Top lures of Mille Lacs

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Mille Lacs proved why it’s the nation’s top ranked bass fishery according to Bassmaster Magazine. Seventy-two limits weighing over 20 pounds got caught over three days of fishing. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Mille Lacs proved why it’s the nation’s top ranked bass fishery according to Bassmaster Magazine. Seventy-two limits weighing over 20 pounds got caught over three days of fishing. All captions: Craig Lamb
Drop shot rigs were top lures. So was the big bass jig used by winner Keith Combs. See his lure and those used by other top anglers at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Drop shot rigs were top lures. So was the big bass jig used by winner Keith Combs. See his lure and those used by other top anglers at the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship.
<b>Michael Iaconelli</b><br> “I had an early crankbait bite and then went to a drop shot,” said the 11th-place finisher. “It was key to strike the rock, get a deflection and the reflex bite.”
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Michael Iaconelli “I had an early crankbait bite and then went to a drop shot,” said the 11th-place finisher. “It was key to strike the rock, get a deflection and the reflex bite.”
Michael Iaconelli chose a Rapala DT 14 to reach a high spot at 14 feet of bottom. He made the drop shot with a new Berkley PowerBait Maxscent Flat Nosed Minnow. A No. 1 VMC Ike Approved Hook and 3/8-ounce VMC Ike Tungsten Drop Shot Cylinder Weight completed the rig.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Michael Iaconelli chose a Rapala DT 14 to reach a high spot at 14 feet of bottom. He made the drop shot with a new Berkley PowerBait Maxscent Flat Nosed Minnow. A No. 1 VMC Ike Approved Hook and 3/8-ounce VMC Ike Tungsten Drop Shot Cylinder Weight completed the rig.
<b>Mark Daniels Jr. </b><br> Mark Daniels Jr. rotated through a swim bait, chatterbait and a drop shot rig to finish 10th.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Mark Daniels Jr. Mark Daniels Jr. rotated through a swim bait, chatterbait and a drop shot rig to finish 10th.
A custom-made 3/8-ounce chatterbait rigged with a 3.5-inch Lake Fork Live Magic Shad was a top choice. So was a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT on a 3/8-ounce weight with 2/0 Owner Round Bend Worm Hook.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - A custom-made 3/8-ounce chatterbait rigged with a 3.5-inch Lake Fork Live Magic Shad was a top choice. So was a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT on a 3/8-ounce weight with 2/0 Owner Round Bend Worm Hook.
He also Carolina rigged that hook to a 3.5-inch Missile Baits Craw Father with 3/4-ounce weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He also Carolina rigged that hook to a 3.5-inch Missile Baits Craw Father with 3/4-ounce weight.
Daniels made a drop shot rig using a 4-inch Yamamoto Senko, rigged to No. 1 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens G-Finesse Heavy Cover Hook and 3/8-ounce sinker.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Daniels made a drop shot rig using a 4-inch Yamamoto Senko, rigged to No. 1 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens G-Finesse Heavy Cover Hook and 3/8-ounce sinker.
<b>Jordan Lee</b><br> Jordan Lee went all soft plastics to finish ninth.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Jordan Lee Jordan Lee went all soft plastics to finish ninth.
A 3.5-inch Strike King Coffee Tube rigged to a 3/8-ounce tube head was a key choice. So was a 5-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too, rigged to 1/0 Roboworm Rebarb Hook with 3/8-once weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - A 3.5-inch Strike King Coffee Tube rigged to a 3/8-ounce tube head was a key choice. So was a 5-inch Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too, rigged to 1/0 Roboworm Rebarb Hook with 3/8-once weight.
Jonathon VanDam used a crankbait, jig and wacky rigged drop shot rig to finish eighth. Choices included a 4-inch Strike King Ocho, rigged to No. 2 Eagle Claw Drop Shot Hook withb3/8-once weight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Jonathon VanDam used a crankbait, jig and wacky rigged drop shot rig to finish eighth. Choices included a 4-inch Strike King Ocho, rigged to No. 2 Eagle Claw Drop Shot Hook withb3/8-once weight.
He also used a 3/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig with 5-inch Strike King Rage Tail. Another choice was a Strike King Series 5 Crankbait.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He also used a 3/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig with 5-inch Strike King Rage Tail. Another choice was a Strike King Series 5 Crankbait.
