Story by Justin Brouillard
The National Professional Fishing League heads to the heart of Missouri for The Chompers/NPFL Stop 5 on Lake of the Ozarks presented by BaitWrx. The event takes place from October 23-25 and will be a key moment for anglers as they look to make a move in the Progressive Angler of the Year race on the iconic lake, just ahead of peak fall fishing. Originally planned as Stop #6, the tournament now fills the slot following the postponement of the St. Johns River event due to hurricane disruptions in Florida. The daily launch will be at Public Boat Ramp 2, with daily weigh-ins at the Pa He Tsi Boat Launch.
Lake of the Ozarks offers over 54,000 acres of water, lined with coves, docks, and diverse structures that can challenge even the most seasoned anglers. Known for its healthy population of largemouth bass, this October tournament will coincide with cooling water temperatures, which typically trigger the fall bite. Anglers should maximize their efforts in practice around changing conditions and focus on uncovering patterns that will produce bigger bites throughout the tournament.
Kevin Rogers
A local to Missouri, Kevin Rogers brings over 40 years of experience fishing Lake of the Ozarks, making him a strong contender for this event. Despite his history as a crappie angler and only focusing on tournament bass fishing for four years, his intimate knowledge of the lake gives him a unique edge going into the tournament.
“This lake has something for everyone—clear and dirty water, big fish everywhere in between, and there isn’t a technique out there that won’t catch fish on this lake,” says Rogers. “With that said, boat docks will be key—if you’re not a boat dock guy, you’re in trouble, period.”
Rogers emphasizes that due to the lake’s size, the water doesn’t turn over uniformly, so the bite can vary dramatically depending on which section of the lake anglers choose to fish. Figuring out where the fish bite each day could make or break an angler’s success. He anticipates the winning pattern will revolve around docks, where many of the lake’s bigger bass reside.
“The key is finding the best docks in the right section of the lake for each day,” he adds. “While forward-facing sonar (FFS) may play a role, among other things, I believe this tournament will be more of an ‘old-school grinding’ derby and centered around a boat dock type pattern. Everything is won here on docks—just look at Denny Brauer and the Hibdon family. They are experts at fishing boat docks and have a lot of history on the lake.”
Brock Bila
Another local angler, Brock Bila, a young gun on the NPFL circuit, is equally excited about the event. With a rich history of competing on Lake of the Ozarks and plenty of success during his college years, Bila has extensive experience on the waters he calls home.
“I’ve fished here a lot and done well, specifically in some of the fall college events and BFL Regionals,” said Bila. “There’s a fine line between September and October events, and we’re right at that switch where the fishing should get pretty good. Recent cold fronts may play a role in turning the bite on just as the event kicks off next week.”
Bila describes the lake as both huge and daunting, but for newcomers, breaking it and getting bites won’t be difficult. Like Rogers, he agrees that between the docks, points, and brush piles, catching keepers won’t be the issue, but getting the key 3-pound and bigger bites will separate the top anglers.
“Expect a variety of techniques to be in play for this derby— of course docks, but anything from jerkbaits and crankbaits on the banks to jigs in brush piles and even topwaters like ploppers and buzzbaits, should play” he added. “One of the biggest decisions anglers have to make is whether to turn left or right, coming out from the ramp.”
To the left, the end that Bila notes holds the biggest population of fish, gets more fishing pressure, while the right, which gets less pressure and still has quality fish but is harder to fish for multiple days. The lake’s sheer size and varying conditions make it challenging for multi-day events.
“It’s going to be a fun event trying to figure out where to go, how to practice, and what types of things will produce the biggest bites this week,” concluded Bila. “I am super excited to get it kicked off.”
How to Watch
Tune in daily from October 23 through 25 to watch the action from Lake of the Ozarks. Follow along and watch the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog and photo galleries throughout the event.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast or check out the real-time, unofficial leaderboard on the Weigh Live Tracker with estimated weights entered by the anglers on the water, and join us for the LIVE Weigh-ins!
And be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
The Chompers/NPFL Stop 5 on Lake of the Ozarks presented by BaitWrx is hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association.
