SAN ANTONIO, TX (September 29, 2026) – As the fall semester rolls along and the first cold fronts make their way slowly southward, the Association of Collegiate Anglers is gearing up for its second major event of the 2026-27 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open is set to take place at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 10-11, 2026. The no-entry-fee, nationally televised event will award well over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The close to $10,000 increase in payout from 2025 to 2026 is thanks in large part to AFTCO providing additional cash and prizes to this year’s payout.

In this article, we will highlight Lake Dardanelle, the playing field for this ACA major event.

For close to 10 years now, the ACA has contested the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle during the fall of the year. Located along the Arkansas River in central Arkansas, Lake Dardanelle boasts just over 34,000 acres of water. Spanning many miles from dam to dam, Lake Dardanelle is littered with many creeks and bayous up and down the river. The banks are littered with wood cover, lily pads, rocks, and different types of vegetation.

Leading up to the event, the central region of Arkansas is forecasted to receive some rain and undergo a decent cool down. In recent days, high temperatures in the Russellville area are climbing to the upper 80’s and low 90’s. At the end of this week, rain is projected to impact the area. That rain will also bring with it cooler temperatures. During tournament week, most daily highs are projected to be in the upper 70’s.

Being that Lake Dardanelle is a river fishery, significant rainfall at the end of this week could have an impact on the water levels and clarity. This, in turn, would also impact fishing. Fresh water moving into the Arkansas River would cause the fish to spread out and seek cleaner water.

In year’s past, finding stable, cleaner water has been the name of the game. When teams are able to find these types of areas, they can zero in on a pattern and get a lot of bites. When referencing cleaner water, we are talking about places that have clearer water, offering better visibility than the main river and surrounding creek arms. Slowing down with soft plastics in such scenarios will give anglers the ability to target specific cover and give them a better chance of placing their bait in front of a bass.

Vegetation is also a key player at Lake Dardanelle. Last year, the amount of vegetation found across the fishery had increased. It was also evident that the bass were located in the vegetation, as many boats were seen fishing around it. The vegetation provides cover for many baitfish and prey that bass would feed on. Working a topwater frog or punching a soft plastic bait are effective ways for anglers to target bass in vegetation.

Rock can also be found in abundance up and down this Arkansas River impoundment. This comes in the form of two types, riprap, and natural rock. Riprap can be found along the many highway and railroad bridges back in the creeks. Natural rocks are located along the main river channel and in the creeks. This includes bluff banks. Those bluff banks provide great transition areas as these bass move to feed up for the fall. Soft plastics and a variety of moving baits can get bites in these areas.

At the 2025 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open, the two-day total winning weight was 33.77 pounds. Six teams amassed a two-day total weight eclipsing the 30-pound mark. A national professional level tournament was also recently contested at Lake Dardanelle. The three-day winning weight for that tournament was just over 52 pounds. Look for the weights to continue to be strong this year. For anglers to target a Top 10 overall finish, they will likely need to average 15 pounds or better each day.