All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Steve Bowman
Photo: James Overstreet
A Strike King Sexy Dawg and Jackall Iobee Frog were the top baits for Skylar Hamilton. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
Stetson Blaylock (9th; 60-4)
Stetson Blaylock used a Norman Lures NXS Crankbait, on a H20 XPRESS Tac-40 rod, with a H20 XPRESS Tac 40 reel and 12-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line. Buy it now on Amazon: Norman Lures NXS Crankbait | Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line
Photo: Andy Crawford
Brock Mosley rotated through a bladed jig and squarebill crankbait. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
He used a 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait Jackhammer, with a NetBait Big Spanky trailer. Mosley also used a Bill Lewis SB-57 Squarebill Crankbait. Buy it now on Amazon: Z-Man ChatterBait Jackhammer | NetBait Big Spanky
Photo: Andy Crawford
Photo: Andy Crawford
Crankbaits and worms were the top choices for Lee Livesay. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Shane Durrance
Photo: Andy Crawford
Livesay also used a 15-inch NetBait C-Mac Worm, rigged on a 4/0 hook with 1/4-ounce weight. Buy it now on Amazon: NetBait C-Mac Worm
Photo: Andy Crawford
Ed Loughran used a bladed jig and drop shot. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Shane Durrance
He made it using a Missile Baits Fuse 4.4 or a Missile Baits Quiver, rigged on a 3/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook, with a 1/8-ounce weight. He fished the drop shot rig on a Shimano Stradic Ci4 Plus 4000 with 15-pound Power Pro Super Slick 8 line, and a Shimano Expride spinning rod. Loughran also used a 3/8-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait with a Missile Baits Shockwave Swimbait. He fished it on a Shimano Chronarch MGL Casting Reel with 17-pound fluorocarbon line and a Shimano Expride rod. Buy it now on Amazon: Missile Baits Fuse 4.4 | Missile Baits Quiver | Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook | Shimano Stradic Ci4 Plus 4000 | Shimano Expride | Z-Man ChatterBait | Missile Baits Shockwave Swimbait | Shimano Chronarch MGL Casting Reel | Shimano Expride
Photo: Andy Crawford
A prototype bladed jig and prototype crankbait were the baits of choice for Brad Whatley. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
The squarebill is by A Band of Anglers. It features a metal bill with a sharply tapered back design that produces a very wide wobble. He fished it on a Castaway Taranis Rod with a Daiwa reel. He also used a 1/2-ounce bladed jig and a swimbait trailer. He used a Castaway Rods Nano rod with a Lew’s reel. Buy it now on Amazon: Castaway Taranis Rod
Photo: Andy Crawford
Brandon Palaniuk (4th; 69-5)
A Rapala DT 14 or Rapala DT 16 produced crankbait bites for Brandon Palaniuk. He fished the baits on a Daiwa Steez A 6.3:1 casting reel, with 12-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line, and an Alpha Angler Mag-Rebound Rod. Buy it now on Amazon: Rapala DT 14 | Rapala DT 16 | Daiwa Steez Baitcast Reel | Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line
Photo: Andy Crawford
Palaniuk also used an X Zone Pro Series Mega Swammer, rigged on a 3/4-ounce swimbait head. He fished it on a Daiwa Tatula Elite baitcast reel with 15-pound Seaguar Tatsu line and an Alpha Hitter Rod. Buy it now on Amazon: X Zone Pro Series Mega Swammer | Daiwa Tatula Elite Baitcast Reel | Seaguar Tatsu
Photo: Andy Crawford
Jay Yelas focused on isolated wood in the backs of creeks and boat docks, where he used a spinnerbait and bladed jig. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
He used a 1/2-ounce MGC Spinnerbait with tandem silver and gold Colorado blades, and a 3/8-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait with a Yamamoto Zako trailer. He fished both baits on a Lew’s Custom Pro Rod, and a Lew’s HyperMag Speed Spool Reel, and 20-pound Strike King Tour Grade Fluorocarbon Line. Buy it now on Amazon: Z-Man ChatterBait | Yamamoto Zako | Lew’s Custom Pro Rod | Lew’s HyperMag Speed Spool Reel | Strike King Tour Grade Fluorocarbon Line
Photo: Andy Crawford
Keith Combs did what he does best, and that was cast a deep-diving crankbait around flooded timber. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford
Combs’ primary bait was a Strike King Pro Model 6XD Crankbait. He fished it on a Shimano Curado DC baitcast reel with 15-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line, and a Shimano Zodias Cranking Rod. He replaced the stock hooks with No. 1 Owner STY35 Treble Hooks. Buy it now on Amazon: Strike King Pro Model 6XD Crankbait | Shimano Curado DC Baitcast Reel | Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line | Owner STY35 Treble Hooks
Photo: Andy Crawford
Walters focused on largemouth suspended in timber. During the feeding window when they fed on baitfish, he mimicked the forage using jerkbaits. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Dalton Tumblin
Key baits were a Rapala Shad Rap Deep and a Megabass Ito Vision 110+1 Jerkbait. He fished both baits on a Daiwa Steez CT SV baitcast reel with 12- or 14-pound Suffix Advanced Fluorocarbon and a Daiwa Tatula Bass Rod. Buy it now on Amazon: Rapala Shad Rap Deep | Megabass Ito Vision 110+1 Jerkbait | Daiwa Steez CT SV Baitcast Reel | Suffix Advanced Fluorocarbon | Daiwa Tatula Bass Rod
Photo: Andy Crawford