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RVKA Road Runner Recap

The River Valley Kayak Anglers (RVKA) held their second event of the season and anglers dispersed across the region to their preferred waters to try and catch their best limit. A road runner is always interesting because there is a lot of strategy which can come into play in selecting your body of water and everyone can choose the style of fishing they prefer.

It was a very good turnout for their second event, with 33 anglers competing for the cash and AOY points. The top finishers were Scott Acord with 89.75″, Christa Hibbs with 87.5″ and Chris Nemeth with 85″. You can read more from these anglers below about how they did it and what worked for them.

Here are the top ten anglers:

I drove down to Fort Smith for the tournament, and based off of a recommendation from a friend, I chose a lake I’d never fished before. Didn’t work out great for me as I didn’t hook up with any bass and moved locations to Lee Creek around mid-morning. Although I didn’t fare very well overall for the day, I did catch a 21.75″ largemouth which took big bass. This was only because a 23″ caught by another angler was DQ’d because of issues with the photo. Practice your photos! This is a part of the tournament execution.

RVKA Road Runner Big Bass - Kayakfishingfocus.com
RVKA Road Runner Big Bass – Kayakfishingfocus.com
How They Caught Them

Our top finishers give the lowdown on how they did it and their thoughts on the fledgling RVKA:

Scott Acord – I went to Clear Creek Park. This time of year is when the backwaters off the Arkansas River start turning on. There was a bass boat tournament going on there, but I knew of some water that they couldn’t get to because it gets to shallow before it drops off again. The females are staging to move up and I caught them an a crank bait on sandy points in about five feet of water. I am so glad to have the group people we have taking on the challenge of running the RVKA and just by the turnouts we’ve had so far I would say they are doing a great job and making it fun for everyone. Looking forward to the rest of the season and watching the group grow!

Christa Hibbs – I chose Muldrow City Lake. The main bait that worked best for me was a jig. With the cold morning on tournament day, it changed things up for me some. I had to stay mentally focused and patient while waiting for things to start clicking. The new RVKA group is off to a great start this season. As one of the tournament directors, I am very happy to be making new friends with fellow anglers and enjoying this sport of fishing that we all love so much. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and the continued growth and sportsmanship.

Chris Nemeth –  I went to Jack Nolan lake in Greenwood, Arkansas, and used a 1/4 ounce War Eagle spinnerbait. I chose Jack Nolan lake because I had a good stringer there the previous weekend and the water temp was 65 degrees. The morning of the tournament, water temperature was 57 so I had to change tactics. I caught all my fish running the spinner bait through the grass in about 2 feet of water. I am very excited to be a part of the RVKA we have a great group and we are all here because we love fishing and we are competitive. We have had some great turnouts so far and I hope we can keep it up. I look forward to the future of this group and how much we can grow. We have some great sponsors backing us as well and are very appreciative of that.

 

Reviews

PJ’s Tackle Company – Quality Jigs and Tackle

It’s always great to find a small tackle company who makes some product which is perfect for your bass fishing needs and has products that just flat out work. PJ’s Tackle Company is a local company which produces lures and colors that are designed to be effective in the clear water applications found in places like the Ozarks. Fishing some of these clear water lakes and streams requires the right look and colors to be effective.

PJ's Tackle Company grub heads and finesse jigs ready to catch some bass.
PJ’s Tackle Company grub heads and finesse jigs ready to catch some bass. – Kayakfishingfocus.com

My dad first introduced me to PJ’s Tackle Company (formerly known as PJ’s Finesse Baits for those who’ve known about them for a while) by recommending their weedless jigheads which work great on a grub bounced along the bottom. These jigheads just fit the grubs I like to use perfectly and I really like the unique weed guard which is very flexible and doesn’t impede a hookup.

PJ’s Tackle Company Lures

Their jigs are fantastic looking, with the colors that you need to look natural in clear water reservoirs like Beaver Lake, Table Rock, Bull Shoals and others. Can’t wait to get the Green Orange/Crawfish version on a rocky bank with a natural color craw trailer. In addition to the grub heads and finesse jigs, they also make football jigs.

