Top lures of Kissimmee

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The Lake Toho Lock stayed busy during the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open. The lock is the narrow passage from Lake Kissimmee into another bass fishing paradise. On Lake Toho one angler faired better than anyone else to win the tournament. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Garrick Dixon - The Lake Toho Lock stayed busy during the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open. The lock is the narrow passage from Lake Kissimmee into another bass fishing paradise. On Lake Toho one angler faired better than anyone else to win the tournament. All captions: Craig Lamb
“When you can see the moon setting in the west and the sun rising in the east it’s going to be a big bass day.” Bobby Lane Jr. spoke those prophetic words at takeoff on Day 1. That afternoon he brought 31 pounds, 7 ounces to the scales and never looked back. Check out his winning lures and those used by the Top 12.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - “When you can see the moon setting in the west and the sun rising in the east it’s going to be a big bass day.” Bobby Lane Jr. spoke those prophetic words at takeoff on Day 1. That afternoon he brought 31 pounds, 7 ounces to the scales and never looked back. Check out his winning lures and those used by the Top 12.
<b>Walt Bowen</b><br> To finish 12th Walt Bowen chose a 7-inch Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm, rigged to 5/0 hook and 3/16-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Walt Bowen To finish 12th Walt Bowen chose a 7-inch Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm, rigged to 5/0 hook and 3/16-ounce weight.
<b>Michael Purvis</b><br> To finish 11th Michael Purvis chose two hard baits. He used a 3.5-inch Yellow Magic Japanese Popper for fan casting into afternoon feeding bass. Alternatively, he chose a 3/8-ounce Spro Aruku Shad. “It enabled me to tick the tops of the hydrilla instead of getting it hung up in the grass.”
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Michael Purvis To finish 11th Michael Purvis chose two hard baits. He used a 3.5-inch Yellow Magic Japanese Popper for fan casting into afternoon feeding bass. Alternatively, he chose a 3/8-ounce Spro Aruku Shad. “It enabled me to tick the tops of the hydrilla instead of getting it hung up in the grass.”
<b>Michael Murphy</b><br> Michael Murphy finished 10th using a 3-inch Reins Ring Craw, rigged to a 3/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Flipping Hook. A 1.5-ounce Reins Tungsten weight completed the rig.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Michael Murphy Michael Murphy finished 10th using a 3-inch Reins Ring Craw, rigged to a 3/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Flipping Hook. A 1.5-ounce Reins Tungsten weight completed the rig.
<b>Don Eady</b><br> Don Eady fished soft plastics using various size weights to finish ninth. He chose the 4.2-inch Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and 4.25-inch Zoom Horny Toad. For a lightweight approach he used a 1/8-ounce weight. For flipping thick mats he fished the plastics with 1-, 1 3/4- or 2 ounce weights. A 4/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook completed the rigs.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Don Eady Don Eady fished soft plastics using various size weights to finish ninth. He chose the 4.2-inch Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and 4.25-inch Zoom Horny Toad. For a lightweight approach he used a 1/8-ounce weight. For flipping thick mats he fished the plastics with 1-, 1 3/4- or 2 ounce weights. A 4/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook completed the rigs.
<b>John McBride</b><br> To finish eighth John McBride used these baits. He chose a 3/8-ounce Strike King Greg Hackney Hack Attack Jig, with Strike King Grub trailer. Alternatively, he used a Yamamoto Senko rigged to 4/0 Gamakatsu Hook and 1/4-ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - John McBride To finish eighth John McBride used these baits. He chose a 3/8-ounce Strike King Greg Hackney Hack Attack Jig, with Strike King Grub trailer. Alternatively, he used a Yamamoto Senko rigged to 4/0 Gamakatsu Hook and 1/4-ounce tungsten weight.
<b>Freddy Palmer</b><br> Freddy Palmer finished seventh using this simple setup. The choice was a 7-inch Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed worm. He rigged that to 4/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook with 3/16-ounce tungsten Wicked Weights.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Freddy Palmer Freddy Palmer finished seventh using this simple setup. The choice was a 7-inch Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed worm. He rigged that to 4/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook with 3/16-ounce tungsten Wicked Weights.
