St. Croix Bassmaster Opens

Opens: Best of top lures 2019

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<b>Harris Chain of Lakes</b><br> The first Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on the Harris Chain in Florida experienced cooler temperatures and a strong north wind. Anglers adjusted with numerous baits as reaction lures and slowly fished plastics dominated. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Harris Chain of Lakes
The first Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on the Harris Chain in Florida experienced cooler temperatures and a strong north wind. Anglers adjusted with numerous baits as reaction lures and slowly fished plastics dominated.

All captions: Craig Lamb

Winner Whitney Stephens used a 3/44-ounce custom spinnerbait, gold shiner with double willowleaf blades. The spinnerbait landed him numerous kickers, including a game-changing 7-pound, 8-ounce largemouth on the final day.
Winner Whitney Stephens used a 3/44-ounce custom spinnerbait, gold shiner with double willowleaf blades. The spinnerbait landed him numerous kickers, including a game-changing 7-pound, 8-ounce largemouth on the final day.
He also caught fish on a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm. He rigged it on a 5/16-ounce VMC weight with a 5/0 VMC hook.
He also caught fish on a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm. He rigged it on a 5/16-ounce VMC weight with a 5/0 VMC hook.
<b>Smith Lake</b><br> You had to go through the numbers to catch weigh-in worthy spotted bass like these at Alabama’s Lewis Smith Lake in late April. That made finding the elusive kicker largemouth the goal.
Smith Lake
You had to go through the numbers to catch weigh-in worthy spotted bass like these at Alabama’s Lewis Smith Lake in late April. That made finding the elusive kicker largemouth the goal.
Only one angler figured it out and he was the most unlikely match. Spotted bass don’t live in Wisconsin, but native son Caleb Kuphall didn’t care at all. He found both, including the kicker largemouth needed to win the tournament.
Only one angler figured it out and he was the most unlikely match. Spotted bass don’t live in Wisconsin, but native son Caleb Kuphall didn’t care at all. He found both, including the kicker largemouth needed to win the tournament.
Homemade 3/8-ounce finesse and flipping jigs rigged with craw trailers produced for Kuphall. He fished the finesse jig around points, and used the flipping jig in bushes for largemouth. His winning weight was 43 pounds, 2 ounces.
Homemade 3/8-ounce finesse and flipping jigs rigged with craw trailers produced for Kuphall. He fished the finesse jig around points, and used the flipping jig in bushes for largemouth. His winning weight was 43 pounds, 2 ounces.
<b>Lake Chickamauga</b><br> Most everyone betted on the come for postspawn largemouth to show up on Lake Chickamauga’s signature river ledges in May on Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee. Just about everyone but one man.
Lake Chickamauga
Most everyone betted on the come for postspawn largemouth to show up on Lake Chickamauga’s signature river ledges in May on Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee. Just about everyone but one man.
He was John Cox, who won the tournament in shallow water where largemouth were cruising the shorelines.
He was John Cox, who won the tournament in shallow water where largemouth were cruising the shorelines.
Cox went sight fishing with a weightless and wacky rigged 6-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General, rigged on 1/0 Berkley Fusion19 Finesse Wide Gap Hook. A 7/16-ounce Dirty Jigs Luke Clausen Casting Jig with 3-inch Berkley Havoc Pit Boss Jr. trailer was another choice. His winning weight was 65 pounds, 5 ounces.
Cox went sight fishing with a weightless and wacky rigged 6-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General, rigged on 1/0 Berkley Fusion19 Finesse Wide Gap Hook. A 7/16-ounce Dirty Jigs Luke Clausen Casting Jig with 3-inch Berkley Havoc Pit Boss Jr. trailer was another choice. His winning weight was 65 pounds, 5 ounces.
<b>James River</b><br> Drop shots, topwater frogs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jigs. The sum of the whole was a junk fisherman’s dream in August on the James River in Virginia. And a junk fishing junkie dialed into the winning catch.
James River
