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NSKA

2026 NSKA NWA H2 Heat & Air Road Runner Recap: Shattering MLF Records

The fifth stop of the 2026 NSKA NWA season, presented by H2 Heat & Air, brought the field face-to-face with the most mentally taxing format on the schedule. This event completely abandoned the traditional five-fish safety net and dropped the trail into a pure Major League Fishing (MLF) style shootout. Would the records be broken? Would fish be caught? Yes, and yes.

The rules were clear but unforgiving: any legal bass measuring 12 inches or longer counted toward an angler’s total cumulative length. There was no ceiling. The boundary line was a strict 55-mile radius centered on Springdale, forcing a massive strategic choice of where to go hunt for bass. Anglers faced warm, humid conditions with partly cloudy skies and in many areas a nasty morning rainstorm that may have soured the mood of the bass that morning in some cases.

Fanny Phomsopha’s Big Bass from the event, a 20.50″ largemouth bass. Source: TourneyX

The geographical breakdown of where the field scattered tells the entire story of this event. If you chose the right water or region, you had a good day. If you didn’t make the right choices…your day went differently:

  • The Beaver Lake Bust: 16 anglers bet their day on Beaver Lake. It turned into an absolute miss, with only 2 of those 16 managing to crack the top 20 on the final leaderboard. The Dead Sea was in full effect after morning storms rolled through.
  • The Table Rock Paradise: 13 anglers opted for Table Rock. The gamble paid off across the board; the lowest-finishing angler in this group took 19th place, putting 100% of the Table Rock crew inside the top 20.
  • The River Sleepers: Only two anglers decided to skip the major reservoirs entirely to hunt in flowing water. One of those river runners rode that current straight onto the podium.
  • The Outliers: No other independent body of water within the 55-mile ring attracted more than a single competitor and for the most part were not a factor.

By the Numbers

  • Total Anglers: 42
  • Anglers with at least one fish: 88% (37 of 42)
  • Limit Percentage: 62% of the field put a traditional five-fish limit or better on the board.

The Leaderboard – Top 10 Finishers

The historical standard for an MLF-style Road Runner tournament usually requires a strong day pushing toward the 380-inch mark to walk away with a trophy. This year, that baseline wasn’t just broken—it was completely left in the dust. Levi Schneider put on an absolute clinic on Table Rock, dropping a mind-boggling 475.00 inches on the field to shatter the all-time one day club record and pocket the $470 winner’s check. Jason Adams had a very strong 2nd place, beating out 3rd by more than 70 inches.

  1. Levi Schneider – 475.00″
  2. Jason Adams – 330.50″
  3. Jake Wilkie – 255.75″
  4. John Hall – 234.25″
  5. Dwain Batey – 231.25″
  6. Tony Sorluangsana – 228.75″
  7. James Haeberle – 201.50″
  8. Justin Malott – 198.25″
  9. Kyle Long – 196.25″
  10. Cole Sikes – 191.50″

Big Bass & Side Pots

While the top of the leaderboard was a race of pure volume, the Advanced Automotive Big Bass honors belonged to Fanny Phomsopha. Fanny fooled a 20.05″ largemouth to secure a sweet $126 cash prize along with a custom-painted glide bait from GiffGlidez Custom Swimbaits.

Proving he was clearing out everything swimming in his zone, Fanny Phomsopha pulled off a rare double-dip by also claiming the Trash Fish side pot, banking an extra $42 for wrestling a prehistoric 4-foot long gar into his kayak. Meanwhile, the $42 check for the tournament’s biggest verified Spotted Bass went to our event champion, Levi Schneider, who anchored his massive cumulative card with a solid 16.75-inch spot.

http://www.lurenet.com

Angler Roundtable: Top 3 Q&A

Our top three finishers sat down at the ramp to detail how they handled the unique pressure of the clock and the rules. Let’s hear how Levi, Jason, and Jake made their day:

1. Where did you go to fish and why?

  • Levi Schneider: I went to Emerald Beach at Table Rock because I knew it’d set up well for the every fish counts format.
  • Jason Adams: I headed to Table Rock and targeted the backs of pockets with water running into them. Honestly, my first instinct was to hunt one big fish. Levi edged me out by an inch on the last event on the Heavy Hitters standings, so that was on my mind. I pre-fished Lincoln Lake on Wednesday, pulled up, and there were 16 bass boats already running a tournament. That settled it pretty quick. Mandie and I decided to stay together and fish Table Rock instead.
  • Jake Wilkie: I went to the upper Illinois River. Plan was to catch as many Smallies as possible.

2. What were some of the main techniques or baits that worked for you?

  • Levi Schneider: I caught all of my fish on a jighead minnow, spoon, and a football jig.
  • Jason Adams: Early in the morning I was dragging a jig in the flowing water at the backs of those pockets and it was working. As the day went on and the fish pulled off the current, I transitioned to a drop shot around stumps. Read the fish, adjusted the presentation. Pretty straightforward day on that front.
  • Jake Wilkie: Caught everything on a Ned rig and Texas rig. Current was swift so you really had to make a good cast and put it on them.

3. How did you adjust your strategy specifically for the MLF format?

  • Levi Schneider: The only thing I really adjusted was the rods I brought with more finesse tactics but ultimately caught them all on my normal staples.
  • Jason Adams: Time management became everything, and honestly it bit me a little. I made a move to the main lake mid-day that ended up costing me close to an hour. I borrowed Mandie’s kayak since I didn’t have my boat with the Torqeedo, and that main lake run was a lot longer than I remembered. Lesson learned. On top of that, the TourneyX app was fighting me all day in the rain. Had to close it and restart it multiple times just to get fish submitted. When you’re in a format where every fish counts and every minute matters, that’s frustrating. Those two things together probably cost me a few fish on the leaderboard.
  • Jake Wilkie: When the schedule came out I knew I would be in a creek or river somewhere for this event. The heavy rain made it a tough decision but I found some clean enough water to make it work. It got very sketchy at the end of the float as the river started to rise from the rains around lines in time. Thankful I had a good buddy floating with me just in case it got unsafe.

4. How did forward-facing sonar play into your finish?

  • Levi Schneider: I utilized mine a lot to be more efficient to hit my offshore targets on the first cast. I caught majority of fish on offshore cover/structure such as ledges, brush piles and rock piles so being able to ensure my bait was in higher percentage areas helped generate more bites. I had one rock pile produce 7 of my scorable fish.
  • Jason Adams: Short answer, it didn’t. I was on Mandie’s kayak and she’s pretty clear about not wanting me messing with her setup, so no electronics, no motor. I was running purely on water-reading and instinct. Followed the fish from the current-fed pockets in the morning to the deeper timber cover later in the day. Sometimes you just have to trust what you’re seeing on the water.
  • Jake Wilkie: No FFS just a paddle yak and a couple medium light spinning rods.

Ketch Angler of the Year Race Update

The race at the top of the trail remains tight. Justin Malott held onto the overall AOY lead by putting up a gritty 93-point performance on TourneyX, bringing his total score to 468 points.

However, his breathing room completely vanished. With his record-breaking 100-point performance, defending trail champion Levi Schneider vaulted up to just behind Justin with 465 points. Only three points separate first and second place with three events left on the schedule. Tyler Zengerle and Kyle Long remain locked within striking distance, keeping the pressure on the leaders.

AOY Standings (Top 10)

  1. Justin Malott – 468 pts
  2. Levi Schneider – 465 pts
  3. Tyler Zengerle – 457 pts
  4. Kyle Long – 456 pts
  5. John Hall – 453 pts
  6. Dwain Batey – 451 pts
  7. Seth Jones – 450 pts
  8. James Haeberle – 447 pts
  9. Jason Adams – 445 pts
  10. Josh Landreth – 434 pts

Arvest Heavy Hitters Standings

The big fish race continues to shift as tracking quality over five separate tour stops catches up to the field. Dwain Batey grabbed a clutch 19.75-inch kicker during the Road Runner chaos to break out of the pack and claim the standalone lead in the Heavy Hitters race with a total of 92.00 inches.

Levi Schneider sits just three-quarters of an inch behind him in second place at 91.25 inches, while Jason Adams used his solid 17-inch fish from Table Rock to hold down third place at an even 90 inches. Justin Malott and Tyler Zengerle round out a highly competitive top five.

Heavy Hitters Standings (Top 10)

  1. Dwain Batey – 92.00″
  2. Levi Schneider – 91.25″
  3. Jason Adams – 90.00″
  4. Justin Malott – 89.75″
  5. Tyler Zengerle – 87.50″
  6. Seth Jones – 87.00″
  7. Kyle Long – 86.50″
  8. Jason Kincy – 86.25″
  9. James Haeberle – 84.50″
  10. Josh Landreth – 84.00″

This is the first time in a few years that this thing is wide open still going into July. Due to the lack of 20s caught this season, there is a lot of room for anglers to make up ground. If you drop the smallest two fish in the current bag, the race gets tight and some new names are in the top 5-7 anglers.

