Top lures at Lake Champlain 2024

Largemouth shared the stage with smallmouth as a key player in the outcome of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain. No longer did the brown fish dominate over the green fish as the species of choice for the win at the first Northern Swing doubleheader.

Bassmaster tournament veteran Ed Loughran III proved the point. Smallmouth made an appearance, but largemouth played the leading role. Opening the tournament with a mixed-bag limit weighing 19-1, Loughran then caught limits of largemouth weighing 22-15, 21-14 and 16-14 to tally a winning score of 80-12.

The end was close. Loughran won by 1 ounce over Chris Johnston. Red hot Elite rookie Robert Gee finished third only 3 ounces behind, making Loughran’s win even sweeter.

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Greg DiPalma (10th; 74-2)

DiPalma kept it simple with a drop shot for targeting pelagic smallmouth.

The setup was this Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm, rigged on a No. 2 Ryugi Hook with a 3/8-ounce WOO! Tungsten Drop Shot Weight.

Chris Zaldain (9th; 75-0)

The backstory of Zaldain’s main bait originated in 2016 during a business trip to Japan. He and Aaron Martens discovered the unique lure in a tackle shop. The ensuing debate over who would own it was decided by a coin flip won by Zaldain.

The handmade and painted 7-inch glide bait is called the Roman Made Negotiator.

For smallmouth holding in current-swept bottom guts, Zaldain used a 5-inch Bass Mafia Loaded Daingerous Swimbait that appeals to largemouth and smallmouth.

Zaldain flipped this power shot rig into holes in grass for largemouth. He made the drop shot with a 6-inch Roboworm rigged on a 2/0 straight shank with 1/4-ounce weight.

Jacob Foutz (8th; 77-3)

Foutz targeted pelagic smallmouth with a swimbait.

He used this 7-inch Z-Man Jerk ShadZ with a 1/2-ounce jighead.

Will Davis Jr. (7th; 77-8)

Davis used a drop shot, Damiki rig and skirted jig.

He made the drop shot with a Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow, rigged on a No. 2 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Light Wire Hook with a 3/8-ounce weight.

He also used a 3/8-ounce Davis Scope Head with a Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow.

Davis also used a 1/2-ounce Davis Wood Jig, with a Big Bite Baits College Craw.

Patrick Walters (6th; 78-3)

Walters kept it simple with a jerkbait and swimbait.

For reaction bites he chose a Rapala PXR Mavrik 110.

Finesse tactics required the new 5-inch Zoom Winged Fluke, rigged on 1/4- or 3/8-ounce VMC HSBJ Hybrid Swimbait Jig.

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Cory Johnston (5th; 78-9)

Johnston alternated between a drop-shot rig and a prototype bait.

Johnston made the drop shot with a 6th Sense Party Minnow 3.0, rigged on a No. 2 Gamakatsu G Finesse Hook with 3/8- or 1/2-ounce weights, depending on depth zone.

The 6th Sense prototype bait.

Matt Robertson (4th; 79-3)

Robertson targeted largemouth all week by flipping a skirted jig at isolated cover.

The choice was this Berkley Flipping Jig with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Power Chunk for a trailer.

Robert Gee (3rd; 80-9)

Gee found success using a hair jig initially designed for crappie with a key modification, along with a swimbait that is ideal for forward-facing sonar.

A key bait was this handtied hair crappie jig, upsized to a 3/16-ounce size, and made with tungsten for use with forward-facing sonar. Gee finished second at Smith Lake using the same jig.

Gee also used a 5-inch Yamamoto Shad Shape Floater, rigged on a 1/4-ounce Robert Gee tungsten jighead.

Chris Johnston (2nd; 80-11)

Johnston favored a lure setup that has paid off throughout the Elite season.

The setup was a 3/8-ounce Northland Tackle Smeltinator armed with a Gamakatsu hook, rigged up with a 4-inch jerk shad.

Ed Loughran III (1st; 80-12)

Loughran’s best area was a rock ridge in 5 to 10 feet of water and surrounded by milfoil beds. Smallmouth stayed on one side of the ridge, while largemouth staged on the opposite side.