Like I do every Classic, all 52 of ’em. Why? Because I’m a:
And we all are like:
Hahaha love that! Here’s the rest of the top 10, ALL of ’em on BassBlaster.rocks:
2. Brent Ehrler
Main pattern was fishing main lake points and drains in pockets in 20-30′ with a swimbait. Had 3 baits he rotated through to get bites on key areas: swimbait (rigged 2 ways) to jig to nail rig.
> 1/2-oz Super Fish Pro Underspin with 3 different swimbaits: 3.5″ Yamamoto Swimbait (bright white/silver flake), 4″ Swim Senko (same color), 4″ ribbed swimbait (white), 7′ 3″ MH signature Daiwa Tatula Elite Series multi-purpose rod, Daiwa Steez A Reel, 12-lb Sunline Sniper fluoro.
> 3/8-oz Boss Swimbait Head, 3″ ribbed swimbait (white), same rod, Daiwa Tatula SV Reel, same line.
> 3/4-oz Boss Football Jig (br) with a 5″ Yamamoto Double Tail Grub (gp), Daiwa Tatula Elite Series Ish Monroe Frog Rod, Steez A Reel, 16-lb Sunline FC Sniper fluoro. Several times, after the swimbaits wouldn’t work, he’d throw the jig out and get bit on the first cast.
> Drop bait (day 3, same areas): Senko (gp) wacky-rigged with a 3/32-oz Eagle Claw nail weight and #1 Gamakatsu B10 S Stinger hook, 7′ 1″ M signature Daiwa Tatula Elite dropshot rod, Daiwa Exist reel (3000), 12-lb Sunline PEx8 braid to 8-lb Sunline Sniper fluoro.
> He had to trigger the fish to bite. “Every time I’d change something I could get an extra bite. I’d go through the rotation, leave, then come back and go through the same rotation and eventually could get them to bite. Once I’d trigger them, I’d catch 2-3 really fast then they’d go dark.
> Like Jordan Lee, he used a HydroWave: “The first 2 days I didn’t realize it had a blueback herring setting…I saw it on the final day and felt it helped for sure. I got more bites with it.
> “The Lakemaster chip from Humminbird…there’s something specific I was looking for, and when I found it I could duplicate it on different parts of the lake. With the Lakemaster chip, I could find it, drive right to it and catch a fish on my first cast.”
3. Jason Christie
Fished grass and docks in the backs of pockets. Main bait was a 1/2-oz prototype BOOYAH Spinnerbait (chart/white with a single Colorado) and YUM Pulse swimbait (white). 6′ 10″ MH Falcon Cara Rod, Lew’s Team Pro Magnesium Reel (7.5), 22-lb Sunline fluoro. Also fished a not-yet-released BOOYAH vibrating jig and another unnamed one, both 1/2-oz white.
4. Matt Lee
Mostly fished deep (20-30′) mid-lake, also around docks in the lower end with “dog fennel” (flooded bank grass). Best bait was a 4″ Strike King Ocho (candy craw) with a 3/32-oz nail weight, #1 Owner Straight Shank Hook, 7′ 2″ M Quantum Smoke S3 Rod, Smoke S3 Reel (30 series), 15-lb Seaguar Smackdown braid, 8- and 12-lb Seaguar Tatsu fluoro.
5. Jacob Powroznik
Wacky-rigged from 1′ to 40′ — shallow docks and clean spots deep. V&M Chopstick (gp), #1 Mustad TitanX Wacky/Neko Hook, nail weight out deep, 7′ 4″ M Quantum Prism Spinning Rod, Quantum Smoke S3 Reel (30), 10-lb Hi-Seas braid, 10 10-lb Hi-Seas fluoro.
6. Ott DeFoe
Fished colored water shallow with a 1/2-oz Z-Man BPS-exclusive vibrating jig (gp) with 2 trailers used randomly: BPS Sassy Sally boot-tail swimbait (gp/watermelon) and a BPS Bull Hog (gp). Weighed 2 on a 1/2-oz Terminator Double-Willow Spinnerbait (chart/white). All fished on a 7′ MH BPS CarbonLite Rod, CarbonLite Reel (7.5) and 17-lb BPS XPS fluoro. Half fish came from docks in 2-10′, and other half were in dog fennel in 2-5′.
7. Jacob Wheeler
Backs of pockets around grass with a 5/16-oz Accent signature Buzzbait (two colors: black and white), 17-lb Sufix Invisiline fluoro, Okuma Helios Reel (7.3), 7′ MH Okuma TCS Scott Martin Rod. “I picked up a buzzbait because I’m a topwater freak, and every time I have a topwater in my hand I feel like I have a chance to win it.”
8. Casey Ashley
The local former Hartwell Classic champ fished shallow docks in pockets. “Really clear water — the fish were cruising.” Zoom Trick Worm (gp) on a new 1/8- and 3/16-oz Green Fish Tackle custom shakey head. 7′ M Quantum Smoke Inshore Spinning Rod (he likes the more-parabolic action of the inshore rod), Quantum Smoke S3 Reel, 10-lb Hi-Seas Grand Slam braid, 10-lb Hi-Seas fluoro leader.
9. Aaron Martens
Brushpiles and long shell points in the main lake and some bigger creeks. Keys were clear water and going slow: “The slower you go, the more they kind of come to you.” 4.5″ Roboworm Straight Tail Worm (Aaron’s magic and margarita mutilator), 3/16-oz Picasso Rhino Head (“it’s different than any other shakey head”), 12-lb Sunline PEx8 braid to 10-lb Sunline Sniper fluoro, Shimano Stella Reel (2500), 6′ 11″ MH Enigma Aaron’s Edge Rod.
10. Gerald Swindle
Fished the mouths of creeks and the middle of short pockets, slow-rolling a 1/2-oz Evergreen Jack Hammer (gp) with a 4″ Zoom Boot Tail Fluke (albino). 7′ 2″ MH Quantum GForce signature Rod, Quantum Smoke S3 Reel (6:1), 16-lb Sunline Shooter fluoro.
