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Top lures at Lake Fork 2021

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Lake Fork and the Bassmaster Century Club. Both are becoming synonymous with trophy bass fishing. Two Bassmaster Elite Series events in five months. Two winners joining the Bassmaster Century Club. Lake Fork, the trophy bass fishery, showed out for the pros and the fans. Take a bow, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. <br><br> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Lake Fork and the Bassmaster Century Club. Both are becoming synonymous with trophy bass fishing. Two Bassmaster Elite Series events in five months. Two winners joining the Bassmaster Century Club. Lake Fork, the trophy bass fishery, showed out for the pros and the fans. Take a bow, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
All captions: Craig Lamb
The trend continued at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork. Patrick Walters earned another Century Club belt, his second since last November from the lake known as “Land of the Giants.”
The trend continued at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork. Patrick Walters earned another Century Club belt, his second since last November from the lake known as “Land of the Giants.”
Lake Fork part-time guide and now two-time Elite Series champion Lee Livesay joined the Club with a winning weight of 112 pounds, 5 ounces. His Championship Sunday limit included largemouth weighing 8-14 and 8-15.
Lake Fork part-time guide and now two-time Elite Series champion Lee Livesay joined the Club with a winning weight of 112 pounds, 5 ounces. His Championship Sunday limit included largemouth weighing 8-14 and 8-15.
Fittingly, Livesay hoisted the coveted blue trophy on the shore of his home lake. See his winning lures, and those of the top finishers that included some obscure baits worth adding to your tacklebox.
Fittingly, Livesay hoisted the coveted blue trophy on the shore of his home lake. See his winning lures, and those of the top finishers that included some obscure baits worth adding to your tacklebox.
<b>Austin Felix (10th; 80-3) </b><br> Minnesota pro and 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year Austin Felix landed another Top 10 finish in Quitman, Texas, throwing soft plastics.
Austin Felix (10th; 80-3)
Minnesota pro and 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year Austin Felix landed another Top 10 finish in Quitman, Texas, throwing soft plastics.
A 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, wacky rigged on a 1/0 Ryugi Infini Hook was a top choice for Felix.
A 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, wacky rigged on a 1/0 Ryugi Infini Hook was a top choice for Felix.
So was a Zoom Speed Craw, rigged with a 4/0 Ryugi Infini Hook, with a 1/4-ounce weight.
So was a Zoom Speed Craw, rigged with a 4/0 Ryugi Infini Hook, with a 1/4-ounce weight.
<b>Chris Johnston (9th; 80-14) </b><br> Chris Johnston rigged up a 4-inch Roboworm, on a 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, with a 1/4-ounce weight.
Chris Johnston (9th; 80-14)
Chris Johnston rigged up a 4-inch Roboworm, on a 1/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Drop Shot Hook, with a 1/4-ounce weight.
He also used a Strike King Rage Bug, rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens G-Finesse Heavy Cover Hook, with a 3/8-ounce weight.
He also used a Strike King Rage Bug, rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Aaron Martens G-Finesse Heavy Cover Hook, with a 3/8-ounce weight.
<b>Chad Morgenthaler (8th; 83-10) </b><br> Chad Morgenthaler did what he does best, which is go to battle with heavy tackle in shallow water.
Chad Morgenthaler (8th; 83-10)
Chad Morgenthaler did what he does best, which is go to battle with heavy tackle in shallow water.
Morgenthaler used a Missile Baits D Bomb, rigged on a 5/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook, with a 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
Morgenthaler used a Missile Baits D Bomb, rigged on a 5/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook, with a 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
Another top bait was an unnamed soft plastic tube, also rigged on a 5/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook, with a 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
Another top bait was an unnamed soft plastic tube, also rigged on a 5/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm Hook, with a 1/4-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Weight.
<b>Taku Ito (7th; 83-14) </b><br> Taku Ito rotated through a jig, crankbait and wacky rig.
Taku Ito (7th; 83-14)
Taku Ito rotated through a jig, crankbait and wacky rig.
He made the wacky rig with a 5-inch Boreas Ano Straight Worm, rigged on a 3/16-ounce weedless jighead.
He made the wacky rig with a 5-inch Boreas Ano Straight Worm, rigged on a 3/16-ounce weedless jighead.
Another top choice was a 3/16-ounce Nories Kameraba Jig, a compact finesse bait designed for heavy cover. He added a DSTYLE Virola Shad for a trailer, designed by Daisuki Aoki, who recently won the Basspro.com Bassmaster Open on Douglas Lake in Tennessee.
Another top choice was a 3/16-ounce Nories Kameraba Jig, a compact finesse bait designed for heavy cover. He added a DSTYLE Virola Shad for a trailer, designed by Daisuki Aoki, who recently won the Basspro.com Bassmaster Open on Douglas Lake in Tennessee.
Ito also used a Nories Shot Over 2 crankbait, featuring a tungsten, steel and brass weight system, with a mild wobble and high pitch flickering roll action. The Shot Over has a casting fin under the lip that stabilizes the lure for longer casts. He replaced the stock hooks with No. 4 and No. 5 Ryugi Pierce Brutal Treble Hooks.
Ito also used a Nories Shot Over 2 crankbait, featuring a tungsten, steel and brass weight system, with a mild wobble and high pitch flickering roll action. The Shot Over has a casting fin under the lip that stabilizes the lure for longer casts. He replaced the stock hooks with No. 4 and No. 5 Ryugi Pierce Brutal Treble Hooks.