Up Next

We are packing up the rigs and heading back north to standard operating procedures. Get your maps ready for Table Rock II on July 18th, where we return to standard five-fish limit rules to see who can back up their early summer patterns on deep clear-water structure.

Fishing Tips

How to Catch Spotted Bass on Beaver Lake, Table Rock, and Ozark Reservoirs

Spotted bass don’t always get much respect.

Most tournament anglers would rather run into a big largemouth or a brown fish. I get that. Five average spotted bass probably aren’t winning many tournaments on Beaver Lake or Table Rock. But spots matter.They can save a bad day. They can help you build a limit. And some days, they are the most dependable fish in the lake.

If you fish Ozark reservoirs much, especially clear highland lakes like Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, or Tenkiller, you’re going to deal with spotted bass. Some days you might be trying to avoid them. Other days you better be glad they’re there.

The trick is understanding where they live, how they feed, and when it makes sense to chase them. For more on what a spotted bass is, read What is a Spotted Bass? How to Identify and Catch Spotted Bass in Ozark Lakes.

How to Catch Spotted Bass on Beaver Lake, Table Rock, and Ozark Reservoirs kayakfishingfocus.com Kayak Fishing Focus

What makes spotted bass different?

Spotted bass act a little different than largemouth. They are usually more comfortable around rock, deeper water, and clearer water. They also seem to be more willing to chase bait, especially when wind or current gets things moving. A largemouth might bury up in a dock, bush, laydown, or shallow piece of cover.

A spotted bass is more likely to be around:

  • points
  • bluff ends
  • rock transitions
  • brush near deep water
  • baitfish
  • wind-blown banks

That doesn’t mean spots never get shallow. They do. Especially in spring, early summer, and fall. But even when they move shallow, they usually aren’t far from deeper water. That is one of the biggest things to remember.

Where to find spotted bass on Beaver and Table Rock

If I’m trying to catch spotted bass on Beaver Lake or Table Rock, I usually start with rock near depth. That sounds simple, but it narrows things down a lot. Not every bank is equal. Not every point is worth fishing. The best places usually have two or three good things happening at once.

A plain gravel point might hold a few fish. A gravel point with wind, bait, chunk rock, and deeper water close by is a lot more interesting. Some of the best areas to check are:

  • main lake points
  • secondary points
  • bluff ends
  • channel swing banks
  • rocky pocket mouths
  • deep docks
  • brush piles near points
  • windy gravel or chunk rock banks

On Beaver, spotted bass are a big part of the lake. You can catch them in a lot of areas, but they really show up around those classic highland reservoir places: points, bluff ends, and rock with bait nearby.

Table Rock is similar, although it also has a strong smallmouth factor in a lot of areas. Still, if you’re fishing rock, wind, and bait on Table Rock, spots are always in play.

Wind can make a big difference

Wind can be a pain in a kayak. It messes with boat control. It makes casting harder. It can turn a clean area into a frustrating one pretty fast. But for spotted bass, wind is usually your friend. Spots like to chase. When wind pushes bait across a point or into a bluff end, those fish will often set up and feed.

That’s one reason clear water lakes can fish better with some wind. On a slick, sunny day, those fish can get a good look at everything. Add a little chop, and they get more comfortable. The best wind areas are usually not the nastiest places on the lake. I don’t love being blown straight across the lake in a kayak. I’m looking for the useful part of the wind.

Places like:

  • the edge of a windy point
  • a pocket mouth with wind pushing in
  • a bluff end with bait nearby
  • a windy stretch that still lets me fish clean
  • a bank where the wind adds just a little stain

There’s a difference between wind helping the bite and wind making you fish sloppy. For kayak anglers, that line matters.

Best baits for spotted bass

Spotted bass will eat a lot of things, but there are a few baits I trust more than others on Ozark reservoirs.

Topwater

Topwater is one of the most fun ways to catch spots. A walking bait is hard to beat when they are chasing shad around points, bluff ends, or open-water breaks. A popper can be good too, especially when the fish are feeding on smaller bait or when the water is a little calmer.

Spots will sometimes miss a topwater badly. They’ll swipe at it, roll on it, or knock it sideways. But even that tells you something. If they show themselves, you can often follow up with a shaky head, Ned rig, or small swimbait. Topwater is not just a catching bait. It’s also a good way to find active fish.

Shaky head

If I had to pick one dependable spotted bass bait for Beaver or Table Rock, a shaky head would be high on the list. It catches fish when things get tough. You can throw it around points, docks, bluff ends, brush, and rock transitions. It is not always the fastest way to fish, but when you need bites, it is hard to ignore.

For tournaments, this is a bait that can keep you from spinning out. Maybe you wanted to catch largemouth shallow. Maybe that plan didn’t happen. Maybe you have two fish at 10:30 and need to settle down. That’s when a shaky head around spotted bass water can save your day.

Ned rig

The Ned rig is not exciting, but it catches them. It is especially good when the lake is slick, the fish are pressured, or they won’t fully commit to moving baits.

I like it around flatter rock, gravel, and places where I know fish are there but they aren’t chasing. It can also be a good follow-up bait. If a spot blows up on topwater and misses, or you see fish chasing but can’t get them to eat, a Ned rig can pick off a few.

Small swimbait

A small paddle tail is a good choice when spots are chasing bait but not coming all the way to the surface. You don’t have to overthink it. Keep it natural. Keep it around bait. Try to make it look like one more shad that got separated from the group.

Seasonal spotted bass patterns

Spotted bass move with the seasons, but they usually stay connected to rock, bait, and depth.

Spring

In spring, spots use secondary points, rocky pockets, and staging areas near spawning places. They may not always be as far back in the pockets as largemouth, but they still move up.

Good spring areas include:

  • secondary points
  • gravel pockets
  • chunk rock banks
  • bluff ends near pockets
  • rock transitions

This is a good time for jerkbaits, topwater, swimbaits, and shaky heads.

Post-spawn

Post-spawn can be one of the best times to catch spotted bass. A lot of fish are moving out of spawning areas, and spots will often start feeding around shad. This is when points and bluff ends can get good.

If you see bait, don’t ignore it. A walking bait, popper, swimbait, shaky head, or Ned rig can all work here. The key is figuring out if the fish are looking up, chasing, or sitting closer to the bottom.

Summer

In summer, spotted bass often slide deeper, but that doesn’t mean you have to fish 40 feet all day. Early and late, they may still feed shallow around points and bluff ends. During the day, they may get around brush, deeper rock, or suspended bait.

On Beaver and Table Rock, electronics can help a lot in the summer. But even without making it complicated, the same basic idea holds up. Find bait. Find structure close to deep water. Fish the places where those two things come together.

Fall

In fall, spotted bass follow bait. That can make them fun and annoying at the same time. They may be here one day and gone the next. They may push shad into the backs of pockets. They may roam around the mouths of creeks. They may school on points.

This is a good time to keep a moving bait in your hand. Topwater, swimbaits, small crankbaits, and spinnerbaits can all work when they are chasing.

Are spotted bass good tournament fish?

Yes and no. They are good tournament fish when you need a limit. They are not always good tournament fish if you need to win. That’s the decision. On Beaver Lake, for example, you may be able to catch a limit of spots on points and rock. That might get you through a tough day. It might even put you in decent shape if the lake is fishing hard.

But if other anglers are catching quality largemouth in dirtier water, shallow cover, or around docks, a limit of average spots probably won’t hold up. So you have to know what you’re trying to do. Sometimes spots are the main plan. Sometimes they are the backup plan. Sometimes they are the “I need five fish before I make a bad decision” plan. That last one matters more than people admit.

A good kayak approach

From a kayak, I like spotted bass because they can be pattern fish. If you catch one on a windy point, there may be another one close by. If you catch one on a bluff end with bait, you can often run that same pattern somewhere else.

Throw topwater, a swimbait, or a jerkbait around the active zone. If you get bites or see fish, slow down with a shaky head or Ned rig. Then move to the next similar place.

The important part is paying attention to the exact detail.

Not just “I caught them on points.” Everybody fishes points. You need to know what kind of point.

Final thoughts

Spotted bass may not be the fish everyone is looking for, but they are a big part of fishing Beaver Lake, Table Rock, and other Ozark reservoirs. They are aggressive. They fight hard. They’ll eat topwater. They’ll eat finesse. And on tough days, they can keep you in the tournament.

You still may need largemouth or smallmouth to win, depending on the lake and conditions. But ignoring spotted bass is usually a mistake. If you want to catch more of them, keep it simple. Look for rock, bait, wind, and nearby depth.

That combination works on Beaver. It works on Table Rock. And it works on a lot of clear Ozark reservoirs.

