Top baits from the Kentucky Lake High School National Championship

Teams from the High School National Championship share their successful baits from the tournament.

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The Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by TNT Fireworks was hosted on Kentucky Lake in late July, but that didn't mean ledge fishing would reign supreme. On the contrary, shallow fishing proved to be the best. Here are the best baits of the week starting with the champions from the Livingston Parish Bassmasters.
The Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by TNT Fireworks was hosted on Kentucky Lake in late July, but that didn’t mean ledge fishing would reign supreme. On the contrary, shallow fishing proved to be the best. Here are the best baits of the week starting with the champions from the Livingston Parish Bassmasters.
Justin Watts (left) and Alex Heintze (right) boated 66 pounds of bass and won by 14 pounds, 1 ounce by adapting their Louisiana knowledge to Kentucky Lake. They had a one-two punch of a Black Spro Poppin Frog and a Blank and Blue Strike King Tube.
Justin Watts (left) and Alex Heintze (right) boated 66 pounds of bass and won by 14 pounds, 1 ounce by adapting their Louisiana knowledge to Kentucky Lake. They had a one-two punch of a Black Spro Poppin Frog and a Blank and Blue Strike King Tube.
Watts threw the Poppin frog on 65-pound Power Pro braid with a 7-4 Denali Rod and a Shimano Curado reel.
Watts threw the Poppin frog on 65-pound Power Pro braid with a 7-4 Denali Rod and a Shimano Curado reel.
Heintze flipped the tube with 15-pound Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon on a Flipping stick.
Heintze flipped the tube with 15-pound Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon on a Flipping stick.
They realized they wouldn't get many bites on the tube, but when they did it was a bigger one.
They realized they wouldn’t get many bites on the tube, but when they did it was a bigger one.
The frog caught quite a few fish for them and working it around shallow bushes and gator grass was key.
The frog caught quite a few fish for them and working it around shallow bushes and gator grass was key.
Heintze didn't drag his tube, he would bounce it from the base of the bushes out to the boat.
Heintze didn’t drag his tube, he would bounce it from the base of the bushes out to the boat.
The Spro Poppin Frog has won the last two College Championships and this year's High School Championship.
The Spro Poppin Frog has won the last two College Championships and this year’s High School Championship.
Their one-two punch worked flawlessly throughout the week as noted by their weights of 20-10, 23-4 and 22-2.
Their one-two punch worked flawlessly throughout the week as noted by their weights of 20-10, 23-4 and 22-2.
The second-place team of Braden Blanchard (left) and Cade Fortenberry (right) was also from Louisiana and used shallow water to bolster their finish.
The second-place team of Braden Blanchard (left) and Cade Fortenberry (right) was also from Louisiana and used shallow water to bolster their finish.
When topwater was concerned, Blanchard used a popper around their mud flat. The early morning topwater bite would normally yield a bigger fish for most teams.
When topwater was concerned, Blanchard used a popper around their mud flat. The early morning topwater bite would normally yield a bigger fish for most teams.
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Fortenberry and Blanchard also threw a spinnerbait around the lily pad stems on their mudflat.
Fortenberry and Blanchard also threw a spinnerbait around the lily pad stems on their mudflat.
They used a 1/4-ounce Delta Lures spinnerbait.
They used a 1/4-ounce Delta Lures spinnerbait.
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Blanchard and Fortenberry used a 3/8-ounce Delta Lures thunder jig. The white bladed jig helped them cover water around the vegetation.
Blanchard and Fortenberry used a 3/8-ounce Delta Lures thunder jig. The white bladed jig helped them cover water around the vegetation.
Their three-pronged approach yielded 51 pounds, 15 ounces over the three day tournament on Kentucky Lake.
Their three-pronged approach yielded 51 pounds, 15 ounces over the three day tournament on Kentucky Lake.
The third-place team of Lucas Lindsay and Logan Parks from Auburn, Ala., jumped to third place on the final day.
The third-place team of Lucas Lindsay and Logan Parks from Auburn, Ala., jumped to third place on the final day.
Lindsay flipped a Missile Baits D-Bomb in Green Pumpkin Flash.
Lindsay flipped a Missile Baits D-Bomb in Green Pumpkin Flash.
He also attacked the shallow cover with a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma color.
He also attacked the shallow cover with a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma color.
They also threw a War Eagle Spinnerbait. The light wire design was key to the vibration and thump of the spinnerbait.
They also threw a War Eagle Spinnerbait. The light wire design was key to the vibration and thump of the spinnerbait.
Parks had a trailer paired with the spinnerbait to give it an even bigger profile.
Parks had a trailer paired with the spinnerbait to give it an even bigger profile.
They also got topwater bites on a Black Strike Zone Buzzbait.
They also got topwater bites on a Black Strike Zone Buzzbait.