Tag Archives: Table Rock

NSKA

2021 NSKA NWA Schedule Preview and Pre-Season Top 25

It’s about one month out from the season opener for Natural State Kayak Anglers in NW Arkansas. The schedule-makers this year put together an interesting run of tournaments which should provide something for everyone – whether you are just having fun or are trying to win.

What can we expect from the coming schedule? What are anglers saying? Going into the season who is in the top 25 angler list for NWA? Read on and find out!

2021 Schedule Breakdown

This will be my sixth season fishing events in NWA and I think this is the best and most diverse schedule yet. The board did some surveying of anglers after last year and took their feedback to craft this gauntlet of events that will be fun, but will also ensure the Angler Of the Year will have earned it!

NWA Road Runner – March 13

Don’t miss out on the Road Runner.

Road Runners are always a wildcard, this time of year finding the right spot within the 50-mile radius may mean more than how good an angler is at catching fish. With the freezing weather in February it will be interesting to see where things stand on tournament day. Historically the first event gets some big totals, someone will catch ’em but it could be tough for a lot of folks. Don’t over think this one, go somewhere you feel most confident and see what happens. Last year this was won on Oklahoma water, will it happen again? Shout out to Shogun for sponsoring this event!

MLF Beaver Lake – April 10

Very excited to take on an MLF event where everyone is on same water – Beaver Lake. The Dead Sea is no longer dead in recent years, it should be rocking in April and over a zillion bass may be caught on this day. For those who don’t know, an MLF event means you catch as many keepers as possible, not just your best five. Just keep catching and submitting fish. It’s going to be fascinating to see if shallow largemouth or deeper smallmouth will be the key to this one. (Don’t forget those feisty spotted bass!) Size doesn’t matter as much in this one, everybody has a chance if they can generate enough bites. This is the one event this year that there will be a 11″ minimum. Thanks Wasabi of Fayetteville for sponsoring this one!

Table Rock Lake – May 8

This is a new one, an event on Table Rock Lake, considered a much better fishery than Beaver. Anglers will be able to choose from the Beavertown area all the way down covering a good portion of Table Rock. Having an ‘away’ tournament like this should really help even the playing field and as someone who loves to fish new places, I’m really looking forward to this one. Table Rock is known for a great fish population, there should be LOTS of limits turned in. Custom Tees and Graphics is sponsoring this one, thank you!

Beaver Lake South – May 22

Back to Beaver for this late-may slugfest. Bass should be in spawn or post-spawn mode all over the lake so there will be plenty of fish caught. This section of the lake is the most diverse, with skinny water fishing in the War Eagle or White River areas all the way down to the deeper and usually clearer water of Horseshoe to Beaver Shores. In this event you should literally be able to catch bass with almost any technique you prefer. Thank you to Ozark Kayak for their support of this event!

Don’t touch the tail this year, body groping only. That red Ketch board looks hot!

Pumpback – June 5

If you have never caught a smallmouth, especially a giant smallmouth, this is the tournament to enter. Pumpback is a really interesting place and holds a lot of fish and some BIG smallies. Don’t sleep on the largemouth though, there are some real tanks in this lake. It was really cool, yet bizarre, to have this lake drop several feet in a couple of hours during the tournament last year. We may see some Oklahoma Kayak Anglers entering this one, it should be a lot of fun! Ginger Rice and Noodle Bar is the presenting sponsor of this one.

North Beaver Lake – June 26

Ah, my jet-ski and wakeboat friends…we meet again. Beaver Lake will be party central by late June and the fishing is going to start to get tougher. This time we’re up North in the big water. Unlike the South end, there are almost unlimited places to put in and fish, giving everyone plenty of room and options. Smallmouth may be a factor down by the dam, or you might chase bigger largemouth in Prairie Creek. Turn in a limit and you’ve had a good day. A big kicker will be needed though to be in the money.

Nice jet-ski bro. Thanks for showing it to me fifty times.

River Road Runner – July 17

A River Road Runner is back on the schedule for the first time since 2017, and immediately controversy began. What’s a river? What’s not a river? Is this drainage pipe a river? That’s not a river, it’s a lake! And so is that one! To clean up the debates, boundaries have been set for sections of the White River between Twin Bridges to Blue Springs, White River from Beaver Dam to the Beaver Bridge, Elk River from Pineville to Mt Shira, and the Illinois from some random place I can’t identify on the map to Siloam Springs. July is a great time for a river event, glad to see it back on the schedule.

Beaver Lake – August 14

Beaver Lake in August is the crucible that tests an angler’s patience, spins some out, and can break your confidence in two. And I LOVE it! Going on the Dead Sea in the dog days of summer and catching a limit is a rewarding achievement. And our friends the jet-skiers and wake boarders? Yes, they will be there as well. Will anglers find their winning bag dirt-deep in the rivers, or in the cooler blue waters near the dam? This one will be key for those on the edge of making the NSKA Classic 25 angler field.

