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Lake St. Clair did not disappoint at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Shallow, deep and mid-range depths produced the 20-pound-plus daily limits of smallmouth that it took to make it to the top of the scoreboard.
All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Thomas Allen
Seth Feider did what he does best. That was catching big smallmouth offshore on isolated structure. He won a second Elite Series event, and this time using crankbaits. See what lures produced for everyone else, and stock your tacklebox accordingly for fall smallmouth success.
Photo: James Overstreet
Matt Arey (62-12; 10th)
Matt Arey used a 4-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Spicy Tube, Dirty Candy, on 1/2-ounce custom jighead with 3/0 hook. Another choice was a 5-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Lunker Stick, Pearl Sparkle, on 1/0 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot Hook, with 3/8-ounce Titan Tungsten Weight.
Matt Arey used a 4-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Spicy Tube, Dirty Candy, on 1/2-ounce custom jighead with 3/0 hook. Another choice was a 5-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Lunker Stick, Pearl Sparkle, on 1/0 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot Hook, with 3/8-ounce Titan Tungsten Weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Arey also used a pair of deep diving crankbaits.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Cory Johnston (63-2; 8th)
Cory Johnston mixed it up with a drop shot, tube jig, spybait and crankbait. Those choices were a Strike King Pro Model 5XD crankbait, and Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Cory Johnston mixed it up with a drop shot, tube jig, spybait and crankbait. Those choices were a Strike King Pro Model 5XD crankbait, and Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Photo: Andy Crawford
He made the dropshot with a 5-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait, on Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, and 3/8-ounce drop shot weight. He also used a 3.5-inch Strike King Coffee Tube, on 1/2-ounce Gamakatsu Finesse Jig Head.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Mike Huff (64-6; 7th)
Mike Huff used a Ned rig, dropshot and crankbait. That choice was a Berkley Digger 8.5.
Mike Huff used a Ned rig, dropshot and crankbait. That choice was a Berkley Digger 8.5.
Photo: Andy Crawford
For the Ned rig he used a 1/4-ounce Cumberland Pro Lures Ned Head with one-half of a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent The General Worm. For the dropshot he used a 3.6-inch PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm, with No. 1 Berkley Fusion19 Hook and 3/8-ounce weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Shane LeHew (64-14; 6th)
Shane LeHew used a Berkley Dredger 14.5 Crankbait and Berkley Dredger 17.5 Crankbait.
Shane LeHew used a Berkley Dredger 14.5 Crankbait and Berkley Dredger 17.5 Crankbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford
He made a dropshot with a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent Flatnose Minnow, on Berkley Fusion Drop Shot Hook, with a drop-shot weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Paul Mueller (65-11; 5th)
Paul Mueller used a Rapala DT 10 Series Crankbait and a Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Paul Mueller used a Rapala DT 10 Series Crankbait and a Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Another choice was a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent The General, on 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, with 1/4-ounce Do it Molds The Do It 3511 TDF-10-AA weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Cliff Prince (66-0; 4th)
Cliff Prince used a Bass Assassin Worm on Owner Ned Head Rig.
Cliff Prince used a Bass Assassin Worm on Owner Ned Head Rig.
Photo: Andy Crawford
A Strike King Pro Model 5XD Crankbait was another choice.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Clark Wendlandt (66-10; 3rd)
Clark Wendlandt used a Strike King Pro Model 5XD Crankbait. He also used a 2.75-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Baby Z Too Soft Jerkbait, on No. 1 Owner Mosquito Hook and 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
Clark Wendlandt used a Strike King Pro Model 5XD Crankbait. He also used a 2.75-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Baby Z Too Soft Jerkbait, on No. 1 Owner Mosquito Hook and 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Stetson Blaylock (71-7; 2nd)
Stetson Blaylock used a Norman Deep Little N Crankbait, and a Norman NXS Crankbait.
Stetson Blaylock used a Norman Deep Little N Crankbait, and a Norman NXS Crankbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Seth Feider (77-15; 1st)
Seth Feider used a Rapala DT Series 10 Crankbait and Rapala DT Series 14 Crankbait.
Seth Feider used a Rapala DT Series 10 Crankbait and Rapala DT Series 14 Crankbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford
