Top lures at Ross Barnett Open

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Unseasonably warm weather, rain, cold fronts and a full moon. That all happened during the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open at Ross Barnett. Conquering those challenging conditions was Stephen Browning. Check out the lures used by him and the top finishers. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Unseasonably warm weather, rain, cold fronts and a full moon. That all happened during the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open at Ross Barnett. Conquering those challenging conditions was Stephen Browning. Check out the lures used by him and the top finishers.

All captions: Craig Lamb

<b>Drew Benton </b><br> To finish 12th Drew Benton used a swim jig and soft plastics. He used a Doomsday Tackle Co. Mauler and 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook, with 1.25-ounce Elite Tungsten Worm Weight.
Drew Benton
To finish 12th Drew Benton used a swim jig and soft plastics. He used a Doomsday Tackle Co. Mauler and 4/0 Owner 4x Jungle Flippin’ Hook, with 1.25-ounce Elite Tungsten Worm Weight.
A 3/8-ounce Nichols Saber Swim Jig and Doomsday Tackle Co. Little Boy swimbait trailer was another choice.
A 3/8-ounce Nichols Saber Swim Jig and Doomsday Tackle Co. Little Boy swimbait trailer was another choice.
<b>Clark Reehm</b><br> To finish 11th Clark Reehm used crankbaits and a Texas-rigged worm. That choice was a 4.5-inch Zoom Finesse Worm and 3/0 Gamakatsu Offset Round Bend Worm Hook, with 3/16-ounce Elite Tungsten Weight.
Clark Reehm
To finish 11th Clark Reehm used crankbaits and a Texas-rigged worm. That choice was a 4.5-inch Zoom Finesse Worm and 3/0 Gamakatsu Offset Round Bend Worm Hook, with 3/16-ounce Elite Tungsten Weight.
Bandit Lures Series 200 and 300 Crankbaits were chosen for reaction bites.
Bandit Lures Series 200 and 300 Crankbaits were chosen for reaction bites.
<b>Caleb Sumrall</b><br> To finish 10th Caleb Sumrall used soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Caleb Sumrall
To finish 10th Caleb Sumrall used soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Sumrall used a 4.8-inch Missile Baits “The 48” Worm, rigged to 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Hook and 3/8-ounce weight. Alternatively, he used a 6th Sense Crush 50X Squarebill Crankbait.
Sumrall used a 4.8-inch Missile Baits “The 48” Worm, rigged to 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Hook and 3/8-ounce weight. Alternatively, he used a 6th Sense Crush 50X Squarebill Crankbait.
He also chose a 3/8-ounce Kajun Boss Spinnerbait with tandem Indiana and Colorado blades.
He also chose a 3/8-ounce Kajun Boss Spinnerbait with tandem Indiana and Colorado blades.
<b>Allan Nail</b><br> To finish ninth Alan Nail used this 1/2-ounce prototype jig and V&M Wild Thang Craw.
Allan Nail
To finish ninth Alan Nail used this 1/2-ounce prototype jig and V&M Wild Thang Craw.
<b>Quentin Cappo</b><br> To finish eighth Quentin Cappo used a soft stickbait with a unique twist.
Quentin Cappo
To finish eighth Quentin Cappo used a soft stickbait with a unique twist.
He used a Yamamoto Senko rigged with a screw-lock Colorado blade tail spinner.
He used a Yamamoto Senko rigged with a screw-lock Colorado blade tail spinner.
<b>Bradley Burns</b><br> To finish seventh Bradley Burns used spinnerbaits and soft plastics.
Bradley Burns
To finish seventh Bradley Burns used spinnerbaits and soft plastics.
A 3/16-ounce Mr. Hooty Spinnerbait with double willow leaf blades was a choice.
A 3/16-ounce Mr. Hooty Spinnerbait with double willow leaf blades was a choice.
An 8-inch lizard rigged to 5/0 Owner Hook and 3/16-ounce tungsten weight was another top choice. So was a Zoom Baby Brush Hog with 4/0 Owner Hook and 3/16-ounce tungsten weight.
An 8-inch lizard rigged to 5/0 Owner Hook and 3/16-ounce tungsten weight was another top choice. So was a Zoom Baby Brush Hog with 4/0 Owner Hook and 3/16-ounce tungsten weight.
<b>Frank Talley</b><br> To finish sixth Frank Talley used a spinnerbait and bladed jig.
Frank Talley
To finish sixth Frank Talley used a spinnerbait and bladed jig.
He chose a 3/8-ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait with No. 6 gold willowleaf blade and red Colorado “kicker” blade.
He chose a 3/8-ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait with No. 6 gold willowleaf blade and red Colorado “kicker” blade.
He also used a Z Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer with 4-inch Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailer.
He also used a Z Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer with 4-inch Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailer.
<b>Luke Palmer</b><br> To finish fifth Luke Palmer used this 3/8-ounce V&M Cliff Pace The Pulse Pacemaker Swim Jig.
Luke Palmer
To finish fifth Luke Palmer used this 3/8-ounce V&M Cliff Pace The Pulse Pacemaker Swim Jig.
For a trailer he added a 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
For a trailer he added a 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
<b>Blake Betz</b><br> To finish fourth Blake Betz used soft plastics and bladed jigs.
Blake Betz
To finish fourth Blake Betz used soft plastics and bladed jigs.
He used a 6-inch Zoom Lizard with 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Hook and 1/8-ounce weight. A NetBait Paca Craw was used with the same weight and hook.
He used a 6-inch Zoom Lizard with 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Hook and 1/8-ounce weight. A NetBait Paca Craw was used with the same weight and hook.
A 3/8-ounce Delta Lures Thunder Jig, and 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer was another choice
A 3/8-ounce Delta Lures Thunder Jig, and 3.5-inch Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer was another choice
<b>Brad Whatley</b><br> To finish third Brad Whatley used a bladed jig, crankbait and swim jig.
Brad Whatley
To finish third Brad Whatley used a bladed jig, crankbait and swim jig.
He chose a V&M Cliff Pace The Pulse Pacemaker Swim Jig. He added a 3.5-inch V&M Wild Thang Craw trailer.
He chose a V&M Cliff Pace The Pulse Pacemaker Swim Jig. He added a 3.5-inch V&M Wild Thang Craw trailer.
Whatley also used a 1/2-ounce homemade bladed jig.
Whatley also used a 1/2-ounce homemade bladed jig.
A Lucky Craft BDS 1 Crankbait was another choice.
A Lucky Craft BDS 1 Crankbait was another choice.
<b>Ken Iyobe</b><br> To finish second Ken Iyobe alternated between a homemade jig and crankbaits he designed for Shimano Japan.
Ken Iyobe
To finish second Ken Iyobe alternated between a homemade jig and crankbaits he designed for Shimano Japan.
The Bantam Macbeth diver was a choice for prespawn bass at the mid-range depths.
The Bantam Macbeth diver was a choice for prespawn bass at the mid-range depths.
He also used this Shimano Bantam Rattlin Sur-Vibe lipless crankbait along riprap.
He also used this Shimano Bantam Rattlin Sur-Vibe lipless crankbait along riprap.
For flipping shoreline cover he used a 1/2-ounce homemade jig.
For flipping shoreline cover he used a 1/2-ounce homemade jig.
<b>Stephen Browning</b><br> For the win Stephen Browning used a Z-Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer.
Stephen Browning
For the win Stephen Browning used a Z-Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer.
The choice was a 3/8-ounce model with 4-inch Zmans Razor Shads trailer. He chose black/blue for the morning bite, and switched to white during the afternoon.
The choice was a 3/8-ounce model with 4-inch Zmans Razor Shads trailer. He chose black/blue for the morning bite, and switched to white during the afternoon.