<b>Alex Wetherell</b><br> To finish sixth Alex Wetherell used this trio of lures. He chose a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Lures Chatterbait Elite Series rigged with 5-inch Lunker City Lures Swim Fish Swimbait. Alternatively, he fashioned a drop shot using a 2.75-inch Lunker City Grubster. A 1/0 Lunker City VGB Dropshot Hook and 1/4-ounce Lunker City Dropshot Weight completed the rig. For bed fishing he used a 9-inch Lunker City Mud Dog with 5/0 hook and 1/4-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Alex Wetherell To finish sixth Alex Wetherell used this trio of lures. He chose a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Lures Chatterbait Elite Series rigged with 5-inch Lunker City Lures Swim Fish Swimbait. Alternatively, he fashioned a drop shot using a 2.75-inch Lunker City Grubster. A 1/0 Lunker City VGB Dropshot Hook and 1/4-ounce Lunker City Dropshot Weight completed the rig. For bed fishing he used a 9-inch Lunker City Mud Dog with 5/0 hook and 1/4-ounce weight.
<b>Garrett Paquette </b><br> To finish fifth a homemade swim jig was key for Garrett Paquette. For the 3/8-ounce bait he matched skirt color to resemble bluegill in the strike zone. Trailer choices were key.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Garrett Paquette To finish fifth a homemade swim jig was key for Garrett Paquette. For the 3/8-ounce bait he matched skirt color to resemble bluegill in the strike zone. Trailer choices were key.
For cloudy and windy conditions he chose a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. A Strike King Menace Grub worked best for sunny, bright conditions. “The grub made the bait fall deeper into the grass when the bass escaped the sunlight.”
Photo: Garrick Dixon - For cloudy and windy conditions he chose a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. A Strike King Menace Grub worked best for sunny, bright conditions. “The grub made the bait fall deeper into the grass when the bass escaped the sunlight.”
<b>Jon Canada</b><br> To finish fourth, Jon Canada used a jig and Texas-rigged worm. The choices were a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce Dirty Jigs with Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper trailer. Another choice was a Reaction Innovations Pocket Rocket rigged to 5/0 Owner Offset Hooks and 1/8- or 3/16-ounce weights.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Jon Canada To finish fourth, Jon Canada used a jig and Texas-rigged worm. The choices were a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce Dirty Jigs with Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper trailer. Another choice was a Reaction Innovations Pocket Rocket rigged to 5/0 Owner Offset Hooks and 1/8- or 3/16-ounce weights.
<b>Drew Cook</b><br> To finish third Drew Cook chose a duo of lures. For lily pads he used a 1/2-ounce Nichols Lures Sledgehammer Swim Jig with Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas Fighting Frog trailer. For bedding bass he chose a 6-inch Yamamoto Senko with 5/0 Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Flipping Hook, with 1/2-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Drew Cook To finish third Drew Cook chose a duo of lures. For lily pads he used a 1/2-ounce Nichols Lures Sledgehammer Swim Jig with Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas Fighting Frog trailer. For bedding bass he chose a 6-inch Yamamoto Senko with 5/0 Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Flipping Hook, with 1/2-ounce weight.
<b>Brandon Lester</b><br> To finish second Brandon Lester used a punch rig. The choice was a 3.25-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Finesse Craw. He rigged it to a 4/0 Mustad 3X Grip Pin Max Flipping Hook and 1.5 ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Brandon Lester To finish second Brandon Lester used a punch rig. The choice was a 3.25-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Finesse Craw. He rigged it to a 4/0 Mustad 3X Grip Pin Max Flipping Hook and 1.5 ounce tungsten weight.
<b>Bobby Lane</b><br> Bobby Lane’s key fish came on a swimming frog he designed. The choice was a black or watermelon red 4.25-inch Berkley PowerBait Rib Toad. “What’s so important is you get greater distance with it than any other swimming frog.” The skinny water fished by Lane required long casts to reach the fish.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Bobby Lane Bobby Lane’s key fish came on a swimming frog he designed. The choice was a black or watermelon red 4.25-inch Berkley PowerBait Rib Toad. “What’s so important is you get greater distance with it than any other swimming frog.” The skinny water fished by Lane required long casts to reach the fish.
The winner also used a 1/4-ounce 4x4 Jigs with a black/blue/purple hand-tied custom skirt.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - The winner also used a 1/4-ounce 4x4 Jigs with a black/blue/purple hand-tied custom skirt.
Alternatively, Lane used a 5-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General, rigged with a 5/0 TroKar hook and 1/4-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Alternatively, Lane used a 5-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General, rigged with a 5/0 TroKar hook and 1/4-ounce weight.