Fora different style of fishing PJ’s makes a line of Maribou Jigs designed to work on small streams and rivers to catch fish of all types. These lures put off a subtle realistic movement in the water that entice the bite.

The bottom jig head is a PJ's Tackle Company grub / worm head I use sometimes to rig a YUM Warning Shot or Kill Shot. - Kayakfishingfocus.com
The bottom jig head shown is a PJ’s Tackle Company grub / worm head I use sometimes to rig a YUM Warning Shot or Kill Shot. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
PJ’s Tackle Company Story

This company also has an interesting background and mission. Lures are hand-tied by women in small villages in Central and South America in a program to bring work and a faith-based mission to those areas.  From their website:

“We have two passions that are the foundation of the mission and vision of our business: to create high quality fishing lures that catch fish and to help women living in poverty in remote rural villages by providing employment opportunities.”
If you fish in really clear water situations and want to support a Northwest Arkansas based company, give PJ’s Tackle Company a look. They have a great mission, story and products.
NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake South – Recap

Beaver Lake was the scene for a record turnout for a kayak bass fishing tournament in Arkansas as kayak anglers went toe to toe with bass boaters and held their own. A recent warming trend plus some dirty water on the normally clear Beaver Lake made for some high numbers in fish caught on a partly cloudy March Saturday for the Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA).

The southern third of Beaver Lake felt in spots a little crowded as 82 kayak anglers hit the water south of the Hwy 12 bridge along with 98 glitter rockets motoring around all of Beaver Lake in their event. (see how kayaks stacked up vs motors below)  Even with all of the activity on the lake, there were many fish caught on the day. I didn’t do very well, catching a small limit and finishing 23rd, but some of these anglers really knocked it out of the park.

Bill Campbell took the Big Bass prize with this 21.75″ Beaver Lake bruiser.
Beaver Lake South Results

Overall there were strong numbers for the anglers.  A solid 34 (41%) anglers turned in a limit, and only 18 (22%) failed to submit a keeper. These numbers are above the norm for Beaver. Baron Meek took the win with 85.75″ followed by Cole Sikes with 82″ even for second place. Tyler Zengerle turned in 77.25″ for third and Andrew Newsome had 77″ for fourth place.

Big Bass was won with a fat 21.75″ largemouth caught by Bill Campbell. Second place Big Bass was caught by Justin Phillips and was 19.75″ long.

Here are the top ten finishers:

  1.  Baron Meek
  2.  Cole Sikes
  3.  Tyler Zengerle
  4.  Andrew Newsome
  5.  Cody Milton
  6.  Bo Sarratt
  7.  John Evans
  8.  Dwain Batey
  9.  Kyle Long
  10.  Declan McDonald
Angler Beaver Lake South Recaps

Here’s how the top finishers did their thing:

Baron Meek (1st) – I ended up going to Natural Walk, because I had a friend recommend this spot and I liked the water clarity. The main baits that worked for me were a red Spro Rock Crawler, and a fire tiger Wiggle Wart. I didn’t throw anything else all day long, because I knew I could get the right bites with it. I knew that if the water temps warmed up enough to be around 50-53 degrees, I could get a crankbait bite going, so the first thing I did was check my fish finder  and it was 52. So, I knew they’d eat a crankbait. I fished until I found the specific type of rock and contour required, and then I dialed them in at about 9 o’clock. I only had about 72 inches at about noon, and I managed to find a 18, 17, and a 15.5 to cull my smaller fish and bump me to the top of the standings. It was a beautiful day, and a great day to be on the water.

Cole Sikes (2nd) –  I started the day off near Beav-o-rama which is between Blue Springs and Twin Bridges. I decided to go there because I figured it would have less pressure and the water color should be decent. I caught a small limit there with my jig on transitions from bluff to gravel. Around noon I moved locations to War Eagle Marina. Water color was much dirtier and was able to catch quality in that area. I caught all of my fish on a 1/2 ounce Slowtown Custom football jig in green pumpkin and purple. The strategy for me was just to hit as many transition banks to catch a limit and hopefully a kicker. Other than that, I didn’t have much a plan. I had only about 64” at 1:45 and I was able to catch three quality fish and cull four times in the last two hours. I then stumbled on a spot where I caught a 14.75, 16.5, 17.5 and 18 all in roughly 20 minutes. I was literally thinking about calling it a day early and heading home but sure glad I stuck it out and kept grinding!

