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. – 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 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.
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:
Baron Meek
Cole Sikes
Tyler Zengerle
Andrew Newsome
Cody Milton
Bo Sarratt
John Evans
Dwain Batey
Kyle Long
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. – 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.
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
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!
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
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.
The 2017 finale for Natural State Kayak Anglers was an exercise in patience and perseverance on a pleasant August day in the Ozarks. I love Beaver Lake, it is a beautiful body of water and we’re fortunate to have such a great reservoir this close to home. I also love it when we have kayak tournaments at Beaver, it really is great practice to tackle other large bodies of water such as Table Rock, Dardanelle and Kentucky Lake. The only problem is that Beaver can be at times…well…the Dead Sea.
As I wrote in the tournament preview, Beaver hasn’t been friendly to kayak tournaments in August and September – giving up only FIVE limits in a past event on this nationally known fishery. Surely this year would be different!
Nope.
Of the 38 anglers who hit the water for a 5:45 start, only FIVE once again turned in a limit (15%). A solid number of anglers (30) did card a keeper, which isn’t a bad number overall. On a day when any keeper was a good keeper, Terry Brown swooped in from the KBA to take first place with 70.50″ while Carson McBride hit a buzzer beater (more on that later) to finish second with 70.25″ for the day, and I was lucky enough to finish third with 68.50″. Decland McDonald ruined the dink-fest by catching a 20″ largemouth for Big Bass, and John Evans had second Big Bass with 19.25″.
Here are the top ten finishers:
Terry Brown
Carson McBride
Jason Kincy
Dwain Batey
Roy Roberts
Declan McDonald
Jason Thomas
Rance Richardson
Cole Sikes
Wayne Johnson
Congrats to all anglers for sticking with the grind and working all day long. Also congratulations to Dwain Batey who took NSKA Angler of the Year honors – he had a great season!
Angler Tournament Recaps
Below are some summaries of how the top finishers found their fish:
Terry Brown – I launched at the start from the ramp in Hickory Creek recreation area and paddled 2.5 miles to the pin shown in the map below first thing Saturday morning. I started out working topwater but had no luck, so after an hour of trying various other things I picked up the T-Rig Zoom Ole monster (Junebug) and pitched at wood cover along the bank, caught my first one in 2 or 3 casts, and another one on the same point a couple mins later, the pattern held up all morning, had a limit pretty quick, caught a few more and culled up my bag and just fished my way back to the ramp with only a couple of misses and two lost fish on the way. Simplicity wins the day.
The winning spot was a 2.5 mile paddle from the launch ramp. Putting in the work can yield results.
Carson McBride – I put in at the ramp close to the swimming area in Hickory Creed park. I know that area very well and knew of a shallow hump that goes way out that is covered in brush. I got to my spot early and waited for the start time. I was hearing lots of fish bust everywhere around me. I tried to get on a topwater bite and a squarebill but it wasn’t working. I knew fish were moving and active, so I picked up my swim jig and fished up shallow and quickly picked up a 13.75 and not long after my kicker 18.75, then caught another 13.00 and 10.00 and 10.25. I tried to cull all day long but it wasn’t working. I had the lead all day long and was under pressure just trying to catch one. At 2:59 I caught a 14.50 incher which gave me a 4.50 inch cull and put me up to second place at the last minute.
Jason Kincy – I also launched at one of the Hickory Creek rec area ramps and had identified an area with buck brush that was just off a creek channel and started out there. Like everyone else I started out with topwater and didn’t do very well for the first couple of hours. It seemed to me that the fish just weren’t shallow so I paid attention to activity off-shore and if there were shad flipping the surface within range I attacked it with a Heddon Zara Spook with a Fish Allure scented tab to try and draw up some bass. This method caught me three of my keepers, including my two largest. This ended about 9:30 and then I went back to working areas around bushes and docks and picked up a few more on a Pop-R and on small texas rigged worms. Once the sun came out around 10:30, I had a hard time catching anything else. Was happy on the day to finish third, but lost three fish that I believe could have put me in first place.
