Top lures at Lake Okeechobee

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Lake Okeechobee. Just the thought of it brings to mind big bass. The Big O did not disappoint at the A.R.E Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Lake Okeechobee. Just the thought of it brings to mind big bass. The Big O did not disappoint at the A.R.E Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee. All captions: Craig Lamb
The lake was in its seasonal prime with all spawning phases underway during the tournament. Timmy Horton won it with 83 pounds, 5 ounces. Here are the lures used by Horton and the top pros during a week of amazing bass fishing.
Photo: Nate Sims - The lake was in its seasonal prime with all spawning phases underway during the tournament. Timmy Horton won it with 83 pounds, 5 ounces. Here are the lures used by Horton and the top pros during a week of amazing bass fishing.
<b>Adrian Avena</b><br> The 12th-place finisher cycled through his lure selection based on light conditions. Early, Avena threw a bone pattern Heddon Saltwater Zara Spook during the shad spawn. A key was switching the stock hooks with oversized No. 1 Berkley Fusion 19 treble hooks.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Adrian Avena The 12th-place finisher cycled through his lure selection based on light conditions. Early, Avena threw a bone pattern Heddon Saltwater Zara Spook during the shad spawn. A key was switching the stock hooks with oversized No. 1 Berkley Fusion 19 treble hooks.
For bedding bass he used a 1/2-ounce All Terrain Tackle Jig with a PowerBait Chigger Craw or Zoom Horny Toad. To trigger reaction bites he chose a 7-inch Roman Made Negotiator glide-style bait. For missed topwater strikes he made follow-up casts with a soft plastic stick bait.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - For bedding bass he used a 1/2-ounce All Terrain Tackle Jig with a PowerBait Chigger Craw or Zoom Horny Toad. To trigger reaction bites he chose a 7-inch Roman Made Negotiator glide-style bait. For missed topwater strikes he made follow-up casts with a soft plastic stick bait.
<b>Stephen Browning</b><br> Browning used these lures for his 11th-place finish. He started with a 5-inch black/blue Z-Man ZinkerZ soft plastic stick bait rigged to a 4/0 Mustad Round Bend Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Stephen Browning Browning used these lures for his 11th-place finish. He started with a 5-inch black/blue Z-Man ZinkerZ soft plastic stick bait rigged to a 4/0 Mustad Round Bend Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.
Next in the rotation was a 7-inch Z-Man black/blue Magnum FattyZ with a 4/0 Mustad Grip Pin Big Bite Soft Plastics Hook and 5/16 ounce weight. Finally, he used 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBaits, green pumpkin or black/blue patterns. For a trailer he used a 4.5-inch Z-Man RaZor ShadZ.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Next in the rotation was a 7-inch Z-Man black/blue Magnum FattyZ with a 4/0 Mustad Grip Pin Big Bite Soft Plastics Hook and 5/16 ounce weight. Finally, he used 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBaits, green pumpkin or black/blue patterns. For a trailer he used a 4.5-inch Z-Man RaZor ShadZ.
<b>Andy Montgomery</b><br> The 10th-place finisher used two lures to target bass in various spawning stages. For early morning bites he chose a 1/2-ounce white Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig. To that he rigged a 4-inch Strike King Magnum Rage Bug.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Andy Montgomery The 10th-place finisher used two lures to target bass in various spawning stages. For early morning bites he chose a 1/2-ounce white Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig. To that he rigged a 4-inch Strike King Magnum Rage Bug.
Montgomery also used a Strike King KVD Popping Perch for topwater action. “The Magnum Rage Bug was the key, because it attracted the bigger bites,” he said.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Montgomery also used a Strike King KVD Popping Perch for topwater action. “The Magnum Rage Bug was the key, because it attracted the bigger bites,” he said.
<b>Dean Rojas</b><br> The ninth-place finisher spent most of the week fishing isolated reeds surrounded by patches of aquatic vegetation. That combination provided cover for migrating and spawning phase bass. Rojas chose his self-designed Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, Blue and Black Sapphire pattern. He rigged that to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook and 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Dean Rojas The ninth-place finisher spent most of the week fishing isolated reeds surrounded by patches of aquatic vegetation. That combination provided cover for migrating and spawning phase bass. Rojas chose his self-designed Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, Blue and Black Sapphire pattern. He rigged that to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook and 3/4-ounce tungsten weight.
<b>Jason Williamson </b><br> “Pre- and post-spawn fish were eating a lot of shad near their spawning areas,” said the eighth-place angler. Williamson’s go-to bait was a lure of his own design.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Jason Williamson “Pre- and post-spawn fish were eating a lot of shad near their spawning areas,” said the eighth-place angler. Williamson’s go-to bait was a lure of his own design.
The choice was a 3/8-ounce Buckeye Lures J-Will Trokar Swim Jig, Sexy Shad pattern. “The swim jig worked really well for those pressured fish.” He added a pearl white soft plastic trailer for added strike appeal.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - The choice was a 3/8-ounce Buckeye Lures J-Will Trokar Swim Jig, Sexy Shad pattern. “The swim jig worked really well for those pressured fish.” He added a pearl white soft plastic trailer for added strike appeal.
<b>Bobby Lane</b><br> The seventh-place finisher started the morning with a Yozuri 3DB Pencil topwater lure, Bluegill pattern. “The bass were feeding in the same places they spawned,” said Lane.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Bobby Lane The seventh-place finisher started the morning with a Yozuri 3DB Pencil topwater lure, Bluegill pattern. “The bass were feeding in the same places they spawned,” said Lane.