Tyler Zengerle (3rd) – The day before the tournament, I told myself I was going to Fish Hickory Creek. That night, I decided to hit up War Eagle marina instead. I’ve never been there before, but something told me to just go. I figured Hickory Creek, Twin Bridges, and Blue Springs would be heavily pressured by the other anglers, so I wanted to stay away from them. It worked out because as far as I could tell, I was basically the only one there.  Three of my biggest fish were caught on a Texas-rigged Gambler Lures 6” Burner worm in Junebug color, and the rest of my catches were on a 2-Tap Tungsten lipless crank. My first plan of action was to stick to what I know, Texas-rigs and crankbaits. I found banks where depth dropped from 4-10ft and fished those drop-offs.  I also caught my first Striper that morning which was pretty interesting. I fought it for about 10 minutes and I was hoping I had hooked into absolute beast of a largemouth…but it wasn’t.

Andrew Newsome (4th) – I put in at Natural Walk hoping I could find some water that had cleared up a little. I had check down there Wednesday and it was still pretty muddy so I knew it was a gamble. I went into the tourney expecting to flip around brush to get bites but for some reason that wasn’t working for me so relying on past experience, I pulled out a red craw pattern wiggle wart and started hitting some chunk rock banks. Within a few casts, I caught my first one. I switched back and forth with a few different baits but was only able to get a bite on the wiggle wart so I rode it out the rest of the tourney. Most of my fish came between 8:30 and 10:30 with one cull later on around 2:00. Overall, it was a really great day with limited mistakes and I consider myself very blessed to have had such a good finish. Can’t wait for the next one!

Catching a keeper on Beaver Lake with a YUM bait. - Kayak Fishing Focus
Catching a keeper on Beaver Lake with a YUM bait. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
Kayaks vs Boaters

Heard a lot of stories about bass boats cutting off kayaks during the day, and I had one zoom in right in front of me to flip some wood and then zoom out again. A lot of the boaters don’t respect the kayak angler, but how did the two tournament results compare? Not too bad. The boaters had use of the entire lake and kayak anglers only had the upper 1/3 to fish, but the top anglers weren’t too far off.  Using estimates to evaluate the weight, Baron had approximately 14.6 lbs which would have placed him 7th of 98 and Cole Sikes would have finished around 10th, both in the money. Bill’s Big Bass also likely would have taken the big fish prize in the boat tourney with an estimated 6.17 lbs. Not to bad for the yak anglers.

Here is the score sheet from the boat tourney with Baron’s totals calculated on the side.

Recent Articles:  

 

Reviews

Popticals Popgun Sunglasses Review

Previously I had written about Popticals, a brand of sunglasses made for active outdoor adventures which fold down to a compact size for easy storage. You can read more about the concept in this previous article about Popticals. I’ve been able to try out some Popticals Popgun sunglasses – and how do they perform?

A really interesting concept, but how do they perform?  I’ve been able to use my Popticals Popgun pair now on several fishing outings and so far the results have been really good.

The Popticals Popgun sunglasses are a comfortable fit on the water when chasing largemouth bass.
The Popticals Popgun sunglasses are a comfortable fit on the water when chasing largemouth bass.
 Popticals Popgun Fit and Finish

For sunglasses that fold in on themselves using the FL2 Micro Rail system, I was concerned they wouldn’t be sturdy and would wiggle or wobble at the hinges. When you unfold the glasses and lock them into place, you notice it is a sturdy result, you wouldn’t even know they fold up.  The same applies to folding, the hinges sort of “release” when you fold it and make it pretty easy to make sure you fold them properly.

