MOUNT IDA, Ark. — The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Arkie Division will kick off its 2025 campaign Feb. 22 at Lake Ouachita. The season-opener could be arriving at the perfect time. Rising water levels and temperatures should have some Ouachita bass moving shallow, which would allow the field to show off everything the diverse fishery has to offer.
New for 2025, the BFLs will feature an expanded slate of Regional events, which will give anglers more chances to qualify for the BFL All-American and further minimize travel costs. This expansion ensures that grassroots anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the All-American.
What to expect
Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Mark Davis has been regularly fishing Ouachita for longer than just about anyone. Between the abundance of grass in the lake and the recent weather, he’s bullish on the potential for a season-opening shootout.
Davis noted that, after an unseasonably cold snap, the lake’s water temperature has been steadily climbing over the past week or so. Add in a warm rain that raised the lake level about 4 feet, and bass should be starting to travel toward the banks.
“I would think with the warm weather that we’re having now – and even though we’ve got some colder weather coming next week – I think they’ll be moving up,” Davis said. “The lake came up about 4 feet, and it’s got color. I think with all that going on, I think there will be some fish moving shallow.”
If the warming trend continues, Davis thinks the event could be won just about anywhere on the 66,000-acre fishery. Not only will the shallower river arms play a bigger role as more bass move shallow, but Davis said the lake has more healthy vegetation than he’s seen in a long time.
“We’ve got the most grass that we’ve had right now in the lake probably the last 20 years or so,” Davis said. “That’s a big deal. Now, this grass can tend to die this time of year, and I’ve not looked to see what this high water has done. The lake is falling again now. If that grass can survive this rising water, I think we’ll have some good grass for the guys, too.”
Tactics will depend on where anglers choose to fish. On the deeper, clearer lower end of the lake, Alabama rigs, jerkbaits and (of course) jighead minnows should be popular options. As anglers move toward the banks, expect to see more crankbaits (both lipless and billed), bladed jigs and the like.
While the lower end has historically produced more success at this time of year, Davis noted that a Bassmaster Open was won on the upper end using crankbaits last February. He thinks the conditions will ultimately determine which approach prevails. If temperatures plunge again, fishing in 20-plus feet of water will likely be the ticket. If the warming trend continues, it could be won anywhere – and he predicted it might take a limit in the low-20s to get the job done, which would be high by Ouachita standards.
“Typically, the lower half of the lake, between the deep timber and the grass, generally produces the winning stringers,” Davis said. “But occasionally – and which was the case last year, when they had a BASS Open here – it was won on the upper portion of the lake. So, the whole lake can be good, but I would say most of the time in February, the lower half will determine who wins.”