Top Lures of Chickamauga Open

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Sight fishing and spinning tackle. Add that pattern and tackle together for the sum of how top anglers finished at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Chickamauga Lake. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Sight fishing and spinning tackle. Add that pattern and tackle together for the sum of how top anglers finished at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Chickamauga Lake. All captions: Craig Lamb
Normally, the calling card for catching bass on Chick is cranking the ledges of the Tennessee River fishery. It was too soon for that, and as a result the spinning tackle came out.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Normally, the calling card for catching bass on Chick is cranking the ledges of the Tennessee River fishery. It was too soon for that, and as a result the spinning tackle came out.
John Cox caught largemouth so shallow he “could see their backs.” Now that’s shallow. Here are the lures used by Cox and his peers in the Top 12 at Chickamauga Lake.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - John Cox caught largemouth so shallow he “could see their backs.” Now that’s shallow. Here are the lures used by Cox and his peers in the Top 12 at Chickamauga Lake.
<b>Sam George</b><br> “It was the most unforgettable day of my career so far.” Indeed. On Day 2 Sam George moved from 98th to seventh place with a limit weighing 26 pounds, 2 ounces. A 10-pounder anchored the catch.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Sam George “It was the most unforgettable day of my career so far.” Indeed. On Day 2 Sam George moved from 98th to seventh place with a limit weighing 26 pounds, 2 ounces. A 10-pounder anchored the catch.
The 12th-place finisher caught all his fish either sight or bed fishing. Success came on this 5-inch soft plastic stick worm rigged to a 5/0 flipping hook and 1/16-ounce weight.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - The 12th-place finisher caught all his fish either sight or bed fishing. Success came on this 5-inch soft plastic stick worm rigged to a 5/0 flipping hook and 1/16-ounce weight.
<b>Justin Lucas</b><br> To finish 11th place Justin Lucas used this Berkley Dredger 17.5 crankbait that weighs 3/4-ounce, and is designed to run from 16-19.5 feet. He chose the Irish Gold pattern to catch his fish.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Justin Lucas To finish 11th place Justin Lucas used this Berkley Dredger 17.5 crankbait that weighs 3/4-ounce, and is designed to run from 16-19.5 feet. He chose the Irish Gold pattern to catch his fish.
<b>Josh Douglas</b><br> To finish 10th place Josh Douglas used this drop shot rig. “It’s my confidence rig for bed fishing and always works well on the Tennessee River lakes.” The choice was this 4-inch Biovex USA Kolt Fish Tail in the Ayu pattern.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Josh Douglas To finish 10th place Josh Douglas used this drop shot rig. “It’s my confidence rig for bed fishing and always works well on the Tennessee River lakes.” The choice was this 4-inch Biovex USA Kolt Fish Tail in the Ayu pattern.
Douglas paired it with a 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook. He added a 3/8-ounce Reigns TG Drop Shot Slim Weight. The lure features Kolt’s Bubble Pocket that creates bubbles to emulate real fish breathing.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Douglas paired it with a 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook. He added a 3/8-ounce Reigns TG Drop Shot Slim Weight. The lure features Kolt’s Bubble Pocket that creates bubbles to emulate real fish breathing.
<b>Wes Logan</b><br> “I went flipping and pitching far up the river, catching my bass from 6- to 8-feet of water.” That sums up how Wes Logan finished ninth on Chickamauga.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Wes Logan “I went flipping and pitching far up the river, catching my bass from 6- to 8-feet of water.” That sums up how Wes Logan finished ninth on Chickamauga.
Logan did that using this 5/8-ounce homemade jig. He used a 3-inch Zoom Big Salty Chunk, adding chartreuse to the tips of the tails. Doing so matched the color of bluegill in his area.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Logan did that using this 5/8-ounce homemade jig. He used a 3-inch Zoom Big Salty Chunk, adding chartreuse to the tips of the tails. Doing so matched the color of bluegill in his area.
<b>Brandon Lester</b><br> “Being at the right place, at the right time, was everything for me this week.” Timing was good for Brandon Lester, who finished eighth at Chickamauga using this shaky head rig.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Brandon Lester “Being at the right place, at the right time, was everything for me this week.” Timing was good for Brandon Lester, who finished eighth at Chickamauga using this shaky head rig.
Lester’s choice was this 1/8-ounce homemade jig with 6-inch green pumpkin finesse worm.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Lester’s choice was this 1/8-ounce homemade jig with 6-inch green pumpkin finesse worm.
<b>Wayne Hauser Jr. </b><br> Wayne Hauser Jr. finished seventh place using this Carolina rig setup. His choice was a 6-inch Zoom Brush Hog, green pumpkin, rigged to a 5/0 offset hook and 1/2-ounce weight. Rig length was about 2.5 feet. He fished the lure around offshore ledges.
Photo: James Overstreet - Wayne Hauser Jr. Wayne Hauser Jr. finished seventh place using this Carolina rig setup. His choice was a 6-inch Zoom Brush Hog, green pumpkin, rigged to a 5/0 offset hook and 1/2-ounce weight. Rig length was about 2.5 feet. He fished the lure around offshore ledges.