Popticals Popgun in White/Black color scheme.
Popticals Popgun in White/Black color scheme.
Lens Performance

The Popticals Popgun comes with NYDEF lens technology which is billed as being significantly clearer and 18% less lighter in weight than polycarbonate lenses. These polarized lenses provide UV protection, are scratch and shatter resistant, and are sweat and oil resistant to keep the lenses clear. So far it seems to me the lenses are high quality and sharp. The gray lenses are not as dark as gray lenses I have worn, which may or may not be a positive attribute depending on your personal taste.

Popticals Popgun folds up using hinges and a slider in the bridge.
Popticals Popgun folds up using hinges and a slider in the bridge.
Folding and Storage

Storing the Popticals Popgun is one of the things that makes these great for kayak fishing. They fold down into a compact size and fit into a hard shell case that comes with the glasses. This hard case is great for throwing into the bottom of a kayak hatch, clipping to your crate or seat, or even slipping into a pocket on your life jacket or clothing.

Popticals Popgun stores away in a small hard case, measuring 3.25" long by 1" wide. The case can be pocketed or can clip to a backpack, tackle crate or other space saving location.
Popticals Popgun stores away in a small hard case, measuring 3.25″ long by 1″ wide. The case can be pocketed or can clip to a backpack, tackle crate or other space saving location.
Popticals Popgun Overall

I really like the Popgun for some lightweight sunglasses that don’t have full frames around the lenses. It comes in 13 different colors and several lens styles.  These sunglasses are not cheap, the polarized versions are $199, which puts them in the high-end, high performance category.  If you are looking for top-quality lenses and frames which also fold down into a compact package for easy storage – give Popticals a look, they have worked out great for me.

 

RVKA

RVKA Lake Fort Smith Recap

The first area tournament of the season took place at the start of March and although the anglers were ready to go – the fish were not quite so cooperative. Lake Fort Smith is a lake nestled in the Boston Mountains at the southern end of the Ozarks. A truly scenic lake with very little development, it was a great setting for the River Valley Kayak Anglers (RVKA) opener.

RVKA tournament on Lake Fort Smith - Kayakfishingfocus.com
RVKA tournament on Lake Fort Smith – Kayakfishingfocus.com

Recent rains had turned the lake muddy and had it up a few feet over normal. Usually this can be good news, but the fish were definitely in a funk.  This tournament was a shotgun start from the ramp area which is always fun.

Here Fishy Fishy…

Chances are, if you fished in this tournament you left with a big fat zero. Of the 38 anglers who hit the water that morning, only nine carded a keeper, with 27 (71%) not turning in any fish. No anglers turned in a limit, and the top spot went to Chris Jones with a four fish total of 56.75″ and he also won Big Bass with 18.25″.

Here are the Top Ten finishers:
  1.  Chris Jones 56.75″
  2.  Toby Bogart 56.75″
  3.  Carson McBride 49.25″
  4.  John Wofford 16″
  5.  Christa Hibbs 14.25″
  6.  Braydon Richardson 13.25″
  7.  Jason Kincy 11.75″
  8.  Jason Stovall 11.5″
  9.  Jay Kester 11.25″
  10.  Chris  Nemeth 11.25″

First place went to Chris Jones based on his 18.25″ Big Bass as the tiebreaker.

Word is that the baits that put the top anglers into the money included a red Spro Little John squarebill and a yellow Strike King KVD 1.5″ squarebill.

Although the fishing was tough, the tournament was well-run for this new club and it was great to have an event where all anglers were in the same location and could visit with one another. Check out the RVKA Facebook page for more scheduled events.

NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake South Preview

The  upper end of Beaver Lake will be home for the first Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) event for 2018, and it’s going to be a challenging one. Beaver Lake is replacing Swepco Lake as the kickoff event, meaning anglers will have to face some stained cold water instead of the hot tub to get the season going.

The boundaries for this NSKA Beaver Lake South tournament are from the War Eagle Mill and Twin Bridges down to the Hwy 12 bridge.  This includes some of they key fishing areas of Beaver Shores, Esculapia, Horseshoe Bend, Hickory Creek, War Eagle and Blue Springs.