Tournaments

2026 NSKA NWA Southtown Sporting Goods Beaver South Recap: Slick, Soggy, and Shaky

The fourth stop of the 2026 NSKA NWA season, presented by Southtown Sporting Goods, brought the tournament trail back home to northwest Arkansas. This time, the field descended on the river arms and winding bluffs of Beaver Lake South. After a beautiful tournament day on Tenkiller, this event forced anglers to contend with a massive, atmospheric variable: a relentless, soaking rainstorm.

Conditions were anything but comfortable. Anglers faced soggy skies, high humidity, and water temperatures hovering in that transitional post-spring phase. For many, a downpour like this signals a fast-moving power fishing bite. But Beaver Lake has a reputation for being finicky, and the torrential downpours had the opposite effect on the bass, forcing some competitors in many areas to dial back the speed and pick up a grind mentality to secure their limits, while anglers in the river seemed to be able to keep ripping and running to catch fish.

James Haeberle’s Big Bass won a tiebreaker and the trophy. Source: TourneyX

By the Numbers

  • Total Anglers: 44
  • Total Fish Submitted: 308
  • Fish Per Angler: 7.00
  • Anglers with at least one fish: 93% (41 of 44)
  • Limit percentage: 75% (33 of 44 anglers brought in a 5-fish limit)

The Leaderboard (Top 10)

The standard of competition on this trail remains razor-thin and is a slug-fest every event. Fractions of an inch once again decided who took home the heavy checks and who went home with a wet kayak. Seth Jones took first place with 87.00″, with James Haeberle taking second with 85.75″, and Justin Malott finishing third with 83.75″ on the day.

  1. Seth Jones – 87.00″
  2. James Haeberle – 85.75″
  3. Justin Malott – 83.75″
  4. Cole Sikes – 81.75″
  5. Tyler Zengerle – 81.00″
  6. Josh Landreth – 79.50″
  7. Dwain Batey – 79.25″
  8. Chris Jones – 77.75″
  9. Kyle Long – 77.75″
  10. Fanny Phomsopha – 76.50″

Big Bass & Side Pots

The Advanced Automotive Big Bass honors belonged to runner-up James Haeberle. He fooled a gorgeous 19.25″ largemouth out of a shallow creek arm, earning him $132 in cash plus a custom swimbait from GiffGlidez Custom Swimbaits.

On the completely opposite end of the spectrum, Josh Goforth won the smallest bass side pot, cashing a $42 check for a microscopic 7.50″ monster.

The Eco Fishing Shop Trash Fish award went to Tyler Zengerle for wrestling a beautiful 26″ striped bass into the kayak.

Discount on Lurenet, Booyah Baits, YUM baits, war eagle lures, great lakes finesse, Bobby Garland Lurenet.com www.lurenet.com Lurenet Coupon

Angler Roundtable: Top 3 Q&A

As is tradition, our top three finishers gathered around the kayak launch ramp and talked about their day. Awesome sportsmanship to take us all along with them on their winning patterns.

1. What part of south Beaver Lake did you fish, and why did you go there?

  • Seth Jones: I launched at Beaver Shores so I could focus on bluffs in or around the thermocline.
  • James Haeberle: I went to Twin Bridges because I checked the water color the evening before and it looked good. Plus, it’s only a 15-minute drive for me.
  • Justin Malott: I launched out of Beaver Shores since it’s an area I’m familiar with and have had success fishing in before.

2. It was destined to be a very rainy day. How did that impact your game plan?

  • Seth Jones: Knowing the rain was on the way, I decided to try some shallower docks in hopes that some fish would move up.
  • James Haeberle: I was actually excited to see the rain and clouds for tournament day. Especially this time of year when I know the fish will be chasing bait. Bad weather usually works well with my style of fishing.
  • Justin Malott: I was pretty excited when the rain rolled in. I thought it would set up a solid spinnerbait bite, but when it started pouring, I struggled to get anything going.

3. What were the main techniques you used to catch your fish?

  • Seth Jones: I noticed during practice that some docks had several fish of different sizes, but often the smaller fish would pick the bait up first. To remedy this, I switched to 1/4 and 1/2 oz shaky heads. When a small fish picked it up, they felt the heavy weight and dropped it, letting the big fish grab it right behind them.
  • James Haeberle: The only bait that produced quality bites for me was a Strike King Sexy Dawg topwater in sexy shad. I was able to fish it all day with the weather we had.
  • Justin Malott: I junk fished for most of the day, mixing it up and catching fish on a little bit of everything—worms, swimbaits, jerkbaits, you name it. Eventually, I had to slow down and start dragging my bait when the downpour killed the fast bite.

4. How’d you catch your biggest bass?

  • Seth Jones: I decided to target the front of docks directly under the walkway cables where most boaters avoid casting. Three of my final fish came from this method.
  • James Haeberle: I saw a big tree washed up in a small creek in a couple feet of water. I threw my topwater around the root ball several times and gave up to fish up the creek. On my way back out, I made one last cast at the deeper water around those roots, and she came out and hammered it.
  • Justin Malott: I spotted two smallmouth blowing up on shad right against the bank. I already had a 3-inch swimbait in my hand, cast right at them, and it got smoked almost instantly.

Ketch Angler of the Year (Top 10 Standings)

What a difference a soggy day on Beaver makes. Taking advantage of the chaos, Justin Malott has made a move to the top of the rankings. By backing up his hot streak with a 98-point showing, he has officially seized the AOY lead with 375 total points. He is arguably the hottest angler on the trail right now, but breathing room at the top is nonexistent.

Tyler Zengerle and Beaver South champion Seth Jones are practically breathing down his neck, tied for the runner-up spot just two points back at 373 points. Levi and Kyle are lurking just behind, within 10 points in the lead. AOY is still up for grabs for lots of anglers.

AOY Standings (Top 10)

  1. Justin Malott – 375 pts
  2. Tyler Zengerle – 373 pts
  3. Seth Jones – 373 pts
  4. Levi Schneider – 365 pts
  5. Kyle Long – 364 pts
  6. John Hall – 356 pts
  7. Dwain Batey – 355 pts
  8. James Haeberle – 353 pts
  9. Josh Landreth – 349 pts
  10. Jason Adams – 346 pts

Crucial AOY Trends

  • The Logjam at the Top: Only 11 points separate 1st from 5th. Malott, Zengerle, Jones, Schneider, and Long have all proven they can score big points in any given event.
  • Sleepers: Every week there’s a new leader, proves nobody is safe. On the flip side, keep an eye on James Haeberle (8th – 353 pts) and Dwain Batey (7th – 355 pts). They both used huge scores at Beaver South to put themselves squarely in the conversation.

Arvest Heavy Hitters (Top 10 Standings)

We also have a massive shakeup in the big fish race. Jason Adams, who has used his 21-inch giant from the season opener to bully the field all year, has finally been passed by Levi.

Defending AOY champ Levi Schneider went to work at Beaver South, landing an 18.50-inch kicker to bring his four-fish cumulative total to a very strong 74.00 inches, sliding past Adams by a single inch.

The biggest upward moves came from Justin Malott and Dwain Batey, who are now tied for 3rd place at 72.25 inches. Both of them found massive 19.25-inch bass in the rain at Beaver South to rocket up the leaderboard.

Heavy Hitters Standings (Top 10)

  1. Levi Schneider – 74.00″
  2. Jason Adams – 73.00″
  3. Justin Malott – 72.25″
  4. Dwain Batey – 72.25″
  5. Tyler Zengerle – 70.75″
  6. Seth Jones – 70.50″
  7. Jeff Malott – 69.25″
  8. Josh Landreth – 68.75″
  9. Nate Higgins – 68.25″
  10. Kyle Long – 68.25″

The upcoming Road Runner is when anglers will drop several giants on the board. We’ll see after that event who are the contenders and who are the pretenders.

Up Next: Get ready for a change of pace. We are switching to an MLF-style Road Runner format on June 27th. No keeping fish in a digital livewell all day—every ounce and every score counts in real-time. This is going to completely change how the field strategizes!

2026 NSKA NWA Grime Away Table Rock West Recap: Wacky Wild West
Fishing Tips

How Wind Positions Bass on Highland Reservoirs

Wind is one of those things bass anglers love to complain about until it helps them catch fish.

On highland reservoirs like Beaver Lake, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, and Tenkiller, wind bass fishing can turn a dead-looking stretch of bank into one of the best areas on the lake. It can also make kayak fishing a pain if you pick the wrong side of it.

That is the tradeoff. Wind can help the fishing, but it has to be managed to make it productive.

For kayak anglers, it matters even more. You can’t just run the whole lake until something looks right. You have to think about where the wind is helping, where it is hurting, and where you can still fish effectively.