NSKA River Valley
South of the tunnel 10 anglers competed at Clear Creek and had definitively better results than their NWA counterparts:
Chris Nemeth 86.50″
Shane Oakes 86.25″
Christa Hibbs 77.50″
Big Bass was a tie between Shane Oakes and Chris Nemeth for 19″. Congrats to all of these anglers, as well as the NSKA River Valley Angler of the Year – Christa Hibbs!
Final Thoughts
I really want to thank Jeff Malott for being the tournament director for NSKA, this is a lot of work and adds a lot of fun for the participants. Although Beaver Lake can be a tough venue, I hope we can continue to have tournaments out there. Also, after a year heavy with road runners and online tournaments, it was a really great experience to launch from the same area. My first year fishing, almost all events were like this and it is great. These are always the best tournaments from a competitive standpoint, but also for the camaraderie of being around others. I met a couple of new faces on the water and chatted with them about the day and now have connected on Facebook. I was also about 50 yards from Carson when he caught his buzzer beater and was whooping and hollering. Relationships and being around other anglers is a great part of the sport, next year I hope we have more events where we’re all in the same vicinity.
The Arkansas State Championship is next up at Dardanelle in October! Time to get your Arkansas River on.
The regular season finale for the Natural State Kayak Anglers will take place on Beaver Lake in the Hickory Creek area. This should be a really interesting format in that it is one of the first times a large kayak tournament has been staged on Beaver Lake where all participants will be in relatively the same area. This is my favorite kind of tourney where all anglers are on the same water in similar conditions. What will a day at the Dead Sea bring?
Hickory Creek on Beaver Lake. The marina owner and operator is pretty militant about nobody fishing within 50 feet of his docks.
Past Tournament Trends
In 2015, the Arkansas vs Oklahoma Border Battle was held in late summer on Beaver Lake and the results were brutal – Dead Sea in full effect. Of the 48 entries, only FIVE anglers turned in a five fish limit. FIVE! Overall, only 30 anglers (63%) turned in at least one keeper. I was lucky to finish 3rd in this tourney with a paltry 61″ while a total of 66.5″ took the win. Larger fish were hard to come by, with Big Bass being only 15.75″ long.
Previous kayak tournaments on Beaver have historically produced the lowest totals of the year. But the lake has been fishing well up until recently and the NSKA Beaver Lake Road Runner earlier this year put up some really solid totals. With cooler weather over the past few weeks and some unusually high amount of rain for late July and August, the fishing may prove to be a bit better this time around.
In the Zone at Hickory Creek
This tournament will provide you the option to put in anywhere you want – as long as it is at one of the four ramps in the Hickory Creek area shown in the map below. All of these ramps are easily accessible, with the only free one being at the end of Hwy 264 in the north end of the zone. All others will cost you $5 to launch.
NSKA Angler Roundtable
A couple of anglers new to the NSKA trail this year are very familiar with Beaver Lake from fishing bass boat (cough) tournaments so I asked them to helps us evaluate the upcoming event. Cole Sikes and Bo Sarratt and I discussed some of the keys to the upcoming tournament.
The weather has been strange in the Ozarks this summer – What effect do you think that will have on the fishing this Saturday?
Cole –The high water will make Beaver fishing tough in my opinion. The fish have lots of cover to set up on and anglers will get bites few and far between.
Bo –With the cool weather the last week I think that it might bring a few more fish up shallow. There are fish that live shallow all year long but with the high water this year more fish stayed up in the bushes. Finding the right bushes is the key.
Jason – You would think the cooler weather would be improving the fishing and push some shallow. All reports I’ve been getting from anglers seem to indicate the fish are confused and scattered, making it difficult to develop any pattern.
