Gear

Lures that ruled the Guntersville Classic

As the dust settles on the 2014 GEICO Bassmaster Classic, inquiring minds want to know which lures got the job done.

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<p>Randy Howell’s magical final day of the Guntersville Classic yielded a 29-pound, 2-ounce limit, the heaviest of his 21-year career.</p>
Randy Howell’s magical final day of the Guntersville Classic yielded a 29-pound, 2-ounce limit, the heaviest of his 21-year career.
Howell had never seen this yet-to-be-named Livingston Lures crankbait until the night before the Classic. He had never even practiced with the lure, yet it produced his miracle winning catch on Day 3.<br> The color is likely to be named Guntersville Craw, Howell believes.<br> “It runs 8 to 10 feet deep and has a big, wide wobble,” Howell said. “It puts out a lot of vibration and has an electronic baitfish sound.”<br> Howell fished this bait with a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy, Tatula rod and 14-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon.
Howell had never seen this yet-to-be-named Livingston Lures crankbait until the night before the Classic. He had never even practiced with the lure, yet it produced his miracle winning catch on Day 3.
The color is likely to be named Guntersville Craw, Howell believes.
“It runs 8 to 10 feet deep and has a big, wide wobble,” Howell said. “It puts out a lot of vibration and has an electronic baitfish sound.”
Howell fished this bait with a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy, Tatula rod and 14-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon.
Rapala’s DT-6 crankbait in the Demon color got Howell’s Classic off to a good start. This cranker was especially productive on cold mornings. Howell cast the DT-6 to rocks and riprap with a 7-foot, medium-light action Daiwa Tatula baitcasting rod matched with a Tatula 6.3:1 gear ratio reel filled with 12-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon line.<br> “That rod has a shorter handle than other cranking rods,” Howell said. “It’s a better choice for shallow cranking and lipless crankbaits.”
Rapala’s DT-6 crankbait in the Demon color got Howell’s Classic off to a good start. This cranker was especially productive on cold mornings. Howell cast the DT-6 to rocks and riprap with a 7-foot, medium-light action Daiwa Tatula baitcasting rod matched with a Tatula 6.3:1 gear ratio reel filled with 12-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon line.
“That rod has a shorter handle than other cranking rods,” Howell said. “It’s a better choice for shallow cranking and lipless crankbaits.”
B.A.S.S. Nation champion Paul Mueller smiles over the baits that nearly won the Guntersville Classic for him. He came off the water on Day 2 of the event lugging 32 pounds, 3 ounces of bass, the biggest five-fish limit ever caught in Bassmaster Classic history.
B.A.S.S. Nation champion Paul Mueller smiles over the baits that nearly won the Guntersville Classic for him. He came off the water on Day 2 of the event lugging 32 pounds, 3 ounces of bass, the biggest five-fish limit ever caught in Bassmaster Classic history.
Strike King’s ¾-ounce Red Eye Shad in the Gold Sexy color came through for Mueller in clear water when the sun got high. He worked it over grass ridges 3 to 6 feet deep on the main lake.
Strike King’s ¾-ounce Red Eye Shad in the Gold Sexy color came through for Mueller in clear water when the sun got high. He worked it over grass ridges 3 to 6 feet deep on the main lake.
An Orange Craw ¾-ounce Red Eye Shad produced for Mueller in stained water. He fished his lipless ratters with a 7-foot, 4-inch Dobyns Champion Extreme medium-heavy baitcasting rod, a Shimano 7:1 retrieve reel and 60-pound Gamma Torque braid.
An Orange Craw ¾-ounce Red Eye Shad produced for Mueller in stained water. He fished his lipless ratters with a 7-foot, 4-inch Dobyns Champion Extreme medium-heavy baitcasting rod, a Shimano 7:1 retrieve reel and 60-pound Gamma Torque braid.
Mueller also weighed bass that he caught on a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Original Chatterbait in the Sexy Shad color dressed with a Reins Fat Rockvibe Shad in the Clear Pearl Silver color. He fished this bait on 14-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon.
Mueller also weighed bass that he caught on a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Original Chatterbait in the Sexy Shad color dressed with a Reins Fat Rockvibe Shad in the Clear Pearl Silver color. He fished this bait on 14-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon.
Veteran B.A.S.S. writer Louie Stout interviews Edwin Evers minutes before the final weigh-in at the GEICO Classic.
Veteran B.A.S.S. writer Louie Stout interviews Edwin Evers minutes before the final weigh-in at the GEICO Classic.
On the final day of the Classic, Evers scored with a bladed jig dressed with a Megabass Spark Shad.
