Louisiana’s Derek Hudnall earned his Bassmaster Elite Series berth in the Bassmaster Opens, a grueling path to the top level of bass fishing. Here are the lures he believes every beginning angler should have in his or her tacklebox.
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A natural shad-colored 1.5 squarebill is a must in the tacklebox because of its versatility. “The color gives a natural bait presentation,” Hudnall said. “You can work it around rocks and wood, and it gets a good reaction bite.”
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The shad-colored squarebill goes in the first compartment in the box.
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His second pick is just a color variant of the same lure. “This is the same as the shad-colored squarebill, but it’s for stained-water situations,” Hudnall said of the chartreuse/black backed crankbait.
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The chartreuse/black back squarebill is placed in the same compartment.
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“The Spro Rock Crawler provides a deeper range of coverage. This bait will get 8 to 14 feet deep, depending on line diameter, how far you cast it and the reel ratio. I like red because fish eat crawfish year round, so don’t keep red in your tacklebox just in the spring time. I also change out the hooks to Trapper Tackle trebles because the hooks act like a wedge, and once a fish is hooked it is very difficult for it to spit the bait because of the lack of movement in the hook in its mouth.”
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Hudnall places the Spro Rock Crawler in the second compartment of the box.
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You just have to have a lipless crankbait in your arsenal, Hudnall said. “It gives you the ability to cover all depth ranges,” he explained. “Lipless crankbaits also come in a variety of noise levels, for dirtier or cleaner water. The more stained the water, the louder you want that rattle.”
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He drops the lipless crankbait into slot No. 3.
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“The Megabass Ito Shiner probably has the most action of any jerkbait on the market. It’s one of your must-haves. It’s really good for schooling fish, and it’s really good for lethargic fish. That side-to-side action triggers bites. You want to make short, strong jerks followed by short pauses.”
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The Ito Shiner is placed in the fourth slot of the tacklebox.
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Hudnall said a tacklebox wouldn’t be complete without a Delta Lures spinnerbait. “Any time fish are up shallow chasing bait, a 3/8-ounce spinnerbait is critical,” Hudnall said. “I like to have that orange kicker blade because it gives something for the fish to key on. When a fish eats this spinnerbait with that orange kicker, it chokes on it.”
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The spinnerbait earns the fifth spot of Hudnall’s box.
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“A vibrating jig just flat-out catches big bass. It gives the fish a different presentation than a spinnerbait. And you have the ability to fish this think through the entire water column. It’s especially productive when bluegill and perch are spawning. I add a Yamamoto Zeko trailer for even more action.”
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The vibrating jig goes in the next compartment.
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The Missile Baits D Bomb is Hudnall’s favorite bait for a very good reason. “I’ve won more money on this bait than anything else in this boat,” he explained. “That’s my No. 1 confidence bait. It’s just so versatile. It mimics bluegill and crawfish, and the tail action really triggers bites. Also, with the softness of the ribs, fish don’t let it go.”
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He matches up the D Bomb with a 4/0 offset hook to ensure solid hooksets.
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The D Bomb goes in the slot No. 6, along with a 1/4- to 1/2-ounce tungsten weight.
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A 1/2-ounce Missile Baits Ike’s Mini Flip Jig is next up. “It gives you a bigger profile that gets bigger bites,” Hudnall said. “But the Ike’s Mini Flip Jig has a smaller profile that regular jigs with the hook strength of those larger jigs. Basically, it’s the size of a finesse jig.”
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Hudnall pairs the Ike’s Mini Flip Jig with a Missile Baits D Bomb, but he cuts off quarter inch or so of the lure before threading it on the hook.
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He then cuts off the sides of the D Bomb to reduce the width of the lure.
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The finished product is a fish-catching combination. “You have a smaller profile that gets you more bites, but it still attracts big bass,” Hudnall said.
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The Ike’s Mini Flip Jig/D Bomb combo goes into the the seventh slot of Hudnall’s box.
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A Missile Baits 48 rigged wacky style on a Trapper Tackle 2/0 drop-shot hook is deadly. “A weightless wacky rig gives you a finesse presentation and allows you to keep the bait in the strike zone for longer,” Hudnall explained. “They get bites when nothing else does. And that Trapper Tackle hook design means your hook-up ratio is incredible.”
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The Missile Baits 48 is dropped into the next compartment.
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“Every tacklebox needs a 3- to 4-inch swimbait. For all species and all depth ranges, when fish are eating baitfish, a swimbait is hard to beat. Just do your research on what type of bait is in the body of water you’re fishing and match the hatch in terms of size and color. You just cast and wind; you can cover a lot of water and all depth ranges with a swim bait.”
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The swimbait goes into the tacklebox.
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A hollow body frog rounds out Hudnall’s picks. “From springtime until fall, when fish are shallow, a hollow body frog is a good way to catch big bass,” he explained. “Finding the right presentation is key to getting the bite. Sometimes they want it with cadence, with shorter pops, longer pops, etc. Explore different retrieves until you trigger strikes.”
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The hollow body frog assumes the final slot in the box.
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This collection of lures will allow a beginning angler to catch bass in pretty much every situation, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Derek Hudnall said.
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