Beaver Lake - Kayakfishingfocus.com
Beaver Lake – Kayakfishingfocus.com

Anglers should register on the Tourney X page for the event, and should attend the captains meeting will be Friday evening at the Boar’s Nest in Rogers, but there will also be an online attendance option.

Past Beaver Trends

The last time we had an NSKA tournament early in the spring on Beaver was in 2016 and there were 70 anglers who took to the water. Of the 70 entrants, 49 (70%) turned in a keeper, and 15 (21%) turned in a limit. The winning total was 82.5″ and Big Bass was 19.5″ long.  Last year the lake performed pretty well in a couple of tournaments, producing good numbers and size of fish.

Kayak tournaments on Beaver since 2015 have yielded the following percentages of anglers with a limit: 21% 22%, 10%, 52% and 15%. So history says that if an angler turns in a limit, they’ve had a good day on the water and are in contention.

Beaver Lake (aka: the Dead Sea) can be a real challenge on some days. With the recent rains and dirty water, it can be daunting, but that actually might help anglers find some bass.

NSKA Roundtable – Beaver Lake South

To help us look ahead to the kickoff tournament, I asked a few NSKA anglers for their take on the event and predictions on the outcome. Had a chance to ask Tim Hotchkin, Jeff Malott and Carson McBride a few questions.

1. Beaver lake has risen dramatically in the past two weeks and is muddy, how do you expect that to impact the tournament?

Tim – I think it will cause more confidence issues than anything. I think the fish will still be there but more spread out as now they have more water to access. Anglers that fish Beaver may not be used to the debris and lower visibility and anglers that do fish dirtier water will not be used to the depth. Should really even the playing field.

Jeff – My first guess would be that the fish will push shallow. With the full moon this week, rising water temps, and rising water level it makes sense that the fish will try and push up. Although, there should still be plenty holding in pre-spawn locations.

Carson – Since the lake has risen I expect that to push the fish shallow, especially with the muddy color that has come with the rising water. I think that it should make for a decent day of fishing. And I expect that to have some of the quality fish biting.

2. First tournament of the season, is your approach any different for a first event than others? How do you approach it differently?

Tim – For me it’s no different. I will not get a chance to pre-fish so I am going to an area that I know has fish year round and stick to what I am good at and grind it out. Focusing on a bite once the sun comes out.

Jeff – For my first event nothing really changes other than making sure all gear is in perfect working order. There is a little extra prep time, but I don’t want to get analysis paralysis either.

Carson –  I am going to approach this one differently because the lake has changed so much so I won’t pre-fish at all. I’m just gonna go to my spot and grind it out.

3. For new anglers fishing their first “real” kayak tournament, what’s one key piece of advice?

Tim – Stay calm, just because it’s new to you doesn’t mean you have any less advantage than the other anglers, and stick to your plan not what others are saying will work.

Jeff – For the new guys, come up with a plan and stick to it. Enjoy the day and try not to get to high or too low with your emotions.

Carson – My advice to new anglers fishing their first tournament is to not be afraid of trying something completely different on tournament day because things change and especially on Beaver.

4. What makes fishing Beaver different from other small lakes in the area?

Tim – There is so much more water. It’s completely different than the other lakes and different structure. The small lakes I fish regularly are shallower and have grass. At Beaver it’s about finding the right structure and water for the area. There are sweet spots within a area of the lake that attracts more fish than others.

Jeff – I divide Beaver into almost 3 lakes … The upper end and lower end fish completely different. Mid lake has the best of both worlds a lot of times. Unlike the small lakes, grass plays no factor and you also have a shot at the black bass slam depending on where you’re fishing. A lot of people call it the Dead Sea, I actually really enjoy fishing it.

Carson – Fishing Beaver is different from small lakes because it is different on different parts of the lake. And it doesn’t pattern as well as small lakes. Seems like fish are doing something different all the time.

5. How many inches will win and what will be big bass?

Tim – Realistically I think 81″ could win. Big bass I am going to say will be 21 inches.