Wind bass fishing. Spinnerbaits can be a great wind driven bait. Source: kayakfishingfocus.com
Spinnerbaits can be a great wind driven bait. Source: kayakfishingfocus.com

How does wind affect bass fishing?

Wind affects bass fishing by pushing baitfish, breaking up light penetration, creating surface disturbance, and making bass more comfortable feeding shallow. On clear highland reservoirs, wind often improves the bite on points, bluff ends, rocky banks, and shallow flats where bait is pushed into ambush areas.

That is the simple version. The real answer is a little more complicated, because not all wind is good wind.

A light breeze across a point can make fish bite. A hard wind blowing straight into a muddy pocket can make it almost unfishable. Somewhere between those two is where a lot of the best bass fishing happens.

Why wind matters so much on clear water lakes

Clear water can be tough. Bass see well, baitfish roam, and calm sunny days can make fish spooky. Wind changes that.

It puts a ripple on the surface and reduces visibility just enough to make bass more willing to feed. It also moves plankton and baitfish, which can start the whole food chain. On lakes like Beaver and Table Rock, that can be the difference between fishing empty-looking water and suddenly seeing bait flicker against the bank.

A calm point might not look like much. That same point with wind hitting it can become a place where bass set up and feed.

This is especially true for spotted bass and smallmouth. They seem more willing to chase in wind than largemouth at times, especially around rock and deeper water. Largemouth will also use wind, but they often need the right cover or water color to go with it.

Wind-blown points are usually worth checking

If there is one place most anglers think of first with wind, it is a point. That is usually a good starting place. Wind blowing across or into a point can push bait into a predictable area. Bass may sit on the corner, the downwind side, or just off the break waiting for something to come by.

On highland reservoirs, the best points often have something extra:

  • chunk rock instead of smooth gravel
  • a brush pile nearby
  • a channel swing close
  • a saddle or flat on one side
  • baitfish activity

You don’t need all of those. One or two can be enough.

A windy point is also a good place to pick up a moving bait. A spinnerbait, crankbait, swimbait, or walking topwater can all work depending on the season and water temperature.

The key is not just casting at the point. It is making different angles until you figure out where the fish are sitting. Sometimes they are on the windward side. Sometimes they are just around the corner where the wind is still moving bait but not crashing straight into the bank.

Discount on Lurenet, Booyah Baits, YUM baits, war eagle lures, great lakes finesse, Bobby Garland

Bluff ends can be better than the bluff itself

On Ozark lakes, bluff banks get a lot of attention. They should. They hold fish year-round. But when the wind is blowing, the ends of bluffs often matter more than the long bluff wall.

A bluff end gives bass a place to trap bait. It usually has quick depth change, rock, and a natural edge where fish can slide up or down without moving far. If wind is hitting a bluff end or sweeping across it, that is worth a few casts.

This is where a jerkbait, small swimbait, crankbait, or jig can be good depending on the conditions. If fish are chasing, keep moving. If they just follow or swipe, slow down and fish the edges more carefully.

A lot of times, the bite is not halfway down the bluff. It is right where the bluff changes into a flatter bank or pocket. That transition is where fish can feed.

Wind can make shallow banks better

Not every windy bank is good, but some of them get much better when the wind hits. This matters in spring and early summer when fish are around spawning pockets, fry, shad, and shallow cover.

A bank with a little wind may help hide your bait and make bass less cautious. It can also push shad tight to the bank or into the back corner of a pocket. That is when a spinnerbait can still be hard to beat.

Even on clearer lakes, a spinnerbait becomes more useful when the wind bass fishing. It lets you cover water, stay in contact with shallow targets, and draw reaction bites from fish that might not eat something slower.

Other good windy-bank baits include:

  • chatterbait around stained water or cover
  • squarebill around rock and wood
  • swim jig around shallow cover
  • walking bait if fish are looking up
  • buzzbait when water is warm and fish are shallow

For kayak anglers, boat control is the hard part. It is easy to get pushed too fast down the bank and start fishing sloppy. Sometimes the best move is to position upwind and drift, making controlled casts as you go. Other times, it is better to tuck behind a point and fish the edge of the wind instead of sitting right in the middle of it.

When wind hurts instead of helps

There are times when wind makes fishing worse. If wind blows into the back of a muddy creek, it can make the water dirtier and push debris into the area. If it is blowing straight down a long arm of the lake, it can make kayak fishing unsafe or at least miserable.

Wind can also scatter bait too much. Instead of concentrating fish, it spreads everything out. That is when I start looking for protected water near wind, not necessarily protected water far away from it.

There is a difference. A totally calm pocket may look comfortable, but it can be lifeless. A pocket just around the corner from wind may have enough bait movement and still be fishable. That is often the better compromise.

Best baits for windy bass fishing on highland reservoirs

Wind usually makes me think about baits that either move water, flash, or cover water. A few that make sense on Beaver, Table Rock, Tenkiller, and similar lakes:

Spinnerbait

Still one of the best wind baits ever made. It works around rock, shallow cover, bushes, and windy banks. In stained water or low light, it can be especially good. Save 15% on Booyah and War Eagle Spinnerbaits at Lurenet.com with code KINCY15

Crankbait

A crankbait is a good choice when fish are on rock transitions or windy points. Match depth to the bank. Don’t overthink it.

Walking topwater

If fish are chasing shad or feeding early, a Spook-style bait can be good around windy points and pockets. It can be harder to fish in heavy wind, but in a moderate chop it can get bigger bites. Save 15% on Heddon Zara Spooks at Lurenet.com with code KINCY15

Swimbait

A small paddle tail works well when fish are chasing bait but not fully committing to topwater. Good around points, bluff ends, and suspended fish near bait.

Shaky head or jig

When the wind has fish positioned but they won’t chase, slow down. A shaky head around rock or a jig around a transition bank can still catch fish after the moving bait bite fades. Save 15% on War Eagle or Booyah jigs at Lurenet.com with code KINCY15

Wind direction matters, but fishability matters too

Anglers can get too locked in on wind direction. South wind, north wind, west wind — it all matters to a point. But for kayak fishing, the better question is often:

Can I fish this area well? A perfect wind-blown point does not help much if you are getting blown off it every 20 seconds. I like to find areas where the wind helps the fishing but does not completely control the kayak. That might mean fishing a smaller pocket, a shorter point, or the protected side of a larger structure.

It may not be the most obvious place on the map, but it is often the place you can fish the cleanest. And in tournament fishing, clean fishing matters.

Final thoughts

Wind is not automatically good or bad. It is a tool. On highland reservoirs, wind can position bait and make bass more aggressive, especially around points, bluff ends, rocky banks, and shallow cover. It can also make kayak fishing difficult if you do not pick the right areas.

The trick is finding the wind that helps the fish without ruining your ability to present a bait. A little chop can make a clear lake fish smaller. It can hide your presence, push bait into predictable places, and turn inactive fish into feeding fish.

For kayak anglers, the best windy areas are usually not the wildest areas. They are the fishable edges — the places where bait is moving, bass are positioned, and you can still make the cast you need to make.

Mastering Shallow Bass Fishing: Seasonal Tips and Techniques
Fishing Tips

What is a Kentucky Bass? How to Identify and Catch Spotted Bass in Ozark Lakes

If you spend much time bass fishing around the Ozarks, especially on lakes like Beaver and Table Rock, you’ve probably heard anglers use the terms “Kentucky bass” and “spotted bass” almost interchangeably. Early on in my fishing career I heard someone keep referring to catching a “Kentucky” and I was very confused and had to ask.

Most of the time, they’re talking about the same fish when using Kentucky or Spot. But depending on where you fish — and who you’re talking to — there’s still a surprising amount of confusion around them.

On Ozark reservoirs, spotted bass are common and often aggressive. They may not get the same attention as largemouth or smallmouth, but they play a major role in a lot of tournament limits, especially when conditions get tough. There are also days when the spots are the only fish willing to cooperate.

What is a Kentucky bass?

A Kentucky bass is another name commonly used for a spotted bass, especially in the Ozarks and southern reservoirs.

Technically, there are a few different subspecies and regional variations of spotted bass across the country. But on lakes like Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, and Tenkiller, most anglers still casually refer to them as “Kentuckies” or “spots.”

The name has stuck around for years in the Ozarks, even though “spotted bass” is the more technically correct name today.

How do you identify a spotted bass?

Spotted bass can look very similar to largemouth, especially smaller fish, but there are a few differences that usually stand out once you catch enough of them. The biggest giveaway is usually the mouth.

A largemouth’s jaw extends well past the eye. On a spotted bass, the jaw typically stops closer to the middle of the eye. Spots also tend to have:

  • rows of dark spots below the lateral line
  • a rough patch on their tongue
  • more streamlined bodies
  • smaller mouths than largemouth

On Ozark lakes, they also tend to fight differently. A spotted bass usually pulls harder than its size suggests and rarely comes to the kayak calmly. They have a habit of making one more surge at the net or turning sideways on the measuring board right when you’re trying to submit a fish. Tournament kayak anglers know that routine pretty well.

