Top lures at Lake Tenkiller

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All it took was one lure for an Australian to win $100,000 at the Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller. The bass were shallow, deep and in between a seasonal transition on the eastern Oklahoma fishery. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Thomas Allen - All it took was one lure for an Australian to win $100,000 at the Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller. The bass were shallow, deep and in between a seasonal transition on the eastern Oklahoma fishery. All captions: Craig Lamb
Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. As if it were scripted, that was how the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series played out from start to finish. At the season finale it was Carl Jocumsen who took home the blue trophy. See his winning lure and those used by the top finishers.
Photo: James Overstreet - Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. As if it were scripted, that was how the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series played out from start to finish. At the season finale it was Carl Jocumsen who took home the blue trophy. See his winning lure and those used by the top finishers.
<b>Hunter Shryock (34-2; 10th) </b><br> A Berkley Frittside Crankbait produced reaction bites for Hunter Shryock. For slower action he used a 4-inch Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Creature Hawg, on 4/0 Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook, with 1/2-ounce tungsten weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Hunter Shryock (34-2; 10th) A Berkley Frittside Crankbait produced reaction bites for Hunter Shryock. For slower action he used a 4-inch Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Creature Hawg, on 4/0 Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook, with 1/2-ounce tungsten weight.
<b>Todd Auten (38-6; 9th) </b><br> Todd Auten used a 1/4-ounce homemade buzzbait with 4.25-inch Zoom Horny Toad trailer. A 1/2-ounce Shooter Jig with 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer was another choice.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Todd Auten (38-6; 9th) Todd Auten used a 1/4-ounce homemade buzzbait with 4.25-inch Zoom Horny Toad trailer. A 1/2-ounce Shooter Jig with 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer was another choice.
Auten also used a Heddon Super Spook.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Auten also used a Heddon Super Spook.
<b>Stetson Blaylock (42-5; 8th) </b><br> Stetson Blaylock used a 3/16-ounce shaky head jig with a 5-inch Yum Dinger, and a 3/4-ounce jig with 3.25-inch Yum Craw Chunk trailer.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Stetson Blaylock (42-5; 8th) Stetson Blaylock used a 3/16-ounce shaky head jig with a 5-inch Yum Dinger, and a 3/4-ounce jig with 3.25-inch Yum Craw Chunk trailer.
<b>Keith Combs (45-8; 7th) </b><br> Keith Combs fished rocky banks and around boat docks with a Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg Hard Knock.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Keith Combs (45-8; 7th) Keith Combs fished rocky banks and around boat docks with a Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg Hard Knock.
He also used a Strike King KVD HC Square Bill Silent Crankbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford - He also used a Strike King KVD HC Square Bill Silent Crankbait.
<b>David Mullins (45-10; 6th) </b><br> A KVD 1.5 Squarebill was a top lure for David Mullins. He switched out the stock hooks with a No. 3 Owner Stinger Treble Hook STX-58 up front, and the same hook in a No. 4 size on the back.
Photo: Andy Crawford - David Mullins (45-10; 6th) A KVD 1.5 Squarebill was a top lure for David Mullins. He switched out the stock hooks with a No. 3 Owner Stinger Treble Hook STX-58 up front, and the same hook in a No. 4 size on the back.
Another choice was a 5.4-inch Doomsday Tackle Roku soft stick bait, on 4/0 Owner Jungle Flipping Hook, with 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. Mullins also used a 3/4-ounce Nichols Pro Tour Football Jig, with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Another choice was a 5.4-inch Doomsday Tackle Roku soft stick bait, on 4/0 Owner Jungle Flipping Hook, with 3/8-ounce tungsten weight. Mullins also used a 3/4-ounce Nichols Pro Tour Football Jig, with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer.
<b>Kyle Monti (46-9; 5th) </b><br> A 1/2-ounce wobble head jig with 10-inch Bruiser Baits Curly Tail Worm, or 7-inch Zoom Magnum Trick Worm were top producers for Kyle Monti. So was a 6-inch Roboworm Straight Tail Worm on 1/0 hook and 1/2-ounce Flat Out Tungsten Weight.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Kyle Monti (46-9; 5th) A 1/2-ounce wobble head jig with 10-inch Bruiser Baits Curly Tail Worm, or 7-inch Zoom Magnum Trick Worm were top producers for Kyle Monti. So was a 6-inch Roboworm Straight Tail Worm on 1/0 hook and 1/2-ounce Flat Out Tungsten Weight.
Monti also used a deep diving crankbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Monti also used a deep diving crankbait.
<b>Brandon Card (47-3; 4th) </b><br> A Yo-Zuri 3DB 1.5 Squarebill Crankbait to cover water was a top choice for Brandon Card. When he found fish in the backs of creeks around isolated cover, he switched to a straight tail worm. He rigged it on 1/8- or 3/16-ounce Perfection Lures Sure Hook Up Shaky Head.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Brandon Card (47-3; 4th) A Yo-Zuri 3DB 1.5 Squarebill Crankbait to cover water was a top choice for Brandon Card. When he found fish in the backs of creeks around isolated cover, he switched to a straight tail worm. He rigged it on 1/8- or 3/16-ounce Perfection Lures Sure Hook Up Shaky Head.
<b>Cory Johnston (48-6; 3rd) </b><br> A River2Sea 1-ounce Worldwide spoon was a top choice for Cory Johnston. So was a wacky-rigged 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, rigged with nail weight and O-ring, on Gamakatsu B10S Stinger Hook.
Photo: Andy Crawford - Cory Johnston (48-6; 3rd) A River2Sea 1-ounce Worldwide spoon was a top choice for Cory Johnston. So was a wacky-rigged 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, rigged with nail weight and O-ring, on Gamakatsu B10S Stinger Hook.
<b>Chris Zaldain (51-5; 2nd) </b><br> Chris Zaldain fished windblown pockets and points in 3 feet or less with a Megabass 3-inch neon pepper Spark Shad. “It matched the smaller size of the shad.”
Photo: Andy Crawford - Chris Zaldain (51-5; 2nd) Chris Zaldain fished windblown pockets and points in 3 feet or less with a Megabass 3-inch neon pepper Spark Shad. “It matched the smaller size of the shad.”
He rigged it to a 1/8-ounce Megabass Okashira Screw Head, featuring two propellers that provide vibration and lift to the bait. “It was important when fishing in that shallow water, to keep the lure off the bottom and in the strike zone.”
Photo: Andy Crawford - He rigged it to a 1/8-ounce Megabass Okashira Screw Head, featuring two propellers that provide vibration and lift to the bait. “It was important when fishing in that shallow water, to keep the lure off the bottom and in the strike zone.”
He also used a Megabass 6-inch albino Magdraft Swimbait.
Photo: Andy Crawford - He also used a Megabass 6-inch albino Magdraft Swimbait.
<b>Carl Jocumsen (54-15; 1st)</b><br> Carl Jocumsen fished bottom cover in 20- to 30-feet of water with a 3/4-ounce Molix GT Football Jig, with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer. “This jig is brand new and it has a unique shape for a football jig that enables it to move through anything.”
Photo: Andy Crawford - Carl Jocumsen (54-15; 1st) Carl Jocumsen fished bottom cover in 20- to 30-feet of water with a 3/4-ounce Molix GT Football Jig, with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer. “This jig is brand new and it has a unique shape for a football jig that enables it to move through anything.”