Jeff – It will take 85 inches to win in my opinion, something in the 21″ range for big bass. Consistent high water for a few years have lead to some really good spawns. Fish quality on Beaver has really improved because of it.

Carson – I predict 83.50″ inches to win with a 20.75″ inch big bass.

Good luck to all anglers and have a great day on the water for the opening tournament. Wear your PFD and stay safe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

News

Thank You to 2018 Partners

A big shout out and THANK YOU to the various companies and brands who are contributing in some way toward my 2018 tournament season. These are all awesome products I am proud to use in competition on the water. Please consider them for your fishing needs.

 

Bending Branches – The best kayak fishing paddles available and manufactured here in the U.S.A. I have the Bending Branches Angler Pro and Angler Pro Carbon.

Stormr – Great foul weather gear and sun protection wear. From cold weather outerwear to hot summertime UV protection clothing, Stormr is my go-to for on the water protection.

Popticals – The innovative sunglasses line that folds into a compact case perfect for kayak fishing.

MTI Lifejackets – Wear your PFD! It prevents you from drowning. When choosing a PFD, I like having one that I know is very high quality and made with care in the U.S.A. I have MTI F-Spec, Neptune and Helios models.

Booyah Baits – A big part of my bait arsenal, Booyah makes awesome crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzz baits and jigs.

War Eagle Lures – Spinnerbaits and buzz baits that are made for the Ozark waters. Anglers swear by this brand for local fishing.

Heddon Lures – Makers of the Zara Spook and Super Spook Jr., some of my all-time favorite lures to throw. If I could only throw one hard bait, it would be a spook.

Norman Lures – Some old-school hard baits that still catch a lot of fish. The Deep N, Mad N, DD22 and others have to be in the yak.

YUM – Plastics for every situation at a good price. Dingers, plastic worms, trailers, flippin’ plastics, lizards, drop shot baits, swimbaits and Money Minnows. YUM has everything you need.

Dobyns Rods – Quality rod options at an affordable price. I carry the Fury series rods in my kayak, most of which are in the $109-$119 price range.

Flambeau – These storage tackle boxes are great for kayaks because of the Zerust protection. Our tackle is exposed to the elements at all times and Flambeau boxes provide great protection.

P-Line – This is an affordable fishing line that still is good for battling bass. I use primarily the Floroclear and the CXX line on my reels.

Reins – My tungsten weight source for use with drop-shot, flipping or Texas rigging. Reins slip sinkers are the best because of the insert that protects you from fraying line.

Shimano – The best reels around, period. Shimano reels are the best option on the water for all types of fishing.

Owner Hooks – Owner makes every kind of hook I need when fishing, and they are razor sharp.

Check out these brands on Instagram for a better look at their products:

@bending_branches @stormrusa @popticals @booyah_baits @war_eagle_custom_lures @heddon_lures @normanlures @dobynsrods @yum_baits @mti_life_jackets @flambeau_outdoors @plinefishing @reinsfishing @shimanofish @ownerhooks

 

NSKA

2018 NSKA Tournament Schedule Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking Forward To The Season

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

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Reviews

The Booyah ToadRunner Is Unleashed

The fishing world’s premier hollow-body frog manufacturer has launched their spin on a noise producing topwater frog bait – and it looks fantastic. The Booyah ToadRunner is going to be a staple in my tournament boat going forward.

The new Booyah ToadRunner will be available in 10 color choices. Photo courtesy Booyah.
The new Booyah ToadRunner will be available in 10 color choices. Photo courtesy Booyah.

The Booyah ToadRunner is the latest evolution in soft-body frogs with a noise and bubble producing tail. This new bait will remind many of the Teckel Sprinker Frog, but with a few important improvements. First, Booyah is the industry leader in frog design and are using a modified Pad Crasher frog body as the base for the lure. The legs are pre-trimmed the correct length to allow the tail to do its thing without wrapping or spinning. Finally, the tail itself has a couple of key performance features.

The Booyah ToadRunner will be perfect for situations where you want to fish a frog in either the dense grass, vegetation or other cover or can be worked efficiently across open water. Seems to be a perfect blend of a frog and buzzbait.

