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 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
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 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 Flippinâ 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 Flippinâ Hook | 6th Sense Peg-X Weight StopperPhoto: 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
Photo: Andy Crawford - A Dirty Jigs 1/4-ounce Scott Canterbury Toad Buzz was a top choice. So was a Snag Proof Bobbyâs Perfect Frog. Shop for lures on Amazon.com Photo: Andy Crawford - Another choice was a Dirty Jigs 1/2-ounce Compact Pitchinâ Jig, with NetBait Paca Chunk. Buy it now on Amazon: NetBait Paca ChunkPhoto: Shane Durrance - Brandon Cobb (8th; 56-13) A unique buzzbait and jig were key baits for Brandon Cobb. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
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 ChunkPhoto: 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 Photo: Andy Crawford - A Booyah XCS Series Squarebill Crankbait was a key bait for Blaylock. Shop for lures on Amazon.com
Photo: Andy Crawford - So was a 1/2-ounce pitching jig, with the new Yum Spine Craw trailer. Shop for lures on Amazon.com 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 WeightPhoto: 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
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 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-BombPhoto: 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
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 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.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
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 MammaPhoto: Andy Crawford - So was a War Eagle Buzz Toad Buzzbait. Buy it now on Amazon: War Eagle Buzz Toad BuzzbaitPhoto: 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
Photo: Dalton Tumblin - Frank Talley (1st; 64-3) A modification to a mainline bait was a key to Frank Talleyâs win. Shop for lures on Amazon.com Photo: Andy Crawford - Talleyâs 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 SwimmerPhoto: Andy Crawford - For kicker bass he used a plopping-style hollow body frog.Shop for lures on Amazon.com
