5 to Watch at Beaver Lake
Last-minute Fantasy Fishing advice from FLW’s senior editor
For the third stop of the 2016 season, the Walmart FLW Tour makes it annual trek to northwest Arkansas and the very scenic Beaver Lake for an event presented by Jack Link’s.
For most anglers Beaver Lake conjures up thoughts of light line, clear water and abundant populations of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. This time, however, Beaver is a whole new animal, as torrential rains during the winter have left nearly three-quarters of the lake highly stained.
Quaker State pro Matt Arey has dominated Beaver Lake over the last two years with back-to-back wins. In 2014 he won it fishing a jig in stained water up the White River, and in 2015 he did some sight-fishing but relied heavily on a swimbait bite. The major factor in both wins was the same: Target largemouths. Still, other anglers in the top 10 at each of those tournaments caught smallmouths in the ultra-clear lower end and spotted bass more or less throughout the lake.
This week it seems as though largemouths will play an even bigger role throughout the tournament since the stained water should allow many anglers to dial in on chunk largies that normally would be too skittish in the clearer water. We should also see the largemouth focus reflected in the weights. Many pros believe this could be the best Beaver Lake tournament yet.
Like the Tour competitors, FLW Fantasy Fishing players have a shot at cashing in on some great prizes this week too. At each Tour event – six regular-season tournaments and the Forrest Wood Cup – more than $7,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the top 50 Fantasy Fishing players. There will even be cash prizes awarded to the top 10 teams at the end of the season based on cumulative point totals, including a $10,000 top prize.
To help you finalize your Fantasy Fishing team for the Beaver Lake event, which starts Thursday, here are five pros to consider.
Head on over to FantasyFishing.com to finalize your team now.
1. Matt Arey
At this point nobody is more in tune with Beaver Lake than the Quaker State pro. He proved his Beaver Lake skills not only by winning back-to-back titles, but by fishing two entirely different ways in the process. Arey knows how to read this lake and interpret it better than most, which is probably why he has always said that this White River impoundment is his favorite lake to fish. Beaver has long been known as a pattern lake, and that suits Arey’s style. The dirtier water should open up more of the lake for him to explore, and that is bad news for the rest of the field. Arey has also been on fire recently with a top 20 on Lake Hartwell a month ago and a top 10 in the Costa FLW Series event on Grand last week. He’s fishing relaxed and having fun – a pretty stellar combination for the reigning champ who is hunting for a hat trick.
Fantasy Verdict: If you want the best, it’ll cost you, and that’s OK. Arey’s Fantasy Fishing salary is $38. He’s proved over the years that he is worth the investment on this pond.
2. Larry Nixon
The General has been on a nonstop tear over the last five Tour events – including the Forrest Wood Cup – where he has banked four top-10 finishes. Nixon boasts numerous top-30 finishes on Beaver throughout the years, and his last three stops here have resulted in finishes of 22nd, 25th and 15th. The Arkansas native is a master with a worm and a swimbait – two baits that are proven fish-catchers on Beaver. Nixon is a true legend in the sport, and this savvy veteran shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Fantasy Verdict: At the rate Nixon has been fishing his price of $29 seems like a steal of a deal.
3. Jeff Sprague
Now in his third year as a pro, the Keystone Light angler has a track record of consistent performances. So far, 2016 has been his best start. The young Texan locked down back-to-back top 20s in the first two events and appears to be fishing with confidence. While Beaver hasn’t been the nicest to him in recent years, this time it is setting up to be right in his wheelhouse. Sprague worked his way to a 13th-place finish on Hartwell last month by running up the river and fishing shallow, dirty water and bushes. That sounds a lot like Beaver Lake fishing right now. Sprague will finally get a chance to tackle Beaver Lake the way he wants to, and it should pay off to keep his hat in the Angler of the Year race.
Fantasy Verdict: Sprague could be one of the best bargains in this tournament at a mere $19. This for a guy who currently sits fourth in the AOY race. Picking him seems like a no-brainer.
4. Scott Martin
You’d be crazy to not consider the reigning AOY champ when he is well on his way to chasing down his second title in eighth place in the standings. With two strong finishes better than 25th place under his belt already in 2016, Martin is prepped to roll to a venue that traditionally treats him well. One of the biggest strengths for Martin is his versatility. Whether it’s dirty water or clean, largemouths or spots, Martin has no trouble dialing them in over the course of practice. The new face that Beaver Lake is showing might throw many anglers a curveball that they’ll swing at and miss, but it should play to Martin’s advantage. He has seen the lake like this before and might have a few tricks up his sleeve for this event.
Fantasy Verdict: Martin rings in at $33, which is a fair price for someone who has been so consistent over the last year.
5. Jeff Gustafson
After four years on Tour, Gussy seems to finally have his feet under him as he is off to the best start of his career. He currently holds down the sixth-place spot in the AOY race thanks to a 34th-place finish on Okeechobee and fourth on Hartwell. Traditionally, Gussy has found success on Beaver due to its clear water and variety of species to target. This will be the first time the Canadian pro will fish Beaver when it’s muddy, yet he should still be able to dial in on big prespawn fish. Like Arey, Gussy seems to be having fun and fishing relaxed this season, and it shows in his finishes. And don’t forget that Gussy is a smallmouth expert. He just might figure out the lake’s smallmouth population that traditionally resides on the lower end of the lake – one of the cleaner portions of water at this point.
Fantasy Verdict: While $26 might be a hair over the top for Gussy, he has shown his best abilities so far this season. He fishes well during the prespawn, and that is why he’d make a great addition to your team.