All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Andy Crawford
Photo: Andy Crawford
Keith Poche (12th; 26-5)
Keith Poche applied the flipping technique on main lake vegetation, using a 3-inch Berkley PowerBait Pit Boss. He rigged the bait on a Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook. Buy it now on Amazon: Berkley PowerBait Pit Boss | Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook
Photo: Andy Crawford
Scott Pellegrin (11th; 33-3)
Scott Pellegrin went flipping in heavy vegetation, using a Missile Baits D Bomb that he rigged on a 5/0 Owner Jungle Flipping Hook with a 2-ounce tungsten weight. Alternatively, he used a Missile Baits Baby D Bomb on a 3/0 Owner Jungle Flipping hook with a 5/16-ounce sinker. Buy it now on Amazon: Missile Baits D Bomb | Missile Baits Baby D Bomb | Owner Jungle Flipping Hook
Photo: Andy Crawford
KJ Queen chose a jerkbait, jig and bladed jig as his weapons of choice.
Photo: Andy Crawford
The lineup included a Queen Tackle Tungsten Flipping Jig with a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw. A Queen Tackle Switch Blade with a Zoom Fluke was another choice. Queen also used a Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw | Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
Finesse tactics on light spinning gear worked best for Joey Nania.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Nania relied on this finesse lineup of baits on Lay Lake. He used a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Crosseyes Power Finesse Jig, with a Z-Man Lures TRD BugZ trailer. A 1/6-ounce Z-Man Ned LockZ HD Jig Head, with a Z-Man TRD BugZ trailer was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Z-Man Crosseyes Power Finesse Jig | Z-Man Lures TRD BugZ | Z-Man Ned LockZ HD Jig Head
Photo: Andy Crawford
Flipping a jig along gnarly shoreline cover was the best tactic for Adam Neu.
Photo: Dalton Tumblin
Neu’s primary bait was a Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Flippin’ Jig with a Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub. He also used a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug. Buy it now on Amazon: Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Flippin’ Jig | Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub
Photo: Andy Crawford
Samuel Fish (7th; 37-13)
Samuel Fish chose a Texas-rigged Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver, and a Dirty Jigs Swim Jig. Buy it now on Amazon: Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver
Photo: Andy Crawford
He also used a Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
Chris Payne used the flipping tactic with a Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver, rigged on a 5/0 Mustad Hook with 1.5-ounce weight. He also used a JM Custom Swim Jig, with a Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Alternatively, he used a Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
Alex Sherrill (5th; 38-14)
Alex Sherrill used a 7/16-ounce finesse jig head, with a 4-inch Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver. A 1/4-ounce RCC Lures shaky head with a Yamamoto Senko was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Yamamoto Senko
Photo: Andy Crawford
Teb Jones used a V&M Mega Shakey Head with a finesse worm for slow presentations.
Photo: Andy Crawford
For feeding fish he rotated between a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap and a Duo Realis 110SP Jerkbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap | Duo Realis 110SP
Photo: Andy Crawford
Clint Miller used a shaky head rig to catch his fish on Lay Lake.
Photo: Steve Bowman
Photo: Andy Crawford
Flipping a custom jig was the tactic of choice for Jacob Walker.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Walker used a 5/8-ounce Scooter Custom Jig by Joey Aderhold. A Texas-rigged Zoom Z-Hog Jr. was another choice.
Photo: Andy Crawford
He also used a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug. Buy it now on Amazon: Strike King Rage Bug
Photo: Andy Crawford
Running a series of power-generation current and fishing grasslines near breaklines proved key for Keith Carson.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Carson used a Berkley Frittside 5 Crankbait, and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Creature Hawg, rigged on a 3/0 hook with a 1-ounce weight. Buy it now on Amazon: Berkley Frittside and Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Creature Hawg
Photo: Andy Crawford