The smallmouth bite, as predicted, was hotter than hot at Oneida Lake, site of the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open #1.
All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Jerkbaits accounted for most of the catches, along with heavy bags of smallmouth. The exception was winner Stanley Sypeck. He ignored the smallmouth bite and went fishing for largemouth with a jig. The result was a first-place finish.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Jason Putnam
Jason Putman went old school topwater to finish 12th. Triggering a reaction bite with a chugger-style topwater was key. “I’ve fished this bait for more than a decade and it really works.”
Jason Putman went old school topwater to finish 12th. Triggering a reaction bite with a chugger-style topwater was key. “I’ve fished this bait for more than a decade and it really works.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Putnam chose this 5/16-ounce Rebel Super Pop R, Sun Perch, dressed out with light-attracting strands of glitter filament for extra flash.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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John Garrett
John Garrett fished his second Championship Saturday in as many weeks. This time the Bethel University student athlete finished 11th. Garrett had reason to complain about sore arms.
John Garrett fished his second Championship Saturday in as many weeks. This time the Bethel University student athlete finished 11th. Garrett had reason to complain about sore arms.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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All week he put the jerk in this jerkbait, making strong downward pulls to bring bass from inside bottom grass into the strike zone above. He used this Strike King KVD Jerkbait, Sexy Dog, to get the strikes. “I had to work it fast as I could to get them to come up and take it.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Kyle Kempers
It was all about the jerkbaits for Kyle Kempers. He finished 10th using these handfuls of jerkbaits.
It was all about the jerkbaits for Kyle Kempers. He finished 10th using these handfuls of jerkbaits.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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A key choice was this Strike King KVD Jerkbait, Clearwater Minnow.
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“I really like this discontinued jerkbait,” he said. That is a 5.5-inch Smithwick Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue. “There was a special run a few years ago and I bought all I could find.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Josh Douglas
Josh Douglas fished his second Championship Saturday of the season, this time to finish ninth. He did that using a swimbait of his design and a drop shot rig.
Josh Douglas fished his second Championship Saturday of the season, this time to finish ninth. He did that using a swimbait of his design and a drop shot rig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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That is a No. 1 Gamakatsu Gama Drop/Split Shot Hook with a Biovex Kolt Shad Tail, Watermelon Seed. A 3/8-ounce Reins TG Drop Shot Slim Weight completed the rig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Douglas also designed this Outkast Tackle Goldeneye Swimmer Head. A Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait, Male Perch, completed the rig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Steve York
Steve York finished eighth using a drop shot rig, jerkbaits and a noisy topwater.
Steve York finished eighth using a drop shot rig, jerkbaits and a noisy topwater.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Here’s the drop shot rig. York used this 4-inch Lure Craft M&M Big D, Mango Magic, with a 1/0 Eagle Claw TroKar Hook. He chose a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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To cover shallow and mid-range strike zones he used these two jerkbaits. For the midrange he used a Lucky Craft Staysees 90 ver.2, Pearl Ayu. For shallower bites he chose a Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait, Sexy French Pearl.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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For calm water conditions he used this choice from Boing Lures. The Boing topwater has a unique sound chamber that creates a “boing” sound that is irresistible to bass.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Chad Pipkens
Michigan pro Chad Pipkens brought his offshore smallmouth fishing skills to Oneida Lake to finish seventh. He did that using a topwater and drop shot rig.
Michigan pro Chad Pipkens brought his offshore smallmouth fishing skills to Oneida Lake to finish seventh. He did that using a topwater and drop shot rig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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For topwater action he chose this Damiki D Pop 70, Real Shad. “It worked best in calm conditions.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Around offshore shoals he fished these plastics drop-shot style. Choices were a Poor Boy’s Erie Darter, Green Pumpkin, and a Lunkerhunt Core Strength Limit Worm, Black. For both he used a No. 2 Trokar Drop Shot Hook. Wind speed dictated weight size, from 1/8 to 3/8 ounce.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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JT Kenney
JT Kenney rotated through three lures to finish sixth.
JT Kenney rotated through three lures to finish sixth.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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For smallmouth the choice was a 1/2-ounce Nichols Spinnerbait.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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For finesse fishing he used a 1/4-ounce jighead with a Gambler Shakey Shad, Cooperfield.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Also producing bites was this 1/2-ounce Nichols Jig with a 4.25-inch Gambler Stinger for a trailer.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Patrick Walters
Patrick Walkers, a member of the University of South Carolina bass fishing team, used two lures to finish fifth.
Patrick Walkers, a member of the University of South Carolina bass fishing team, used two lures to finish fifth.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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A top choice was this battle scared Strike King KVD Jerkbait, the KVD 300 model, Clear Ayu.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Another choice was this Texas rigged Yamamoto Senko with 2/0 Gamakatsu Hook and 1/4-ounce weight. He fished the Texas-rigged plastics through offshore vegetation.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Alex Wetherell
Alex Wetherell relied on a rotation of coverage lures to finish fourth. Choices included these jerkbaits and a selection of soft plastics.
Alex Wetherell relied on a rotation of coverage lures to finish fourth. Choices included these jerkbaits and a selection of soft plastics.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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A top choice was a Megabass Ito Vision 110+1 Jerkbait. TLC pattern.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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For bottom fishing he used a 3/8-ounce Lunker City Pro Lite Round Jig Head, with a Lunker City Swimmin’ Ribster, Twisted Iguana pattern. Another choice was this Zoom Speed Craw rigged to a 4/0 hook. He alternated between 1/2- or 3/4-ounce weights.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Glynn Goodwin
Glynn Goodwin alternated between a pair of soft plastic rigs to finish third.
Glynn Goodwin alternated between a pair of soft plastic rigs to finish third.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Goodwin chose this 3.5-inch Gene Larew Lures Biffle Bug. He made a Carolina rig using a 3/0 hook and 3/4-ounce weight.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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He also used a 4-inch Keitech Easy Shiner Swimbait, Smallmouth Magic, fished on a 1/4-ounce ball head jig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Wesley Strader
Wesley Strader imitates how the bass bit his jerkbait for a second-place finish.
Wesley Strader imitates how the bass bit his jerkbait for a second-place finish.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Strader made lots of casts, as you can tell, using these Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbaits, Sexy Ayu pattern. “I caught 99 percent of my bass on them.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Strader also went old school, fishing over rockpiles, with this Storm Original Wiggle Wart. “The bass were eating crawfish so it made a good choice.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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Stanley Sypeck
Winner Stanley Sypeck kept it simple all week, fishing a single lure. Going against the grain he ignored the smallmouth bite. Instead, he dialed into the largemouth to catch a limit each day.
Winner Stanley Sypeck kept it simple all week, fishing a single lure. Going against the grain he ignored the smallmouth bite. Instead, he dialed into the largemouth to catch a limit each day.
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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The winning lure was this 7/16-ounce homemade jig. Not pictured, but used was a color matching NetBait Paca Ciunk, Alabama Craw pattern. “I chose the lure to mimic the crawfish forage present throughout the lake.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore
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