On the final day of the Classic, Evers scored with a bladed jig dressed with a Megabass Spark Shad.
Evers retrieved his bladed jig slowly along the edges of Gator grassbeds in 1 to 3 feet of water. A 7-foot Bass Pro Shops Qualifier rod with a Pro Qualifier reel and 20-pound XPS Fluorocarbon line did the heavy lifting.<br> “I used a 5.2:1 gear ratio reel to help me slow down,” Evers said.
Evers retrieved his bladed jig slowly along the edges of Gator grassbeds in 1 to 3 feet of water. A 7-foot Bass Pro Shops Qualifier rod with a Pro Qualifier reel and 20-pound XPS Fluorocarbon line did the heavy lifting.
“I used a 5.2:1 gear ratio reel to help me slow down,” Evers said.
A 3/8-ounce Megabass Flat Slap in the GP Sexy Shad color produced the majority of the bass that Evers brought to the scales at the Guntersville Classic. The bait runs 3 to 4 feet deep and maintains a horizontal posture during pauses. Evers added lead tape to the lure’s belly to make it suspend during pauses.<br> “I was fishing it over shallow milfoil and hydrilla in backwater pockets,” Evers said.
A 3/8-ounce Megabass Flat Slap in the GP Sexy Shad color produced the majority of the bass that Evers brought to the scales at the Guntersville Classic. The bait runs 3 to 4 feet deep and maintains a horizontal posture during pauses. Evers added lead tape to the lure’s belly to make it suspend during pauses.
“I was fishing it over shallow milfoil and hydrilla in backwater pockets,” Evers said.
The Megabass FX Knuckle 60 in the Bahama Milk Pearl color also accounted for a few of Evers’ bass. The two-position bill lets you choose between 1-foot or 3- to 5-feet running depths. Evers chose the 1-foot setting so he could fish the bait around shallow Gator grass.
The Megabass FX Knuckle 60 in the Bahama Milk Pearl color also accounted for a few of Evers’ bass. The two-position bill lets you choose between 1-foot or 3- to 5-feet running depths. Evers chose the 1-foot setting so he could fish the bait around shallow Gator grass.
Dave Mercer interviews Ott DeFoe minutes before take-off on Day 3 of the Guntersville Classic.
Dave Mercer interviews Ott DeFoe minutes before take-off on Day 3 of the Guntersville Classic.
DeFoe holds a rod with his most productive crankbait in one hand, a Rapala DT-6, and a Pop Tart in the other. He munched on a Pop Tart every morning just before take-off.
DeFoe holds a rod with his most productive crankbait in one hand, a Rapala DT-6, and a Pop Tart in the other. He munched on a Pop Tart every morning just before take-off.
This Rapala DT-6, custom painted by Gordon Monroe to resemble a pumpkinseed sunfish, accounted for most of DeFoe’s bass at the Classic. He ground it over riprap the first two days and over submerged, main-lake grassbeds the final day.<br> A Fenwick Elite Tech baitcasting rod, a Pflueger Supreme 5.4:1 reel and 10-pound Berkley 100% Flourocarbon was his workhorse outfit.
This Rapala DT-6, custom painted by Gordon Monroe to resemble a pumpkinseed sunfish, accounted for most of DeFoe’s bass at the Classic. He ground it over riprap the first two days and over submerged, main-lake grassbeds the final day.
A Fenwick Elite Tech baitcasting rod, a Pflueger Supreme 5.4:1 reel and 10-pound Berkley 100% Flourocarbon was his workhorse outfit.
Storm’s 5/8-ounce Arashi in the Mossy Chartreuse Craw color was on DeFoe’s deck for muddy water.
Storm’s 5/8-ounce Arashi in the Mossy Chartreuse Craw color was on DeFoe’s deck for muddy water.
Storm’s 1/2–ounce Rockin Shad in Orange Craw produced heavy bass for DeFoe in practice, but the Rapala DT-6 was the deal after the tournament got underway.
Storm’s 1/2–ounce Rockin Shad in Orange Craw produced heavy bass for DeFoe in practice, but the Rapala DT-6 was the deal after the tournament got underway.
Randall Tharp shows off the lipless rattler that sacked most of his bass during the Guntersville Classic, a 5/8-ounce XCaliber Xr50 in Royal Shad.
Randall Tharp shows off the lipless rattler that sacked most of his bass during the Guntersville Classic, a 5/8-ounce XCaliber Xr50 in Royal Shad.
