Evan Kung Wins Bassmaster Elite St. Lawrence River
Shop Kung's Winning Baits & Gear - 109lbs 9oz - $101K
Kung's winning pattern was about survival more than winning. Entering the final event outside the Elite Series career cut, he focused on meeting a weight quota to remain on the tour. That involved looking for the heaviest quality smallmouth he could find. After spending Day 1 in the river, Kung moved to the lake targeting a strike zone between 20 and 40 feet of water. Current breaks were the targets in the river; big boulders and humps produced in the lake. Accounting for most of his catch was a drop shot. Kung made it with a prototype Great Lakes Finesse Vibra Bug, rigged on No. 2 BKK Armor Point Drop Shot Hook with 1/2-ounce weight. Kung also used a Great Lakes Finesse 3/8-ounce Stay-Pinned Spy Bait 80, for making farther casts and deeper strike zone penetration.
Replay The Action
Bassmaster Elite St. Lawrence River - Top 10
2nd Place - Trey McKinney - 107lb - 9oz - $122,000
McKinney led the first three days; McKinney also posted the heaviest single-day limit in B.A.S.S. history with a limit weighing 30-11 on Day 2. In Lake Ontario he focused on an immense point with a sandy bottom interspersed with isolated boulders and rock veins located in 20 to 50 feet of water. A drop shot was his best producing lure most of the week. The setup was rigged on a Gamakatsu No. 4 Drop Shot Hook with 1/2- or 3/4-ounce 6th Sense Tungsten Drop Shot weights.
3rd Place - Tucker Smith - 107lb - 1oz - $15,000
On Lake Ontario, Smith targeted schooling smallmouth relating to humps, points and boulders located near major spawning areas. His most productive lure was a drop shot. He made it with a Yamamoto 4.75-inch Dagger Minnow on a 1/4-ounce Picasso Lures Jighead.
4th Place - Cory Johnston - 106lb - 7oz - $62,500
Johnston's primary bait was a 6th Sense HuzzBug. He rigged it on a 3/8-ounce BKK Ned Head with 2/0 hook.
5th Place - Cole Sands - 105lb - 10oz - $21,000
Sands rotated between a minnow and drop-shot rig. He made it with a FishCo Okane Prawn on a No. 2 Owner Cover Shot Hook with a 1/2-ounce tungsten weight. Sands also used a CrushCity Freeloader on a 3/8-ounce Queen Tackle Ghost Jighead.
6th Place - Brandon Cobb - 103lb - 14oz - $23,500
A drop shot was Cobb's primary lure. He made it with a Zoom 2.75-inch Boot Tail Fluke, rigged on a No. 1 nose-style hook, with 1/2- or 5/8-ounce ARK Tungsten Weights.
7th Place - JT Thompkins - 103lb - 0oz - $10,500
Thompkins' top baits were drop-shot rigs. He made them with various JDM soft plastics on No. 4 BKK Armor Point Dropshot Hooks, using 1/2-ounce 6th Sense Casting Tear Drop Shot Weights.
15 Colors
New
Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Flat Worm
Smallmouth Secret 3.6"
$9.99
Tackle Warehouse Exclusive
8th Place - Bryant Smith - 101lb - 3oz - $11,300
Smith rotated primarily between an urchin and drop-shot rig. A top choice was a Strike King Mag Tumbleweed, rigged on a No. 1 drop-shot hook with 1/4- or 1/2- ounce weights depending on wind. He made another drop shot with a Strike King KVD Drop Shot Half Shell 3.5, rigged on a No. 1 drop-shot hook, with 1/4- or 1/2-ounce weights.
9th Place - Fisher Anaya - 100lb - 5oz - $10,200
Anaya's top baits were a dice bait and jighead minnow. The latter choice was a CrushCity Freeloader rigged on a 1/4-ounce jighead. He also used a 17mm dice bait, rigged on Ryugi Pierce TC Treble with 3/32 nail weight and bobber stop for bait retention.
10th Place - Easton Fothergill - 99lb - 8oz - $10,000
Fothergill used minnow-style baits for his finesse tactics around rocky structure. A top choice was a Strike King 5-inch 3X Z-Too Soft Jerkbait on a 3/16-ounce jighead. He also used a Deps 5-inch Sakamata Shad on a 3/16-ounce jighead.