What do you think the hardest part of kayak fishing is (adjusting from bass boat fishing) and how will that come into play this week?
Bo – Going out on beaver in my kayak is overwhelming after fishing in a big boat there all my life. The thing that gets me is that I don’t have the ability to cover water and fighting the wind on the big water. Unfortunately, Beaver is a tough lake and wind is a big key in finding fish that will bite. Easy to fish in the bass boat, not so easy in the kayak.
Cole – The most difficult switch from bass boat to kayak is you have to commit to one area. With a bass boat you can run and gun and hit high percentage areas, with a kayak you have to fish slower and really pick the area apart.
Jason – If I had a bass boat for this event, it would unlock some better ability to fish off shore and more in the main river channel area. With wind and boat traffic it is difficult in a kayak to do for very long.
Fill in the blank: The angler who wins the tournament on Saturday will have successfully…
Bo – …capitalized on an early morning topwater bite to get a limit. After that it’s going to be about covering water and trying to get a couple good bites the rest of the day.
Cole – …junked fished.
Jason – …found a decent kicker fish to go with four small ones. I do agree with Cole, it will be a junk fishing day with nothing working the entire time.
Predict the following: Winning length, Big Bass and percentage of anglers with limits.
Cole – A limit of 76.25” will take first place, with a Big Bass of 18.5” long. Predicting a tough day with only 15% of anglers turning in a limit.
Bo – I think a 70-72″ limit will get the win. Big Bass length will be 19.75″, and 60% of the anglers will catch limits. Although, the rainy weather that is being forecasted could help the bite.
Jason – Based on people I’ve been talking to who fish Beaver regularly, the lake has fished as tough as it has in quite a while. “It’s back to old Beaver Lake,” said one experienced angler. This info plus the unusually mild weather we’ve been having makes it hard to predict. I’ll say that 74″ will take it, and 2nd place won’t be out of the 60s. Due to the rainy weather, 52% of the field will pull together a keeper and Big Bass will top out at 19.75″ in length.
The tournament begins at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. with heavy thunderstorms possible in the forecast. Be safe in the weather and avoid the lake during times of thunder and lightning, catching a fish isn’t worth risking your life. Check out more info on the NSKA Finale – Hickory Creek Facebook page.
Also don’t forget the Razoryak Tournament Trail Arkansas State Championship to be held on October 14 and 15 at Dardanelle. This will be the last year at that venue and will move around the state in future seasons.
The Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) hit the road for the next tournament to be held on Saturday, May 13 – with a Northwest Arkansas road runner event. Because of recent flooding, the River Run was postponed until later in the season and the road runner moved up in its place. Many lakes are in play and are good options for this choose your own adventure kayak fishing tournament.
Participants may choose from almost any publicly accessible body of water within a 30 mile radius (with the exception of Bella Vista lakes) including some newly approved lakes for this season. The NSKA NWA Road Runneris one of my favorite events because it allows everyone to choose an option that fits their style, and should result in a decent overall winning total.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Here are some of the primary options anglers will be considering for tournament day:
Lake Bob Kidd – I haven’t fished this lake much but it has been in the mix each time there’s been a road runner. There are some big bass in this lake and if you like vegetation and wood structure, it is a great option.
Lincoln Lake – To me this is the undisputed “Big Bass” lake in Northwest Arkansas. On average you will catch a bigger fish here than anywhere else. If it is on, the winner will likely come from Lincoln Lake.
SWEPCO Lake fatty.
SWEPCO Lake – The only other lake on the list which could challenge Lincoln for large numbers of big fish. This lake’s going to be a bit warmer than some others, but hasn’t heated up too much yet for the summer. A big limit could be filled quickly here, but every once in a while these bass can get tight lipped.
Lake Elmdale – Easily accessed from I-49, this is a very popular lake, meaning it gets tons of pressure and can get quite crowded. (I counted 28 cars in the lot the last time I was there) It’s a solid lake that can at times produce good fishing, however, it has never really produced top results in a road runner style tournament. Will see what this year brings.
