Randy B., aka the Bass Editor, got him this 11.5 on Falcon Lake with a 10″ Power Worm (black/blue flake):

Irishman fishin’ with my bud Jimmy G. in a NH derby whacked this 8.4 from Lake Wentworth. 4″ Senko (black/blue flake) on cabbage bed in 8′:

Give it up for bass-head Ben T., age 14, who caught this 7.5-lb IA swoll-melon with a Brush Hog (gp) and Lew’s rod and reel. Bass had a sunfish in its mouth when it hit!

Tony K. and his dad banged a couple giant smalls (22″ 6 lbs and 22.5″ 6.5 lbs) somewhere in northern MI on a Rapala DT10 (silver) and a Spook (bleeding shad):

Limit o’ the week is from Jeremy Douglas and Casey Smith, feeshn the Cashion Rods Northern derby out of the St. Lawrence River. Made 50-mile 1-way ride in 20 mph wind to catch 28.91 lbs = #stout! Dropshotted 4″ Keitech Shad Impact (silver minnow flash). Dudes were serious as a heart attack, check ’em:

You know, when he’s not catching up on 8 months’ worth of honey-dos, he’s fishing this stuff:

> Fish Head Spin (albino) with Netbait Little Spanky swimbait (“trash” = white/silver flake). Fish Head Vinson V-Lock Swimbait Head (albino) with hollow-belly swimbait (TN shad). “Good for offshore and suspended fish.”

> Super Spook Jr. (Lake Fork shad) and 3/8-oz homemade jig (gp with some black and brown, couple strands of purple) with Netbait Paca Slim (gp, claws dipped in chartreuse JJs Magic). Good for shallower fish in pockets around shad and bream.

Seen that Lake Fork shad color of Spook on more boats this year than I ever have.

Clear Lake Costa was last weekend, won by Bryant Smith by almost 10 lbs — dang son! What did he do?

> “I’ve gotten my butt kicked so many times by guys slowing down and throwing Senkos. I put that one rod in my hand and pitched to every dock piling that was in front of me.”

As great as Senko-type baits are, it’s rare that the bigger derbies are won on one. Here’s what all the top 10 did:

Spinnerbait = 30% — all were shades of white

Flip plastics = 30% — Rage Bug, Yomama, Brush Hog

Senko = 20% — both were Yamamotos and both were gp/watermelon

Lipless crank = 20% — both were Lucky Craft LV500s

Squarebill = 20% — one was the Bill Lewis Echo 1.75

>> worth noting: 1 lipless and 1 squarebill had Trapper Tackle Standard Round Bend Treble hooks — that’s some quick market penetration. Here’s Ken Mah (5th) with ’em on the Echo:

Jig = 20%

10% each = Football Jig, Shakey Head (Roboworm) and Dropshot (Roboworm)

Dude named Jessie Mizell of Sarasota, FL won these BFLs this year: 28th in first one in Jan, then 36th in Feb, but — 1st in March, 1st in April and 1st at the recent 2-dayer. Dude takes a dang consistent pic too:

Won em with a frog, frog and a 6th Sense Quake lipless crank (4K shad). Here’s my fave pattern, from the March derby:

That’s a dude with more patience than me mang!

Jeff Kriet does:

Yep, he ain’t right in the head, probly never has been, but…some bass-heads do it to make sure the legs are all nice. Kriet just likes the way it smells I guess:

For the record, frog Jedi Dean Rojas doesn’t powder his frogs….