Glenn Browne's Pattern, Baits & Gear

Glenn Browne couldn't have picked a better venue or better conditions to make his belated FLW Tour debut this season. "I laid three flipping sticks out and that was it," said Browne, a Florida native who knows the landscape in central Florida as good as any. He spent the duration of the tournament in Lake Apopka, targeting spawning fish that were tough to see along reed clumps and arrowheads. "I probably got a lot of friends mad at me because I've gone and exposed (Apopka)," he joked. "It really only plays this time of year when they pull up to spawn. It has good ones in it and this is the time of year it plays. Not a lot of people do it because it's a long run and the lock holds only three boats." The water is a bit higher than normal, Browne said, and that made the trip more manageable. Prior to the lake going off limits, he made a visit to Apopka and said it was pretty easy to get bites. It wasn't much different when he checked it out on day 2 of practice. Jordan Osborne and Zack Birge, both of whom made the top-30 cut, also caught their share of weight in Apopka. "It fishes very small for as big as it is," Browne said.

Competition:

As the tournament wore on, Browne had to incorporate new water to his routine. "I fished places I'd never fished before," he said. "When I've been fishing there before, it was a 1-day deal. The 4-day deal was very different." He said the fish seemed to be in a specific depth as it related to the vegetation. "If the boat was deeper than three (feet) or shallower than two, I didn't get bit," he said. "Two was the magic number. I had to be pinpoint with my flips, too. I had to pick out little cleaner spots where you think fish might bed." He said he didn't have to let his bait soak too long before getting a bite or pulling it back to flip again. "A lot of times they bit it quick - three jigs or less," he said. "If I saw something move or noticed the cover move, I slowed down."

Gear:

Flipping gear: 7'6" mag-heavy Lew's Custom Pro casting rod, Lew's Super Duty XHL Speed Spool casting reel, unnamed 65-pound braided line, 1/2-oz. Reins Tungsten worm weight, 3/0 Mustad 3X Grip Pin worm hook, Gambler Ugly Otter (copperfield).

Main factor in his success - "My local knowledge helped a lot. I had an idea where the fish were going to go before I put the boat in the water."

Performance edge - "My rod and reel had a lot to do it. I wasn't using my Lowrance for depth, but used it for navigation and time. I watched it closely and timed each canal and each stop so I wouldn't miss my time."

FLW Tour Harris Chain 2-5 Patterns BassFan 2/28/18 (Todd Ceisner)

15 Colors

Gambler Ugly Otter 4" 7pk

$5.69

Mustad Grip-Pin Max 3X Punch Hook 4pk

$6.99

Video

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