Paul Marks Wins Bassmaster Elite Lake Murray

Hanggi finished second with 87-5 using a two-pronged approach. Mornings began during a herring spawn when bass were chasing bait. Afternoons were spent around docks and shallow brush. A primary setup was this 1/8-ounce Buckeye Lures Elevate Head, rigged with a Big Bite Baits Spotlight Minnow. Hanggi also used this Coike Fullcast rigged on 4/0 Ryugi Talisman Brutal Hook with a 1/8-ounce nail weight. Completing Hanggi's lure package was this fluke-style bait rigged on 4/0 worm hook.

Cobb spent most of his tournament moving throughout the lake to fish points, brush and cane piles. After that bite fizzled during the final round he targeted bass in the Saluda River with an Ark CT35 squarebill. His primary bait was a Zoom Super Fluke, rigged with a small swivel and a prototype 3/0 Ark wide gap hook.

Gee alternated between a soft jerkbait and innovative jighead. It features an angled metal blade allowing it to swim on the surface as a topwater, or subsurface like a scrounger head. That rig was this 3/16-ounce Buckeye Elevate Head, rigged with a Yamamoto D-Shad. Gee also used this Yamamoto D-Shad rigged weightless on 4/0 Ryugi Limit Offset Worm Hook.

McKinney's key bait was a dice style bait, among other soft plastic rigs. A primary lure was this new 6th Sense Abstract rigged on 1/0 Gamakatsu Treble Round Bend Hook.

Wagner used a topwater and fluke-style bait for schooling fish and to call up bass from deeper water. Key to the lure presentations was this new Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ. The reel features a battery-free electronic braking system that makes real-time adjustments to minimize backlash and maximize casting distance. For topwater action he chose the battle-scared Berkley J Walker 90. For subsurface use he used this Berkley PowerBait Power Jerk Shad, rigged on 4/0 Berkley Fusion19 Hook.

Lee went weightless with his baits used to call up fish from deeper water or present the lures over shallow points and to schooling bass. A top choice was this Berkley PowerBait Power Jerk Shad, rigged on 4/0 Berkley Fusion10 Offset Worm Hook. Lee also used this Berkley Lab Series Minnow with 2/0 Berkley Fusion19 Hook.

Loberg alternated between a fluke and urchin-style bait. That choice was a G-Ratt Baits Webber rigged on 3/0 Ryugi Talisman Wacky/Neko Hook. For calling up fish he used a Zoom Super Fluke rigged on 5/0 Gamakatsu Nano Alpha Offset Round Bend Worm Hook.

Benton rotated through a creature bait, wacky rig and paddletail swimbait. That option was this SPRO Surface Swimmer, rigged on 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG Hook, with screw-in bait keeper. Another choice was this Nories Front Flapper, rigged on 3/0 Gamakatsu G-Power Heavy Cover Worm Flip and Punch Hook, with 5/16-ounce Elite Tungsten weight. Alternatively, Benton wacky rigged this SPRO Wacky Snack on No 1. Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Stinger Hook.

Hudson used a fluke and drop-shot rig. He made it with a Zoom Z-3 Trick Worm rigged on 4/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hook with 3/16-ounce weight. Hudson also used a Zoom Super Fluke rigged weightless on 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG Hook.