Although Randall Tharp had three lipless rattlers on his deck, it was the XCaliber Xr50 in Royal Shad (top) that he fished 90% of the time. He retrieved the bait over grassbeds on the main lake.<br> Tharp mated the bait with a 7-foot, 4-inch medium-heavy Halo cranking rod, a Shimano Core 100 reel with a 6.2:1 gear ratio and 14-pound Gamma Fluorocarbon line.
Although Randall Tharp had three lipless rattlers on his deck, it was the XCaliber Xr50 in Royal Shad (top) that he fished 90% of the time. He retrieved the bait over grassbeds on the main lake.
Tharp mated the bait with a 7-foot, 4-inch medium-heavy Halo cranking rod, a Shimano Core 100 reel with a 6.2:1 gear ratio and 14-pound Gamma Fluorocarbon line.
A Bluegill color Rapala DT-6 also put a few heavy bass in Tharp’s livewell.<br> “That bait’s been very good to me over the years,” Tharp said.
A Bluegill color Rapala DT-6 also put a few heavy bass in Tharp’s livewell.
“That bait’s been very good to me over the years,” Tharp said.
Spro’s McStick 110 in Blue Bandit produced at least one bass every day that was big enough to bring to the scales. Tharp fished this bait late in the day on riprap banks near the official launch ramp.
Spro’s McStick 110 in Blue Bandit produced at least one bass every day that was big enough to bring to the scales. Tharp fished this bait late in the day on riprap banks near the official launch ramp.
On the final day of the Guntersville Classic, Tharp dressed a 4x4 Randall Tharp Signature Series Jig in the Golden Craw color with a Zoom Chunk and pitched it into wood cover. He lost a huge bass that could have put him over the top.
On the final day of the Guntersville Classic, Tharp dressed a 4×4 Randall Tharp Signature Series Jig in the Golden Craw color with a Zoom Chunk and pitched it into wood cover. He lost a huge bass that could have put him over the top.
Casey Ashley’s primary weapon at the Guntersville Classic was a ½-ounce Lucky Craft LV RT0 150 lipless rattler in the TO Craw color. He was in contention after the first to days, but came up short on Day 3.<br> Ashley fished the RTO 150 slowly over a mix of hydrilla and rocks 2 to 3 feet deep with a 7-foot, 4-inch Quantum KVD Cranking rod, a 6.6:1 gear ratio Quantum XO reel and 14-pound fluorocarbon line.
Casey Ashley’s primary weapon at the Guntersville Classic was a ½-ounce Lucky Craft LV RT0 150 lipless rattler in the TO Craw color. He was in contention after the first to days, but came up short on Day 3.
Ashley fished the RTO 150 slowly over a mix of hydrilla and rocks 2 to 3 feet deep with a 7-foot, 4-inch Quantum KVD Cranking rod, a 6.6:1 gear ratio Quantum XO reel and 14-pound fluorocarbon line.
<p>Jason Christie was in 4th place going into the final day of the Guntersville Classic. His basic pattern was fishing XCalibur lipless rattlers over milfoil no deeper than 6 feet.</p>
Jason Christie was in 4th place going into the final day of the Guntersville Classic. His basic pattern was fishing XCalibur lipless rattlers over milfoil no deeper than 6 feet.
Christie colored the sides of this ½-ounce XCalibur Xr50 lipless rattler with a pink Sharpie pen to give it the flash he wanted.
Christie colored the sides of this ½-ounce XCalibur Xr50 lipless rattler with a pink Sharpie pen to give it the flash he wanted.
Christie switched to the Rayburn Red XCalibur Xr50 in stained water.
Christie switched to the Rayburn Red XCalibur Xr50 in stained water.
When the wind kicked up, Christie opted for the ¾-ounce XCalibur Xr75. He also gussied up this bait with a pink Sharpie. <br>Christie fished all three lipless rattlers with a 7-foot, 3-inch Falcon Cara Amistad rod, a Lew’s BB-1 Pro with a 7.1:1 gear ratio and 16-pound Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon.
When the wind kicked up, Christie opted for the ¾-ounce XCalibur Xr75. He also gussied up this bait with a pink Sharpie. Christie fished all three lipless rattlers with a 7-foot, 3-inch Falcon Cara Amistad rod, a Lew’s BB-1 Pro with a 7.1:1 gear ratio and 16-pound Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon.
Fred Roumbanis lays out rods for the final day of the Guntersville Classic. He used the swimbait to catch the Big Bass of the Classic. It weighed 9 pounds, 3 ounces.
Fred Roumbanis lays out rods for the final day of the Guntersville Classic. He used the swimbait to catch the Big Bass of the Classic. It weighed 9 pounds, 3 ounces.

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