<b>Bill Weidler</b><br> “I fished around spawning areas from 1 to 3 feet, looking for spawning bluegill and largemouth.” That sums up the tactic of sixth-place finisher Bill Weidler.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Bill Weidler “I fished around spawning areas from 1 to 3 feet, looking for spawning bluegill and largemouth.” That sums up the tactic of sixth-place finisher Bill Weidler.
Weidler spent all week flipping overhanging brush along shorelines with this rig. His choice was a 3/8-ounce Dirty Jig Signature Canterbury Flippin’ Jig, black and blue. He added an H&H Swamp Frog, black with white feet. He dyed those blue to match the jig. “What that also does is add an interesting action, and make it more durable.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Weidler spent all week flipping overhanging brush along shorelines with this rig. His choice was a 3/8-ounce Dirty Jig Signature Canterbury Flippin’ Jig, black and blue. He added an H&H Swamp Frog, black with white feet. He dyed those blue to match the jig. “What that also does is add an interesting action, and make it more durable.”
<b>Ish Monroe</b><br> Chickamauga Lake’s spawning conditions set up perfectly for the bed fishing skills of Ish Monroe. All week he used a lure of his own design to be released by River2Sea.
Photo: James Overstreet - Ish Monroe Chickamauga Lake’s spawning conditions set up perfectly for the bed fishing skills of Ish Monroe. All week he used a lure of his own design to be released by River2Sea.
To finish fifth place, Monroe’s choice was this Phat Matt Daddy Frog, Yellow Head color.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - To finish fifth place, Monroe’s choice was this Phat Matt Daddy Frog, Yellow Head color.
<b>Shaw Grigsby</b><br> No surprise. Shaw Grigsby finished fourth by doing lots of sight fishing. He targeted a network of beds marked as GPS waypoints.
Photo: James Overstreet - Shaw Grigsby No surprise. Shaw Grigsby finished fourth by doing lots of sight fishing. He targeted a network of beds marked as GPS waypoints.
Grigsby used this 3.75-inch Strike King Rage Swimmer, green pumpkin, rigged on 4/0 Eagle Claw TroKar TK 140 Swimbait Hook. Alternatively, he used a 4-inch Strike King Rage Bug, Blue Bug, rigged to a 4/0 TroKar TK 120 MagWorm Hook. He used 1/4-ounce sinkers for both rigs.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Grigsby used this 3.75-inch Strike King Rage Swimmer, green pumpkin, rigged on 4/0 Eagle Claw TroKar TK 140 Swimbait Hook. Alternatively, he used a 4-inch Strike King Rage Bug, Blue Bug, rigged to a 4/0 TroKar TK 120 MagWorm Hook. He used 1/4-ounce sinkers for both rigs.
<b>Hunter Shryock</b><br> Hunter Shryock posted a second Top 12 of the season with a third-place finish at Chickamauga. “I went with my go-to rig, my confidence bait, for spawning bass anywhere in the country.”
Photo: James Overstreet - Hunter Shryock Hunter Shryock posted a second Top 12 of the season with a third-place finish at Chickamauga. “I went with my go-to rig, my confidence bait, for spawning bass anywhere in the country.”
Shryock’s choice was this 4-inch Berkley Havoc Pit Boss, green pumpkin, rigged to a 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce weight.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Shryock’s choice was this 4-inch Berkley Havoc Pit Boss, green pumpkin, rigged to a 4/0 hook with 3/8-ounce weight.
<b>Michael Neal</b><br> Michael Neal was a threat to win on his home lake all week. He came close with a runner-up finish. This big swimbait was the key. “I threw it out, let it hit bottom and then wind it back, stop and keep doing that type retrieve back to the boat.”
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Michael Neal Michael Neal was a threat to win on his home lake all week. He came close with a runner-up finish. This big swimbait was the key. “I threw it out, let it hit bottom and then wind it back, stop and keep doing that type retrieve back to the boat.”
Neal’s choice was this 5.25-inch Big Bite Baits BB Kicker Swimbait, Blue Gizzard. To that he rigged a 1-ounce The Ledgehead weight by Ledgehead Lures. The setup enabled Neal to make a Championship Saturday surge with a limit weighing 24-6.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - Neal’s choice was this 5.25-inch Big Bite Baits BB Kicker Swimbait, Blue Gizzard. To that he rigged a 1-ounce The Ledgehead weight by Ledgehead Lures. The setup enabled Neal to make a Championship Saturday surge with a limit weighing 24-6.
<b>John Cox</b><br> John Cox led the spinning rig parade with this weightless setup. The water was so shallow that “their backs were out of the water,” he said of the bass coming from less than 1 feet of water.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - John Cox John Cox led the spinning rig parade with this weightless setup. The water was so shallow that “their backs were out of the water,” he said of the bass coming from less than 1 feet of water.
To get the job done, Cox made this simple choice. He used this 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, Baby Bass, rigged with a 5/0 round bend hook.
Photo: Ronnie Moore - To get the job done, Cox made this simple choice. He used this 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, Baby Bass, rigged with a 5/0 round bend hook.