EQs

Top lures at Lake Okeechobee 2025 EQ

Check out the lures used by the top finishers on a stingy Lake Okeechobee during the final 2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops.

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Photography by
Dalton Tumblin
Photography by
Andy Crawford
Captions by
Christopher Decker
The 2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops was no doubt one of the toughest tournaments anglers experienced all season long. A major front ushered the coldest air of the year into South Florida, making it difficult to coax the largemouth into biting.
The most consistent bite seemed to be in the various canals that connect and surround Lake Okeechobee. Caleb Hudson opened the tournament in 25th with a limit weighing 10-9, but he knew there was plenty of potential still in his area of the Rim Canal. That was realized in full on Day 2 when he vaulted into the lead with a 25-7 limit, the second biggest bag of the tournament.
Although the final day was anything but easy, Hudson’s 16-6 limit was enough to hold off Robert Gee and claim his first B.A.S.S. trophy with a total of 52-6. The win also secure his spot in the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
At tournaments end, 10 anglers (one not pictures) clinched invitations to the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series roster.
If you are looking to make a trip south for the winter, Bass Pro Shops has everything you need to find success in Florida, including the baits and terminal tackle used by the pros at Lake Okeechobee this week. Visit Basspro.com to shop their wide selection of options. Click here to buy these lures at Bass Pro Shops.
Jaden Parrish (11th; 31-3): Parrish primarily fished shallow water on the main lake with two baits.
A Z-Man Evergreen JackHammer paired with a NetBait Prop Duster generated key strikes.
He also flipped a black and blue NetBait Baby Paca Craw rigged on a Maurto flipping hook and a 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.
Pake South (10th; 32-6): Two shallow water techniques carried South to the Top 10 at Lake Okeechobee.
He pitched this 5/8-ounce Santone Lures M-Series Jig paired with a 6th Sense Prawn trailer.
He also tossed a black and blue 6th Sense Prawn on a Texas rig with a 4/0 flipping hook from BKK.
Aaron Yavorsky (9th; 40-6): Yavorsky fished history at Okeechobee to notch a Top 10 finish.
Many of his bass ate this 6th Sense Shindo Shad. Yavorsky rigged it on an 1/8-ounce Gamakatsu Horizon Head.
Yavorsky also caught several key bass on a 6th Sense 97 Provoke DD.
Ryan Lachniet (8th; 41-11): Lachniet ended an impressive 2025 with another Top 10 finished. He used two presentations to get the job done.
A 6 1/2-inch RAID Super Fish Roller was a key presentation when targeting bass with his forward-facing sonar.
The Virginia native also threw a Megabass Vision 110+1 Junior in the pro blue color.
Tristan McCormick (7th; 41-11): The Tennessee native locked down his spot in the 2026 Elite Series field by utilizing one jighead minnow setup.
McCormick pitched a gray glimmer Strike King Z Too at largemouth he could see on his forward-facing sonar.
Ty Faber (6th; 43-2): Faber kept his approach simple at Okeechobee, keeping one rod in his hand most of the time.
His best producer was a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in the tramp stamp color. He rigged it on a 3/0 Hayabusa flipping hook and a 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.
Click here to buy these lures at Bass Pro Shops.
Riley Nielsen (5th; 46-1): Nielsen also took a simple approach, which helped him land the biggest bag on the final day and secure his best finish of the year.
Nielsen generated bites around shallow reeds with a weightless Yamamoto Senko. He rigged it Texas-style on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Worm Hook.
Austin Cranford (4th; 47-4): Cranford fished the J&S canal and landed quality bass using two different baits.
His best bait was a 6.25-inch 6th Sense Shindo rigged on a 3/16-ounce Gamakatsu Horizon Head.
A 5-inch 6th Sense Flutter Spoon also generated key bites, especially on the second day of the tournament.
Fisher Anaya (3rd; 48-0): Anaya rotated between three baits in the Harney Pond Canal to secure a top five and the overall EQ AOY title.
This 9-inch KGB glidebait generated several key strikes.
A Rapala Mavrick jerkbait also produced reaction strikes.
Anaya’s best bait, however, was the new 6.25-inch Rapala CrushCity Freeloader, which he rigged on a 1/16-ounce Gamakatsu Horizon Head.
Robert Gee (2nd; 51-12): Gee came up just short of his first B.A.S.S. victory on Championship Saturday. This time, he only needed an additional 7 ounces to take the trophy.
Gee used the new 7-inch Yamamoto Hinge Minnow to target bass he could see on his forward-facing sonar. He rigged it on a 3/16-ounce jighead.
On Day 2, a Dixie Jet Talon Spoon produced several big bites and vaulted him into the Top 10.
Caleb Hudson (1st; 52-6): Two baits were part of the winning formula for Hudson.
This jighead minnow setup caught the majority of his bass. Because the bass were so high in the water column, Hudson rotated between 1/16-ounce, 3/16-ounce and 1/8-ounce jigheads.
The new Spro McDart in matte shad also generated several big bites.

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