<b>Clifford Pirch</b><br> Clifford Pirch went all soft plastics to finish seventh.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Clifford Pirch Clifford Pirch went all soft plastics to finish seventh.
He used a 4-inch Roboworm Special FX Sculpin, rigged to a No. 1 Hayabusa Power Wacky Hook, and 3/8-ounce sinker.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He used a 4-inch Roboworm Special FX Sculpin, rigged to a No. 1 Hayabusa Power Wacky Hook, and 3/8-ounce sinker.
<b>Russ Lane</b><br> Russ Lane alternated between two lures to finish sixth. A 1/2-ounce Buckeye Lures Pitch and Skip Jig Head was a key choice. He added a 4.5-inch Big Bite Baits BB Kicker as a trailer. Another choice was a 3/8-ounce ball head jig rigged with a Big Bite Coontail Worm.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Russ Lane Russ Lane alternated between two lures to finish sixth. A 1/2-ounce Buckeye Lures Pitch and Skip Jig Head was a key choice. He added a 4.5-inch Big Bite Baits BB Kicker as a trailer. Another choice was a 3/8-ounce ball head jig rigged with a Big Bite Coontail Worm.
<b>Luke Clausen</b><br> To finish fifth, Luke Clausen used a swim bait and crankbait. He used this Megabass Deep-X 300 Crankbait.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Luke Clausen To finish fifth, Luke Clausen used a swim bait and crankbait. He used this Megabass Deep-X 300 Crankbait.
He also used a 3-inch Z Man Slim Swimz Swimbait rigged to 1/4-ounce Dirty Jigs Tackle Guppy Head.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He also used a 3-inch Z Man Slim Swimz Swimbait rigged to 1/4-ounce Dirty Jigs Tackle Guppy Head.
<b>Jacob Wheeler</b><br> Jacob Wbeeler used a wacky rigged drop shot, swimbait and crankbait to finish fourth. For cranking he used a Rapala DT 14.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Jacob Wheeler Jacob Wbeeler used a wacky rigged drop shot, swimbait and crankbait to finish fourth. For cranking he used a Rapala DT 14.
He made the drop shot with a 4-inch green pumpkin worm, rigged to a No. 6 VMC Ike Approved Neko Hook. A 3/8-ounce VMC Ike Tungsten Drop Shot Cylinder Weight completed the rig.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He made the drop shot with a 4-inch green pumpkin worm, rigged to a No. 6 VMC Ike Approved Neko Hook. A 3/8-ounce VMC Ike Tungsten Drop Shot Cylinder Weight completed the rig.
He also used a swim bait rigged to a 3/8-ounce ball head jig.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - He also used a swim bait rigged to a 3/8-ounce ball head jig.
<b>James Elam</b><br> James Elam used a drop shot rig and spybait to finish second. A 3-inch Jackall I-Prop 755 was a key lure.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - James Elam James Elam used a drop shot rig and spybait to finish second. A 3-inch Jackall I-Prop 755 was a key lure.
So was a 4-inch Jackall Crosstail Shad, rigged to a No. 1 Owner Octupus Hook with 3/8-ounce sinker.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - So was a 4-inch Jackall Crosstail Shad, rigged to a No. 1 Owner Octupus Hook with 3/8-ounce sinker.
<b>Keith Combs</b><br> Winner Keith Combs used a big bass bait to target quality smallmouth feeding on crawfish. The result was daily limits weighing 24-15, 24-15 and 22-07. He held the lead all three days.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Keith Combs Winner Keith Combs used a big bass bait to target quality smallmouth feeding on crawfish. The result was daily limits weighing 24-15, 24-15 and 22-07. He held the lead all three days.
His key choice was a 1-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig. For a trailer he added a 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - His key choice was a 1-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig. For a trailer he added a 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail.
<b>Brandon Palaniuk</b><br> Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk used a drop shot rig. He made it with a 5.25-inch Zoom Super Fluke, Purple Smoke, rigged to a 2/0 straight shank hook and 3/8 ounce drop shot sinker.
Photo: Garrick Dixon - Brandon Palaniuk Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk used a drop shot rig. He made it with a 5.25-inch Zoom Super Fluke, Purple Smoke, rigged to a 2/0 straight shank hook and 3/8 ounce drop shot sinker.