Micah Frazier's Pattern, Baits & Gear

Micah Frazier couldn't fish many of the locations that produced his winning fish in 2019 - they were off limits due to coronavirus restrictions. "Just about everything I fished last year was in Canadian waters," he said. "The one area of the river I fished this year wasn't really good last year, so it was totally different." That area was about 30 miles downstream (to the northeast) from the launch site in Clayton, N.Y. He fished shoals, reefs, ledges and current-related cover at depths ranging from 16 to 25 feet.

"I landed in the right area for the river," he said. "If it had been a river-only tournament I might have fared a little better, but the lake dominated like I expected it would. I feel like I did as well as I could've done considering that the lake was in play and I don't have any regrets. He threw the same YUM Ned Dinger that had carried him to victory the previous year. "I kind of drifted it like you would a dropshot. How far the bait got away from the boat depended on current and other factors. If it was calm, I could drift it naturally with the current. When it was windy, it was hard to do that."

Gear:

Ned rig gear: 7' medium-action Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier rod, Abu Garcia Revo MG Extreme spinning reel, 12-pound Sunline braid (main line), 8-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon (15' leader), 1/5-ounce Swagger Tackle Flanders jighead, 3" YUM Ned dinger (green-pumpkin).

BassMaster Elite Series Tour St. Lawrence River 2-5 Patterns - BassFan 7/29/20 (John Johnson)