Alternatively, he used a 1-ounce 4x4 Bobby Lane Signature Series Jig, rotating between Black/Blue, Okeechobee Craw and Bream patterns. Later, he switched to a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss rigged to a 5/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook. To that he rigged Flat Out Tungsten 1-, 1 1/2- and 2-ounce weights to penetrate thick tules.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Alternatively, he used a 1-ounce 4x4 Bobby Lane Signature Series Jig, rotating between Black/Blue, Okeechobee Craw and Bream patterns. Later, he switched to a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss rigged to a 5/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook. To that he rigged Flat Out Tungsten 1-, 1 1/2- and 2-ounce weights to penetrate thick tules.
<b>Dave Lefebre</b><br> The sixth-place finisher switched things up. He used a 1/4-ounce Terminator Swim Jig and matching soft plastic trailer. Added to the mix was a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait with a 4-inch Yamamoto Zako trailer. Alternatively, he used a 4.75-inch Yamamoto Sanshouo Salamander rigged to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook. He completed the rig with VMC Tungsten Weights in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce sizes.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Dave Lefebre The sixth-place finisher switched things up. He used a 1/4-ounce Terminator Swim Jig and matching soft plastic trailer. Added to the mix was a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait with a 4-inch Yamamoto Zako trailer. Alternatively, he used a 4.75-inch Yamamoto Sanshouo Salamander rigged to a 5/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG hook. He completed the rig with VMC Tungsten Weights in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce sizes.
<b>Greg Hackney</b><br> “My deal all week was focusing on fish in all phases of the spawn,” said the fifth-place angler. Hackney used namesake Strike King lures of his design. Those choices were a Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig and its flipping jig counterpart.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Greg Hackney “My deal all week was focusing on fish in all phases of the spawn,” said the fifth-place angler. Hackney used namesake Strike King lures of his design. Those choices were a Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig and its flipping jig counterpart.
He chose a 3/8-ounce white swim jig and 3/4-ounce blue/black flipping jig. He used a color matching Strike King Rage Tail Lobster for the flipping jig and Strike King Rage Craw for the swim jig.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He chose a 3/8-ounce white swim jig and 3/4-ounce blue/black flipping jig. He used a color matching Strike King Rage Tail Lobster for the flipping jig and Strike King Rage Craw for the swim jig.
<b>Fletcher Shryock</b><br> “I made super long casts anywhere I thought there was a spawning bed, to get a reaction bite,” said the fourth-place finisher. To make that happen Shryock used a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a 5-inch Yamamoto Twin Double Tail Grub.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Fletcher Shryock “I made super long casts anywhere I thought there was a spawning bed, to get a reaction bite,” said the fourth-place finisher. To make that happen Shryock used a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a 5-inch Yamamoto Twin Double Tail Grub.
<b>Cliff Prince</b><br> The third-place finisher kept it simple. Prince’s primary choices were two lures. He chose a Greenfish Tackle The Tat topwater prop bait in a custom color chosen by him. Alternatively, Prince used a white Pro-Z T-Sitz topwater frog with a Fitzgerald rod.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Cliff Prince The third-place finisher kept it simple. Prince’s primary choices were two lures. He chose a Greenfish Tackle The Tat topwater prop bait in a custom color chosen by him. Alternatively, Prince used a white Pro-Z T-Sitz topwater frog with a Fitzgerald rod.
<b>Ott DeFoe</b><br> The runner-up rotated through two primary baits for his second consecutive Top 10 finish this season. DeFoe’s choices were a pair of 3-inch Terminator Walking Frog Junior soft plastic topwaters in the Cocoa Camo and Hot Shad patterns.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Ott DeFoe The runner-up rotated through two primary baits for his second consecutive Top 10 finish this season. DeFoe’s choices were a pair of 3-inch Terminator Walking Frog Junior soft plastic topwaters in the Cocoa Camo and Hot Shad patterns.
When the topwater bite slowed he switched to a 4.5-inch Bass Pro Shops River Bug, black/blue flake, rigged to a 5/0 VMC Heavy Duty Straight Shank Flipping Hook. He completed the rig with a 1/2-ounce Swagger Tackle Co. Tungsten Weight. Alternatively, he used a Bass Pro Shops Shadee Shad rigged with a 3/0 VMC Worm hook.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - When the topwater bite slowed he switched to a 4.5-inch Bass Pro Shops River Bug, black/blue flake, rigged to a 5/0 VMC Heavy Duty Straight Shank Flipping Hook. He completed the rig with a 1/2-ounce Swagger Tackle Co. Tungsten Weight. Alternatively, he used a Bass Pro Shops Shadee Shad rigged with a 3/0 VMC Worm hook.
<b>Timmy Horton</b><br> Horton took a long ride to the south side of the lake to catch his winning fish on Days 1-3. Unique to the area were growths of dense and isolated reeds. Pitching and flipping baits into the mix of reeds and bladed aquatic weeds produced strikes.
Photo: Nate Sims - Timmy Horton Horton took a long ride to the south side of the lake to catch his winning fish on Days 1-3. Unique to the area were growths of dense and isolated reeds. Pitching and flipping baits into the mix of reeds and bladed aquatic weeds produced strikes.
Horton kept it simple with a lure sold by Profound Outdoors, a company he founded. The choice was a 4.25-inch Klone Crawsome, Black and Blue Swirl pattern. To that he rigged a 4/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook and Bass Pro Shops Tungsten Weights ranging from 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounces.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Horton kept it simple with a lure sold by Profound Outdoors, a company he founded. The choice was a 4.25-inch Klone Crawsome, Black and Blue Swirl pattern. To that he rigged a 4/0 Lazer Trokar Big Nasty Flippin Hook and Bass Pro Shops Tungsten Weights ranging from 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounces.