Patterns begin to emerge at Dardanelle

‘Shallow, but offshore’ and ‘pretty much offshore’ describe hot bite

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – One cool thing about having some of the best bass pros in the world come to your home lake is watching how they dissect it, fish it and put a winning pattern together.

Bass-fishing enthusiasts who live around Lake Dardanelle are getting just such a fishing show this week while the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern event is in town.

This afternoon, the top-10 cut will be made in the Pro Division, and with most of the field eliminated, pros will be more willing to reveal the details of their fish-catching patterns.

But already a few common denominators are beginning to emerge.

For one, most of the better fishing seems to be coming from Dardanelle’s lower end, in bays where the water is more stable.

Several top pros have stated they are fishing both shallow and deep – at the same time.

“I’m fishing up near the bank, but pretty much offshore, if that makes any sense,” laughed Larry Nixon, currently in third. “I’m not fishing the grass itself, I’m fishing what’s under the water, just out from the grass. If I was fishing the grass, my boat would be right on top of the fish I’m catching.

Similarly, leader Shin Fukae says he is fishing the bank, but out in 3 to 10 feet of water.

Chevy pro David Fritts described his best water as “pretty doggone shallow, not on the bank but offshore, just off the grass, where it’s still pretty shallow, maybe 4 to 5 feet.”

Though Fritts is mostly using a shallow-cranking plug, he said he has caught his best fish on a Zoom Fluke fished on those offshore spots.

Second-place pro Al Fisher noted his best places are “shallow, but offshore” as well.

With more sunshine and warmer temperatures today, these anglers fishing “shallow, but offshore” are hoping their patterns will get stronger.

The day-three weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. Central time at Lake Dardanelle State Park.

On the Web

For those who can’t catch the weigh-in action in person, FLWOutdoors.com offers FLW Live, an online application that brings fans real-time weigh-in results, streaming video and audio.

Friday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:12 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 63 degrees

Expected high temperature: 82 degrees

Water temperature: 70-73 degrees

Forecasted winds: light and variable

Day’s outlook: 40-percent chance of thunderstorms