Topwater gallery

Blueback herring are primarily found in saltwater, but because they can live in both fresh- and saltwater, they have made a second home in the lakes around Casey Ashley’s hometown.

27-year-old Ashley brings in a 15-pound, 5-ounce bag on Day Four of the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash to take the trophy in his home state of South Carolina.

Ashley says blueback herring are the preferred baitfish year-round on Lake Murray and other lakes in the area. To imitate herring, he prefers a double Zoom Fluke rig, tied fairly close together.

He primarily used the Pearl white Super Fluke on Lake Murray during the Carolina Clash, but says disco green imitates the color of a blueback herring best.

Bass can be targeted in extremely shallow water while feeding on spawning herring, as was the case in May on Lake Murray when Ashley won

However, Ashley says that the blueback herring effect has created a summertime bite that is topwater all the time.

Ashley asserts that after the spawn, herring "suspend" in deep water, only getting to a certain depth. 

Ashley says this is the herring's saltwater behavior, and when bass are on the lookout for herring, they're always looking up.

Casey Ashley grew up fishing "herring lakes," but when he was younger, the herring populations were not as established as they are now.

As the herring population grew, Ashley began to focus on them, bringing him obvious success.

The win on Lake Murray marked Ashley's second Elite Series win, and helped him to finish seventh in AOY points.