Drop shots, topwater frogs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jigs. The sum of the whole was a junk fisherman’s dream in August on the James River in Virginia. And a junk fishing junkie dialed into the winning catch.
Winner Michael Iaconelli used four baits all week for the winning weight of 44 pounds. The lineup began with a vibrating jig, 1/2-ounce Molix Lover and Berkley Chigger Craw trailer. Another choice was a 1/2-ounce Missile Baits Mini-Flip Jig with a Berkley PowerBait chunk. trailer. On the pivotal final day, he added a Rapala DT6 to the lineup.
Winner Michael Iaconelli used four baits all week for the winning weight of 44 pounds. The lineup began with a vibrating jig, 1/2-ounce Molix Lover and Berkley Chigger Craw trailer. Another choice was a 1/2-ounce Missile Baits Mini-Flip Jig with a Berkley PowerBait chunk. trailer. On the pivotal final day, he added a Rapala DT6 to the lineup.
<b>Upper Mississippi River</b><br> It was no surprise that frogs were the top lures chosen by anglers in August on Wisconsin’s stretch of the upper Mississippi River.
Upper Mississippi River
It was no surprise that frogs were the top lures chosen by anglers in August on Wisconsin’s stretch of the upper Mississippi River.
A falling water level meant it would take largemouth and smallmouth to win. That was how Wisconsin angler Devin Teigen won his first B.A.S.S. event.
A falling water level meant it would take largemouth and smallmouth to win. That was how Wisconsin angler Devin Teigen won his first B.A.S.S. event.
A Texas rigged worm, swim jig and frog produced best for Teigen. He chose an 8-inch Lake Fork Tackle Worm, rigged on 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. His winning weight was 43 pounds, 3 ounces.
A Texas rigged worm, swim jig and frog produced best for Teigen. He chose an 8-inch Lake Fork Tackle Worm, rigged on 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. His winning weight was 43 pounds, 3 ounces.
A 1/4-ounce homemade swim jig with a Gambler Little EZ trailer was another choice. So was a Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog 65.
A 1/4-ounce homemade swim jig with a Gambler Little EZ trailer was another choice. So was a Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog 65.
<b>Oneida Lake</b><br> Largemouth and smallmouth. It can take both to win late summer tournaments on Oneida Lake. This time the bite leaned more toward smallmouth at the season finale Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open held in August.
Oneida Lake
Largemouth and smallmouth. It can take both to win late summer tournaments on Oneida Lake. This time the bite leaned more toward smallmouth at the season finale Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open held in August.
Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. “I can’t believe I made my dream come true of fishing the Bassmaster Classic,” said winner Grae Buck, the Oneida winner with 50 pounds, 10 ounces.
Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. “I can’t believe I made my dream come true of fishing the Bassmaster Classic,” said winner Grae Buck, the Oneida winner with 50 pounds, 10 ounces.
Buck used a 2.75-inch Z-Man Finesse TRD (The Real Deal), on 1/10-ounce Hayabusa Brush Easy featuring a 1/0 hook to make a Ned rig. A 3-inch Cornerstone Baits Shimmy Shot, rigged on Hayabusa DSR132 Drop Shot Hook, with 1/4- or 1/2-ounce tungsten weights was another choice.
Buck used a 2.75-inch Z-Man Finesse TRD (The Real Deal), on 1/10-ounce Hayabusa Brush Easy featuring a 1/0 hook to make a Ned rig. A 3-inch Cornerstone Baits Shimmy Shot, rigged on Hayabusa DSR132 Drop Shot Hook, with 1/4- or 1/2-ounce tungsten weights was another choice.
<b>Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees</b><br> Bob Downey scored the win in September on the Oklahoma fishery with a winning weight of 48 pounds, 9 ounces. His top lures were a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver rigged on 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce weight, and a 3/8th-ounce All Terrain Tackle A.T. Jig with green pumpkin trailer.
Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees
Bob Downey scored the win in September on the Oklahoma fishery with a winning weight of 48 pounds, 9 ounces. His top lures were a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver rigged on 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce weight, and a 3/8th-ounce All Terrain Tackle A.T. Jig with green pumpkin trailer.

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