Elite

Top lures at St. Lawrence Elite 2026

See the lineup of finesse baits used to crack the 100-pound weight mark.

Posted on
Photography by
Andy Crawford
Photography by
Dalton Tumblin
Photography by
Shane Durrance
Photography by
Chase Sansom
West Virginia
Photography by
Solomon Glenn
Minnesota
Captions by
Craig Lamb
On Lake Ontario and its outflow into the St. Lawrence River, records are made to be broken. That tradition continued at the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River. Nine of the Top 10 anglers earned Bassmaster Century Club status. The heaviest winning weight in Bassmaster history consisting of all smallmouth was broken by Evan Kung. The weight for heaviest single-day limit in B.A.S.S. history was also beaten by a mega-bag weighing 30 pounds, 11 ounces, caught by 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year Trey McKinney.
Kung checked off all the boxes with a winning weight of 109-9, a Century Club belt, a berth in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic, and perhaps most importantly, an Elite-career saving achievement. 
The Canadian Elite pro opened the tournament in fourth with 26-9, then moved to second with 28-9 on Day 2, and followed up with limits weighing 26-11 and 27-12. Like most of the top finishers, Kung targeted roaming smallmouth relating to areas of isolated boulders in deeper water on the lake, and current breaks in the river. 
That varied approach required finesse tactics capable of reaching deeper strike zones and compensating weight sizes for the varied wind and weather conditions. See what lures the pros used for the best success. 
Click here to buy these lures at Bass Pro Shops
Easton Fothergill (10th; 99-8)
Fothergill used minnow-style baits for his finesse tactics around rocky structure. 
A top choice was this Strike King 5-inch 3X Z-Too Soft Jerkbait on a 3/16-ounce jighead.
He also used a Deps 5-inch Sakamata Shad on a 3/16-ounce jighead.
Fisher Anaya (9th; 100-5)
Anaya’s top baits were a dice bait and jighead minnow. 
The latter choice was a CrushCity Freeloader rigged on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
He also used a 17mm dice bait, rigged on Ryugi Pierce TC Treble with 3/32 nail weight and bobber stop for bait retention.
Bryant Smith (8th; 101-3)
Smith rotated primarily between an urchin and drop-shot rig. 
A top choice was a Strike King Mag Tumbleweed, rigged on a No. 1 drop-shot hook with 1/4- or 1/2- ounce weights depending on wind. 
He made another drop shot with a Strike King KVD Drop Shot Half Shell 3.5, rigged on a No. 1 drop-shot hook, with 1/4- or 1/2-ounce weights. 
JT Thompkins (7th; 103-0)
Thompkins’ top baits were drop-shot rigs. 
He made them with various JDM soft plastics on No. 4 BKK Armor Point Dropshot Hooks, using 1/2-ounce 6th Sense Casting Tear Drop Shot Weights. 
Brandon Cobb (6th; 103-14)
A drop shot was Cobb’s primary lure. 
He made it with a Zoom 2.75-inch Boot Tail Fluke, rigged on a No. 1 nose-style hook, with 1/2- or 5/8-ounce ARK Tungsten Weights.
Click here to buy these lures at Bass Pro Shops.
Cole Sands (5th; 105-10)
Sands rotated between a minnow and drop-shot rig. 
He made it with a FishCo Okane Prawn on a No. 2 Owner Cover Shot Hook with a 1/2-ounce tungsten weight.
Sands also used a CrushCity Freeloader on a 3/8-ounce Queen Tackle Ghost Jighead.
Cory Johnston (4th; 106-7) 
Johnston’s primary bait was a 6th Sense HuzzBug. 
He rigged it on a 3/8-ounce BKK Ned Head with 2/0 hook.
Tucker Smith (3rd; 107-1)
On Lake Ontario, Smith targeted schooling smallmouth relating to humps, points and boulders located near major spawning areas. His most productive lure was a drop shot. 
He made it with a Yamamoto 4.75-inch Dagger Minnow on a 1/4-ounce Picasso Lures Jighead. 
Trey McKinney (2nd; 107-9)
McKinney led the first three days; McKinney also posted the heaviest single-day limit in B.A.S.S. history with a limit weighing 30-11 on Day 2. In Lake Ontario he focused on an immense point with a sandy bottom interspersed with isolated boulders and rock veins located in 20 to 50 feet of water. 
A drop shot was his best producing lure most of the week. The setup was rigged on a Gamakatsu No. 4 Drop Shot Hook with 1/2- or 3/4-ounce 6th Sense Tungsten Drop Shot weights. 
Evan Kung (1st; 109-9)
Kung’s winning pattern was about survival more than winning. Entering the final event outside the Elite Series career cut, he focused on meeting a weight quota to remain on the tour. That involved looking for the heaviest quality smallmouth he could find. After spending Day 1 in the river, Kung moved to the lake targeting a strike zone between 20 and 40 feet of water. Current breaks were the targets in the river; big boulders and humps produced in the lake. 
Accounting for most of his catch was a drop shot. Kung made it with a prototype Great Lakes Finesse Vibra Bug, rigged on No. 2 BKK Armor Point Drop Shot Hook with 1/2-ounce weight.
Kung also used a Great Lakes Finesse 3/8-ounce Stay-Pinned Spy Bait 80, for making farther casts and deeper strike zone penetration. 

Related