Beaver Lake bounty or bust
FLW Tour pros keep searching for elusive big-bass bite in bid to survive Friday’s top-10 cut at prestigious Walmart Open
ROGERS, Ark. – As the full field of Walmart Open competitors departed Prairie Creek Marina shortly after 6:30 a.m., anglers were all too aware of what’s at stake during today’s competition. With a fickle bite, constantly changing conditions and a tightly packed leaderboard serving as a backdrop for the second day of FLW tournament action, anglers need to solve the Beaver Lake puzzle in a hurry if they are to harbor any thoughts at all of punching their ticket to the finals.
However, it won’t be easy. With water levels on Beaver Lake are up approximately 6 feet higher than normal, the available fishing acreage has multiplied significantly – which also means that fish have much more room to roam. Throw in the fact that stormy and unstable conditions have been plaguing the northwest Arkansas area since April 27 and it’s not surprising that anglers are having a difficult time finding any consistent fishing patterns.
“With the water levels being so high, it’s kind of like practice fishing every day here,” said FLW Tour pro Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla. “Depending on which way the wind blows and whether you can see the bottom or not really determines how you’re going to have to fish.”
As such, the prevailing fishing techniques at this year’s event are all over the map.
“On Beaver Lake you can fish down to 20 feet with a drop-shot or throw top-waters along the banks,” said Kreiger. “You can definitely try to fish a lot of different ways this week. But with the conditions changing so much, you pretty much have to use two to three different techniques throughout each day to be successful.”
With a tightly packed leaderboard – the difference between seventh and 90th place is all of 4 pounds – Kreiger argues that there are a smattering of big fish that could be huge difference makers in this tournament.
“If you get lucky enough to catch two good fish, two 4-pounders, you can make up a lot of ground in no time at all,” said Kreiger. “Right now I’m in 101st place and I still have a realistic chance (at qualifying for the finals). But if we’re at Lake Champlain right now, I’d already be done.”
Currently, Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., leads all pro competitors with 13 pounds. Meanwhile, Kevin Hawk of Ramona, Calif., tops the co-angler leaderboard with a total catch of 10 pounds.
Tournament format
During the Walmart Open, the full field will compete for two straight days in a bid to land one of 10 slots in Saturday’s competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are then cleared for all anglers on day three. On Saturday, the co-angler competition concludes while the top-10 pros continue competition into Sunday, where the tournament champion will be determined by the angler who records the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
The total purse for the Walmart Open event at Beaver Lake is more than $1.1 million, including $10,000 through 50th place in the Pro Division.
Bass-fishing fans take note
During FLW Tour competition on Beaver Lake this week, anglers will take off from Prairie Creek Marina, located at 1 Prairie Creek Marina Drive in Rogers, Ark., at 6:30 each morning. For the first two days of tourney action, weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Final round weigh-ins on Saturday and Sunday will be held at the John Q. Hammons Center located at 3303 Pinnacle Hills Parkway in Rogers beginning at 4 p.m.
In conjunction with the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, FLW Outdoors will host a free Family Fun Zone and outdoor show at the John Q. Hammons Center from noon to 4 p.m. each day. The Family Fun Zone offers fans a chance to meet their Fantasy Fishing team anglers face-to-face and review the latest products from Berkley, Lowrance, Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha and other sponsors while children are treated to giveaways, fishing-themed games and rides like the Ranger Boat simulator. Children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone on Sunday will receive a free rod and reel combo while supplies last. One lucky member of the audience will also walk away with a new Ranger boat during the final 4 p.m. weigh-in Sunday, May 17.
Admission and all activities are free and open to the public.
Virtual weigh-in only a click away
Want to watch the weigh in live but can’t make it in person? Then tune into FLW Live on FLWOutdoors.com shortly before 3 p.m. Central time to watch live streaming video and audio of Friday’s opening-round weigh in.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 6:10 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 64 degrees
Expected high temperature: 84 degrees
Water temperature: 67-71 degrees
Wind: From the south at 10-20 mph
Maximum humidity: 68 percent
Day’s outlook: Partly sunny