Where are spotted bass found in Ozark lakes?

On highland reservoirs like Beaver and Table Rock, spotted bass tend to relate heavily to:

  • rock
  • bluff ends
  • transition banks
  • secondary points
  • current
  • wind-blown structure

They often position around areas where bait gets pushed. Wind can activate them fast. So can generation current. That’s one reason spotted bass are often easier to catch when largemouth fishing gets difficult. They tend to stay more active and are usually more willing to chase.

A lot of anglers accidentally catch spots while targeting smallmouth around rock and clearer water. Others intentionally target them just to put together a quick limit during tougher tournament days.

Are spotted bass good in tournaments?

That depends on the lake. On Beaver and Table Rock, spotted bass are important because they help fill limits consistently. The problem is they usually don’t grow as large as largemouth or smallmouth. A keeper spot is valuable.

Five average spots usually won’t win. That creates an interesting balance during tournaments. There are days when catching spots can save an event, especially when conditions get tough. But most anglers are still looking for largemouth or smallmouth upgrades eventually.

Still, spotted bass have probably helped more Ozark anglers avoid bad tournament finishes than they get credit for.

How to catch spotted bass in Ozark reservoirs

One thing that makes spotted bass fun is that they’re usually willing to bite moving baits. They tend to feed aggressively, especially around baitfish activity. Topwater can be excellent during low-light periods, especially around:

  • gravel points
  • bluff ends
  • windy banks
  • shallow rock transitions

Walking baits like a Zara Spook or smaller poppers can produce some really fun bites around active fish. Spots also tend to suspend and roam more than largemouth, especially in clearer water. That’s why they’ll often show up chasing bait unexpectedly. When the fish stop chasing, finesse techniques usually take over.

A shaky head or Ned rig around:

  • rock transitions
  • bluff ends
  • secondary points
  • brush near depth

…can still produce spotted bass consistently throughout the day.

One thing a lot of anglers notice is how often spots position where wind or current pushes bait onto structure. That may be a point corner, bluff end, or isolated stretch of chunk rock. Sometimes the best clue isn’t the structure itself — it’s the bait activity around it.

Kentucky bass www.kayakfishingfocus.com

Why spotted bass seem easier to catch sometimes

There are definitely days on Beaver or Table Rock where largemouth can feel scattered or inactive while spotted bass stay aggressive. Part of that comes from how they position. Spots tend to school more and compete harder around bait. They also seem more comfortable in current and clearer water than largemouth.

That makes them more predictable at times, especially around:

  • wind
  • current
  • bait movement
  • rocky structure

They may not always be the fish tournament anglers are hoping for, but they can absolutely keep a day going.

Final thoughts

Spotted bass probably don’t get as much attention in the Ozarks as largemouth and smallmouth, but they’re a major part of fisheries like Beaver and Table Rock.

They’re aggressive, fun to catch, and often willing to bite when other fish won’t cooperate.

And while “Kentucky bass” may not be the technically correct term everywhere anymore, most Ozark anglers still know exactly what you mean when you say it.

Fishing Tips

How to Find Bass During the Post-Spawn Transition on Highland Reservoirs

The post-spawn transition is one of the more frustrating times of the year for a lot of bass anglers. Fish can seem scattered, timing changes throughout the day, and patterns that worked a week earlier suddenly stop producing. Even as an experienced angler, any given day can be a difficult one this time of year.

On highland reservoirs like Beaver Lake, Table Rock, and Tenkiller, that transition can last several weeks depending on weather, water temperature, and lake conditions. Some fish stay shallow longer than expected, while others start moving toward summer areas surprisingly fast.

That’s why this time of year often feels inconsistent. But there are still a few reliable things that happen almost every year.

How to Find Post-Spawn Bass During the Transition

How to find post-spawn bass on highland reservoirs

To consistently know how to find post-spawn bass on Ozark area lakes like Beaver, Table Rock, and Tenkiller, anglers should focus on:

  • Shallow feeding windows early in the day
  • Secondary points near spawning pockets
  • Rock transitions and first drops
  • Wind-blown banks and points
  • Areas with baitfish activity

Most bass are moving gradually from spawning areas toward deeper summer structure. The best fishing usually happens along that transition route rather than at either extreme until they get settled in for summer.

What makes the post-spawn period difficult?

The biggest challenge is that bass are no longer grouped tightly like they are during the spawn.

Some bass are guarding fry, recovering from spawning, feeding aggressively, or hanging out offshore. You can catch fish shallow for an hour or two, then suddenly lose them completely. Often those fish didn’t disappear — they just repositioned.

That’s especially true on clear-water Ozark lakes. On Beaver, Table Rock, and Tenkiller, it’s common to see fish feeding shallow early before going to deeper water as the sun gets higher.

Discount on Lurenet, Booyah Baits, YUM baits, war eagle lures, great lakes finesse, Bobby Garland

Start shallow early

One of the more reliable post-spawn patterns on highland reservoirs is still an early morning shallow bite.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the fish are living there all day. They’re often using those areas briefly to feed before repositioning.

This is where topwater can shine. Walking baits like a Heddon Zara Spook or a Rebel Pop-R can be really effective around shallow points, gravel banks, isolated wood, and pockets near deep water. A lot of the better bites happen around low light, especially when shad are active.

It’s also one of the better times to cover water quickly.

Pay attention to the “in-between” areas

One mistake anglers make this time of year is fishing either too shallow or too deep. The best catchable fish are often somewhere in the middle.

Secondary points become important because they act like stopping points as bass move away from spawning pockets. On highland reservoirs, those points may not look dramatic on a map, but small changes matter like chunk rock transitions to gravel or wind hitting one side of a point. This is where a shaky head with a YUM Dinger or a trick worm can be very important. Once the sun gets higher or the shallow activity slows down, slowing down on those transition areas often produces better quality fish.

Wind can completely change the day

On lakes like Table Rock and Beaver, wind during the post-spawn can reposition fish quickly. A windy secondary point or bank can suddenly become active, especially if baitfish get pushed there. That’s where a War Eagle spinnerbait still plays, even on clearer lakes.

A lot of anglers put the spinnerbait away too early in the year, but windy post-spawn conditions can set up perfectly for it on windy banks and points. Flooded bushes or other cover in the wind can also position good bass. It’s not usually an all-day deal, but it can help generate some of the better reaction bites of the day.

Offshore fish start becoming more important later in the day

As the morning progresses, many post-spawn fish start sliding toward drops, brush, and channel swings. This doesn’t necessarily mean “deep.” On many Ozark reservoirs, that can simply mean moving from 2 feet to 8–15 feet, or at least far enough down that the sun impact is reduced.

A lot of anglers overcomplicate offshore fishing this time of year. In reality, the best areas are often just close to spawning habitat. Those are often higher percentage areas than randomly searching offshore. Check out this previous article on fishing the main lake in late spring.

Baitfish activity matters more than exact structure

During the post-spawn, bait becomes a major factor. On Beaver, Table Rock, and Tenkiller, it’s common to see fish reposition daily based on where shad are moving. Sometimes the best clue isn’t structure at all — it could be flicking bait, schooling, or birds. This is one reason the morning bite can be more predictable and strong this time of year.

Final thoughts

The post-spawn transition can feel inconsistent, but there are still predictable movements happening for how to find post-spawn bass.

On highland reservoirs like Beaver, Table Rock, and Tenkiller, bass usually don’t move all at once. Some stay shallow longer than expected, while others start moving toward offshore structure quickly.

The anglers who tend to do best this time of year are the ones who stay flexible:

  • fish shallow early
  • pay attention to bait
  • adjust toward transition structure later in the day

Most importantly, focus on the areas between spawning pockets and summer structure. That’s where a lot of the better post-spawn fish tend to show up.

NSKA

2026 NSKA NWA Thai Spice Beaver Lake North Tournament Recap | Results, Patterns, and Big Bass

The 2026 NSKA NWA Thai Spice Beaver Lake North kayak fishing tournament brought 55 anglers to one of Arkansas’ most challenging bass fisheries. With water temperatures in the mid-50s and pre-spawn bass beginning to stage throughout the lake’s creeks and rocky transitions, competitors had to balance covering water with slowing down around high-percentage areas. In the end, consistent keeper bites—not giant bass—proved to be the winning formula.

Kayak bass anglers launched across the northern end of Beaver Lake chasing a five-fish limit measured by total inches. While limits were possible, the leaderboard revealed a tournament defined by consistency over giants. Many anglers found solid keeper bites in the mid-teens, but very few fish eclipsed the 18–20 inch mark that typically separate the top finishers from the rest of the field.

