How-To

Top lures at Lake Guntersville 2020

Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. To top it all off a nice guy finished first at the NOCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. <strong><a href=
Photo: Dalton Tumblin - Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. To top it all off a nice guy finished first at the NOCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. Shop for lures on Amazon.com All captions: Craig Lamb
Frank Talley lived a lifelong dream of hoisting the blue trophy. One lure accounted for 95% of his weight, as it has during this season. Check it out, and see what the top finishers used during a pre-fall transition on the Big G.  <strong><a href=
Photo: James Overstreet - Frank Talley lived a lifelong dream of hoisting the blue trophy. One lure accounted for 95% of his weight, as it has during this season. Check it out, and see what the top finishers used during a pre-fall transition on the Big G. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<b>Chad Morgenthaler (10th; 50-1)</b><br> Chad Morgenthaler did what he does best, which was fish with a punch rig in heavy vegetation. <strong><a href=
Photo: Shane Durrance - Chad Morgenthaler (10th; 50-1) Chad Morgenthaler did what he does best, which was fish with a punch rig in heavy vegetation. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>Morgenthaler used his all-around favorite punching rig of choice. That is a Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb, Love Bug for low light and Bruiser Flash for sunny conditions. He rigged those to a Gamakatsu 3/0 Super Heavy Cover Flippin’ Hook, with 6th Sense Peg-X Weight Stopper, and 1.5-ounce tungsten weight. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Morgenthaler used his all-around favorite punching rig of choice. That is a Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb, Love Bug for low light and Bruiser Flash for sunny conditions. He rigged those to a Gamakatsu 3/0 Super Heavy Cover Flippin’ Hook, with 6th Sense Peg-X Weight Stopper, and 1.5-ounce tungsten weight. Buy it now on Amazon: Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb | Gamakatsu Super Heavy Cover Flippin’ Hook | 6th Sense Peg-X Weight Stopper
<b>Scott Canterbury (9th; 53-10)</b><br> A buzzbait, frog and jig were the baits of choice for Scott Canterbury. <strong><a href=
Photo: Steve Bowman - Scott Canterbury (9th; 53-10) A buzzbait, frog and jig were the baits of choice for Scott Canterbury. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
A Dirty Jigs 1/4-ounce Scott Canterbury Toad Buzz was a top choice. So was a Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Dirty Jigs 1/4-ounce Scott Canterbury Toad Buzz was a top choice. So was a Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>Another choice was a Dirty Jigs 1/2-ounce Compact Pitchin’ Jig, with NetBait Paca Chunk. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Another choice was a Dirty Jigs 1/2-ounce Compact Pitchin’ Jig, with NetBait Paca Chunk. Buy it now on Amazon: NetBait Paca Chunk
<b>Brandon Cobb (8th; 56-13)</b><br> A unique buzzbait and jig were key baits for Brandon Cobb. <strong><a href=
Photo: Shane Durrance - Brandon Cobb (8th; 56-13) A unique buzzbait and jig were key baits for Brandon Cobb. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>A Greenfish Tackle 1/2-ounce Brandon Cobb All-Purpose Jig, with Zoom Super Chunk trailer was a top choice. So was a Greenfish Tackle 3/8-ounce Toad Toter Buzzbait, with Zoom Horny Toad trailer. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Greenfish Tackle 1/2-ounce Brandon Cobb All-Purpose Jig, with Zoom Super Chunk trailer was a top choice. So was a Greenfish Tackle 3/8-ounce Toad Toter Buzzbait, with Zoom Horny Toad trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Zoom Super Chunk
<b>Stetson Blaylock (7th; 57-1)</b><br>A pitching jig and crankbait were top baits of choice for Stetson Blaylock. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Stetson Blaylock (7th; 57-1)A pitching jig and crankbait were top baits of choice for Stetson Blaylock. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
A Booyah XCS Series Squarebill Crankbait was a key bait for Blaylock. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Booyah XCS Series Squarebill Crankbait was a key bait for Blaylock. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
So was a 1/2-ounce pitching jig, with the new Yum Spine Craw trailer. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - So was a 1/2-ounce pitching jig, with the new Yum Spine Craw trailer. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p><strong>Bob Downey (6th; 58-14)</strong><br> A Reaction Innovations Spicey Beaver, rigged on 4/0 VMC HD Wide Gap Hook, with VMC 1-ounce Worm Weight, was a key bait for Bob Downey. On Day 3, he downsized to a Reaction Innovations 3.5 Smallie Beaver, rigged on the same hook and weight. The switch proved successful for catching wary fish. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Bob Downey (6th; 58-14) A Reaction Innovations Spicey Beaver, rigged on 4/0 VMC HD Wide Gap Hook, with VMC 1-ounce Worm Weight, was a key bait for Bob Downey. On Day 3, he downsized to a Reaction Innovations 3.5 Smallie Beaver, rigged on the same hook and weight. The switch proved successful for catching wary fish. Buy it now on Amazon: VMC Worm Weight