End of Season Classic

The 25 anglers who finish highest in the AOY will get to compete in this end of year, two day Championship event. Making the Classic is an achievement in itself and culminates a successful season. This season the Classic is going to be amazing! One day on the wild waters of Lake Fort Smith (a.k.a. – Snake Fort Smith) and one day up by the Missouri line around Holiday Island. If you win this one, you’ve done something! We are also hearing there may be more rewards in store for Classic anglers this season…

Wild and mysterious Lake Fort Smith is back this year for the Classic!

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Season Preview Angler Roundtable

We asked veteran NSKA NWA anglers Billy Bowden, Kyle Long, and Tim Hotchkin to join me in sharing some thoughts on the season and advice for new tournament anglers:

What event are you looking forward to the most and why?

Billy – I am for sure looking forward to our Table Rock event due to the fact that I’ve never fished there. From what I have heard, Table Rock fishes much better than Beaver but also sets up a lot like Beaver which is what everyone in our group is used to.

Tim – This one is a tough one for me. I am looking forward to both the MLF Event on Beaver and then the Pumpback Event in Oklahoma the most. The MLF Event on Beaver because I love the format and I think it will create some excitement. The Pumpback event because its just a unique lake and has the potential of catching some trophy sized Smallmouth like John Wofford caught last year.

Kyle – Usually I’m always looking forward to the first event because I’m so anxious to get going, but this year I think I’ve thought more about the MLF than any other event. Where can I go on Beaver and catch 40 fish? Also Pumpback again just because…tank smallies.

Jason – The River Road Runner, because it is going to be the most unpredictable one due to the different options. The flowing rivers of the Elk and Illinois versus the lesser current sections of the White River offer good contrasts. No matter where I wind up, it will be water I’m not as familiar with, which is always fun to explore somewhere new.

Best advice for someone new to tournaments?

Billy – Best advice for new anglers…Make sure your fish is legal before submitting it to TourneyX and make sure the place you plan on launching from is public and accessible according to the rules. Navionics and Google maps sometimes run right into people’s back yards so watch for that.

Tim – Take your time reviewing the rules and if you have questions reach out to someone for clarification. Also, while on the water take your time and not get into a rush while taking pictures. Make sure and ask plenty of questions, everyone was new at one point. Also don’t get upset if you get a fish DQ’d or a deduction. It has happened to all of us when we are learning how to submit correct photos. Anyone that is new is welcome to reach out to me directly if they have questions. If I don’t know the answer I can probably help point them in the right direction.

Tim in the hot tub in Gentry.

Kyle – Best advice is watch some tournament videos (Shameless plug: Kyle Long Fishing) and just familiarize yourself with everything that doesn’t have to do with actually the catching of the fish. Fishing is fishing. Kayak fishing is just fishing but from a kayak. Learning the rules, how to measure a fish, how to photo, TourneyX…that’s the part that every newcomer needs to get familiar with and practice. Also have a good organization system that fits what you do and what you like.

Jason – If you are new to tournaments overall or kayak tournaments, most importantly just go have a good time. Tournaments make you better, but they are supposed to be fun. You don’t have to win to meet personal goals. Don’t get frustrated if you lose a fish off the board or mess up a photo submission. We’ve ALL done it and it’s a part of the sport. Finally, ask questions of others – kayak anglers are friendly and willing to help out!

Do you have a personal goal for the season?

Billy – Personal goal for this season is to win an event. I feel I’ve been so close for a while now. Just looking forward to getting it done!

Tim – Just to fish all of the NSKA NWA Events. The last couple of years have been really difficult for me to fish and now that things are somewhat settling down I am really looking forward to fishing with everyone more. My stretch goal is to do well enough to finish in the Top 10 for AOY, but I know that will be incredibly difficult with the quality of anglers we have in this club.

Kyle – I’d love to break PB’s, love to win ’em all, love to make a ton of money…but I guess if I had to narrow it down, my goal is this…at the end of each tournament, I wanna feel like I have a chance to place/win with what I have in my bag regardless of what anyone else has. If I don’t then I don’t but I wanna know my bag has a legit shot when 3:00 hits. If someone else wins then hats off for beating me…but you had to earn it.

Jason – Really want to improve in a couple of type of events. I always stink early in the year, so want to do better in the pre-spawn timeframe. The MLF-style events have been disasters for me with a total of eight fish in two tournaments. Really am hoping to improve upon that one in particular!

Pre-Season NSKA NWA Top 25 Anglers

This list means nothing and is done just for fun! It really means nothing once it is lines in for the first tournament – the fish will do the talking then. Until then, thought it would be fun (and controversial) to list out a pre-season Top 25 for NSKA NWA.

This is NOT the Angler of the Year ranking and will not be a recurring list. Every year new anglers jump in and win events and do very well. For this list I took the 2020 regular season finish, Classic finish and State Tournament finish averages. Then I did a bit of nudging up and down in a few places to get the list right. It’s not perfect.

But as of today…this is the list.