Beaver Lake Kayak Tournament Results

Levi Schneider put together the most consistent bag of the day, securing first place with 88.75 inches. Schneider’s winning limit was built on a series of high-quality Beaver Lake keepers:

  • 18.50″
  • 17.75″
  • 17.75″
  • 17.50″
  • 17.25″

Rather than relying on a giant kicker, Schneider’s victory came from stacking five fish between 17 and 18 inches—exactly the type of bag that often wins early-spring events on Beaver.

Jason Adams claimed second place with 83.75 inches, anchored by the biggest fish in the tournament, a 21.00″ largemouth. Tyler Zengerle rounded out the podium with 81.50 inches, while John Hall finished fourth with 81.00 inches and Seth Jones completed the top five with 80.25 inches.

Top 10 Finishers

  1. Levi Schneider – 88.75″
  2. Jason Adams – 83.75″
  3. Tyler Zengerle – 81.50″
  4. John Hall – 81.00″
  5. Seth Jones – 80.25″
  6. Terrill Standifer – 79.50″
  7. Nathan Higgins – 79.00″
  8. Maurilio Gutierrez – 78.25″
  9. Danny Dutton – 78.00″
  10. Kyle Long – 76.75″

The Big Bass award for the tournament went to Jason Adams, who landed a 21.00″ largemouth during the event. Large fish were relatively scarce during the tournament, making Adams’ 21-inch bass one of the standout catches of the day.

Out of the 55 anglers in the field, 45 anglers submitted at least one fish, meaning 81.8% of competitors recorded a catch.

However, filling a full five-fish limit proved much tougher.

Only 26 anglers landed a complete five-fish limit, meaning 47.3% of the field managed to fill a limit.

Across the entire field, anglers submitted 204 bass totaling approximately 3,083 inches of fish.

Breaking that down further:

  • Average fish per angler: 3.71
  • Average fish per angler who caught fish: 4.53
  • Average inches per angler: 56.1″
  • Average fish length: 15.1″

These numbers reinforce a classic Beaver Lake scenario—anglers could find keeper fish, but locating the larger pre-spawn females proved far more difficult.

Angler Roundtable

Once again, the top anglers of the tournament open up and share how it went down in a Beaver Lake kayak tournament in March!

1. What area did you fish and why go there?

Levi Schneider:
“I went to Indian Creek because I found a few coves that had a large population of fish and never found anything better elsewhere.”

Jason Adams:
“We fished Rocky Branch on Beaver Lake. I chose that area because it has a good mix of docks, rock, and deeper water close to the bank. This time of year the fish can slide up or pull back depending on conditions, and that area gives them that option.”

Tyler Zengerle:
“I chose to fish Prairie Creek simply because I have more familiarity with that area in the winter and early spring months than other parts of the lake. The thought of the boat tournament launching out of Prairie Creek almost made me change my mind the night before, but I decided to stick with my gut.”

2. Any techniques that worked for you to catch your fish?

Levi Schneider:
“I caught all of my fish on a 4.25″ Rapala Mooch Minnow and a Berkley Stunna +1.”

Jason Adams:
“Most of my fish came on a jig fishing docks and rock transitions. The biggest fish of the day came on a Neko rig with a morning dawn trick worm and a heavy nail weight. Slowing down and fishing deeper docks seemed to help.”

Tyler Zengerle:
“I started with a custom painted crankbait, painted by none other than Dwain Batey himself. I caught my first three fish off of it in back-to-back-to-back casts in the first fifteen minutes.”

3. What fish was most important?

Levi Schneider:
“My most important fish was probably my 17.75″ smallmouth that reassured me my smallies were still close to where I had found them before, which led to my 18.50″ smallmouth.”

Jason Adams:
“The last fish of the day without question. Catching that smallmouth on the final cast and getting the picture submitted with seconds left is what gave me a full limit.”

Tyler Zengerle:
“My most important fish was probably the 16.25″ chunky spotted bass that came at 11:45 and helped me secure third. That was my last cull of the day. Without it I would have placed fifth.”

4. Who has influenced you the most regarding your love for bass fishing?

Levi Schneider:
“I couldn’t necessarily say one person influenced me more than the others, but my dad for sure got me started with trout, crappie, and multiple saltwater species. In high school the Googan Squad got me more into bass fishing, and then all the top pro level events got me hooked to where I’m at today.”

Jason Adams:
“My dad started it all for me. He put a fishing rod in my hands when I was young and we spent a lot of time on the water together. These days getting to fish tournaments with Mandie and share that experience with her has made it even better.”

Tyler Zengerle:
“My mom was my biggest influence growing up. She had a 17-foot aluminum Tracker boat that she would take me fishing in, and we’d go catch whatever would bite nightcrawlers.”

Discount on Lurenet, Booyah Baits, YUM baits, war eagle lures, great lakes finesse, Bobby Garland

AOY Race and Heavy Hitters

It’s the first event of the year, so not much news on the AOY front beyond the top 10 finishers. More to come down the road. Until then, here is the Angler of the Year sheet for your reference.

Heavy Hitters is off and running as well, this one had some big fish caught, especially for Beaver Lake. Jason Adams, Danny Dutton, and Nate Higgins are out of the gate with giants in this first one. Complete Heavy Hitters Standings for your reference.

NSKA

2023 NSKA NWA Beaver Lake South Recap / AOY / Heavy Hitters

You can almost set the weather forecast by the NSKA NWA event calendar. Have a tournament coming up on a Saturday? It’s going to rain supernatural proportions on Thursday and Friday. This March tournament on south Beaver Lake, presented by Black Creek Electric, was no exception. With several inches of rain in the 48 hours before lines in. Combine this dirtied water with temps still in the very low 50s (if that in some spots) and it was a recipe for tough day on Beaver.

After several tournaments where our favorite stingy fishery has really shown out with big limits (89.25, 88.75, 84.25, 88, 88, 87, 86.25 89.25 for example in the past year), Beaver Lake humbled some folks on this post-front day in March.

This chart shows the precipitous rise in water level leading up tot he event, leading to unusually high water for March..

A low 3.95 fish per angler rate fell well below 5.95 from this tournament last year. Less than half the field (48%) turned in a limit, a fairly low number in recent history. Of the 48 registered anglers, 40 turned in at least one bass.

Josh Landreth took first place with 80.75″ on the day, followed by Sam McClish with 80.75″ (second on tie-breaker), with James Haeberle taking third with 76.50″.

“Big” Bass for this event was an 18″ monster, caught by Josh Landreth. This is the first event with no 20″ bass in the past 17 regular season NSKA NWA tournaments. (2022 Classic also had no 20s). On this day though, Josh caught a biggun’!

Big Bass?? Was on this day on the Dead Sea!

Complete Top Ten for Beaver Lake South:

  1. Josh Landreth 80.75
  2. Sam McClish 80.75
  3. James Haeberle 76.50
  4. Maurilio Gutierrez 74
  5. Tyler Zengerle 72.25
  6. Jimmy Chokbengboun 72.25
  7. Jacob Simmons 71.25
  8. Kyle Long 69.50
  9. Jason Adams 69.25
  10. Tony Sorluangsana 67.75

Angler Roundtable

Let’s all gather around the campfire to hear from the top anglers on the day. Josh Landreth, Sam McClish and James Haeberle share how they made it happen on a tough day at the Dead Sea.

What part of Beaver Lake did you fish and why?

Josh – I went to Natural Walk. I wanted to get away from the crowd and had decent success in a previous Beaver South tourney there in flooded conditions. I knew I wanted to go against the grain and take a chance in the muddy water, and felt like I knew the structure better there than other options.

Sam – I chose to go to Hickory Creek. The spinnerbait bite has been really solid for the last couple weeks. Plus I love dirty water.

James – I fished at Monte Ne. I know of a few spots the fish like to stage on before going back to spawn this time of year and hoping to find some cleaner water after the rain we had.

What were the baits used to catch your fish?

Josh – I caught several right off the bat on a chartreuse/white Strike King Spinnerbait with 1 big gold willow blade and 1 Colorado. Just fishing shallow near wood. Three of my keepers were on that bait. The key bait was the methiolate floating worm though. The two biggest fish I caught were on the floating worm. Casts had to be extremely tight to cover with both baits.

Sam – My first limit of fish came off a Booyah Covert spinnerbait with two Colorado blades. I started my day fishing shallow in and around all the flooded brush. I went an hour or so with out a bite so I knew I had to make a change. I switched to a Tru Faith custom bait coleslaw spinner bait with a big white willow blade and a small yellow Colorado blade. I also changed my strategy. I did a quick Google map check and found a big long point. I went to the original shore line (still only sitting in 12’ of water but about 70 yards off the bank) my very first cast slow rolling the blade across it i caught a 16″ bass and couldn’t believe it. I went on to catch 20+ fish on this one spot in about 45 minutes. At one point catching seven fish on seven consecutive casts. I upgraded every fish on this spot.

