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Top lures at Douglas Lake

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Choose the lake or venture far up into the headwaters. Those were the options for anglers fishing the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open on Douglas Lake. Patrick Walters took the long route and nearly won his second Open of the season. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Choose the lake or venture far up into the headwaters. Those were the options for anglers fishing the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open on Douglas Lake. Patrick Walters took the long route and nearly won his second Open of the season.

All captions: Craig Lamb

Ott DeFoe played the home field advantage. This scene repeated itself for the third time in four years. The Tennessean won on Douglas in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Check out the Championship Saturday lure lineup of DeFoe and other top finishers.
Ott DeFoe played the home field advantage. This scene repeated itself for the third time in four years. The Tennessean won on Douglas in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Check out the Championship Saturday lure lineup of DeFoe and other top finishers.
<b>Jeff Lugar</b><br> To finish 12th, Jeff Lugar rotated through a buzzbait, jig and shaky head rig.
Jeff Lugar
To finish 12th, Jeff Lugar rotated through a buzzbait, jig and shaky head rig.
He made it with a 3/16-ounce shaky-head jig with 7-inch Z Man Finesse WormZ.
He made it with a 3/16-ounce shaky-head jig with 7-inch Z Man Finesse WormZ.
Lugar also used a 1/4-ounce buzzbait with Z Man MinnowZ trailer.
Lugar also used a 1/4-ounce buzzbait with Z Man MinnowZ trailer.
A 3/8-ounce Z Man David Walker’s CrossEyeZ Power Finesse Jig was another choice.
A 3/8-ounce Z Man David Walker’s CrossEyeZ Power Finesse Jig was another choice.
<b>Allen Brooks</b><br> To finish 11th, Allen Brooks used this 1/2-ounce hand-tied Chattahoochee Jig Company Jig, Killer Miller pattern.
Allen Brooks
To finish 11th, Allen Brooks used this 1/2-ounce hand-tied Chattahoochee Jig Company Jig, Killer Miller pattern.
For a trailer he added a brown/chartreuse 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw Trailer.
For a trailer he added a brown/chartreuse 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw Trailer.
<b>Jon Canada</b><br> To finish 10th, Jon Canada used soft plastics fished along heavy shoreline cover.
Jon Canada
To finish 10th, Jon Canada used soft plastics fished along heavy shoreline cover.
He chose a Reaction Innovations Tramp Stamp, Kinky Beaver and The Flirt, all Texas-rigged on 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook with 7/16-once weight.
He chose a Reaction Innovations Tramp Stamp, Kinky Beaver and The Flirt, all Texas-rigged on 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook with 7/16-once weight.
He also fished the plastics on a 1/8- or 1/16-ounce shaky-head jig.
He also fished the plastics on a 1/8- or 1/16-ounce shaky-head jig.
<b>David Williams</b><br> To finish ninth, David Williams rotated through a jig and buzzbait.
David Williams
To finish ninth, David Williams rotated through a jig and buzzbait.
That choice was a 1/4-ounce TrueSouth Custom Lures V-Twin Buzz Rig with 4.25 Zoom Horny Toad.
That choice was a 1/4-ounce TrueSouth Custom Lures V-Twin Buzz Rig with 4.25 Zoom Horny Toad.
A 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle Hammerhead Rattlin Football Jig with Zoom Z Craw or Speed Craw trailers was another choice.
A 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle Hammerhead Rattlin Football Jig with Zoom Z Craw or Speed Craw trailers was another choice.
<b>Bobby Lane</b><br> To finish eighth, Bobby Lane Jr. used a jig and shaky-head jig.
Bobby Lane
To finish eighth, Bobby Lane Jr. used a jig and shaky-head jig.
That choice was a 3/16-ounce Greenfish Tackle Casey Ashley Clean Up Shakey Head, with 3.25-inch Berkley Craw Fatty Jr. designed by Lane.
