Lake Ouachita BWS

I'll be headed back to Lake Ouchita, AR around the 2nd of March for another Bassmaster weekend Series tournament. I was there twice last year and had a good event last fall taking 3rd place and receiving a paycheck. I'm more familiar with how the lake fishes and have at least knowledge of one more good area to fish. The weather should be nice and mild with temps back on the rise again...unfortunately they have gas prices rising to, up .38 just in the last 10 days and now I'm having to spend and an extra .20 gal for no ethanol so that has it already pushing $3.60-$3.70. Fuel prices and entry fees are my biggest obstacles for fishing more now, it's costing me anywhere from $100-$500 to get out on the water. At these prices it costs $200 to fill the boat and $100+ for the truck. I am needing to get out today and start working on my boat trailer lights, I can't afford a ticket from the highway patrol, I think I have a problem with the connector on the bumper?

I've been busy making lures for the past month and have put together quite a collection of custom baits. Everything from 8" hard jointed swimbaits posted in my previous blog to crankbaits, lipless and topwater prop baits even a couple Alabama rigs.

Speaking of Alabama rigs they have been winning tournaments and practically everyone receiving paychecks has been throwing it. So, as much as I'd like to catch bass on Ouachita with a number of other lures I'm going to have to throw the A-rig a lot...it catches big bass and that's what you need to win tournaments. The water temp should be about 50* so we're talking jerkbaits, square bills, lipless I think topwater pop r's should work also. I have a new field mouse that looking amazing in the water so besides the a-rig, jerkbaits and lipless shad I would like to give that new bait a try for some big mama's.

I'll update the blog after the tournament and share trails or whatever else I learn from the tournament. I'll be back there again in September for the 2day Division Championship, that is what I placed 3rd in last fall to qualify for Regionals, it will be the same deal this year. I'd like to make nationals so I can fish Sam Rayburn, TX. I have more time and miles on that body of water than any other lake.