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Lures of the Top 12 at the Red River

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The fishing was tough at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on the Red River after the flooding over the last few months in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Even so, the Top 12 pro and co-anglers found a way to succeed despite the tough conditions.
The fishing was tough at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on the Red River after the flooding over the last few months in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Even so, the Top 12 pro and co-anglers found a way to succeed despite the tough conditions.
12. Charlie Hartley <br> Hartley ran through the lock down to Pool 4 and fished one backwater pond all week with a 3/8 ounce Original Chatterbait with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver as a trailer.
12. Charlie Hartley
Hartley ran through the lock down to Pool 4 and fished one backwater pond all week with a 3/8 ounce Original Chatterbait with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver as a trailer.
He has had a great year on the Opens as he won the James River Northern Open to punch his ticket to the Classic. Another Top 12 at the Red River is stout.
He has had a great year on the Opens as he won the James River Northern Open to punch his ticket to the Classic. Another Top 12 at the Red River is stout.
11. Tommy Murray <br> Murray maximized his time and stayed in Pool 5 all week on the Red River.
11. Tommy Murray
Murray maximized his time and stayed in Pool 5 all week on the Red River.
One of his biggest players was an old Luck-E-Strike Rick Clunn crankbait that is no longer made. This was what he caught the 6-2 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament on during Day 2.
One of his biggest players was an old Luck-E-Strike Rick Clunn crankbait that is no longer made. This was what he caught the 6-2 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament on during Day 2.
He also flipped a Zoom Baby Brush hog with a 1/4 ounce weight and a Trokar hook.
He also flipped a Zoom Baby Brush hog with a 1/4 ounce weight and a Trokar hook.
10. Robbie Latuso <br> Latuso stayed in Pool 5 and fished the same bait, but in two different colors. His bait was a Strike King Rage Craw in both Junebug...
10. Robbie Latuso
Latuso stayed in Pool 5 and fished the same bait, but in two different colors. His bait was a Strike King Rage Craw in both Junebug…
And his other color was California Craw. Both were rigged on a 1/2 ounce Texas Rig.
And his other color was California Craw. Both were rigged on a 1/2 ounce Texas Rig.
9. Luke Palmer <br> Palmer fished all three pools available to anglers this week and caught key fish in all three.
9. Luke Palmer
Palmer fished all three pools available to anglers this week and caught key fish in all three.
His bait of choice was a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in Hematoma color.
His bait of choice was a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in Hematoma color.
8. Jeffery Lemoine Jr. <br> Lemoine opted for a 3/8 ounce Pepper Custom Baits jig with a V&M trailer when he was fishing ultra shallow.
8. Jeffery Lemoine Jr.
Lemoine opted for a 3/8 ounce Pepper Custom Baits jig with a V&M trailer when he was fishing ultra shallow.
When it came to the deeper water he switched to a 1/2 ounce.
When it came to the deeper water he switched to a 1/2 ounce.
7. Skylar Hamilton <br> Skylar Hamilton won the first Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open when he fished the Arkansas River a few months ago. He backed it up with another Top 12 at the Red River and it was in his aluminum boat once again.
7. Skylar Hamilton
Skylar Hamilton won the first Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open when he fished the Arkansas River a few months ago. He backed it up with another Top 12 at the Red River and it was in his aluminum boat once again.
He opted for two moving baits to do the majority of his heavy lifting.
He opted for two moving baits to do the majority of his heavy lifting.
One option was a 1/4 ounce Buckeye Swim Jig with a Strike King Menace as a trailer.
One option was a 1/4 ounce Buckeye Swim Jig with a Strike King Menace as a trailer.
The other was a 3/8 ounce Jackal Break Blade vibrating jig with a Rage Craw for a trailer.
The other was a 3/8 ounce Jackal Break Blade vibrating jig with a Rage Craw for a trailer.
6. Luke Estel <br> The lone Illinois pro stayed in one small backwater pond in Pool 5 all three days and he maximized his area with one lone bait predominantly.
6. Luke Estel
The lone Illinois pro stayed in one small backwater pond in Pool 5 all three days and he maximized his area with one lone bait predominantly.
He flipped a black and blue Strike King Rage Bug on a 1/4 ounce weight.
He flipped a black and blue Strike King Rage Bug on a 1/4 ounce weight.
When all was said and done he had a graveyard of Rage Bugs from his week on the Red River.
When all was said and done he had a graveyard of Rage Bugs from his week on the Red River.
5. Darrell Lyons <br> Darrell Lyons made a big jump on the final day as he went from 12th all the way to the Top 5.
5. Darrell Lyons
Darrell Lyons made a big jump on the final day as he went from 12th all the way to the Top 5.
He did so with the help of a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in June Bug.
He did so with the help of a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in June Bug.
4. Billy McCaghren <br> Billy McCaghren jumped into the Top 5 by way of a two prong approach.
4. Billy McCaghren
Billy McCaghren jumped into the Top 5 by way of a two prong approach.
One was a Talon Lures Billy Mac jig with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer.
One was a Talon Lures Billy Mac jig with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer.
And the other was an old school Zoom EWC crankbait in black/chartreuse.
And the other was an old school Zoom EWC crankbait in black/chartreuse.
3. Mike Pedroza <br> Pedroza also used a two-bait approach to get in the Top 3 of this event.
3. Mike Pedroza
Pedroza also used a two-bait approach to get in the Top 3 of this event.
Both baits were soft plastics with one being a Reaction Innovations Kinky Beaver in Magic Craw and the other was a Zoom Speed Worm in Red Bug.
Both baits were soft plastics with one being a Reaction Innovations Kinky Beaver in Magic Craw and the other was a Zoom Speed Worm in Red Bug.
2. Todd Murray <br> Murray lost to just one angler this week, but his two-bait approach was between a slow moving bait and reaction lure.
2. Todd Murray
Murray lost to just one angler this week, but his two-bait approach was between a slow moving bait and reaction lure.
He used a 1/2 ounce handmade jig with a Strike King Rage Craw and the other was a 3/8 ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait.
He used a 1/2 ounce handmade jig with a Strike King Rage Craw and the other was a 3/8 ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait.
1. Alton Jones Jr. <br> After falling just short of a Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens win last week, Jones Jr. came to the Red River and took the title.
1. Alton Jones Jr.
After falling just short of a Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens win last week, Jones Jr. came to the Red River and took the title.
He junk fished on the main river all week after he had a poor practice. He caught one key fish per day on this Chartreuse and Black Balsa crankbait.
He junk fished on the main river all week after he had a poor practice. He caught one key fish per day on this Chartreuse and Black Balsa crankbait.
He caught the majority of his fish on a Missile Baits D Bomb in California Love.
He caught the majority of his fish on a Missile Baits D Bomb in California Love.
And when he fished more of the industrial cover on the river he opted for a Roboworm on a dropshot.
And when he fished more of the industrial cover on the river he opted for a Roboworm on a dropshot.