Matt Arey Triumphs Again at Beaver Lake: Mastering the Unpredictable Waters
Beaver Lake: Arey’s Favorite, Not a Fluke
In Matt Arey’s bio, Beaver Lake stands out as his favorite lake in the country, a choice that has puzzled many in the fishing community. However, Arey’s preference for this Arkansas impoundment is no joke. The Quaker State pro once again proved his mastery over Beaver Lake by clinching his second consecutive Pro Tour title on these waters.
A Record-Breaking Final Day
Arey saved his best performance for the last day, bringing in the biggest limit of the tournament—a staggering 17 pounds, 13 ounces. This impressive haul gave him a nearly 6-pound lead over runner-up Tracy Adams, securing a four-day total of 55-06. Arey’s victory on such a challenging lake, known for its unpredictability, was nothing short of spectacular.
“It’s been an unreal week,” Arey reflected after pocketing the $125,000 prize. “Things happened today that never happen; it’s been a day I’ll never forget.”
Why Beaver Lake? The Challenge of Constant Change
For Arey, the allure of Beaver Lake lies in its constant evolution. Unlike other lakes, Beaver Lake never offers the same conditions twice, and that’s exactly why Arey loves it. He thrives on the diversity and the challenge of finding patterns that might only last a day or even just a few hours.
“No, it doesn’t have the biggest fish in the world, but it’s an awesome pattern lake with an incredible amount of diversity,” Arey explained. “You can’t fish this place on memories. Every year that I’ve done well here, it has been on a completely different lure.”
Over the years, Arey has demonstrated his knack for dialing in the lake’s ever-changing patterns, whether it’s using spinnerbaits in flooded conditions, crankbaits in low-water scenarios, or jerkbaits in prespawn. Last year, he won the event with a jig, further showcasing his adaptability.
The Winning Strategy: Swimbait and Wacky Rig Combo
Throughout the tournament, Arey relied on a one-two punch of a 5-inch hand-poured swimbait and a wacky-rigged Lunkerhunt Lunker Stick. He used the swimbait to cover water quickly in the stained river section of the lake, targeting laydown logs, docks, bushes, and windblown points. This approach allowed him to locate fish, which sometimes committed to the swimbait and other times revealed their presence by rushing towards it without biting.
When a fish missed the swimbait, Arey would deploy his Power-Pole, switch to the wacky rig, and catch the fish on the follow-up. This tactic was particularly effective for spawning fish guarding beds, while postspawn fish were more likely to eat the swimbait directly.
A Memorable Final-Day Flurry
Arey’s most significant catches on the final day came from a flat spawning bank peppered with boat docks. His kicker fish tracked the swimbait all the way to the boat before attacking it with just 3 feet of line left out, resulting in an exhilarating boat flip.
“I had literally run out of line,” Arey recalled. “I was just pulling the bait through the water with the rod alongside the boat when the fish inhaled it.”
The final day saw Arey catching several fish off docks with the swimbait, a classic postspawn tactic in the Carolinas.
Conclusion: Why Beaver Lake Is Special to Arey
Matt Arey’s success on Beaver Lake is a testament to his ability to adapt to its unique and constantly changing conditions. Whether it’s a swimbait, a wacky rig, or any other lure, Arey has mastered the art of reading Beaver Lake and using its diversity to his advantage.
“That’s exactly why I love this place,” Arey concluded. “It’s so conditional that you never know what to expect.”
FLW Is Now MLF
It’s important to note that what was once the FLW Tour is now part of Major League Fishing (MLF). The transition to MLF represents a new chapter in professional bass fishing, continuing the legacy of exciting, high-stakes competition on lakes like Beaver.
Top 10 Pros
1. Matt Arey – Shelby, N.C. – 55-06 – $125,000
2. Tracy Adams – Wilkesboro, N.C. – 49-12 – $30,000
3. Andy Morgan – Dayton, Tenn. – 48-10 – $25,000
4. Cody Meyer – Auburn, Calif. – 48-10 – $20,000
5. Bryan Thrift – Shelby, N.C. – 46-13 – $19,000
6. John Cox – DeBary, Fla. – 46-04 – $18,000
7. Peter Thliveros – Saint Augustine, Fla. – 44-08 – $17,000
8. Stetson Blaylock – Benton, Ark. – 44-04 – $16,000
9. Vic Vatalaro – Kent, Ohio – 43-11 – $15,000
10. Mike Surman – Boca Raton, Fla. – 43-07 – $14,000
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Major League Fishing – WE ARE Bass Fishing™
See more bass tournament news here
