All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Andy Crawford
Photo: James Overstreet
Brian Post (12th; 43-15)
Brian Post alternated between a worm and crankbait. That choice was a Rapala DT 14 Crankbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Rapala DT Series Crankbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
A Zoom Lures 5-inch Mag Finesse Worm, rigged on 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Hook, with Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Zoom Lures Mag Finesse Worm, Gamakatsu EWG Hook, Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight
Photo: Andy Crawford
Jason Christie (11th; 47-15)
Jason Christie caught all his keepers on this Booyah Pad Crasher Frog. He modified the bait by switching to a Lazer Trokar Frog Hook. Buy it now on Amazon: Booyah Pad Crasher Frog
Photo: Andy Crawford
Albert Collins rotated through a bladed jig and worms, including a self-designed model that gives the fish a completely different look. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: James Overstreet
Photo: Andy Crawford
Photo: Andy Crawford
Logan Latuso rotated through a creature bait, bladed jig and frog. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
That choice was a Spro Dean Rojas Poppin’ Frog. He also used a Delta Lures 3/8-ounce Thunder Jig with a swimbait-style trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Spro Dean Rojas Poppin’ Frog
Photo: Andy Crawford
A Missile Baits D Bomb, rigged on a 4/0 Owner Flipping Hook, with 5/16-ounce Fitzgerald Lures Tungsten Weight, with was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Missile Baits D Bomb
Photo: Andy Crawford
Brian Schott (8th; 50-1)
Brian Shott alternated between a Norman DD22 Crankbait and a Dirty Jigs 3/4-ounce jig with Googan Baits Bandito Bug trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Norman DD22 Crankbait, Googan Baits Bandito Bug
Photo: Andy Crawford
Gerald Swindle (7th; 50-12)
Gerald Swindle made a key lure adjustment by switching to a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Chatterbait, which he retrieved very slow along the outside edges of grassbeds. Buy it now on Amazon: Z-Man Chatterbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
Shaine Campbell (6th; 51-12)
Shaine Campbell caught deep fish on a Strike King Pro Model 6XD Crankbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Strike King Pro Model 6XD Crankbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
He also used a Strike King Perfect Plastics 8-inch Bullworm, rigged on 5/0 Owner Offset Shank Worm Hook. Another choice was a V&M Cliff Pace The Flatline Pacemaker Football Jig, with V&M J Bug trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Owner Offset Shank Worm Hook, V&M J Bug
Photo: Andy Crawford
A Carolina rig, creature bait and jig were the baits of choice for Darold Gleason. A network of 50 hotspots featuring drains and brushpiles were the casting targets. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Steve Bowman
Darold Gleason made a Carolina Rig with a V&M Pork Shad 2.0, Gleason’s Candy, rigged on 4/0 Owner Jungle Wide Gap Hook, with 1-ounce sinker. With that same hook and weight, he used a V&M Baby Swamp Hog, Gleason’s Candy. Buy it now on Amazon: Owner Jungle Wide Gap Hook, V&M Baby Swamp Hog
Photo: Andy Crawford
His key big bass bait was a V&M 3/4-ounce Pacemaker Football Jig, Gleason’s Candy, with V&M J Bug, Gleason’s Candy. Buy it now on Amazon: V&M Pacemaker Football Jig, V&M J Bug
Photo: Andy Crawford
Keith Combs used Strike King Pro Model 6XD and 5XD Crankbaits for midrange cranking. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Steve Bowman
For a slower presentation he used a Strike King 3/4-ounce Denny Brauer Structure Jig with Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Strike King Pro Model 6XD Crankbait, Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig, Strike King Rage Tail Craw
Photo: Andy Crawford
Kris Wilson (3rd; 57-11)
Kris Wilson rotated through this hard bait lineup. A 6th Sense Cloud 9 Series C10 Crankbait and the C15 were ideal for deep fish. Buy it now on Amazon: 6th Sense Cloud 9 Series C10 Crankbait
Photo: Andy Crawford
Photo: Andy Crawford
Josh Douglas used this lure lineup for running a network of offshore spots with brushpiles, rock and hard bottom. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
He made a dropshot rig with a Roboworm 6-inch Straight Tail Worm, rigged on a 1/0 Owner Cover Shot Worm Hook, with 3/8-ounce Woo! Tungsten Drop Shot Weight. An Outkast Tackle prototype football jig with Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer was another choice. The jig will be released next month. Buy it now on Amazon: Roboworm Straight Tail Worm, Owner Cover Shot Worm Hook, Strike King Rage Tail Craw
Photo: Andy Crawford
Douglas also used a Megabass 3/4-ounce UOZE Swim Jig, replacing the stock skirt with a Keitech 5.8 Swing Impact FAT Swimbait. He also used a Biospawn 10-inch ExoRibbon Worm, rigged on Owner 5/0 Round Bend Hook, with 1/2-ounce Woo! Tungsten Weight. Buy it now on Amazon: Megabass 3/4-ounce UOZE Swim Jig, Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait, Biospawn ExoRibbon Worm
Photo: Andy Crawford
Masayuki Matsushita used this lineup of baits to cover the water column in his area with the scattered wood cover. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
His lures of choice were a Deps Sakamata Shad rigged on a 7/0 Owner Wide Gap Hook. A Zoom 10.5-inch Ol’ Monster worm was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Zoom Ol’ Monster Worm
Photo: Andy Crawford