James – I was using a War Eagle 1/2 ounce double willow spinnerbait and slow rolling it around a flooded brush on channel swing points and pockets. After the spinnerbait bite was over, I moved out away from the bank and fished a chatterbait slowly along the bottom and finished off my limit with a 16″ bass.

Talk about how you caught your biggest bass on the day – what happened?

Josh – My big fish came at 8:24am to complete my limit that already had a 17″ and two over 15″. I tossed the floating worm out along the edge of some flooded bushes. Fished it like a fluke, basically. I saw the fish come out of the bushes and nail it! The floating worm bite is one of my favorites and it was a pretty awesome take! I thought the fish was probably 15-16″ when I saw it take the bait. I was fishing it on a medium action spinning rod with 8 lb mono. She took me for a ride for a few seconds and was lucky to keep her out of the bushes. I was surprised she was 18″. I knew that fish nearly guaranteed me a top 10 and gave me a chance to win. I never dreamed she would be the Big Bass though!

Sam – Eventually the bite died so kept moving and catching a ton more fish but nothing that would upgrade me until 2:00pm. Then, I decided to go back to the honey hole. As soon as I pulled up on the spot fish were pushing shad everywhere. I threw out a 3” Keitech and before I could even engage my reel a 16.5″ bass had it swallowed. That was my second 16.5″ on the day and by far the most meaningful fish of the day since it upgraded my length total to 80.75″ putting me in first place (for a very short time).

James – My biggest bass from the tournament was 17″ and came from pitching my spinnerbait up in the brush and bringing it out slow. I only had a few feet of line out when it hit, so I just boat flipped it so it wouldn’t have a chance to get me hung up in the brush.

What lure or technique have you historically caught more bass on than any other?

Josh – I’m not super patient and like to be on the move. I fish a spinnerbait a lot and love to fish top water in the summer. At heart, I’m a river smallmouth fisherman. You can’t beat the smallmouth whopper plopper bite!

Sam – I have a handful of “go to” or “favorite” baits. I love throwing a swim jig probably the most. Second would be a spinnerbait or jig. But my confidence bait that has caught me more fish in a crunch than anything year round is a small single swim bait, either a 2.8 Spark Shad or Keitech. It’s such a fun little bait that catches fish of all sizes.

James – I always have a few baits ready to go all year long. Some sort of crankbait, a spinnerbait, a weightless fluke, jig, and a Texas rig. Different times of the year and conditions call for a different approach to the day. But I will always enjoy and is probably my favorite way to catch them is a fluke.

Josh Landreth kicking tail and taking names on Beaver Lake South.

AOY and Heavy Hitters Races

There are a variety of new-ish names in the top ten for Angler of the Year after two events. A few anglers are off to a hot start, but in particular Josh Landreth is on fire, leading both Heavy Hitters and AOY at this point of the season. If you’ve tanked in the first two events like I have, this is it, need to make the rest of them count. Lots of season to go, but history shows you are better off being at the top of this list early than not.

Angler of the Year Top 25

Heavy Hitters Top 25

Back to Beaver Lake for the next event, get it on the calendar or sign up today!

NSKA

2022 NSKA Beaver Lake North Recap / Trash Fish Story / Heavy Hitters

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The new year and new season for NWA NSKA is finally here and the first event is in the books. As usual the Dead Sea caused problems for most who were looking for a limit, while at the same time we saw some anglers drop the hammer on the pre-spawn bass. Beaver Lake North, presented by Slow Town Custom Lures, was a great success.

Some changes came to NSKA this year with a membership feature which qualifies anglers for AOY and Heavy Hitters as well as other perks. As such, we’ll keep a close eye on those races, while at the same time we welcome anyone to fish an event regardless of their experience in competitive kayak fishing. Welcome everyone who is new or has been around for a while!

James Haeberle’s Big Bass from the tournament. Source: TourneyX

Beaver North 2022 Recap

Overall, Beaver Lake was a bit stingy this time around but once again allowed a big number at the top. That’s why I love Beaver Lake. It’s not easy, but you can still find some good ones! Looking at the numbers, only a paltry 25% (17 of 67) of the field turned in a five fish limit. This is the lowest limit percentage in a couple of years on Beaver, so if you didn’t catch five…don’t worry about it – it was hard fishing. The FPA (Fish Per Angler) was very low at 2.99, compared to 4.02 in August 2021 on Beaver Lake. Watch for more on FPA and tourney history in a future post.

Ryan Paskiewicz took the top spot with a very strong 87.75″ followed by James Haeberle with 84.50″ and then Cole Sikes with 82.50″ on the day. In a bit of an odd turn of events, there were four 20s caught in this event and James Haeberle took the Big Bass prize with a 21″ tank.

The Top Ten finishers were:

  1. Ryan Paskiewicz
  2. James Haeberle
  3. Cole Sikes
  4. Andrew Newsome
  5. Justin Brewer
  6. David Byrd
  7. Terrill Standifer
  8. Aaron Hinton
  9. Jacob Webber
  10. Kyle Long

Angler Roundtable

What makes kayak fishing way more awesome than boat tournaments is the willingness of top anglers to help others and share a bit more info on how they caught’em. Ryan, James and Cole joined me in a roundtable look back at how it went down:

Roughly what part of the lake did you go to and why?

Ryan – I went to Rambo sort of on a whim. Was going to fish Coose but the wind would have been more than i wanted to deal with, so I decided to try something I hadn’t fished much but has a reputation of producing solid limits.

James – I launched at Ventris because I know that area well and that the wind would be blowing in that direction, keeping the bait moving.

Cole – I chose to go to Big Clifty because I found a pocket that had thousands of shad in it. My fear going into the tournament was that the shad might move out or someone else might have found the same thing. Luckily, the shad were still there and I had it all to myself all day. I was able to catch the bulk of my limit by 7:30 and then my fish must have gotten full off of shad and my bite got tough. Ended up making a move mid-day and made a couple small culls.

Any key techniques or baits you used?

Ryan – I love jig fishing and caught my kicker first thing on one. I came around the corner and it was a flat leading to a point with wind right into it. I picked up a jerkbait but I realized I hate jerkbait fishing in a kayak. Because of this, I then decided to chuck a spinnerbait around the flat and landed three fish pretty quickly. I stuck with that almost exclusively, minus specific jig targets from time to time. The key was rolling it slow on bottom. It’s great to have this start, in the last two years I’ve either zeroed or finished WAY towards the bottom in the first tournament. In those two years I’ve ended up finishing 3rd or 4th in AOY race.

James – I told myself that if I don’t get a bite on an A-Rig in the first hour I was going to put it up and move on. At 5 minutes till 8:00 I got my first bite and 10 minutes later I caught the biggest fish I ever submitted in a tournament. So I locked it in my hand and fished it all day.

Cole – My primary bait was an Alabama Rig. I was just slow rolling it just beneath the shad balls. I could see on my graph that most of the fish were positioned underneath them. I also picked off a fish on a spoon and crankbait as well.

Advice for those who didn’t do well in tourney one for the rest of the season?

Ryan – My advice is out the head down and continue to fish hard regardless of the outcome. Put in the work, fish with confidence and you’ll be fine.

James – In the past I have always stressed about everything in tournaments and always made mistakes that would cost me. My advice is to have fun and don’t stress the outcome. Just go fishing and enjoy the day. Let the cards fall where they may. Learn all you can every tournament and keep building on that knowledge. It won’t take long and you will start seeing a huge improvements.

Cole – We have all been there and have struggled at tournaments, my recommendation is to keep your head up and keep grinding. Whether your preseason goal was to win AOY, qualifying for the Classic, finishing in the money, or finishing in the top ten, there are still many opportunities ahead to reach your goal.

Here’s my video from Beaver North. If you watch it, please give the gift of hitting subscribe.

Trash Fish Pot Winner

New to NSKA events this year is the Trash Fish Pot which rewards the angler who catches the largest non-scorable fish species. We got off to a huge start here when Robert Murphy caught a 32lb striper that was an absolute monster. Robert shared some of his story and how a boater helped weigh it and snag the photo.

“After catching the fish and taking some pictures myself I was about to release it and saw a boat slow-trolling in the little pocket with boat docks in it. So, I asked if they would take a picture for me. With no hesitation they reeled in there lines took a picture and weighed it,” Robert explained. “We tried to let it go but it wouldn’t go back down so they said if you don’t want it we will take it or take it to our dock and ill bring you ice and a cooler to keep it good till you get off the water.”