RankAngler
1Dwain Batey
2Justin Brewer
3Ryan Paskiewicz
4Cole Sikes
5Roy Roberts
6Jason Kincy
7Kyle Long
8Tyler Zengerle
9Chris Needham
10Jeriamy Vann
11Devon Esry
12Michael Burgess
13James Shumate
14Jason Coleman
15Justin Phillips
16Jeff Malott
17Andrew Newsom
18Billy Bowden
19Josh Howard
20Craig Wood
21Danny Dutton
22Jon Swann
23Chad Warford
24Wayne Johnson
25Jason Cowell

Not on the list? Don’t worry, it’s not a real list and doesn’t matter when the first tournament starts! There are some anglers who didn’t fish much last year such as Tim Hotchkin, Bo Sarratt, Brandon Prince and Taylor Frizzell that easily could be in this list with a full season.

John and Hope Wofford are not on the list because they will be competing in NSKA Central this year (we’re going to miss you!). A few anglers such as Chris Needham, Andrew Newsom and Jason Coleman got bumped up because they couldn’t fish either the Classic or State but deserved to be ranked higher. Finally I just moved a few around based on gut feel.

Dwain deserves to be number one based on winning the State Championship, but honestly take the top five and you can put them in any order!

GLHF

It’s almost go-time! If you are a new kayak angler or an old-school yakker, hope to see you on the water and have some fun fishing with you this year. Tournaments aren’t everything, let’s get out and do some fun fishing as well! Good Luck, Have Fun!

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NSKA

NSKA NWA Beaver Town Recap

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

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

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

Beaver Town Results

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

Top Ten Finishers:

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

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

Beaver Town Angler Recaps

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

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

What was your overall strategy going into the Beavertown tournament?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Reviews

PJ’s Tackle Company – Quality Jigs and Tackle

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

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

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

PJ’s Tackle Company Lures

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

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

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

PJ’s Tackle Company Story

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

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

2018 NSKA Tournament Schedule Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking Forward To The Season

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

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Uncategorized

Spotlight: Expert Crankbait Tips, Choosing a Stand-Up Paddle, Jeff Malott Wins KBS on Table Rock, Installing LED Lights, AKA and WAKA Results

IMG_2927
Taking off on Beaver Lake the morning of the AKA NW Arkansas road-runner event.

This week’s spotlight features some great content and some exciting results involving some of my fellow Arkansas Kayak Anglers.

Dwain Batey is maybe the best crankbait kayak angler I know of and he’s put together a great article called Why You Can’t Catch Fish on a Squarebill Crankbait. Despite the title, Dwain does everything he can in this article to help you catch fish on a crankbait. He should know, he’s the owner of Bait Werks Custom Lure Painting and paints all of the lures for Skirmish Baits. If you like to fish crankbaits or want to improve, this is a good place to start.

Fellow Arkansas Kayak Angler Jeff Malott won a cool $3,000 this past weekend at the KBS Open on Table Rock Lake. Jeff is a great angler who works hard at his craft and deserved the win. Jeff caught eight bass and turned in a limit of 82″ inches on a post-front day. He is the tournament director for Arkansas Kayak Angler events, one of the founders of the Razoryak Tournament Trail and serves on many other kayak fishing related boards. It’s no surprise an AKA member won on Table Rock; clear and rocky water like that is home turf. Jeff is currently at the top spot in the AOY points for AKA and has a great season. Check out Jeff’s blog, Yakfish Arkansas.

If you are fortunate enough to have a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP), they are a lot of fun. Choosing the right paddle can make all the difference. Bending Branches has this great article about Choosing a Stand-Up Paddle that’s helpful and includes some graphics representing the height of the paddler to the paddle and the right angle at which to make a paddle stroke.

Kayakfishingblog.com has an updated layout and look if you haven’t seen it in a while. They posted a good article on Installing LED Fishing Lights that you might want to check out. My own article on Installing LED Lights On Your Kayak has been a popular one on this blog. Between these two articles you should be well on your way towards an install.

Western Arkansas Kayak Anglers and Arkansas Kayak Anglers have updated their respective Angler of the Year points rankings after their most recent events. In northwest Arkansas, the AOY standings are taking shape with only two events left. Jeff Malott, Dwain Batey, Jason Kincy (me), Decland McDonald and Tim Hotchkin are sitting in the top five spots, with the top three places separated by eight points. Overall, there are 108 anglers in the points race. For WAKA, Brandon Ward and Cody Skelton are in a tight race for first, with Tommy Mcguire, Christa Hibbs and Joe Feyen rounding out the top five. Having only fished two events this year for WAKA, I’m currently sitting at 21 out of 47 anglers.

Events

Kayak Bass Series 2016 Schedule

In 2016, the Kayak Bass Series circuit will compete in two divisions, North and South, and the dates and locations are set for events. The KBS is billed as the closest thing to the FLW for kayak bass fishing and the 2016 events should be the best yet. The North division consists of events at Dale Hollow Lake, Table Rock Lake, Burnsville Lake and Lake Erie. The South division will include St. John’s River, Ross Barnett Reservoir, Lake Fork Texas and Lake Hartwell. READ MORE about the 2016 KBS Event Schedule.