Crystal Lake – Gaining a lot of respect in recent tournaments, this gem of a little lake is near Decatur. I’ve fished it twice in road runners, making top five in both events. Not many giant bass like Lincoln and Swepco, but a very healthy population of keepers packed into a lake of manageable size.
Beaver Lake – Here we go…this will be interesting to see who heads to Beaver Lake and rolls the dice. Historically Beaver Lake has factored in to the top places in road runner events – there’s no doubt it has fish and some really good ones. The person who can find some bass at Beaver might roll a seven and win this thing.
Wildcards – Some lesser known lakes are also in the mix and options for competitors: Wilson, Wedington, Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoya, Lake Prairie Grove and Siloam City Lake are all possibilities. (note – am told Lake Prairie Grove is currently closed)
Historical Look Back
In 2015, my first year with AKA/NSKA, the first roadrunner was earlier in the spring (April 14) and Lake Swepco was off-limits as an option. The winning angler fished the upper Beaver Lake area near War Eagle, 2nd place came from Lake Bob Kidd, 3rd place from Crystal Lake, 4th place from Lincoln Lake/Bob Kidd and 5th place from Lincoln Lake. It took close to 80″ to win this event.
In 2016, some of the same lakes produced the top results. Although I don’t have the order of finish, I do know that Beaver Lake produced the winner with approximately 86″ and Lake Bob Kidd, Siloam City Lake and Swepco Lake were in the mix for the other top finishers.
Not a real road-runner but the NWA Draw Four tournament featured Lincoln Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Elmdale and Lake Bob Kidd. 1st came out of Crystal Lake with 2nd and 3rd coming from Lake Bob Kidd I believe. Mid-70s was required to win this one.
NSKA Predictions
Northwest Arkansas kayak anglers Tim Hotchkin and Rob Bomstead weighed in along with me on what to expect this weekend:
What top two lakes do you think will produce the winner?
Jason – Based on historical data, the winner will come from Beaver Lake, Swepco or Lincoln. I’m betting Lincoln this year.
Tim – Swepco or Elmdale. Swepco stayed pretty clear after all the rain it’s just high from the rain. Elmdale has had alot of success lately so it will draw a lot of anglers.
Rob – I think Beaver or Swepco will produce the winner, although a smaller sleeper lake may surprise us all.
How does a road runner change your strategy?
Jason – Normally it is about finding the type of water you want to fish, but this year it is all up and dirtier than normal, so not as much of an issue.
Tim – It doesn’t change my strategy. If anything it helps me. I can to to whatever lake I feel confident in based on our recent weather changes and lake elevations due to all the rain.
Rob – Weather, water temp, water clarity, recent catches and wind all are part of the decision, however, personal confidence in a body of water and fishing how I like to fish play an important role.
Recent rains have muddied up about everywhere except Swepco, how will that affect things?
Jason – I think this is going to drive overall size totals higher than normal and some will catch a lot of fish. This won’t be a grind it out just for a limit in clear water event.
Tim – It will put a lot of stress on some anglers as their normal waters may not be fishable. A lot of anglers may have to change their styles which could cause some anglers to try techniques they are not used to.
Rob – The rains definitely have changed the game plan, but good weather this week hopefully will calm things down and we should see some clearing of the water a bit.
Winning length and big bass size?
Jason – 86.5″ to win and a 20.75″ big bass
Tim – Winning Length: 78″ with a 21″ big bass
Rob – This group has some great anglers and I would be hard pressed not to believe someone will have them figured out. I’m going to say just over 98″ and big bass will be 22.5″
For the past couple of years I have been fortunate enough to fish with an FLW Pro in the Will Fish for Kids charity tournament on Beaver Lake and this year was pleased to draw Eric Jackson as my pro partner. Teaming up with Eric was no accident, I had requested to be paired with the world champion kayaker, pro fisherman, business man and marketer – knowing we’d have a great time talking as well as fishing.
