![Lake Okeechobee. Just the thought of it brings to mind big bass. The Big O did not disappoint at the A.R.E Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.
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<em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/01_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-slide_1.jpg)
All captions: Craig Lamb
![The lake was in its seasonal prime with all spawning phases underway during the tournament. Timmy Horton won it with 83 pounds, 5 ounces. Here are the lures used by Horton and the top pros during a week of amazing bass fishing.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/02_-_4919_-_great_moment_putting_this_fish_in_the_livewell_0.jpg)
![<b>Adrian Avena</b><br>
The 12th-place finisher cycled through his lure selection based on light conditions. Early, Avena threw a bone pattern Heddon Saltwater Zara Spook during the shad spawn. A key was switching the stock hooks with oversized No. 1 Berkley Fusion 19 treble hooks.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/03_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits_avena_1_of_2.jpg)
The 12th-place finisher cycled through his lure selection based on light conditions. Early, Avena threw a bone pattern Heddon Saltwater Zara Spook during the shad spawn. A key was switching the stock hooks with oversized No. 1 Berkley Fusion 19 treble hooks.
![For bedding bass he used a 1/2-ounce All Terrain Tackle Jig with a PowerBait Chigger Craw or Zoom Horny Toad. To trigger reaction bites he chose a 7-inch Roman Made Negotiator glide-style bait. For missed topwater strikes he made follow-up casts with a soft plastic stick bait.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/04_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-avena_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Stephen Browning</b><br>
Browning used these lures for his 11th-place finish. He started with a 5-inch black/blue Z-Man ZinkerZ soft plastic stick bait rigged to a 4/0 Mustad Round Bend Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/05_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-browning_1_of_2.jpg)
Browning used these lures for his 11th-place finish. He started with a 5-inch black/blue Z-Man ZinkerZ soft plastic stick bait rigged to a 4/0 Mustad Round Bend Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.
![Next in the rotation was a 7-inch Z-Man black/blue Magnum FattyZ with a 4/0 Mustad Grip Pin Big Bite Soft Plastics Hook and 5/16 ounce weight. Finally, he used 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBaits, green pumpkin or black/blue patterns. For a trailer he used a 4.5-inch Z-Man RaZor ShadZ.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/06_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-browning_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Andy Montgomery</b><br>
The 10th-place finisher used two lures to target bass in various spawning stages. For early morning bites he chose a 1/2-ounce white Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig. To that he rigged a 4-inch Strike King Magnum Rage Bug.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/07_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-montgomery_1_of_2.jpg)
The 10th-place finisher used two lures to target bass in various spawning stages. For early morning bites he chose a 1/2-ounce white Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig. To that he rigged a 4-inch Strike King Magnum Rage Bug.
![Montgomery also used a Strike King KVD Popping Perch for topwater action. âThe Magnum Rage Bug was the key, because it attracted the bigger bites,â he said.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/08_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-montgomery_2_of2.jpg)
![<b>Dean Rojas</b><br>
The ninth-place finisher spent most of the week fishing isolated reeds surrounded by patches of aquatic vegetation. That combination provided cover for migrating and spawning phase bass. Rojas chose his self-designed Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, Blue and Black Sapphire pattern. He rigged that to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook and 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/09_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-rojas.jpg)
The ninth-place finisher spent most of the week fishing isolated reeds surrounded by patches of aquatic vegetation. That combination provided cover for migrating and spawning phase bass. Rojas chose his self-designed Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, Blue and Black Sapphire pattern. He rigged that to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook and 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.
![<b>Jason Williamson </b><br>
âPre- and post-spawn fish were eating a lot of shad near their spawning areas,â said the eighth-place angler. Williamsonâs go-to bait was a lure of his own design.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/10_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-williamson_1_of_2.jpg)
âPre- and post-spawn fish were eating a lot of shad near their spawning areas,â said the eighth-place angler. Williamsonâs go-to bait was a lure of his own design.
![The choice was a 3/8-ounce Buckeye Lures J-Will Trokar Swim Jig, Sexy Shad pattern. âThe swim jig worked really well for those pressured fish.â He added a pearl white soft plastic trailer for added strike appeal.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/11_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-williamson_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Bobby Lane</b><br>
The seventh-place finisher started the morning with a Yozuri 3DB Pencil topwater lure, Bluegill pattern. âThe bass were feeding in the same places they spawned,â said Lane.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/12_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-lane_1_of_2.jpg)
The seventh-place finisher started the morning with a Yozuri 3DB Pencil topwater lure, Bluegill pattern. âThe bass were feeding in the same places they spawned,â said Lane.
