5 Favorites with Kyle Welcher

Joining the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2020, the pro from Opelika, Ala., came out swinging with an eighth-place finish in his first event at the St. Johns River. He anchored his effort with a 10-pound Florida giant.
Joining the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2020, the pro from Opelika, Ala., came out swinging with an eighth-place finish in his first event at the St. Johns River. He anchored his effort with a 10-pound Florida giant.
Adding two more Top 10s in 2020 — fifth at Guntersville, 10th at Chickamauga — Welcher notched an eighth-place finish this year on the Sabine River. Here, Welcher shares five of his favorite soft bait setups.
Adding two more Top 10s in 2020 — fifth at Guntersville, 10th at Chickamauga — Welcher notched an eighth-place finish this year on the Sabine River. Here, Welcher shares five of his favorite soft bait setups.
When he’s flipping dock posts, tree limbs or anywhere he’s not concerned about penetrating cover, Welcher likes a Missile Baits 48, rigged on a 1/8-ounce Titan Tungsten weight and 3/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse straight shank hook.
When he’s flipping dock posts, tree limbs or anywhere he’s not concerned about penetrating cover, Welcher likes a Missile Baits 48, rigged on a 1/8-ounce Titan Tungsten weight and 3/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse straight shank hook.
Valuing a slow fall, Welcher fishes this bait on 20-pound Sunline Shooter. He’s found this line’s diameter offers a good balance of strength without too much drag.
Valuing a slow fall, Welcher fishes this bait on 20-pound Sunline Shooter. He’s found this line’s diameter offers a good balance of strength without too much drag.
Welcher handles his punching work with a Missile Baits D-Bomb, rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Super Heavy Cover flipping hook with a 1 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
Welcher handles his punching work with a Missile Baits D-Bomb, rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Super Heavy Cover flipping hook with a 1 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
Using this technique mostly in matted grass, Welcher wants to get his bait into the deepest, darkest place possible. It’s usually a fast-paced in-and-out operation, unless he’s fishing the prespawn, when big females are often up high in the grass sunning their backs.
Using this technique mostly in matted grass, Welcher wants to get his bait into the deepest, darkest place possible. It’s usually a fast-paced in-and-out operation, unless he’s fishing the prespawn, when big females are often up high in the grass sunning their backs.
For shallow wood, scattered grass or deeper docks, Welcher’s going to rig his D-Bomb on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover flipping hook, and pair it with a 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
For shallow wood, scattered grass or deeper docks, Welcher’s going to rig his D-Bomb on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover flipping hook, and pair it with a 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
This lighter Texas rig allows him to move quickly and cover as much water as possible. If he locates a promising area or piece of cover, he’ll slow down and pick it apart.
This lighter Texas rig allows him to move quickly and cover as much water as possible. If he locates a promising area or piece of cover, he’ll slow down and pick it apart.
Targeting fish that are suspended in trees requires a strategic look and Welcher accomplishes this with a Missile Baits D-Stroyer rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover flipping hook with a 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
Targeting fish that are suspended in trees requires a strategic look and Welcher accomplishes this with a Missile Baits D-Stroyer rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover flipping hook with a 1/2-ounce Titan Tungsten weight.
When he’s fishing trees with a lot of branches in 5-7 feet of water, Welcher’s not trying to penetrate all the way to the bottom; rather, he wants to entice the fish with the bait’s swimming motion on the way down.
When he’s fishing trees with a lot of branches in 5-7 feet of water, Welcher’s not trying to penetrate all the way to the bottom; rather, he wants to entice the fish with the bait’s swimming motion on the way down.
For his offshore game, Welcher targets brush, cane piles and deeper trees with a Missile Baits Quiver Worm, rigged on a 4/0 round bend hook with a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. The round bend hook’s lower profile seems to hang up less than a wide gap model.
For his offshore game, Welcher targets brush, cane piles and deeper trees with a Missile Baits Quiver Worm, rigged on a 4/0 round bend hook with a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. The round bend hook’s lower profile seems to hang up less than a wide gap model.
While he pegs the weight for most of his other Texas rigs, Welcher does not peg this one. He wants the bait and weight to separate when coming across the cover. The result is a more natural fall.
While he pegs the weight for most of his other Texas rigs, Welcher does not peg this one. He wants the bait and weight to separate when coming across the cover. The result is a more natural fall.