4 Baits That Dominated The 2019 Bassmaster Classic
Storm Arashi Vibe
Ott Defoe won $300,000 at the 2019 Bassmaster Classic and majority of his tournament winning fish came on the Storm Arashi Vibe. Ott targeted shallow water while picking apart marinas, eddies, and rocky shorelines with this versatile crankbait. Keeping his boat parallel and tight to the shoreline allowed him to cover water while subtly putting off the action of a fleeing crawfish. Knowing that fish were keyed in on crayfish, Ott opted for the rusty craw pattern Arashi which he tweaked using a black sharpie.
Z-Man Chatterbait Jackhammer
While the Z-Man Jackhammer is known for draining anglers wallets, the Jackhammer is undoubtedly the preferred bladed jig among touring pros. Tournament waters were both high and muddy when compared to normal March conditions which resulted in shallow water patterns allowing to really shine. Anglers beating the bank quickly picked up their bladed jigs and started pounding fish.
The well thought out design from the Jackhammer helps it swim effortlessly through the water without rolling or spinning. Water displacement is key in muddy water and the jackhammer pushes H20 like no other.
Rapala DT Series
If you pick up a bait that is stamped with the Rapala name, feel confident that it’s going to catch fish. The Rapala DT Series is no different and it was proven throughout the weekend when Rapala pros dominated the derby. The DT series gets down to the desired depth quickly while putting off a wobbling action that is unmatched. From crankin’ shallow water cover to targeting deep offshore shoals, the Rapala DT Series is the bait for the job.
Fish were shallow and related to common cover like rocks, docks, shale, and brush. Mike Iaconelli, Jacob Wheeler and tournament champion Ott Defoe all relied on a crayfish patterned DT Crankbait to bring in a bag each afternoon.
Big Swimbaits
While this wasn’t an established pattern over the weekend among other anglers – California native Chris Zaldain swung for the fences all weekend using big swimbaits.
Most of us know that bass eat shad but, some anglers fail to realize how big of a shad some bass will actually eat. Chris Zaldain helped prove the ”Big Baits = Big Fish” theory this weekend by filling his daily limits using large shad style baits.
The Tennessee River is loaded with oily rich shad that bass gorge on whenever given the chance. Shad are nutrient dense and easy for bass to consume which is part of the reason lunkers grow so large in these parts. Chris’ took advantage of this bite by winding big, California style swimbaits mimicking the patterns of roaming shad littering the Tennessee River system.
Featured Article Image Thanks To: Bassmaster.com
Taking big bass honors on the boater side Tyler Calloway of Blairs, Virginia weighed in a bass at 5.73-pounds. He took home $690.00 for that bass.
In the Co-angler Division, Roderick Mangum of Durham, NC weighed in three bass for 13.13-pounds. His catch was anchored by a bass weighing 4.58-pounds which was the largest bass weighed in by a co-angler. Mangum took home a total of $885.00 for his win.
On Saturday and Sunday, DeFoe caught a combined three more of his weigh-in fish on a Vibe. The 4-pound, 7 ounce bass he caught Sunday on a Vibe allowed him to cull a smaller fish, solidifying his win.
While the O’Shaugnessy shape allows greater strength with a smaller-diameter wire – which improves landing percentage – it forms a narrower gap than most freshwater anglers prefer. The gap on Round Bend hooks, however, is much wider, “so you definitely get the best hooking rate,” DeFoe said.
The way a DT’s balsa body wobbles while swimming and digging its bill into the bottom makes it a perfect tool for triggering bites from shallow, early-season bass on waterbodies with little to no vegetation, like Fort Loudon and Tellico. Swimming with a side-to-side action only balsa baits can achieve, DT’s can back out of shallow cover better than copycat crankbaits, floating up and minimizing snags.