This promotional video featuring Jason Christie is a great way to learn more about the Booyah ToadRunner. He used a prototype of the bait in a tournament on Lake Rayburn in 2017. Check it out.

Booyah ToadRunner Tail Design

The tail is what makes the Booyah ToadRunner create the bubbles, gurgles and noise that will attract a strike. The wire form molded into the tail gives the angler the ability to shape the tail for multiple sounds and different levels of water displacement. Additionally, the tail itself is a translucent, clear plastic which eliminates a target point so the fish only targets the body. This should make for a better hookup ratio than a white or chartreuse tail.

Booyah ToadRunner Specifications

The new ToadRunner will come in 10 different color options for anglers to choose from. I’m thinking I will stick with the standard dark/black look and a lighter belly color as my primary two baits. The ToadRunner itself is 4.5″ long and weighs 7/8 ounces – compared to 2.5″ and 1/2 ounces for a traditional Booyah Pad Crasher. Booyah representatives report the bait will be available in mid-February and should retail for $9.99, which is a big savings over the Teckel Sprinker Frog which retails for $13.99 on Tackle Warehouse.

 

Fishing Tips

Winter Trout Fishing Tips

Arkansas kayak angler Jason Cossey shares his tips for winter trout fishing in this guest article for Kayak Fishing Focus.

People ask me what I do when I take a break from kayak fishing in the winter time. Sometimes it is deer hunting, but other times I like to fish for trout simply because it’s a sit on the bank and hang out with friends and family kind of fishing and I do not have to worry about a boat or a lot of tackle. Here’s how I like to approach winter trout fishing and have the greatest success!

To find trout in Arkansas, there are rivers below the dams, such as the White River below Beaver Dam which is my favorite place to go. Another place to do winter trout fishing is in the various small lakes that are stocked in the winter months. Check your local game and fish website for trout stocking information.

Winter trout fishing with floating egg baits can be an easy way to make a catch.
Winter trout fishing with floating egg baits can be an easy way to make a catch.
Bait and Tackle Setup for Winter Trout Fishing

1. Starting with rod and reel selection, I like a medium-medium light spinning rod with 6# monofilament for a main line. I use my favorite drop shot rod because I like to keep in practice feeling bites, it helps me get ready for the spring drop shot and finesse fishing.

2. Leader line is very important, I use 2# clear monofilament if the water has a little color you can get away with 4# but 2# always gets more bites.

3. Sinker selection, now is the time to use up some of those 1/4oz bullet and egg sinkers that have been rattling around. I also use a #10 or #12 swivel to attach this leader to my main line.

4. Hook selection is simple any #10 or #12 light wire hook. I like a wide gap hook it seems to get me better hookups.

5. Now bait…I am a fan of Berkeley power eggs because they come in their
own jar and unlike dough type baits they don’t get under your fingernails and smell up your fingers all day! Color is just about trying different options until you find a combination that works. I use two eggs of different colors most time like chartreuse and white or orange and bubblegum.

Now you have all of that stuff lined out it’s time to decide on leader length. Trout rarely feed on the bottom this is the reason 90% of all trout bait floats. I always start long on my leader and cut it according to how deep the water is and how deep they are feeding. I find that holes in a river right after a shoal is a good place to start looking for trout to congregate. When you find a school just stay on them for fast and consistent action.

Other Winter Trout Fishing Strategies

So you aren’t really keen on soaking power eggs there are other ways to catch trout, there are an assortment of lures that are old fish catchers. I always carry small rooster tails, they are one of the best ways to catch trout. Small jerkbaits and crank baits are also another way to catch em you just have to figure out how aggressive and what kind of mood they are in! I also keep on hand small marabou jigs, these tiny jigs tipped with a wax worm under a clear float can be deadly on pressured rainbows and can help you fill your limit with nice sized trout.

I hope these tips will help you with those winter time fishing blues, trout can be a fun way to spend the day with your loved ones. Great for kids and an awesome way to pass the time when it’s too cold or you just don’t feel like getting out the boat but need to feel the pull of something on your line.

– Jason Cossey

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