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Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. It was a tagline with scenes like this playing out all season on the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series. From Florida to New York the schedule lined up perfectly with best times to fish some of the nation’s top big bass fisheries. Check out this best of the best winning lures from throughout the season.
All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Dalton Tumblin
St. Johns River
Early February on the St. Johns River means two things. Prespawn and big bass. Both panned out as Rick Clunn won a second time in three years with a weight of 98 pounds, 14 ounces.
Early February on the St. Johns River means two things. Prespawn and big bass. Both panned out as Rick Clunn won a second time in three years with a weight of 98 pounds, 14 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I’ve always had confidence in this lure when coming to Florida and especially here.” Rick Clunn used his stash of 7-inch Ditto Gator Tail Worms, wide body curl tail models made 30 years ago in nearby San Mateo. He rigged those to 5/0 hooks and 1/2-ounce weights. Pitching to docks and shallow cover produced the strikes.
Photo: Chris Mitchell
So did a 3/8-ounce shell cracker Luck E Strike Rick Clunn Trickster Spinnerbait with a Luck E Strike Ring Worm trailer. A 1-ounce Luck E Strike Hail Mary lipless crankbait also produced around the outside edges of docks.
Photo: Chris Mitchell
Lake Lanier
Next on the February schedule was Lake Lanier, home of renowned spotted bass fishing. The Georgia fishery did not disappoint. Once again, the trip coincided with prespawn and the outcome was another big bass fest.
Next on the February schedule was Lake Lanier, home of renowned spotted bass fishing. The Georgia fishery did not disappoint. Once again, the trip coincided with prespawn and the outcome was another big bass fest.
Photo: Thomas Allen
Paul Mueller primarily relied on a swimbait with modifications made to the jig head. A 1/2-ounce Do-It Molds Herring Head with 3/0 Gamakatsu 111 Jig Hook in size 3/0 was the choice. Mueller removed the blade from the underspin-style jig. To that he added a 3.25 Reins Fat Rockvibe Shad. Mueller also used a 3/8-ounce Do It Molds Freestyle Jig Head with a No. 1 Mustad Hook. He added a 3-inch Reins Bubbling Shaker to complete the rig. The result was a winning weight of 69 pounds.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Lake Hartwell
Bed fishing and boat docks were the targets during yet another prespawn contest, this time in April on Lake Hartwell.
Bed fishing and boat docks were the targets during yet another prespawn contest, this time in April on Lake Hartwell.
Photo: Thomas Allen
Brandon Cobb rotated between a Zoom Fluke Stick and Zoom Trick Worm. He rigged that to a 1/8-ounce Greenfish Tackle Clean Up Shakey Head. He used a 1/0 weed guard-style hook for the weightless Fluke Stick. His winning weight was 72 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Winyah Bay
It was a different kind of competition in late April at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay. Instead of angler vs. angler it was the Waccamaw River vs. the Cooper River. Most pros went there to fish the fertile waters, while fewer chose to fish local near the host city of Georgetown. In the end the Waccamaw won and so did Stetson Blaylock, with a winning weight of 50 pounds, 15 ounces.
It was a different kind of competition in late April at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay. Instead of angler vs. angler it was the Waccamaw River vs. the Cooper River. Most pros went there to fish the fertile waters, while fewer chose to fish local near the host city of Georgetown. In the end the Waccamaw won and so did Stetson Blaylock, with a winning weight of 50 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo: Steve Bowman
Blaylock carried over lures used for a second-place finish at Lake Hartwell. Those choices were a Rebel Pop-R P70 and Yum Dinger stickbait. He fished it wacky-rigged on two hook styles. A No. 1 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Drop Shot Hook and 1/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Wacky Hook were the choices. He fished it weightless or with a tungsten nail weight depending on the depth of the spawning beds.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Lake Fork
It was a scene of personal bests that played out all week on Lake Fork at Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Brandon Cobb added more personal bests than he could have imagined during the May contest. Those included a personal best largemouth weighing 11 pounds, and joining the Bassmaster Century Club with a winning weight of 114 pounds.
It was a scene of personal bests that played out all week on Lake Fork at Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Brandon Cobb added more personal bests than he could have imagined during the May contest. Those included a personal best largemouth weighing 11 pounds, and joining the Bassmaster Century Club with a winning weight of 114 pounds.
