Lake Dardanelle; Russellville, Ark.

[Tone2129]

Lake Dardanelle; Russellville, Ark.
"Lake Dardanelle is the home of the inaugural Bassmaster Elite 50 series event and record crowds. This lake also produced impressive catches last year and it should be another exciting event this time around. Most of the lake is lined with shoreline grass which harbored pre- and post-spawn bass. Randy Howell won the event swimming a jig in that type grass."

this was in 2005, but still good knowledge. Drew, Ben, what does the lake look like from the topography map? Any areas you guys are going to target specifically?

Here is where I want you to talk about your techniques and strategies for attacking the lake.

[BadBass]

Already made a local contact via Arkansas Fishing forum.
Gave me his number and told me he was more than willing to help us out.

Also found out that the topo map arrived today, but its at my house so ill have to grab it tommorrow.

According to the guy i talked to the lake is going to be dirty. Looks like we'll be throwing bigger baits in shallow water. He listed off a few baits that he usually has success with that time of year. I will defintely be picking his brain!

[Tone2129]

what kind of baits? Jerk baits? or big swim baits?

[BadBass]

Mentioned the obvious stuff, Jigs, spinnerbaits and a stickbait. Can't remember what he called it.

Apparently most of the fishing this time of year is going to be in the shallow grass. I would guess we'll be fishing real shallow because its a stained lake.

[Mako]

Originally Posted by BadBass

Mentioned the obvious stuff, Jigs, spinnerbaits and a stickbait. Can't remember what he called it.

Apparently most of the fishing this time of year is going to be in the shallow grass. I would guess we'll be fishing real shallow because its a stained lake.

Stickbait in muddy water? Really? I'd almost use rat-l-traps instead. Find moving water too. But I don't know anything.

[Tone2129]

it depends on how "stained" the water is. But if your fishing in the shallow grass, throw that jig in the crap! I would suggest PB&J

[Woody_22_Bass]

Another bait I would suggest is a zoom super fluke or a berkley 10" power worm, both are awesome baits in and over grass. Woody

[BadBass]

Originally Posted by Woody_22_Bass

Another bait I would suggest is a zoom super fluke or a berkley 10" power worm, both are awesome baits in and over grass. Woody

He mentioned the fluke as well.

Also, from what my contact on the Arkansas forum said the lake is almost exclusively largemouth. I'm thinking thats a good thing for us.

He also said a 20 lb. bag per day is needed to win a tourney this time of year.

[Tone2129]

...then throw the 10 inch worms or Brush Hogs drew.

4/0 hook
1/2-5/8 oz weight to get the worm threw the thick grass and stuff.

Also use some zarra spooks or bigger top water baits right on the edge of the grass. Park the boat perpendicular and both of you jump up on the front deck and just cast down the weed line. Thats how my dad and I got 3rd on the Mississippi 2 years ago.

[BadBass]

Got our topo map in the mail today!!!

[thall]

Guys,

What are your limitations as to where you can fish? Can you fish any of the connected streams and lakes on the "chain" or only the main lake? Also, do you get a practice day or two?

[BadBass]

We will have 1 full practice day before the tournament starts.

As far as off limits goes... i'm not sure. There were none mentioned but i am assuming there will be guidelines set at the pre tournament meeting the night before the tournament.

[thall]

I spoke with a friend whose father likes about an hour north of dardanelle and he just got back from a visit. He said that they had a cold winter and the spawn is going to be a bit later than normal this year. I am not sure when your tourney is but I would probably think about targeting prespawn bass. As you know, target the first drop off on the edges of spawning areas: rat L traps, crankbaits, carolina rigs. That is what I would start with. Just a thought.

Also, it looks to me like a good place to hit up would be that small lake to the north. The topo map shows a creek that runs into the main lake in about the middle of the lake where interstate 40 almost touches lake dardenelle. This is when I would guess a large amount of spawning occurs due to the possibility of calmer water than the main lake, JMO.

Good luck.

[BadBass]

Originally Posted by thall

I spoke with a friend whose father likes about an hour north of dardanelle and he just got back from a visit. He said that they had a cold winter and the spawn is going to be a bit later than normal this year. I am not sure when your tourney is but I would probably think about targeting prespawn bass. As you know, target the first drop off on the edges of spawning areas: rat L traps, crankbaits, carolina rigs. That is what I would start with. Just a thought.

Also, it looks to me like a good place to hit up would be that small lake to the north. The topo map shows a creek that runs into the main lake in about the middle of the lake where interstate 40 almost touches lake dardenelle. This is when I would guess a large amount of spawning occurs due to the possibility of calmer water than the main lake, JMO.

Good luck.

Thanks Thall!

I noticed that lake as well on the topo map. Defintely something we are going to check out depending upon how far it is from the launch site. We are lauching from Dardanelle State Park, on the far east side of the lake, i believe.

[thall]

I also wanted to mention, don't forget about the SPINNERBAIT. I was down south last year for a week during the prespawn-spawn and my cousin and I absolutely killed them on it.

If you haven't read KVD's book, I would do it before I went down there. It helped me a ton, again IMO.

[Tone2129]

The reason KVD is so sucessful with a spinner bait is because he constantly is changing the way it swims. He stops it, burns it, jigs its just to make it look like a dead/dieing shad.

[thall]

Tone,

While that is definately true there are other things that he does better than anybody. He is extremely meticulous when preparing for a tourney and will go as far as to flat or deepen the blades to make them spin faster or slower, respectively. He puts a lot of thought into color and blade type in aspects I never thought of before.

[Tone2129]

hhhmmm I will have to read the book

[BadBass]

Ben and i will be living EARLY wednesday morning for this tourney. We're both awfully pysched!! We'll be picking up a 2006 TR-20x Triton bass boat with a 225 hp motor in Little Rock, AR.

Should be a great learning experience for both of us!

[Chad]

Have fun, guys!
Is there a way to track the tourney online?