Eric Jackson and I at the FLW Will Fish for Kids Tournament on Beaver Lake.
Beaver Lake had just come off of a roller coaster couple of weeks of record rains and quickly rising water, creating issues for most of the pro anglers during the tournament. The night before our event threw another curve, with temps dropping to 38 degrees overnight (in May!) and 20-30 mph wind gusts during the day. Add to that a hazelnut stain in the normally crystal clear water and it was not the lake I had been used to.
Eric and I met up that morning and started out heading up an arm of Prairie Creek to check out some underwater wood structure he had
This color is not my Beaver Lake.
identified. Shortly thereafter, we were about to escape the very muddy water of Prairie Creek and head up to chase some smallmouth when his motor took a dive on us and we were stuck around the take-off point for the rest of the day. In what was a recurring theme, Eric took this in stride and put a positive face on the situation. The rest of our day we worked around the launch area fishing some different techniques as best as we could, but just didn’t make magic happen. We boated only one keeper before we agreed to pack it in for the day and let Eric and family hit the road back to Tennessee. As expected however, fishing wasn’t the key highlight for me. I enjoyed my interaction with Eric as I picked his brain on what it is like to try and become a pro, the kayak industry, sponsorship theory and his marketing approach in general.
First and foremost that stands out to me is how positive Eric was all day long under diverse conditions. Every time we would creep our way to a new area with his trolling motor, he would be positive and declare, “This is a good spot, looks really good.” Or, if I suggested we hit a certain stretch, “That’s a good call, let’s do it.” As we struggled to get enough bites we cycled through baits trying various things. “That’s a good idea, really might be the right thing to use,” he would say as I would move to a new bait. No matter what was going on, he had a great attitude and made it better for his co-angler. Last year I had met Eric at the morning take-off of the event and wrote this blog post about it: FLW Tour Pro Eric Jackson Good for Kayak Fishing – which also discussed the positive vibe this guy puts out all the time.
Eric and I moving down the creek arm before losing motor power.
This positive attitude has to have had a lot to do with the successes in his life. Too many accolades to list here (but check them out here), he truly has had a world-class career. He’s also been very successful in the business world, with Jackson Kayak, Orion Coolers and other brands being among the most well known and respected outdoor names. As a marketer, I was very interested to hear about his ideas about brand building, marketing and how to leverage the grassroots connections. We talked about the importance of ‘layering’ when working on content and brand messaging. Maybe the most telling aspect to me about his concepts of business is when he told me how at Jackson, he sees his warranty department as an extension of marketing. He recognizes how a company stands behind their product and cares for loyal customers means long-term prosperity.
We also discussed at length the soon to be released Jackson Flex Drive System, which is a pedal based system for Jackson Kayaks. I currently use a Hobie Pro Angler as my tournament boat but definitely plan to check out this offering from Jackson once available. It sounds like there will be a couple of really interesting features, including an easy beaching ability without drive issues. Jackson yaks are well known for quality, and I’d expect their pedal version to live up to the legacy there.
All in all it was an interesting day of ideas, marketing, and conversation – with a little fishing thrown in. Eric is clearly very passionate about his fishing career and has a clear plan on how he’s going to be a long-term successful competitor on the professional level. At the end of the day, because of his positive attitude, drive and mind for creative thinking…I tend to believe him.
Dead Sea? Not on this particular Saturday in April when a fickle Beaver Lake decided to give up some nice bass to an armada of kayak anglers battled high winds and a 100+ bass boat tournament.
In the tournament preview it was clear that past kayak fishing tournaments on Beaver Lake have not produced big numbers, and catching a limit usually put you in the top 20. Not this year. The fish are moving up to spawn, were active up shallow and anglers took advantage.