<b>Kyle Welcher (5th; 59-15)</b><br> Running and gunning was the name of the game for Kyle Welcher, who fished from one end to the other of Lake Guntersville. <strong><a href=
Photo: Steve Bowman - Kyle Welcher (5th; 59-15) Running and gunning was the name of the game for Kyle Welcher, who fished from one end to the other of Lake Guntersville. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
An Untamed Tackle 1/2-ounce prototype jig was a key bait for Welcher. The compact jig with thin strand skirt and a heavy-duty hook is designed for skipping beneath docks, while providing the strength needed to prevent bending the hook. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - An Untamed Tackle 1/2-ounce prototype jig was a key bait for Welcher. The compact jig with thin strand skirt and a heavy-duty hook is designed for skipping beneath docks, while providing the strength needed to prevent bending the hook. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>He also used a Z-Man 1/2-ounce Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer, with Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailer. A Missile Baits D-Bomb, rigged on 4/0 Gamakatsu hook and 1/2-ounce weight was another choice. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - He also used a Z-Man 1/2-ounce Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer, with Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailer. A Missile Baits D-Bomb, rigged on 4/0 Gamakatsu hook and 1/2-ounce weight was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Z-MAN ChatterBait Jack Hammer | Yamamoto Zako Swimbait | Missile Baits D-Bomb
<b>Wes Logan (4th; 60-14)</b><br> A punch rig, topwater and buzzbaits were in the lure lineup for Wes Logan. <strong><a href=
Photo: Dalton Tumblin - Wes Logan (4th; 60-14) A punch rig, topwater and buzzbaits were in the lure lineup for Wes Logan. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
A Team Ark Topwater Blower 115 Twitch Bait was a key bait. So was a Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Pro Buzz, with Zoom Z Craw Jr. trailer. <strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Team Ark Topwater Blower 115 Twitch Bait was a key bait. So was a Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Pro Buzz, with Zoom Z Craw Jr. trailer. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>He also made a punch rig with a Z Craw Jr., 4/0 straight shank flipping hook and 1.5-ounce Ark Tungsten Weight. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - He also made a punch rig with a Z Craw Jr., 4/0 straight shank flipping hook and 1.5-ounce Ark Tungsten Weight. Buy it now on Amazon: Zoom Z Craw Jr.
<b>Luke Palmer (3rd; 61-2)</b><br> A punch rig and buzzbait were lures of choice for Luke Palmer. <strong><a href=
Photo: Steve Bowman - Luke Palmer (3rd; 61-2) A punch rig and buzzbait were lures of choice for Luke Palmer. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>A Yum Bad Mamma, rigged on 4/0 straight shank hook, with 1.25-ounce weight was a key bait. A Yum Spine Craw, rigged on similar weight and hook, was another choice. <span><strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong></span> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Yum Bad Mamma, rigged on 4/0 straight shank hook, with 1.25-ounce weight was a key bait. A Yum Spine Craw, rigged on similar weight and hook, was another choice. Buy it now on Amazon: Yum Bad Mamma
<p>So was a War Eagle Buzz Toad Buzzbait. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - So was a War Eagle Buzz Toad Buzzbait. Buy it now on Amazon: War Eagle Buzz Toad Buzzbait
<p><strong>Randy Sullivan (2nd; 61-15)</strong><br> A Berkley Frittside 5 Crankbait, fished along riprap shorelines and causeway bridges, was the key bait of choice for Randy Sullivan. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon:</strong> <a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Randy Sullivan (2nd; 61-15) A Berkley Frittside 5 Crankbait, fished along riprap shorelines and causeway bridges, was the key bait of choice for Randy Sullivan. Buy it now on Amazon: Berkley Frittside 5 Crankbait
<b>Frank Talley (1st; 64-3)</b><br> A modification to a mainline bait was a key to Frank Talley’s win. <strong><a href=
Photo: Dalton Tumblin - Frank Talley (1st; 64-3) A modification to a mainline bait was a key to Frank Talley’s win. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
<p>Talley’s key bait was a Strike King 1/2-ounce Thunder Cricket, with Strike King Rage Swimmer trailer. <strong>Buy it now on Amazon: </strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - Talley’s key bait was a Strike King 1/2-ounce Thunder Cricket, with Strike King Rage Swimmer trailer. Buy it now on Amazon: Strike King Thunder Cricket | Strike King Rage Swimmer
<p>For kicker bass he used a plopping-style hollow body frog.</p><strong><a href=
Photo: Andy Crawford - For kicker bass he used a plopping-style hollow body frog.Shop for lures on Amazon.com