Lake Dardanelle Top 5 Patterns Day 2
Top pros spread far and wide across Lake Dardanelle
Slowing down and fishing more methodically helped Todd Castledine retain the top spot at the Costa FLW Series Central Division event presented by Mercury on Lake Dardanelle. The Texas pro leads with a two-day total of 38 pounds, 1 ounce.
Read about Castledine’s leading pattern here.
Learn more about the rest of the top pros below.
2. Zach King – Clarksville, Ark. – 33-12 (10)
Zach King knew what he needed to do on day two, but he also knew he needed to protect what he had. Successfully executing that plan enabled him to make a big move up from 17th place to second with a two-day total of 32 pounds, 12 ounces.
“I made a run up the Arkansas River today,” King says. “I knew that’s where I needed to be today. There’s not a whole bunch of pressure up there like there is down here [at the lower end].
“I caught quite a few up there. I caught them all day. I had a limit by 9 o’clock, and then I’d just cull one here and one there.”
To make sure he saved enough quality for day three, King took it easy on his spots.
“I went to a bank where I knew I could catch multiple fish, and then I’d target one stump in one creek, catch one and then go to another creek and catch one on another stump,” he says. “That’s what I did all day.”
Despite muddy conditions and limited visibility, King targeted spawning fish by casting Texas-rigged Yamamoto Senkos and lizards around likely areas. Wood in about a foot of water was most productive for him.
“I was fishing them really slow, just barely dragging them,” King says. “Once you get a bite, it’s a good one.
3. Greg Jones – Wentzville, Mo. – 33-10 (10)
Sitting just 2 ounces behind King, Missouri’s Greg Jones says he had to scrap the pattern he developed on day one, but replaced it with another productive plan. Sacking up 14 pounds, 9 ounces, he slipped a notch to third with a two-day total of 33-10.
“I had to start completely over because the boat traffic was all over my day-one area,” Jones says. “I kinda winged it. I changed baits this morning, figured out a little something and went with it.”
Jones wouldn’t reveal much about his day-two pattern, other than to say that he’s fishing fast. He would’ve liked to have fished faster, but falling water and lower temperatures dampened the fish’s aggression.
“They were finicky,” Jones says. “I set the hook and missed several times. I was getting good hookups yesterday, but today I had to make ’em eat. I just had to hold on until they ran off with it.”
Jones stayed within 15 miles of the takeoff site. He says his area held both prespawn and postspawn fish.
4. Daniel Kweekul – Bryant, Ark. – 33-1 (10)
On day one, Daniel Kweekul spent a lot of effort making multiple casts at promising targets with the overarching goal of determining which angle the fish preferred. Armed with this understanding, the Bryant, Ark., pro added 16 pounds, 10 ounces to the 16-7 he weighed yesterday and gained a notch to place fourth with 33-1.
“From yesterday, I figured out what to do, and today I knew what angle to cast,” he says. “I caught more fish today.
“The current was the key,” Kweekul continues. “Even if the wind is blowing a different direction, you want your bait coming with the current.”
Kweekul used reaction-style baits to locate fish, and if they only boiled and missed, he followed up with a Texas-rigged soft plastic. The latter produced most of his fish.
5. Christopher Jones – Bokoshe, Okla. – 32-1 (10)
Two doors closed, one opened and that’s essentially how Christopher Jones ascended from 30th place to fifth. Adding 18 pounds, 12 ounces to his day-one weight of 13-5 gave him a total of 32-1.
“I’ve been going into a couple of small holes, but with the water dropping and the way the wind was blowing, I couldn’t get in either one today,” he explains. “In 2012, I fished another hole, but I hadn’t been back there since. I decided to go there today and caught all my fish there.
“I left them biting, so I’m hoping they’ll be there tomorrow,” Jones continues. “I’m hoping the water comes back up so I can get in all three spots and have a chance to win tomorrow.”
Fishing clear water, Jones caught his fish on moving baits.
Tournament Details
Format: All 190 boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.
Takeoff Time: 7 a.m.
Takeoff Location: Lake Dardanelle State Park, 2428 Marina Road, Russellville, AR 72801
Weigh-In Time: Days 1 and 2 at 3 p.m.; Day 3 at 4 p.m.
Weigh-In Location: Days 1 and 2 at Lake Dardanelle State Park; Day 3 at Walmart, 2409 E. Main St., Russellville, AR 72802
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