Larry Nixon's Winning Pattern, Baits and Gear

Larry Nixon had difficulty getting through a lock in an event about 15 years ago and swore he'd never attempt to pass through another one. He broke that vow after finding a wad of fish on one practice day in Pool 9. "I just had to make sure I left myself lots of time," he said. His main area was a locale that consisted of a combination of wood and rock. He was very surprised that he had it to himself. "It was such an obvious place. I was boat (No. 43) on the first day and I couldn't believe it when everybody just kept blowing right by it - nobody even tried to fish it." The fish there were almost entirely largemouths during practice, but they were supplanted by smallmouths as the tournament wore on - he caught all bronzebacks on days 3 and 4. He flipped up some of his fish, used finesse tactics to entice others and caught a few on a spinnerbait.

Winning Gear:

Flipping gear: 7'4" Dobyns Champion Extreme rod, Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series casting reel (6.4:1 ratio), 18-pound Sunline Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon line, unnamed 1/4-ounce slip-sinker (pegged), 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook, Yamamoto Flappin' Hawg (black/blue flake).

Finesse gear: 7'2" Dobyns Champion spinning rod, unnamed spinning reel, 20-pound Sunline braid (main line), 12-pound Sunline Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon leader (6'), 1/16-ounce Hayabusa Brush Easy jighead, 3" Yamamoto Senko (General's melon). The spinnerbait he threw was a 1/2-ounce War Eagle (blue herring).

Main factor: "Nobody else found those same fish."

Performance edge: "My Evinrude G2 did a great job for me - I was running about 50 miles and I only burned one gallon of oil the whole tournament. Also, the Lowrance (depthfinder) was very important for running the river."

FLW Tour Mississippi River 2-5 Patterns BassFan 5/26/17 (John Johnson)

Yamamoto Large Flappin Hog Black Blue Flk

12 Colors

Yamamoto Large Flappin Hog 4.5" 5pk

Gamakatsu Offset EWG Worm Hooks Black

$18.99 $26.04*

Hayabusa Brush Easy Ball Jig Heads

$5.49

2 Colors

War Eagle Extreme Trokar Col/Wil Spinnerbait

$9.99

Best Seller

Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon

Video

Sunline SX1 Braided Line Deep Green

125yd

$18.97$23.99*

Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon

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Dobyns Champion Extreme HP Split Grip Casting Rods

$359.99 - $369.99

5.0

1 Review

Dobyns Champion Extreme HP Spinning Rods

$359.99 - $379.99

5.0

3 Reviews

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