Elite

Lester lets loose in La Crosse

Check in with Brandon Lester as he brings 'em in early on Day 3 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River!

Posted on
Photography by
Andy Crawford
Brandon Lester entered the third day of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River as the only angler who had a chance at beating Brandon Palaniuk in the Angler of the Year Race. We tracked him down near La Crosse working a grass-choked flat.
Rain was moving through regularly, but you can see the relief on Lester’s face when there was a break and he could remove his rain hood.
But there were very short intervals between rains.
Lesster would give an area 30 minutes or so before moving on.
He had deck full of tools to choose from.
Lester made a move a short distance to another flat. This one also featured submerged grass, but the key was the sandy bottom, according to local angler Jimmy Johnson.
The peanut gallery was on hand to watch Lester work the sand bar.
Lester switched between topwaters and a soft plastic.
He soon was catching the first of a flurry of bass.
It wasn’t a keeper, but it showed bass were on the bar.
He was quickly hooked up again on the topwater.
Lester took his time with this one, which was more of the quality bass he for which he was looking.
He swung his fourth keeper bass of the day into the boat …
… held it for the camera and added it to his livewell.
Then he blasted the topwater over the sandbar again.
He positioned his boat very shallow, firing his lure to the back side of the bar.
That again resulted in a hookup.
It was again a bass Lester didn’t want to lose, so he played the bass carefully.
The bass was soon in hand and being pulled over the gunnel.
A couple of locals braved the nasty weather to watch Lester work.
Lester set the hook often …
… but most were potato chips that had to be released immediately.
However, every now and then the bass at the business end of Lester’s line was one he needed.
Lester pulled out the balance beam to ensure he didn’t make a mistake in culling.
Rain, rain, rain.
Lester’s face says it all: It was just a miserable work day.
Off to another area.
Again, a sandy flat was his target.
Drew Benton rounded the corning hot, heading for a stretch of bank not far from Lester.
The rain came through in bands all morning long. It was just a matter of how hard it was going to rain.
Lester put his soft-plastic finesse bait into action on this bar.
It didn’t take long for him to hook into what looked to be a bass with some size.
He swung another bass into the boat that helped his limit.
Lester rerigged his bottom bait …
… adding a bit of color to the tail as an extra enticement.
And once again set the hook.
Another weigh-fish was fighting for freedom.
But Lester quickly subdued and nabbed the bass.
The balance bean came out again to make sure he added some important ounces to his limit. The fish pushed him into the Top 10 after a slow morning.
And then it was off to work another stretch of water.

Related