Smith Takes Co-Angler Title At Dardanelle

The first time was the best time for Jeffery Smith, as his debut tournament on Lake Dardanelle saw him posting a three-day total of 28 pounds, 15 ounces to notch his first Rayovac FLW Series victory.

“I’d never fished this lake until this week, so I researched in on the Internet,” he says. “I decided to bring all my stuff and treat it like a big farm pond.”

Paired with Alabama pro Barry Wilson (fourth place) in the final round of the Central Division event, Smith fished jetties and 45-degree chunk rock banks. He caught one of his keepers on a Texas-rigged green pumpkin Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and the others on a shaky head with a Junebug Zoom paddle tail finesse worm.

A staff sergeant stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Mo., the Iraq war veteran says his 14 1/2 years of military experience has taught him the value of poise — a trait that served him well on Dardanelle.

“More than anything, it has taught me how to keep my composure,” Smith says. “Like yesterday, I only weighed one fish for 1-11 and I dropped from second to sixth.

“It was tough on me. I had to go back (to my room) and do my own thing away from everybody and regroup. Definitely, staying in good (mental) shape here goes a long, long way.”

The rest of the top-10 co-anglers:

2. Sawyer Grace — Russellville, Ark. — 26-1

3. Mark Heidt — Versailles, Ind. — 24-11

4. Dustin Roberts — Clarksville, Ark. — 24-9

5. Brian Pierce — Colorado Springs, Co. — 22-12

6. Derek Rowsey, Ada, Ok. — 21-7

7. James Ingram — Quitman, Ark. — 19-3

8. Rick Krassinger — House Springs, Mo. — 18-11

9. Kirk Sims — Lowell, Ark. — 17-9

10. Ryan Lejeune — Eunice, La. — 17-4