Bashful Bull Shoals
Central Division season commences under sunny skies
BULL SHOALS, Ark. – The last time FLW Outdoors visited the northern Arkansas impoundment of Bull Shoals, the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour was kicking off their 2005 season. This time around, Stren Series Central Division bass anglers will try their luck in the deep, clear waters Bull Shoals Lake has to offer. But much like the walleye event, the fishing at the season-opening bass tournament promises to be anything but easy.
After a week of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain, the bass are in a state of transition. While warm sunshine returned early in the week, don’t expect a massive flock to the bank. The fish are suspended and they’re also shy. Bites are both light and scarce, so Stren competitors must exercise a tremendous amount of focus with each cast. Simply put, this will not be a slugfest won with spawning bass.
A better comparison would be the recent Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Lake Travis, where many anglers used light line and small jigs in deep water. Classic prespawn baits such as jerkbaits and crankbaits will also prove popular. Another tactic could be the Float ‘N Fly that pro Ott Defoe 
successfully parlayed into a top-10 finish on Travis. There, his rig consisted of a bobber about 12 feet above a tiny 1/16-ounce jighead. The idea is to continually bob and dangle the jig right in the faces of suspended bass. While Defoe used a 9-foot rod, expect a few local anglers to employ a full-length fly rod.
At Travis, an 11-pound limit was enough to pose a serious threat. The difference here is that smallmouth bass will be in play. A 3- or 4-pound smallmouth mixed with a bag of 2-pound largemouths and spotted bass will shoot an angler up the leaderboard.
Castrol pro Carl Svebek III went three full days in practice without a single bite. After chasing suspending fish for the better part of those three days, Svebek switched up, reasoning that the suspending fish may be impossible to catch. On the fourth day, the Siloam Springs, Ark., native finally put something together.
“We’re looking for more aggressive fish that are moving up into warmer water,” he said.
Tournament logistics
Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a $40,000 519VX Ranger powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and equipped with a Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and EverStart batteries if contingency guidelines are met. Ranger will award another $3,000 to the winner if he or she is a participant in the Ranger Cup program. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $1,500 to the highest-finishing participant in the contingency program. Yamaha will match 50 percent of Ranger Cup earnings if “Powered by Yamaha” guidelines are met.
Co-anglers will cast for a top award of $5,000 plus a $30,000 Ranger boat and trailer if contingency guidelines are met.
Anglers will take off from Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock located at Eastwold Cove in Bull Shoals, Ark., at 7 Central time each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 168 Walmart Drive in Flippin, Ark., beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
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.
Wednesday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:42 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 45 degrees
Expected high temperature: 66 degrees
Water temperature: 42 to 48 degrees
Wind: SSE at 17 mph
Maximum humidity: 60 percent
Day’s outlook: windy with increasing cloud cover