Photo: Thomas Allen - Lake St. Clair did not disappoint at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Shallow, deep and mid-range depths produced the 20-pound-plus daily limits of smallmouth that it took to make it to the top of the scoreboard. All captions: Craig LambPhoto: James Overstreet - Seth Feider did what he does best. That was catching big smallmouth offshore on isolated structure. He won a second Elite Series event, and this time using crankbaits. See what lures produced for everyone else, and stock your tacklebox accordingly for fall smallmouth success.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Matt Arey (62-12; 10th) Matt Arey used a 4-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Spicy Tube, Dirty Candy, on 1/2-ounce custom jighead with 3/0 hook. Another choice was a 5-inch Lunkerhunt Lures Lunker Stick, Pearl Sparkle, on 1/0 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot Hook, with 3/8-ounce Titan Tungsten Weight. Photo: Andy Crawford - Arey also used a pair of deep diving crankbaits. Photo: Andy Crawford - Cory Johnston (63-2; 8th) Cory Johnston mixed it up with a drop shot, tube jig, spybait and crankbait. Those choices were a Strike King Pro Model 5XD crankbait, and Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Photo: Andy Crawford - He made the dropshot with a 5-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait, on Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, and 3/8-ounce drop shot weight. He also used a 3.5-inch Strike King Coffee Tube, on 1/2-ounce Gamakatsu Finesse Jig Head. Photo: Andy Crawford - Mike Huff (64-6; 7th) Mike Huff used a Ned rig, dropshot and crankbait. That choice was a Berkley Digger 8.5. Photo: Andy Crawford - For the Ned rig he used a 1/4-ounce Cumberland Pro Lures Ned Head with one-half of a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent The General Worm. For the dropshot he used a 3.6-inch PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm, with No. 1 Berkley Fusion19 Hook and 3/8-ounce weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Shane LeHew (64-14; 6th) Shane LeHew used a Berkley Dredger 14.5 Crankbait and Berkley Dredger 17.5 Crankbait. Photo: Andy Crawford - He made a dropshot with a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent Flatnose Minnow, on Berkley Fusion Drop Shot Hook, with a drop-shot weight. Photo: Andy Crawford - Paul Mueller (65-11; 5th) Paul Mueller used a Rapala DT 10 Series Crankbait and a Duo Realis G-Fix Spinbait 90 Spybait.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Another choice was a 4-inch Berkley PowerBait Maxscent The General, on 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, with 1/4-ounce Do it Molds The Do It 3511 TDF-10-AA weight. Photo: Andy Crawford - Cliff Prince (66-0; 4th) Cliff Prince used a Bass Assassin Worm on Owner Ned Head Rig. Photo: Andy Crawford - A Strike King Pro Model 5XD Crankbait was another choice.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Clark Wendlandt (66-10; 3rd) Clark Wendlandt used a Strike King Pro Model 5XD Crankbait. He also used a 2.75-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Baby Z Too Soft Jerkbait, on No. 1 Owner Mosquito Hook and 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight. Photo: Andy Crawford - Stetson Blaylock (71-7; 2nd) Stetson Blaylock used a Norman Deep Little N Crankbait, and a Norman NXS Crankbait. Photo: Andy Crawford - Seth Feider (77-15; 1st) Seth Feider used a Rapala DT Series 10 Crankbait and Rapala DT Series 14 Crankbait.