All but eight of the 73 of those entered carded a fish (89%) and a whopping 38 (52%) anglers turned in a limit. These are outstanding numbers not only for Beaver Lake but for any fishing tournament. The only bigger shock than the number of fish caught was a 22.25″ largemouth bass caught by Nathan Henthorn. The tail was so torn and bloodied it was likely a 23″ fish if it hadn’t just spawned out. At the weigh-in many were surprised to see a bass of that size out of Beaver.
Nathan Henthorn’s 22.25″ Beaver Lake pig.
First place went to Dwain Batey with 89.50″, second to Craig Wood with 89.25″ and third to Nathan Henthorn with 87″ on the board.
Top 10 Finishers
Dwain Batey (AR)
Craig Wood (AR)
Nathan Henthorn (OK)
Jerry Cornelius (MO)
Justin Coon (MO)
Cody Milton (AR)
Jose Rodriguez (OK)
Gary Kasper (OK)
Jason Cossey (AR)
Carson McBride (AR)
The top 20 was made up of 11 anglers from Arkansas, 3 from Oklahoma, 2 from Missouri, 2 from Kansas, 1 from Texas, and 1 from Tennessee.
Dwain, Craig and Nathan provided some details of how they finished in the top spots:
Dwain – My first bite of the morning was on the Skirmish Baits M9 squarebill in the Army Green Craw color, and it was the 21.50” kicker fish. That bite alone really helped me keep my head in the game the rest of the day. I managed to get my first 3 fish on that bait, but as the day went on the bite shifted away from the crankbait and I started putting fish in the kayak with a shaky head. I was using a Netbait 6 inch straight tailed worm in a green pumpkin/blue swirl, but my key was using a spike-it marker to put some orange on the bait to closer match the crankbait color I was using. Rather than putting the orange on the tail, I marked about the first ½” of the head of the worm with the orange to put the focus near the hook. I was catching my shaky head fish around docks in Prairie Creek. Late in the day I managed to catch one last fish on the M9 that give me a cull up of 1/4” which turned out to be my margin of victory in the end.
Nathan – After doing some Google Maps research, I decided to put in at Horseshoe Bend and fish some of the coves across the main lake from it. My plan was to try to fish for the winning fish and leave the little spotted bass and spinning rod alone. I picked up a good 18.5 inch fish on Skirmish M9 in Goldilocks early. Shortly after I caught the 22.25 and the 18.75 on back to back casts to the same tree. Those fish hit a Booyah jig with a Zoom Z Craw trailer. Unfortunately, after that it was a bunch of small fish for me, and I caught keepers on a variety of baits, mostly the jig and squarebill though.
Craig – I pre-fished three key areas on the south end of the lake with gale force winds all day was able to rule out two last weekend. I couldn’t have been so effective without my Hobie Pro Angler in those conditions. I decided to go to a spot that produced several chunky bass in pre-fishing. It paid off, and a hundred yard stretch netted my entire length for the tournament. Slowtown custom jigs was the bait used.
On To The Next Event
I finished with a small limit of 69.50″ and 26th, just couldn’t find the right fish on the day. Overall it was a great KBF event in Arkansas and hope to see more in the future on Beaver Lake. There is another KBF event in Bella Vista on June 3 which is a night tournament, should be an interesting time! Check it out.
I had a recent opportunity to visit in person with B.A.S.S. Elite angler Ott DeFoe and he made it clear what a challenge Beaver Lake can be for anglers. As I introduced myself at the beginning of the conversation I said that I was from Arkansas and that Beaver Lake was my home lake. Ott’s face immediately dropped and he quipped, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Van Hollow on Beaver Lake.
We spoke for a while about how to attack some of the key features of the lake like deep water floating docks and rocky points and bluffs, and it all really came back to the lake can be good…but it can be fickle from day to day which frustrates the Pros and the Joes. It’s a beautiful reservoir, but I often refer to it as the “Dead Sea” because you can also have some really tough days on the water.
