Sondra Rankin's Blogspot
Beaver Lake, Arkansas Review
Sondra Rankin

Beaver Lake, Beaver Lake, Beaver Lake!

Beaver Lake, Beaver Lake, Beaver Lake..... I'm so disappointed in you, Beaver Lake!!!! Let me start by saying this. It was told to me once upon a sweet time, that a 12" spotted bass is the most stupid specie of fish there are when it comes to their time spent in the alien abduction well. They eat!! They just do!! They cannot resist the shaky head. They cannot resist the drop shot. They are without a doubt, lacking in intelligence when it comes to their reasoning.... "Is this bait alive? Or is this bait going to bite me back?" Ok, with that being said.... Why in the heck did the 12" spotted bass outsmart me?

I have never in my life seen Beaver Lake, shall I say, so turned off! I was more than excited to begin this event. I've always made a decent check while participating on this gorgeous lake and I've ALWAYS caught limit sacks. Friends, I weighed in 3lbs 6oz of fish in two days........that's three fish! My day one spot, the monster it was, topped the scale at a mega 15oz! I was trying for the smallest sack of the day, really!

Let me recap.

I've never fished Beaver where I started the day's event with 57 different rods rigged up in the boat. Ok, I'm exaggerating; however, I had every "go to" bait I owned tied on. (This is so not like me) I truly believed that I could go out on Day one, toss my little worm around and catch a limit. No, they did not like my little worm. Let me clarify.... these fish did not like hardly anything I threw at them!

I was so ecstatic to learn I would kick off the tournament with my pro partner, Anthony Gagliardi. Anthony is the reigning FLW Angler of the year and an absolutely PHENOMENAL angler! I knew God was with me, oh yes. :) I've fished with Gagliardi before and believe me; I was absolutely honored to share the boat with him again. He's such an amazing individual with a subtle disposition. He carries himself as a true pro. He isn't foul when times are tough, but yet is contained when he's peaked. Anthony is definitely a force to be reckoned with on the FLW Pro Circuit. Rock on, Gagliardi! Ok, where was I.... Oh yes, good start. Bad finish! Anthony only caught four keeper bass all day. I caught one. Let me tell you, I WORKED for that one!!! I did however learn of new bait that I was quite impressed with. It's called a magic Shad. I don't necessarily know who makes it or where you can get it....perhaps a little internet research might surface an answer. Gagliardi was more than kind to turn me on to this! Basically, it simulates a swim bait. I could cover a lot of water in back of the boat and the fish would EAT it!!! However, the fish I caught just weren't the right size. The trick to converting a bite to this bait however, was adding a treble hook to your off shank hook before you buried the "single" hook back in for no snags.

I found that these Arkansas fish were doing one of two things. They were striking via reaction bites (magic shad or fluke) or they were eating something with as little movement as possible. As simple as I can state, the only other way I could coerce a bite was by throwing 6lb Trilene Fluororcarbon with a drop shot rig. Literally, I was tossing out a GULP! three inch minnow and letting it sit. (There is NO OTHER DROP SHOT BAIT ON THIS PLANET, BETTER THAN GULP! GET YOU SOME!) This type of fishing has to be the most tedious, most horribly impatient of my nerves fishing I can even fathom, however, in crunch times, it works! I caught so many short fish, oh, and not to mention, hair shy of 15 inch largemouth, with this technique. Unfortunately, not many "ignorant" 12" spotted bass felt like playing during my tournament.

For those who don't know much about Beaver Lake, I'll tell you. Clear. Clear. Clear. I DO NOT LIKE CLEAR WATER FISHING! But, Beaver....it's beauty and amount of catch ready fish help to compensate the fact these fish are SPOOKED!. I had caught spots on a white fluke on this lake in the past, so of course, I had one rigged and ready to go. A super fluke, that is. On day one, Anthony converted a lot of small bites using this technique, as did I. Being as clear as the lake is, with your Solar Bat polarized sunglasses, you could literally see the fish swimming up to your bait, following it, then turning away. I could not understand WHY they weren't biting!!! So, the genius I am, I downsized to a baby fluke. I did get more "niblets", yet, no good conversions. Oh, but I continue to brainstorm as I'm on the water. The fish were coming up, chasing, but turning away. Did they see us? I then do something that shocks my partners, both days. (The following is co-angler strategy, I suggest you not try this at home in fear you may be ridiculed by your peers!) I wanted to keep my fluke further on the bottom. I wanted to achieve a strike without spooking the fish. I, the Carolina Queen myself, rig up and drag a white baby fluke on the bottom. I barely moved the rod, barely moved the bait, and let the disbursement in the water do the trick. All whopping three keepers I weighed in were caught on this technique. I call it.... "Sondra Pulled a Rabbit Out of Her Hat"!

Ok, a 12" spotted bass. The most "ignorant" of them all outsmarted us all on Beaver Lake, except for those very few who found a few surfacing and schooling. Of the 400 pros that weighed in, (or didn't weigh in at all), the weights were half that of last year. Very pathetic!

The beautiful Potomac River is our next event on the FLW Tournament Trail. I can't tell all of you how happy I'm going to be to set aside my 6lb test and my princess stick and pick up my meat and potatoes flippin' stick and hit the heavy grass!!!! I love working the tide on the Potomac!! To be in the heart of my country's capital fishing is unlike no other experience. I want to feel the bite and feel my rod bow up and KNOW I've got a monster. We've fished some very finicky lakes lately with some very tough bites that's held all of us anglers accountable.

June 14th through the 17th I will be able to see the National Monument while flying 70mph downstream. the view is simply breathtaking. To see the beautiful colonial homes aside the river with centuries of political residences is amazing. To be able to visit on my off days, once again, the White House, the Museums, the very thing that makes my country splendid, is an honor! I cherish the Potomac River events.. Now, bring on the bass, baby!

My guns are loaded, friends!! Thank you for listening while I completed my therapy session. As a woman on the trail things can get complicated, difficult, and lonely. I'm asking all my fans/friends right now to lift me up in these next few months. I need you all!

They say that which strikes us makes us stronger, that which confuses us makes us wiser, and that which hurts us makes us want to go out and kick some ass and take a few names the next time it comes around!!!! Wait, I just made that up!!!

Oh yes, my year is not over yet!

I love you, guys!!!!!!
Rock 'n Roll.
Sondra Rankin
sondrarankin.com