open

Top lures at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Open 2025

Check out which baits were used to secure top finishes at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn presented by SEVIIN.

Posted on
Photography by
Grant Moxley
Captions by
Christopher Decker
The St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn presented by SEVIIN might go down as one of the strangest tournaments in B.A.S.S. history. A cold front brought strong winds to east Texas midweek, forcing the cancellation of Day 1. Forecasts also indicated severe weather would impact the area on the regularly scheduled Day 3, which forced tournament officials to make the difficult decision to make the event a one-day shootout.
Under much cooler temperatures than what they practiced in, anglers had to work hard to catch the bass they could. But even still, big Texas bass crossed the weigh-in stage, including multiple 8-pounders and a couple 9-pounders.
Iowa’s Chris Miller found the winning ingredients for the one-day event, catching big prespawn largemouth moving through ditches to their spawning areas. His 28-10 total was nearly 5 pounds better than the second-place finisher Garrett Paquette.
The early prespawn period in southern fisheries like Sam Rayburn can be the perfect time to catch giant largemouth. Bass Pro Shops has everything you need to make your springtime trips a success, including the baits and terminal tackle the Opens anglers used on Big Sam this go round. Visit Basspro.com and get stocked up on your favorites.
Yui Aoki (10th; 21-5)
Yu Aoki used two baits to secure his first Top 10 finish of the 2025 season.
A Megabass Vision 110+1 jerkbait was a key presentation for the Japanese pro.
He also used a DSTYLE Virola 4 minnow and rigged it on a ball head jig.
Fisher Anaya (9th; 21-6)
Two finesse presentations lifted Fisher Anaya to a top finish in his first ever Bassmaster Open.
A CrushCity Mayor rigged on a 1/4-ounce VMC tungsten ballhead jig helped Anaya filled out an early limit.
A Neko-rigged Rapala CrushCity Pigstick was also key to success when he fished brushpiles. Anaya used a VMC circle hook and a 3/32-ounce nail weight.
Tommy Parker (8th; 21-11)
Tommy Parker brought a finesse approach to Sam Rayburn.
The Minnesota native used a Yamamoto Scope Shad rigged on either a 1/8 or 1/4-ounce Northland Smeltinator jighead.
He also used a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader on the same jigheads.
Brennan Flick (7th; 22-3)
Three baits carried Brennan Flick at Sam Rayburn.
This Strike King 10XD trigger several big bites.
He also cranked with this Strike King 6XD.
When he turned on his forward-facing sonar, he used a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader in the gizzard shad color.
Brad Jelinek (6th; 22-7)
One bait carried Brad Jelinek to his second career Top 10 in the Opens.
This 6th Sense Ozzie rigged on a 1/4-ounce 6th Sense Divine Finesse Jighead coaxed finicky largemouth into biting, including a 9-8.
Visit Basspro.com for all of your favorite springtime favorites.
Jaden Parrish (5th; 23-2)
One finesse presentation helped Jaden Parrish notch his Top 5 finish.
He used a 4-inch NetBait Super Twitch and rigged it on either an 1/8-ounce or 3/16-ounce jighead.
Jack Dice (4th; 23-3)
One finesse presentation was key for Jack Dice at Sam Rayburn.
Dice rigged a 6-inch Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow on a 3/16-ounce Buckeye G-Stroll jighead.
Pake South (3rd; 23-11)
Pake South notched a Top 3 finish in his first ever Open using one key bait.
This 6th Sense Provoke 97DD triggered bites around standing timber.
Garrett Paquette (2nd; 23-15)
Garrett Paquette secured a runner-up finish using two baits.
A SPRO McStick was his primary reaction bait.
Paquette also used a 5-inch Big Bite Bait Jerk Minnow (not pictured) with this 5/32-ounce Gamakatsu Horizon Head.
Chris Miller (1st; 28-10)
Two baits carried Chris Miller to victory at Sam Rayburn
This Berkley Nessie glidebait caught one of his key largemouth.
This Strike King Z Too in Alabama Shiner was also generated key bite. He rigged it on a 1/4-ounce jighead.

Related