![Alternatively, he used a 1-ounce 4x4 Bobby Lane Signature Series Jig, rotating between Black/Blue, Okeechobee Craw and Bream patterns. Later, he switched to a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss rigged to a 5/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook. To that he rigged Flat Out Tungsten 1-, 1 1/2- and 2-ounce weights to penetrate thick tules.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/13_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-lane_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Dave Lefebre</b><br>
The sixth-place finisher switched things up. He used a 1/4-ounce Terminator Swim Jig and matching soft plastic trailer. Added to the mix was a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait with a 4-inch Yamamoto Zako trailer. Alternatively, he used a 4.75-inch Yamamoto Sanshouo Salamander rigged to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook. He completed the rig with VMC Tungsten Weights in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce sizes.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/14_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-lefebre.jpg)
The sixth-place finisher switched things up. He used a 1/4-ounce Terminator Swim Jig and matching soft plastic trailer. Added to the mix was a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait with a 4-inch Yamamoto Zako trailer. Alternatively, he used a 4.75-inch Yamamoto Sanshouo Salamander rigged to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook. He completed the rig with VMC Tungsten Weights in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce sizes.
![<b>Greg Hackney</b><br>
âMy deal all week was focusing on fish in all phases of the spawn,â said the fifth-place angler. Hackney used namesake Strike King lures of his design. Those choices were a Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig and its flipping jig counterpart.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/15_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-hackney_1_of_2.jpg)
âMy deal all week was focusing on fish in all phases of the spawn,â said the fifth-place angler. Hackney used namesake Strike King lures of his design. Those choices were a Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig and its flipping jig counterpart.
![He chose a 3/8-ounce white swim jig and 3/4-ounce blue/black flipping jig. He used a color matching Strike King Rage Tail Lobster for the flipping jig and Strike King Rage Craw for the swim jig.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/16_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-hackney_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Fletcher Shryock</b><br>
âI made super long casts anywhere I thought there was a spawning bed, to get a reaction bite,â said the fourth-place finisher. To make that happen Shryock used a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a 5-inch Yamamoto Twin Double Tail Grub.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/17_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-shryock.jpg)
âI made super long casts anywhere I thought there was a spawning bed, to get a reaction bite,â said the fourth-place finisher. To make that happen Shryock used a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a 5-inch Yamamoto Twin Double Tail Grub.
![<b>Cliff Prince</b><br>
The third-place finisher kept it simple. Princeâs primary choices were two lures. He chose a Greenfish Tackle The Tat topwater prop bait in a custom color chosen by him. Alternatively, Prince used a white Pro-Z T-Sitz topwater frog with a Fitzgerald rod.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/18_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-prince.jpg)
The third-place finisher kept it simple. Princeâs primary choices were two lures. He chose a Greenfish Tackle The Tat topwater prop bait in a custom color chosen by him. Alternatively, Prince used a white Pro-Z T-Sitz topwater frog with a Fitzgerald rod.
![<b>Ott DeFoe</b><br>
The runner-up rotated through two primary baits for his second consecutive Top 10 finish this season. DeFoeâs choices were a pair of 3-inch Terminator Walking Frog Junior soft plastic topwaters in the Cocoa Camo and Hot Shad patterns.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/19_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-defoe_1_of_2.jpg)
The runner-up rotated through two primary baits for his second consecutive Top 10 finish this season. DeFoeâs choices were a pair of 3-inch Terminator Walking Frog Junior soft plastic topwaters in the Cocoa Camo and Hot Shad patterns.
![When the topwater bite slowed he switched to a 4.5-inch Bass Pro Shops River Bug, black/blue flake, rigged to a 5/0 VMC Heavy Duty Straight Shank Flipping Hook. He completed the rig with a 1/2-ounce Swagger Tackle Co. Tungsten Weight. Alternatively, he used a Bass Pro Shops Shadee Shad rigged with a 3/0 VMC Worm hook.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-defoe_2_of_2.jpg)
![<b>Timmy Horton</b><br>
Horton took a long ride to the south side of the lake to catch his winning fish on Days 1-3. Unique to the area were growths of dense and isolated reeds. Pitching and flipping baits into the mix of reeds and bladed aquatic weeds produced strikes.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/21_-_5362_-_as_the_day_warms_up_the_bite_is_too_0.jpg)
Horton took a long ride to the south side of the lake to catch his winning fish on Days 1-3. Unique to the area were growths of dense and isolated reeds. Pitching and flipping baits into the mix of reeds and bladed aquatic weeds produced strikes.
![Horton kept it simple with a lure sold by Profound Outdoors, a company he founded. The choice was a 4.25-inch Klone Crawsome, Black and Blue Swirl pattern. To that he rigged a 4/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook and Bass Pro Shops Tungsten Weights ranging from 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounces.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/22_-_gdixon_okeechobee_top_12_baits-horton.jpg)