<b>Seth Feider (6th; 86-11) </b><br> Seth Feider rotated through a lineup featuring soft plastic and hard swimbaits.
Seth Feider (6th; 86-11)
Seth Feider rotated through a lineup featuring soft plastic and hard swimbaits.
Feider used a 6-inch Megabass Magdraft swimbait.
Feider used a 6-inch Megabass Magdraft swimbait.
Another choice was a Rapala Super Shad Rap.
Another choice was a Rapala Super Shad Rap.
He also used a 1/2-ounce Outkast Tackle Chicken Jig, with a 5-inch Megabass Spark Shad.
He also used a 1/2-ounce Outkast Tackle Chicken Jig, with a 5-inch Megabass Spark Shad.
Feider completed the lineup with a 3/8-ounce Outcast Heavy Cover Swim Jig.
Feider completed the lineup with a 3/8-ounce Outcast Heavy Cover Swim Jig.
<b>Chris Zaldain (5th; 93-0) </b><br> On Lake Fork it’s a must to use big baits to catch big bass. Make no mistake, he did some of both.
Chris Zaldain (5th; 93-0)
On Lake Fork it’s a must to use big baits to catch big bass. Make no mistake, he did some of both.
The lineup included an 8-inch Megabass Magdraft.
The lineup included an 8-inch Megabass Magdraft.
Zaldain also used a Tator Hog Custom Lures Hog Father Swimbait, by North Carolinian Matt McBee.
Zaldain also used a Tator Hog Custom Lures Hog Father Swimbait, by North Carolinian Matt McBee.
<b>Brandon Card (4th; 97-3) </b><br> Brandon Card used a lineup of mixed crankbaits, a jerkbait, swimbait and hair jig.
Brandon Card (4th; 97-3)
Brandon Card used a lineup of mixed crankbaits, a jerkbait, swimbait and hair jig.
That choice was a 5/8-ounce True Bass Shuttlecock Hair Jig, designed by Pickwick Lake guide David Allen.
That choice was a 5/8-ounce True Bass Shuttlecock Hair Jig, designed by Pickwick Lake guide David Allen.
Card also used a Yo-Zuri 3DB Jerkbait 110.
Card also used a Yo-Zuri 3DB Jerkbait 110.
Another top choice was a McGill Hand Crafted Baits BC Shad 4.0 Swimbait, rigged on a 3/4-ounce Z Dew jighead.
Another top choice was a McGill Hand Crafted Baits BC Shad 4.0 Swimbait, rigged on a 3/4-ounce Z Dew jighead.
<b>Quentin Cappo (3rd; 99-6) </b><br> Quentin Cappo’s key money bait was a squarebill crankbait, fished on windy points where shad were pushed in the wind-driven current toward the bass.
Quentin Cappo (3rd; 99-6)
Quentin Cappo’s key money bait was a squarebill crankbait, fished on windy points where shad were pushed in the wind-driven current toward the bass.
That money bait was a Strike King KVD 4.0 Magnum Squarebill Crankbait.
That money bait was a Strike King KVD 4.0 Magnum Squarebill Crankbait.
Cappo also used a 3:16 Lure Co. Rising Son line-through swimbait.
Cappo also used a 3:16 Lure Co. Rising Son line-through swimbait.
The bait is forward weighted to keep the nose of the shallow runner down when swimming.
The bait is forward weighted to keep the nose of the shallow runner down when swimming.
Cappo also used a Strike King Hard Knock.
Cappo also used a Strike King Hard Knock.
<b>Patrick Walters (2nd; 102-5) </b><br> Patrick Walters’ lure lineup featured jerkbaits and glide baits.
Patrick Walters (2nd; 102-5)
Patrick Walters’ lure lineup featured jerkbaits and glide baits.
A top pick was a Rapala X-Rap Haku. When rigged for action, the hooks are positioned just like on a regular glide bait, and the rig rests in the lure’s belly groove, out of the way and protected from weeds and snags.
A top pick was a Rapala X-Rap Haku. When rigged for action, the hooks are positioned just like on a regular glide bait, and the rig rests in the lure’s belly groove, out of the way and protected from weeds and snags.
At hook-set, the hook rig will release from the body, allowing a direct contact to the fish and letting the fish have no chance to use the lure as leverage to break free. The rig also makes removing the hooks easier the fish as the body of the lure is not in the way.
At hook-set, the hook rig will release from the body, allowing a direct contact to the fish and letting the fish have no chance to use the lure as leverage to break free. The rig also makes removing the hooks easier the fish as the body of the lure is not in the way.
Another choice was a 3:16 Lure Co. Workhorse Slow Glide.
Another choice was a 3:16 Lure Co. Workhorse Slow Glide.
Walters also used a 13 Fishing Loco Special Jerkbait.
Walters also used a 13 Fishing Loco Special Jerkbait.
<b>Lee Livesay (1st; 112-5)</b><br> Lee Livesay used a wide array of rigs to match the conditions.
Lee Livesay (1st; 112-5)
Lee Livesay used a wide array of rigs to match the conditions.
A top lure was a 6th Sense Magnum Squarebill.
A top lure was a 6th Sense Magnum Squarebill.
Livesay also used a Heddon Saltwater Super Spook.
Livesay also used a Heddon Saltwater Super Spook.
Another top choice was a 3:16 Lure Company Work Horse glide bait.
Another top choice was a 3:16 Lure Company Work Horse glide bait.

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