a fish at the boat ramp bank fishing and I left the bridge to go find my 5th fish.

When traveling the country to an event where you are unfamiliar with the water, how do you approach choosing a spot and prefishing?

Cody – The way I approach a new body of water is covering a lot of ramps across the lake as fast as I can. I wanna know water the water color is like in different areas of the lake before really dialing in where I’m looking to fish the tournament.

Jason- When I do travel to a new lake, I obviously will look in detail at Google Earth to find areas I’m comfortable with. Then when on the ground I will jump from ramp to ramp to look at an area and see if it matches what I thought it looked like on Google. Ultimately I am looking for water that matches how I want to fish with the type of structure and water color I’m looking for.

Natural State Kayak Anglers Beaver Lake Results

On the same weekend of the KBF Central Open was the NSKA Beaver Lake tournament with 63 anglers on the water. Read the recap of how this tournament was won on Beaver Lake.

NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake – Tournament Recap

A hot June Saturday greeted the Natural State Kayak Anglers to Beaver Lake along with 90+ degree temps, a poly-flake blend boat tournament, wake boarders and tough fishing conditions on the Dead Sea. The NSKA event produced a big turnout of 63 anglers who scattered across the lake from Twin Bridges down to Beaver Dam.

Brayden Richardson took 1st place in the NSKA Beaver Lake event.

 

Although the lake was stingy, overall the fishing wasn’t among the toughest historically on the Dead Sea, with 23 of 63 (37%) turning in a limit, and a robust 84% (53 of 63) turning in a keeper.  These numbers may seem huge when NSKA returns to Beaver Lake in August.

Top Anglers

Junior angler Brayden Richardson took first place with 77″ on the day with 17″ being his big fish of the day.  Jeriamy Vann took second with 75.5″ followed by Declan McDonald and Roy Roberts with 74.75″ each. Big Bass was won by Toua Khang with a 20.25″ largemouth.

Toua Khang won Big Bass on Beaver lake with this 20.25″ largemouth bass.

 

The top 10 finishers were:
  1. Brayden Richardson
  2. Jeriamy Vann
  3. Declan McDonald
  4. Roy Roberts
  5. John Evans
  6. Jason Cowell
  7. Tyler Zengerle
  8. Lloyd Mize
  9. Clay Johnson
  10. Carson McBride
Angler Recaps

The top finishers of the event share where they went and how they got the fish to bite in this roundtable recap.

Where did you go on Beaver Lake and why did you choose that place?

Brayden – I fished the event at Beaver shores; originally I was going to head to Van Winkle, but with my dad not fishing the event I chose to go to the area I was most comfortable with and prefished some.

Jeriamy – Horseshoe Bend due to familiarity with the area.

Declan – I went to the north end of Beaver lake around Kirk Hollow after seeing the lake went down and the fish weren’t in the bushes I thought it would be my best chance to catch a limit.

Roy – I started the day near the dam at Lost Bridge Marina. I am the most comfortable fishing clear water so this has been my go to area on Beaver Lake. Later in the day I made a move to the mid-lake area.

In general how did you catch them, what techniques and anything noteworthy you did?

Brayden – Early morning treated me well with a 17″ on a Whopper Plopper. Soon after that I realized I left some of my key plastics In the truck and has to pedal back so I missed out on more topwater time. As soon as the sun came out I switched to my old reliable, a 4″ trick worm Neko rigged. I was fishing it right off the rock shelves from about 4 feet of water to 15 feet in the back of coves.

Jeriamy – I fish jigs…mostly. I got lucky.

Declan – I started the morning throwing a Whopper Plopper and a weightless fluke. After I worked a good section of bank and had no bites I picked up a Ned rig and worked a point and got a 18 incher so I fished the rest of the day with the Ned rig.

Roy – I caught 10 keepers on the day. The two baits that were producing for me were a Balsa Pro topwater and a 3/4 oz Jewel Football Jig in PBJ.

What is the key to fishing in the summer in your opinion?

Brayden – To me the key to summer fishing is fishing early in shallow water near deep water where they will head later in the day. All my fish came before 10:00 a.m. so the early bite was key.

Declan – I think the key to summer fishing is to get on the water early morning or late evening into night. For me the bite shuts off around 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.  A big thing for tournament fishing is to keep grinding it out through the day and keep a good mindset.

Roy – Summer is my least favorite time to fish. To me the fish are less predictable and harder to pattern. A couple tips I would suggest are always pay attention to shady areas and don’t be afraid to use big baits. I would much prefer to fish at night this time of year.

Anything else happen you want to mention or say?

Declan – After changing my mind two days before the tournament about where I was going to go I was nervous about it being the wrong move, but after catching a good fish I felt a lot better about it. Later around 8:00 or so the rod I was throwing my Ned rig on broke, it was hard not to be negative about it but I had to get another rod and keep fishing hard. A big key to tournament fishing is to not give up and keep fishing hard.

Roy – Last Saturday I got to practice and noticed several fish hanging out around a particular dock. I started at this dock and caught a double on the topwater right off the bat, a 14.25” and 15.5”. This really gave me a boost for the rest of the morning. I made a move up the lake and picked out a point with lots of wind and waves that I had never fished. This quickly paid off with a 15” and a 15.5” Smallmouth.

Next up for the Natural State Kayak Anglers is the Draw 4 event on July 14th, watch for more information coming soon.

 

RVKA

RVKA Pick Three Road Runner – Tournament Preview

The River Valley Kayak Anglers are hitting the road this week for the Pick Three Road Runner which will take anglers to one of three area lakes to try and catch a limit.

Kayak anglers who dare to enter will choose their fate by drawing from one of three bodies of water: Booneville, Greenwood and New Spiro city lakes. Captains need to be checked in at Gellco Outdoors at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, to be ready to participate. Anglers will draw their lake at the meeting and then will take off to fish.  Must be back to Gellco Outdoors by 3:00 to submit your fish and photos.  (3:15 if you went to Booneville)

The Lakes

I’ve only been to one of the lakes among the three, so Chris Jones helped provide a breakdown and a quick look at each destination fishery:

Greenwood Lake – This little lake southeast of Fort Smith features stained water, grass, and flooded timber.  There are two creeks that feed into the lake on the southern end and north of the bridge Greenwood Lake is a bit deeper with steeper banks. There are grass and trees in the water all around the lake. Greenwood Lake was made by flooding Vache Grass Creek and Vineyard Creek – finding the best spots on and around these creek channels is key.

New Spiro Lake – This lake just south of Spiro, is fed by Holi-Tuska Creek coming in from the northwest and is just over 2,000 acres with a max depth of 23 feet. Features stained water year round with  grass banks around most of the lake. Lake is very shallow except by the dam. The vast majority of this lake is less than 10 feet deep. It is well known as a big time bluegill lake with some giant slabs lurking in the waters. It’s a place where it is common to throw topwater all day long.

Booneville Lake – This is the largest of the three, with flooded grass
around almost all of the southern end of the lake. The upper part is a shallow, but wide creek area. This is also the only lake of the three with Spotted bass in the waters. Booneville Lake is the clearest of the three lakes as well. Hosting huge schools of shad, it is not surprising to find fish in 20-30 feet of water on this lake.

This should be an interesting event and for me will be a chance to explore some new waters. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and watch out for dehydration as the weather starts to turn warmer. As always, wear your PFD!

 

Sharing News, Tips and Reviews for Kayak Anglers.