Top lures at Arkansas River

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Harvey Horne proved that betting on the come pays off in springtime bass fishing. Prespawn bass moved into his area each day, and the wise angler picked them off as they arrived. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Photo: Gettys Brannon - Harvey Horne proved that betting on the come pays off in springtime bass fishing. Prespawn bass moved into his area each day, and the wise angler picked them off as they arrived. All captions: Craig Lamb
Horne gave the trophy a smooch after winning the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River. He loved the river and it loved him back with a winning weight of 52 pounds, 7 ounces. Lures flipped to shallow targets as bass prepared to bed produced for the top finishers. The lure lineup proves the point.
Photo: Thomas Allen - Horne gave the trophy a smooch after winning the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River. He loved the river and it loved him back with a winning weight of 52 pounds, 7 ounces. Lures flipped to shallow targets as bass prepared to bed produced for the top finishers. The lure lineup proves the point.
To finish eighth Ben Blaschke used the dead sticking technique with this wacky rig. He made it using a DHP Baits stickbait with 1/0 Gamakatsu Wicked Wacky Hook.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish eighth Ben Blaschke used the dead sticking technique with this wacky rig. He made it using a DHP Baits stickbait with 1/0 Gamakatsu Wicked Wacky Hook.
To finish eleventh Brandon Lee used the flipping technique with these soft plastic rigs. Those were Texas rigged using 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hooks and 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weights. An unnamed stickbait and 5-inch Rite Bite Baits Salty Tube were the soft plastics.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish eleventh Brandon Lee used the flipping technique with these soft plastic rigs. Those were Texas rigged using 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hooks and 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weights. An unnamed stickbait and 5-inch Rite Bite Baits Salty Tube were the soft plastics.
To finish ninth David Gillham used this 5-inch Yamamoto Senko with 3/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish ninth David Gillham used this 5-inch Yamamoto Senko with 3/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine Offset EWG Hook and 1/8-ounce weight.
To finish third Derek Hudnall rotated through jerkbaits, jigs and creature baits to cover the water column. A 4.25-inch Megabass Ito Shiner with upgraded No. 4 Trapper Tackle Treble Hooks was a top choice. So was a 1/2-ounce Missile Baits Ike’s Mini Flipping Jig with 4-inch Missile Baits D Bomb. He also used a D Bomb with 4/0 Trapper Tackle Hook and 5/16-ounce weight.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish third Derek Hudnall rotated through jerkbaits, jigs and creature baits to cover the water column. A 4.25-inch Megabass Ito Shiner with upgraded No. 4 Trapper Tackle Treble Hooks was a top choice. So was a 1/2-ounce Missile Baits Ike’s Mini Flipping Jig with 4-inch Missile Baits D Bomb. He also used a D Bomb with 4/0 Trapper Tackle Hook and 5/16-ounce weight.
To finish seventh Drew Benton targeted prespawn bass and then switched to a flipping technique for bedding fish. For that tactic he chose a Doomsday Mauler 4.2, rigged to 5/0 Owner EWG Hook and 1/2-ounce Elite Tungsten Worm Weight. For migrating bass he chose a Bagley Sunny B Crankbait. Alternatively, he used a 1/2-ounce Nichols Lures Pulsator Spinnerbait with double Colorado blades.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish seventh Drew Benton targeted prespawn bass and then switched to a flipping technique for bedding fish. For that tactic he chose a Doomsday Mauler 4.2, rigged to 5/0 Owner EWG Hook and 1/2-ounce Elite Tungsten Worm Weight. For migrating bass he chose a Bagley Sunny B Crankbait. Alternatively, he used a 1/2-ounce Nichols Lures Pulsator Spinnerbait with double Colorado blades.
To finish sixth Dustin Reneau used a spinnerbait, crankbait and soft craw. For big bites he chose a 1/2-ounce Santone Lures Spinnerbait specially made by Kathy Vaught. The lure featured orange and gold blades for the muddy water. He also used a 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw, 4/0 Hayabusa WRM956 Wide Gap Offset Hook, and a 1/4-ounce Reins TG Tungsten Slip Sinker. Another choice was a 6.5-inch Zoom Trick Worm, 2/0 Hayabusa WRM202 Weedless Wacky SP Hook, and 1/16-ounce Reins TG Tungsten Slip Sinker. He also used a Shimano Square Bill Crankbait.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish sixth Dustin Reneau used a spinnerbait, crankbait and soft craw. For big bites he chose a 1/2-ounce Santone Lures Spinnerbait specially made by Kathy Vaught. The lure featured orange and gold blades for the muddy water. He also used a 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw, 4/0 Hayabusa WRM956 Wide Gap Offset Hook, and a 1/4-ounce Reins TG Tungsten Slip Sinker. Another choice was a 6.5-inch Zoom Trick Worm, 2/0 Hayabusa WRM202 Weedless Wacky SP Hook, and 1/16-ounce Reins TG Tungsten Slip Sinker. He also used a Shimano Square Bill Crankbait.
To finish twelfth Frank Talley used this 1/2-ounce Angler Assets Color Blade Spinnerbait. The bait featured a Hot Chartreuse skirt and double Indiana chartreuse and gold blades.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish twelfth Frank Talley used this 1/2-ounce Angler Assets Color Blade Spinnerbait. The bait featured a Hot Chartreuse skirt and double Indiana chartreuse and gold blades.
To finish tenth Greg Vance used the flipping tactic to score with these baits. A 3.5-inch V&M J-Bug and 4-inch Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub were the choices. He rigged both to 4/0 straight shank flipping hooks and 5/16-ounce weights.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish tenth Greg Vance used the flipping tactic to score with these baits. A 3.5-inch V&M J-Bug and 4-inch Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub were the choices. He rigged both to 4/0 straight shank flipping hooks and 5/16-ounce weights.
Winner Harvey Horne crafted a winning rig using three lure components. A 3/8-ounce All Terrain Tackle Swing Head Rock Jig, with a 6/0 Gamakatsu G Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook composed the jig. A 5-inch Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog completed the rig.
Photo: Thomas Allen - Winner Harvey Horne crafted a winning rig using three lure components. A 3/8-ounce All Terrain Tackle Swing Head Rock Jig, with a 6/0 Gamakatsu G Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook composed the jig. A 5-inch Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog completed the rig.
To finish fourth Justin Lucas went power fishing using this rig for flipping. The choice was a 4-inch Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Creature Hawg with 3/0 Berkley Fusion19 EWG Hook. He chose 3/16 or 1/4-ounce weights depending on wind velocity.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish fourth Justin Lucas went power fishing using this rig for flipping. The choice was a 4-inch Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Creature Hawg with 3/0 Berkley Fusion19 EWG Hook. He chose 3/16 or 1/4-ounce weights depending on wind velocity.
To finish second Justin Margraves used this 5/16-ounce Santone Lures Swim Jig with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish second Justin Margraves used this 5/16-ounce Santone Lures Swim Jig with 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
To finish fifth Tyler Rivet used these soft plastic rigs. A 4-inch Mister Twister Buzz Bug Craw with 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook, and 3/8-ounce Eco Pro Tungsten Elite Series Flipping Weight was a choice. So was a 5-inch Yum Dinger with 3/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook and 1/16-ounce worm weight.
Photo: Thomas Allen - To finish fifth Tyler Rivet used these soft plastic rigs. A 4-inch Mister Twister Buzz Bug Craw with 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook, and 3/8-ounce Eco Pro Tungsten Elite Series Flipping Weight was a choice. So was a 5-inch Yum Dinger with 3/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook and 1/16-ounce worm weight.