That choice was a 3/16-ounce Greenfish Tackle Casey Ashley Clean Up Shakey Head, with 3.25-inch Berkley Craw Fatty Jr. designed by Lane.
A 7/16-ounce 4x4 Bobby Lane Signature Series Jig with 2.5-inch PowerBait MaxScent Power Chunk trailer was another choice.
A 7/16-ounce 4×4 Bobby Lane Signature Series Jig with 2.5-inch PowerBait MaxScent Power Chunk trailer was another choice.
<b>Derek Cummings</b><br> To finish seventh, Derek Cummings used a jig and vintage balsa crankbait.
Derek Cummings
To finish seventh, Derek Cummings used a jig and vintage balsa crankbait.
That choice was a Bagley Killer B Crankbait.
That choice was a Bagley Killer B Crankbait.
He also used a 9/16-ounce TrueSouth Custom Lures Rockstar Jig.
He also used a 9/16-ounce TrueSouth Custom Lures Rockstar Jig.
<b>John Cox</b><br> To finish sixth John Cox alternated between a crankbait and spinnerbait.
John Cox
To finish sixth John Cox alternated between a crankbait and spinnerbait.
A 1/4-ounce Dirty Jigs Pro Level Spinnerbait was that choice. So was the new Berkley Pit Bull 5.5 FT Crankbait.
A 1/4-ounce Dirty Jigs Pro Level Spinnerbait was that choice. So was the new Berkley Pit Bull 5.5 FT Crankbait.
<b>Garrett Paquette</b><br> To finish fifth, Garrett Paquette used a 3/4-ounce Queen Tackle Hammerhead Rattlin Football Jig with twin tail grub trailer.
Garrett Paquette
To finish fifth, Garrett Paquette used a 3/4-ounce Queen Tackle Hammerhead Rattlin Football Jig with twin tail grub trailer.
He also used a Nemesis Baits Bullet Craw on 4/0 Lazer Trokar Flippin Hook and 5/16-ounce bullet weight.
He also used a Nemesis Baits Bullet Craw on 4/0 Lazer Trokar Flippin Hook and 5/16-ounce bullet weight.
<b>Toshinari Namiki</b><br> To finish fourth, Japanese angler Toshinari Namiki used lures of his design by his company O.S.P.
Toshinari Namiki
To finish fourth, Japanese angler Toshinari Namiki used lures of his design by his company O.S.P.
The Tokyo angler used a 1/2-ounce Highpitcher Spinnerbait featuring thinner, stronger wire that transmit vibration throughout the entire lure.
The Tokyo angler used a 1/2-ounce Highpitcher Spinnerbait featuring thinner, stronger wire that transmit vibration throughout the entire lure.
Nomiki also used a Tiny Blitz MR Crankbait, featuring a unique circuit board lip that imparts a unique wobbling action.
Nomiki also used a Tiny Blitz MR Crankbait, featuring a unique circuit board lip that imparts a unique wobbling action.
<b>Brandon Lester</b><br> To finish third, Brandon Lester used a pair of soft plastics by X Zone Lures.
Brandon Lester
To finish third, Brandon Lester used a pair of soft plastics by X Zone Lures.
He chose a 4-inch X Zone Lures Pro Series Adrenaline Bug Craw, Texas rigged on a 4/0 Mustad Denny Brauer Grip-Pin Max Flippin’ Hook and 5/16-ounce tungsten weight. He also used 6-inch X Zone Lures MB Fat Finesse Worm on 3/16-ounce shaky-head jig.
He chose a 4-inch X Zone Lures Pro Series Adrenaline Bug Craw, Texas rigged on a 4/0 Mustad Denny Brauer Grip-Pin Max Flippin’ Hook and 5/16-ounce tungsten weight. He also used 6-inch X Zone Lures MB Fat Finesse Worm on 3/16-ounce shaky-head jig.
<b>Patrick Walters</b><br> To finish second Patrick Walters used a River2Sea Whopper Plopper Silent 110 for schooling fish.
Patrick Walters
To finish second Patrick Walters used a River2Sea Whopper Plopper Silent 110 for schooling fish.
When that action subsided he switch to a 3/8-ounce Zorro Baits Booza Bug Jig with 3.5-inch Zoom Z Craw Jr.
When that action subsided he switch to a 3/8-ounce Zorro Baits Booza Bug Jig with 3.5-inch Zoom Z Craw Jr.
<b>Ott DeFoe</b><br> DeFoe alternated between two lures for the win.
Ott DeFoe
DeFoe alternated between two lures for the win.
DeFoe’s primary weapon of choice was a 6-inch Bass Pro Shops Magnum Fin-Eke Worm, rigged on a 3/0 VMC Ike Approved Heavy Duty Worm Hook with 3/16-ounce weight. He also used a 2.5-inch Terminator Walking Frog.
DeFoe’s primary weapon of choice was a 6-inch Bass Pro Shops Magnum Fin-Eke Worm, rigged on a 3/0 VMC Ike Approved Heavy Duty Worm Hook with 3/16-ounce weight. He also used a 2.5-inch Terminator Walking Frog.