Sat 11/5 = Linn Creek area - Big Bass 250 Kayak tournament

[Bassin4fun]

So Saturday was the inaugural Big Bass 250 sponsored by Eco Fishing Shop in Camdenton. The entry was $250 and limited to the first 250 anglers to register. We ended up with 96 anglers from all over...at least half a  dozen states were represented by kayak anglers in the event. This was a roadrunner start with first launch at 7am and lines in at 730am. Lines out was 330pm and your photos for catches had to be submitted by 5pm. A third-party judge reviewed photos and winners would be polygraphed.  Eco Fishing guaranteed $10k to the biggest bass in the event. They were paying out the top ten anglers based on total inchesbof your best five black bass submissions. The weather was treach to say the least. High winds of 15-20mph blew consistently out of the SW. Gusts were 30-40mph and there was intermittent rain as well as windchill in the 30's. It was Grey and overcast until noon. Myself and four other anglers launched out of Linn Creek access. This was a great location...Creek had water running through it so there was current in this arm and there were baitfish galore. The arm was protected on one side of it and the wind was bad but not so much you couldn't run the pattern I had decided to run. I was power fishing. 1.5 squarebill (chartreuse and black) and a War Eagle double willow (gold and silver blades) in chartreuse with a double tail grun trailer were my two baits. I also threw a Savage glide bait some and a football jig....both in areas that were not as impacted by wind and I could fish slower. I caught everything on the squarebill and spinnerbait. I focused on the bank along the Creek channel and also worked the docks in this area. The banks that produced the most fish were those with chunky rock...2-6 ft of water seemed to be the strike zone. I ran that squarebill out in front of docks and on the sides and backs. I caught mostly 13-15" spots off the docks but a few largemouth including the 19" one that was my largest catch of the day. All in all I caught 12-16 bass as I did not photograph anything that didn't cull. Lots of dinks. Water temp was 59-61F in this area. Threadfin shad were on the surface early in the AM at the back of the arm. I ended up with 79.25 inches for my best five fish which was good enough for 8th place. Another angler who launched in this same area took 3rd place. He fished basically the same types of area but primarily spinnerbait and flipped a jig. He had spotlock in a 136 Autopilot kayak by Old Town if I am not mistaken. I have a Perception Outlaw 11.5 with a stern mounted trolling motor and foot steering installed...no spotlock. It was a lot of fun. After noon, the sun came out and for me the bite seemed to slow down...A LOT.  I did run out to the main lake and didn't fish that much as I didn't get any bites with 30-40 min and the water was really rough with that wind. I had the wind at my back heading east once I got out of the creek arm. Going back it was at my face and the waves were about 2 foot with white caps and spaced so that they kept crashing over my bow. Thankfully those scupper holes work as intended! Four people flipped their yaks and others steppes in to help them.  Not sure where that occurred but wasn't in our area. I always check weather forecast and use windy.com to plan where I am launching and fishing the night before and again in the morning. It was a great event and I am looking forward to future events by this group. They have an awesome little shop for fishing kayaks and gear there in Camdenton too. Here is a link to the leaderboard from the event: https://tourneyx.com/leaderboard/standings/2022-big-bass-250-lake-of-the-ozarks

[conorsixtakc]

I drove down from KC to handle some family business that Friday evening. Woke up early the next morning to take our kayak out and opted for the bank instead due to the ripping wind and rollers. I can’t believe they let y’all launch in that. Dangerous stuff. Can confirm it was a bad morning to be a flipping jig tho!

 

[Quillback]

Nice finish in the tourney.  You can certainly fish that square bill.  I don't think I could catch one on a square bill right now even if my life depended on it.

[Bassin4fun]

We have a kayak tourney on LOZ this Saturday. My kayak dry suit arrives Thursday. So I will finally have that in addition to my PFD and dry bag with change of clothes and change of outerwear. I am going to try and get out today to prefish for it. Won't be throwing the squarebill...but will have some other crankbait options along with some other cold water baits.

Wind is supposed to be out of the south on Saturday (9mph with higher gusts). The area where I will launch from should be protected and the stretch of shore I will be fishing will be protected. So wind won't be as much of a factor. I am fishing southern shore line that runs east to west...so impact of wind on me and the water I will be fishing will be minimal. Hopefully, everyone else is doing their research on where to launch and fish. I wouldn't be surprised to see everyone launch and fish where I will be. 😁