Bradford Beavers' Pattern, Baits & Gear
If you'd told Bradford Beavers he'd finish 2nd after the practice and first day he had, he never would've believed it. "I caught seven fish in 2 days of practice and I only caught five fish the first day of the tournament," said Beavers, who was in 24th after the first day of the Qualifying Round. He said the Major League Fishing format (catch-weigh-release, all bass over 2 pounds count) threw him off the first day as he spent too much time without a line in the water. Fortunately, things took a major turn for the better on day 2.
Instead of looking for schools of fish like everyone else, he focused on a large shoal near Egg Harbor - 15 miles north of Sturgeon Bay - picking off single fish he saw on his electronics. He figured he needed 17 fish on that day to make the cut, and he caught that number exactly. From there, he never deviated from the plan, even when it meant getting beaten up by what he called the scariest waves he's ever fished in during the Championship Round. Still, despite burning through one trolling motor and then swapping boats to continue fishing, he was leading the majority of the day. With about 20 minutes to go, though, his second boat's batteries finally gave out and he was forced to go shallow out of the wind, which opened the door for Salewske's late go-ahead fish. "Overall, it was an unbelievable day," said Beavers. "I only lost one in that mess out there [on the final]. So I'm thrilled. Someone had to finish 2nd."
Gear:
Dropshot gear: 7' Dobyns Fury 703SF spinning rod, Shimano Stradic spinning reel, 15-pound PowerPro Super Slick braided line to an 8-pound Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon leader, No. 1 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hook, 1/2-ounce tungsten or 5/8-ounce lead weight, Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm (gobi or green-pumpkin candy) or Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Minnow (white, fished in sunny conditions).
Main factor in his success - "Keeping an open mind, especially on the second day. I was fishing water that hadn't been productive, but I knew if I fished it long enough I'd run into them. And I did."
FLW TW Pro Circuit Championship Winning Pattern - BassFan 9/2//20 (Sean Ostruszka)
