Pros in the 42nd Bassmaster Classic used a wide array of baits and techniques. Winner Chris Lane used a Gambler Ugly Otter creature bait, while Aaron Martens finessed with a drop shot and Ott DeFoe used a classic Rapala Shad Rap crankbait. However, soft plastics dominated. Here are the top baits used by Classic competitors, as well as a few others.
Chris Lane Texas rigged a Gambler Ugly Otter and worked it through scattered weeds in shallow water. He also used a Luck “E” Strike G4 tube.
Greg Vinson (2nd) targeted bass in lily pad stems with a 5/16-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait. He also used a NetBait Salt Lick, a soft stickbait.
Keith Poche (3rd) used one of two stickbaits: a Gary Yamamoto Senko with a spinner crammed in the rear (shown) or a NetBait Salt Lick.
Alton Jones (4th) used a Yum Vibra King tube and a Yum Dinger.
Ott DeFoe (5th) used three baits during the Classic. He threw a custom-painted Shad Rap when the wind blew…
...a Rapala X-Rap when it was calm...
...and a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss when he flipped into vegetation. Note the teeth marks on this one; it’s one that actually caught fish in the Classic for him.
Tim Horton (6th) caught every fish he weighed except for a couple on a black and brown Booyah spinnerbait.
Horton used Duckett Fishing Micro Magic rods and Lew’s reels all week.
Dustin Wilks (7th) caught most of his fish on a crankbait that a friend made. He used Daiwa Steez rods and reels.
Wilks was protective of the bait’s bill angle as well as other details. He would only divulge that it was a shallow-runner, and that only six exist.
Bill Lowen (10th) used a trio of baits in the Classic, including this Tight Lines UV Tackle Tube.
Lowen also threw a Lake Fork Trophy Lures Ring Fry...
...and an Ima Square Bill squarebill crankbait that he designed.
Aaron Martens (12th) was one of few anglers who used spinning gear in this event. He used Megabass rods and reels.
A Roboworm was his go-to lure fished on a drop shot rig.
