Top lures at Lake of the Ozarks

Docks with brushpiles emerged as the prevailing pattern at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks. The largemouth population was transitioning to docks in tributaries, using them as ambush points for shad beginning to migrate into the creeks.

Kyle Patrick discovered docks on top of flatter banks near deeper water held a winning pattern. Here’s the winning catch coming aboard for the Bassmaster LIVE telecast on FS1. Photo: Seigo Saito

Patrick weighed limits of 19-15, 15-6 and 18-6 for a winning total of 53-11. The New York angler won $44,134 and an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, to be held in March at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

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Andrew Hargrove (10th; 40-7)

Hargrove alternated between a drop shot and finesse jig for his brushpile pattern.

He made the drop shot with a 6-inch Roboworm, on a 1/0 drop shot hook, with a 1/2-ounce cylinder weight.

Hargrove also used this Z-Man Finesse Jig, alternating between 1/2- and 3/8-ounce sizes depending on depth of the brushpiles in his strike zone. A Zoom Speed Craw was his choice for a trailer.

Jamie Bruce (9th; 41-9)

Bruce focused on docks where the bass staged at various points, between the walkways to the outside edges.

For shallower water, Bruce used this Z-Man Midwest Finesse Swim Jig, also with a Z-Man Hella CrawZ.

For deeper water, he used this 3/4-ounce homemade jig with a Z-Man Hella CrawZ.

Tyler Williams (8th; 43-11)

Williams continued his momentum at Watts Bar, using the same jig with a pair of hard swimbaits to match the shad on the move.

That first choice was a Swimbait Garage Hyper Shad.

Alternatively, he used this Clutch Darter.

Williams carried over his primary bait from last week for brushpile work on Lake of the Ozarks. The choice was this 3/4-ounce Greenfish Tackle Little Rubber Jig, with a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog.

JT Thompkins (7th; 44-14)

Thompkins focused primarily on flipping and pitching to docks with brushpiles.

His primary bait was this 5/8-ounce Outkast Tackle Juice Casting Jig, with a Strike King Rage Bug.

Brad Jelinek (6th; 46-14)

Jelinek doubled up on a brushpile pattern with a jig and shaky rig.

He used this 3/8-ounce shaky head with a 6th Sense Divine Shakey Worm.

Alternatively, Jelinek used this 1/2-ounce Motion Fishing Flipping Jig, with a 6th Sense Stroker Craw.

Robert Gee (5th; 46-14)

Gee fished docks and offshore isolated brushpiles using these three baits in rotation.

He made a drop shot with a 6-inch Roboworm Fat Straight Tail Worm, with a 2/0 Owner Cover Shot Hook, with a 5/16-ounce drop-shot weight.

He also used this Bull Shad Trick Shad in the presence of roaming and schooling shad.

Gee also used this LIVETARGET Frog.

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Andy Newcomb (4th; 47-0)

Newcomb alternated between two jigs to cover his dock and brushpile pattern.

He used this 1/2-ounce Apex Tackle Co. The Andy Newcomb Signature Jig, with a Bait Cave Customs Cave Cricket 3.8.

Newcomb also used this 5/8-ounce Apex Tackle Co. Bain’s Pro Series Structure Shakey Head, with a Bait Caves Customs Thick Stick.

John Garrett (3rd; 47-12)

Garrett’s program stood out for its deep-water approach. He found bass in deep brushpiles up to 50-feet deep using a drop shot.

His primary setup was this Strike King KVD Filler Worm, rigged on a 2/0 Owner Cover Shot HD Hook with the following weight sizes. A 1/4-ounce for shallow brush, a 3/8 for 18-25 feet and 3/4 for bottom depths from 30 to 50 feet.