Beaver Lake is well known around the country due to it being an annual stop on the FLW tournament circuit. This weekend, the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail makes a stop on Beaver, a full two weeks before the FLW fishing pros come to town. What’s in store for this event? I polled some top Northwest Arkansas kayak anglers to get their thoughts – Jason Underdown, Jeff Malott and Dwain Batey.
Beaver Lake KBF Roundtable
Beaver Lake level is down for the year, but up fairly dramatically from recent rains. How do you think this will affect the fishing?
Underdown – I don’t feel it will affected it too much, the water was recently down 13ft. below normal pool and recently has risen to only 7 feet below normal pool. This allows more cover to be under water and more flats to be accessible for spawning. If anything it may help individuals that were lucky enough to get out on the lake when it was low and mark some spots on their charts that may now be underwater.
Mallot – As the water rises and warms the bass will move toward the banks and back of pockets. The spawn is upon us so they want to move anyway, the rising water only helps.
Because of the rising water, anglers can find very clear water and stained water, where do you think most will gravitate to?
Batey – I think most people will fish clear water, but that may not prove to be the best strategy.
Mallot – I like a slight stain in the water so mid lake would be my go to area. This is one of my favorite things about Beaver Lake, you can find your water color and fish your strength most times of the year.
Being a KBF event, there will be several newbies to Beaver Lake, what advice or words of wisdom would you share with them?
Batey – I have fished Beaver one time last year for the AKA event (which I won) and my last trip here fore that was in 2008 before I ever fished from a kayak, when my partner Alan Heavener and I won a fund raiser tournament for the University of Arkansas fishing team. I also haven’t been on the lake since my win last year…so I guess my best advice is not to pre-fish! (laughing)
Underdown – This lake changes from day to day, so don’t think the spot you pre-fished will be the same two days later. Stick with what you are confident and comfortable with and don’t listen too much to any fishing reports. Secondary points in coves and creek arms will more than likely be the best producers for pre-spawn bass.
Prediction on winning overall length and big bass?
Mallot – I think something in the mid 80s will win, so let’s say 85″ and for big bass I will say 20.5″.
Batey – 84.5″ for total and 21.75″ big bass.
Underdown – Bass have been pretty decent size this last six months or so on Beaver Lake thanks to flooding last year so I’m going with 85-90″ to win and a big bass of 21″.
Beaver Lake Kayak Tourney Trends
Historically, Beaver Lake has been very stingy for kayak tournaments, living up to the “Dead Sea” title.
In 2015, the Arkansas Kayak Anglers held their Beaver Lake roadrunner event in early May. Most of the 50 anglers (76%) carded a keeper in this tournament, while only one in five anglers turned in a limit. 72″ won the event, with 17.75″ taking big bass. I finished 9th with a modest 66″ on the day.
Later that year, the Arkansas vs Oklahoma border battle was held in September on Beaver Lake. On this day, only five of the 48 anglers (10.4%) turned in a limit, with 37.5% of the field not carding a keeper. A small 66.5″ limit won first place on this tough Dead Sea day at Beaver, with a sub-par 15.75″ taking big bass. I took 3rd place with a paltry 61″ on my card, but was happy with a limit on that tough outing.
In early spring of 2016, the Arkansas Kayak Anglers road runner on Beaver Lake posted better results. Only 21% of anglers turned in a limit, while almost one-third of the field did not card a fish. Sizes were bigger this time around, with first place scoring 82.5″ and big bass being a legitimate 19.5″ – a really nice fish on Beaver Lake. I managed 15th on this frustrating day with 57″ total.
What will happen this year? Swepco Lake results far exceeded previous data, so maybe we’ll see the same on Beaver. We’ll find out Saturday.
This tournament also really matters to local anglers, points not only count for KBF, but this is also a Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) points event. Someone can really bolster their AOY chances with a big win on Saturday. Good luck, wear your PFDs and deploy visibility flags!