Photo: Dalton Tumblin
Early in the week a swimbait rigged on a 10/0 hook. For the 11-pounder a Zoom Z Craw with 4/0 Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook and 3/8-ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford
A Yo-Zuri Hardcore Minnow Flat 110SP, Ghost Pro Blue, was another top lure choice of the week.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Lake Guntersville
Lake Guntersville in late June. Put those words together and it spells out a classic ledge fest. The pros threw out the textbook of summertime bass fishing and caught bass shallow and deep.
Lake Guntersville in late June. Put those words together and it spells out a classic ledge fest. The pros threw out the textbook of summertime bass fishing and caught bass shallow and deep.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Jamie Hartman scored the win with this lineup. A top choice was a 4-inch Riot Baits Fuzzy Beaver (Blue Steel), on 5/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook with 1.25-ounce weight. Hartman also used a new 4.75-inch Riot Baits Synth Worm designed by he and fellow Elite Series pro Greg Diplama. Hartman used a 1/0 Owner All Purpose Worm Hook and 3/8-ounce pencil weight to complete the drop shot rig.
Photo: Andy Crawford
He also used a 3/4-ounce custom football jig with a green pumpkin 3.75-inch Riot Baits R Craw trailer. The difference-maker was a bone-colored walking bait he used on Championship Monday to catch 20 pounds in the first 45 minutes of fishing. His winning weight was 79 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
St. Lawrence River
Another smallmouth whack fest unfolded at Bassmaster Magazine’s Top Bass Lake in August. This time on the St. Lawrence River the fish got caught from end to end of the tournament waters.
Another smallmouth whack fest unfolded at Bassmaster Magazine’s Top Bass Lake in August. This time on the St. Lawrence River the fish got caught from end to end of the tournament waters.
Photo: Shane Durrance
A 3-inch Yum Dinger fashioned into a Ned rig with a 1/8-ounce mushroom jighead produced the best for Micah Frazier. Strikes came in current breaks along the main river channel. His winning weight was 87 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Cayuga Lake
Largemouth and smallmouth. You could choose one or both to weigh-in during August at Cayuga Lake. In August, the western New York fishery was entering its summer prime, with largemouth ganged up in isolated weeds, and smallmouth staged offshore, chasing baitfish.
Largemouth and smallmouth. You could choose one or both to weigh-in during August at Cayuga Lake. In August, the western New York fishery was entering its summer prime, with largemouth ganged up in isolated weeds, and smallmouth staged offshore, chasing baitfish.
Photo: James Overstreet
Winner Jamie Hartman alternated between a drop shot and vibrating jig. That choice featured a 3.75-inch Riot Baits T3 Tattletail Swimbait for a trailer. He also used a 4.75-inch Riot Baits. The Synth finesse worm, green pumpkin neon, with chartreuse dye added to the tip of the worm. Depending on wind speed, he completed the rig with 3/8 or 1/2-ounce weights, and 2/0 Owner All Purpose Worm Hook. Hartman’s winning weight was 80 pounds, 13 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Lake Tenkiller
All it took was one lure for an Australian to win $100,000 in September at the Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller. The bass were shallow, deep and in between a seasonal transition on the eastern Oklahoma fishery.
All it took was one lure for an Australian to win $100,000 in September at the Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller. The bass were shallow, deep and in between a seasonal transition on the eastern Oklahoma fishery.
Photo: Thomas Allen
Carl Jocumsen fished bottom cover in 20- to 30-feet of water with a 3/4-ounce Molix Football Jig, with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer. “This jig is brand new and it has a unique shape for a football jig that enables it to move through anything.” His winning weight was 54 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Lake St. Clair
Lake St. Clair did not disappoint at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Shallow, deep and mid-range depths produced the 20-pound-plus daily limits that it took to make it to the top of the scoreboard.
Lake St. Clair did not disappoint at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Shallow, deep and mid-range depths produced the 20-pound-plus daily limits that it took to make it to the top of the scoreboard.
Photo: Thomas Allen
For the win, Seth Feider used a Rapala DT Series 10 Crankbait and Rapala DT Series 14 Crankbait. His winning weight was 77 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo: Andy Crawford