Robert Murphy’s whale. Source: Mr. Murphy
Murphy’s go-to giant striper bait. Source: Mr. Murphy

How did the bite feel? “When it hit. It hit next to the boat and all I saw was a big flash and line stripping out of the reel. At first I thought please be a bass, but after about 3 seconds of line pulling out with extreme speed I thought oh, that’s a striper. After 10 seconds I was thinking, dang that’s a BIG striper! After about 15 seconds I realized I was in for a ride.”

It took Robert 20-30 minutes to get that striper in because he was using 10lb test line. He hooked it on his hand painted jerkbait and had it hooked well, it wasn’t getting off. What a great first Trash Pot story!

Heavy Hitters Update

This is the third year for the Heavy Hitters title, the recognition that goes to the angler who catches the biggest five fish from various tournaments throughout the year. The Heavy Hitters title is sponsored by Steadfast Plumbing this season – thankful for their support! It’s not too late to get involved in Heavy Hitters if you missed the first event, it’s best five events and all you need is an NSKA NWA membership.

Here is the current top ten, but we’re just getting started. Getting a 20+ on Beaver Lake is a huge advantage, so those anglers are off to a great start. The full list of Heavy Hitter rankings will be posted to the NSKA group facebook page.

Next up is Pumpback, presented by Nightengale Cabinets on March 26, hope to see everyone out there!

NSKA

2021 Beaver Lake Recap / Heavy Hitters Champ / AOY Race

The NSKA NWA regular season finale was the Ace of Blades Beaver Lake Roadrunner in the annual crucible – August on Beaver Lake! This year has seen some bigger than usual winning totals in the various events for NSKA, but the 80″ mark hadn’t been broken yet in August on the Dead Sea. Would it happen this time around?

Pretty much sums up my day on Beaver – a flop.

Tournament Results

A pretty good turnout of 59 anglers took to the water on the heels of a major change in the weather. Super hot and sunny for a couple of week, the day before lines in brought 3-4 inches of rain and thunderstorms to NW Arkansas. A cloudy tournament day on the heels of the storm definitely changed up the fishing.

John Wofford made his return to NWA for this event and went back to central Arkansas with the 1st place trophy by catching 80.50″ on the day. Justin Brewer finished 2nd with 78″ and Dwain Batey took 3rd with 77.25″. The top ten dropped off quickly after the leaders:

  1. John Wofford 80.50″
  2. Justin Brewer 78″
  3. Dwain Batey 77.25″
  4. Cole Sikes 77″
  5. Abraham Garcia 77″
  6. Christa Hibbs 74″
  7. Jacob Webber 73.75″
  8. James Haeberle 72.25″
  9. James Shumate 72″
  10. Ryan Paskiewicz 71.75″

Aly Corp won Big Bass with a 20.25″ Beaver Lake beast.

Angler Roundtable

The top three anglers wrapped up the tourney in this roundtable discussion of how they did it and what happened on the water. Join John Wofford, Justin Brewer and Dwain Batey as they spill the tea:

Where did you go and why?

John – I went to Twin Bridges because I was told fishing was really tough and that is where I feel most comfortable and can fish my strengths. Knowing Beaver in the summer I knew they’d be out suspended or tight in cover so I fished every bit of cover I could get a bait into.

Justin – I chose to put in way up the War Eagle again like in last years’ July Beaver tournament. I chose there because I know there is resident fish in the area and being a more condensed area of water If I keep my head down and fish hard I’ll be able to pick up a few good bites and hopefully more if all goes well.

Dwain – I hadn’t pre-fished but heard it was really tough, thought I would go way up north and try something high-risk with the potential for a high reward.

Any particular baits or patterns that really worked for you?

John – And Xcite baits stick worm with a golden Colorado blade in the tail and my old faithful Xcite baits Xb-1 squarebill in chartreuse black back.

Justin – A Booyah Boss Pop was what did the trick for me. I tried other baits but couldn’t get anything going. The bites were few and far between but if I could trigger one to bite it was a solid fish. No real pattern on the type of structure and cover. A few were just random fish in open water.

Dwain – I was throwing a Skirmish Baits Pendragon topwater all day. I only got a few bites, but I had the opportunity to win the event.

How’d you catch your biggest fish? What’s the story?

John – I was going down a bank picking apart spots when I looked up and saw a tree in the middle-ish of the river and thought to myself there has to be a fish in there. So I bombed a cast with my worm right in the tree and as soon as I pulled it over the first branch she smacked it and wrapped me around a limb, at this point I was questioning whether I had a fish on because it was wrapped up and really stuck. I started pedaling over while keeping my line tight and all of a sudden she popped back around the limb and the fight was on. She went for 18” and then two casts after that I hooked into a 17.5” Smallie, YES a Smallmouth in the White River!

Justin – My biggest which was only 16.75 came real early. I was still throwing a Buzzbait at that time and had one blow up on it but miss it. That’s when I picked up the Boss Pop fired back in the area and two pops later hooked up. I’m assuming it was the same fish but I guess it could have been a different one. That’s also what lead me to start throwing the Boss Pop.

Dwain – My biggest fish was on the Pendragon on my 3rd cast of the morning. I had a hunch about a particular point, and pulled in there instead of my original thoughts for a starting spot, good call on that one.

What’s one useful thing you carry in your yak that most people probably don’t have?

John – I always carry a gallon RTIC jug every time I hit the water. Staying hydrated especially on those hot days is key to staying out there till the last minute is up.

Justin – I don’t carry it all the time but it’s needed when I do and that is a stake out pole. Especially way up a river fish shallow areas it’s great to be able to stake out around a big lay down or log jam and it all apart with out having to keep repositioning or worry about floating too close.

Dwain – I don’t really have anything that stands out as something others wouldn’t have gear wise. I mean I’ve got some really cool storage options from Bass Mafia, like the new Two Bud Bag and Ice Box storage containers, but everyone knows how cool Bass Mafia storage options are. Maybe there are people who don’t think about having a hone to sharpen their hooks? I use the Eagle Claw Deluxe Hook hone to make sure that I keep my hooks sharp despite all the rocks we have trying to dull them constantly. Another one might be the Eagle Claw Wacky Rig Tool for putting O-rings on stick baits?

Heavy Hitters Champ

Pretty much leading the way wire to wire, Kyle Long smashed the big ones this year to become the second annual Heavy Hitter’s Champion. Kyle got a lead early in the season and hung on to take the title with a 95.5″ total (compared to my mark of 95″ in 2020). We took a minute to ask Kyle his secrets for being the Heavy Hitter of the year.

No description available.

What’s the key to catching big fish?

There’s a whole lot of luck involved. But I guess there’s something to throwing the right thing in the right place. This year, two of my Heavy Hitter’s fish came on a fluke, one on a spinnerbait, one on a shaky head and one on a jig. I also caught a few more on a jig and spinnerbait that could have been in my final five fish bag had I not caught one even bigger in that same event. And most of them were in super predictable spots…points, channel swings, the last bush in a line of bushes…that kinda stuff.

Some lose big fish when they hook them, what’s the secret to getting a big bass into the yak?

I use as big a line as I can get away with and I get them in the net as fast as I can. If that fish is still in the water it is on his home turf. It has the upper hand. That playing them stuff is for the birds. Get them dudes in the net as fast as you possibly can. And get a net with a handle that can reach out there and get em. One caveat…if I’m using treble hooked baits I’m a little more careful, but I still try and get them in the net as fast as possible.

Congratulations Kyle Long! We’ll be back next season with a new Heavy Hitters race.

AOY Race Update & Classic Field

The regular season and the Top 25 anglers who will make the Classic are set. Was a close race with several good anglers just barely missing the cut. First year rookies Jacob Webber and Josh Landreth made the championship, along with several other first-time qualifiers. Should be a great battle on Lake Fort Smith and Beavertown/Holiday Island. Time to defend the title!

In addition to the Top 25, the AOY race is winding down with some drama, but not much remaining. Really have not done the math, but maybe if there’s a complete collapse from Dwain and good finishes from Justin or Ryan or others then maybe there’s a chance. Really not sure, but most likely Dwain is in the driver’s seat as he has been all season long.

RankAnglerEvent 8ClassicBest 6 plus Classic
1Dwain Batey98 588
2Justin Brewer99 555
3Ryan Paskiewicz91 551
4Tyler Zengerle88 549
5Cole Sikes97 548
6Kyle Long73 542
7Devon Esry80 529
8Roy Roberts0 527
9Jason Kincy78 527
10Josh King70 519
11Josh Howard89 518
12Craig Wood90 515
13Jacob Webber ®94 509
14Clay Johnson66 496
15Justin Phillips64 495
16Justin Wright69 495
17Josh Landreth ®71 495
18James Shumate92 487
19Terrill Standifer87 487
20Jason Adams59 486
21Jason Fields72 486
22Taylor Frizzell75 484
23Jason Cowell79 464
24Sam McClish53 462
25Zeke Stevens58 462
Your Top 25 for NSKA 2021.