Elite

First cast baits and winning weights at Lake Murray

During the off day at Lake Murray, the Elite pros show off their first cast baits and guess the winning weight! Will this event take over 100 pounds as some predict? Follow all the action at the Tedy’s Team Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray!

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Photography by
Andy Crawford
The 2026 Tedy’s Team Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray kicks off Thursday morning, and it’s one of the events in which forward facing sonar is allowed. Will that be the biggest player this week? We asked Elite anglers to guess the winning weight — and then show the first lure they plan to throw. The results might surprise you.
Andrew Loberg said Lake Murray is fishing tough, but he said there are so many big bass that the weights will be pretty hefty.
Loberg said he would be picking up a Lucky Craft Gunfish right off the bat for the early morning bite.
Tucker Smith also said weights should be solid. Not quite a Century Belt, but getting close.
Smith has a Yamamoto D-Shad rigged up for the early mornig bite.
Paul Marks thinks the fishing will be good enough for someone to average more than 22 pounds a day for the win.
Marks will rig up a Zoom Superfluke right to get his tournament started.
Nick Trim was a little less optimistic, going with the mid-80s for the winning weight.
Trim said he’ll be throwing a Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil at his first stop of the event.
Greg Hackney went with just over 22 pounds a day for the winning weight.
Hackney is going with a one-two punch for his morning, alternating between his signature Strike King Hack Attack jig and a Strike King Caffeine Shad.
Fisher Anaya has high hopes for the week, with the winner averaging 26 pounds a day.
To work toward that 26 pounds a day weight, Anaya said he’ll start with a Zoom Fluke.
Pake South said he had a great practice, and based off that experience he thinks the winner will blow past 100 pounds and average almost 28 pounds a day.
South’s weapon of choice to begin competition will be Berkley 110 Cane Walker.
Bob Downey said he thinks it will take almost 21 1/2 pounds to claim the blue trophy.
Downey’s first lure of the event will be a Rapala PXR Jowler.
Kyoya Fujita thinks Lake Murray will deliver an average of 23.25 pounds to the winner of the event.
Not surprisingly, Fujita’s first bait will be something different than the rest of the field. He’s going with a Jackall Slick Bait.
Gussy said he’ll turn to a Z- Man Scented Jerk Shadz rigged on a Northland Tungsten Wide Gap Jig.
Johnston said he’ll turn to a Coike to start his tournament.
Rookie Aaron Jagdfeld said the angler who weighs in just under 22 1/2 pounds a day will win this week.
A Strike King Caffeine Shad will be Jagdfeld’s first lure.
Easton Fothergill said just over 23 1/4 pounds a day will be needed to win this week’s event.
Fothergill will turn to a Strike King Caffeine Shad in his quest to be the one who lifts this week’s blue trophy.
Keith Combs gave the lowest winning estimate, going with just 20 pounds a day.
A Strike King Sexy Dawg will be the first lure Combs picks up when competition begins.
Drew Bento said 21 pounds, 6 ounces will go a long way to winning this event.
Benton will turn to a Spro Surface Swimmer when he drops the trolling motor at his first spot of this week’s tournament.
Twenty-three pounds a day was Sam Hanggi’s guess for the winning weight.
Hanggi’s first lure of the event will be a Big Bite Spotlight Minnow rigged on a prototype Buckeye jighead.
Gee said he thinks it’ll take almost 23 1/2 pounds to win the Lake Murray Elite.
The first bait Gee grabs this week will be a Yamamoto D-Shad rigged on a prototype Buckeye jighead.

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