Jake Lawrence Wins MLF TW Invitational Stop 4

For Marks, the jighead minnow game was key, and he used a Greenfish Bad Little Shad head in 3/8- and 1/4-ounce models with a Zoom Super Fluke in silver rainbow. Marks also used a Zoom Ol' Monster worm in plum apple. For his minnow, Paul used spinning gear with 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown and a 12-pound Seaguar Tatsu leader.

Colby played the offshore game, doing a good bit of damage on a crankbait. Miller's crank of choice was a Strike King 6XD, which he followed up with a Zoom Trick Worm on a Neko rig with a 3/32-ounce Epic Baits Nail Weight. He used Shimano reels, Edge rods and Shimano Mastiff FC line. Miller did fine on Day 1 but really turned up the heat on Days 2 and 3, catching most of his weight off just two spots.

Fishing offshore, Smith strolled for most of his fish, using 4 and 5 inch Yamamoto Shad Shape Worms in blue pearl silver flake and sexy shad. He used 1/4- and 3/6-ounce Picasso Tungsten Ball Jig Heads, braid with a 12-pound P-Line fluoro leader, a 7-foot, medium light rod and 3000-size Shimano Vanford and Shimano Vanquish reels.

Cal Lane ran an offshore game plan exclusively, idling almost the entire practice and playing the event as though it was June on his home waters of Lake Guntersville. Lane caught his two biggest fish on a 5/8-ounce True Bass Shuttlecock. He also picked up fish on a jighead minnow with either a Strike King Z-Too or a Castaic Jerky J and used a big worm and a big crankbait as well.

Barnes did his best work on ledges, and he was able to adapt with the changing bite. Justin started his offshore rotation with a 6th Sense 500DD crankbait, which he threw on a 7-foot, 10-inch St. Croix Legend Tournament Series cranking rod with 12-pound P-Line Ultimate Fluorocarbon. He also mixed in a 3/8-ounce shaky head with a 6th Sense Divine Shakey Worm in green pumpkin.

Avena's primary baits were a Berkley Dredger 17.5 and a Berkley Dredger 25.5 and a handmade, 5/8-ounce hair jig. For the cranks, he used a 7-foot, 11-inch Abu Garcia Winch paired with an Abu Garcia Revo STX LP in the 6.7:1 gear ratio and 12-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon. He threw the hair jig on a 7-foot, 3-inch, heavy Abu Garcia Fantasista X with the same line.

Kyle Hall mixed ledges and a shallower approach. His primary baits were a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Jerk Shad on a jighead out deep and a Berkley Stunna 112 and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Hit Worm Magnum on a Neko rig when shallow. Hall fished brush and other isolated cover in 8 to 10 feet, using his Garmin LiveScope to his advantage the whole way.

Dakota Ebare did most of his work offshore on ledges and fishing pretty old-school. His best bait was a Strike King 6XD, and he also used a 5-inch Strike King Z-Too, a Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig, a hair jig and a swimbait. For his 6XD, he used a 7-foot, 4-inch Lew's Custom Lite, a 6.8:1 Lew's Custom Pro Speed Spool, 12-pound fluorocarbon and Owner STY-35 hooks.

Emil Wagner also ran the offshore game plan. His arsenal consisted of a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Jerk Shad on a 3/16-ounce tungsten head, a 3/4-ounce football jig with a twin tail trailer and a Berkley Dredger 20.5 and Berkley Dredger 25.5. For his minnow, Wagner used 8-pound braid and 10-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon for a leader, throwing it on a 7-foot, medium-light Fenwick World Class rod with a 3000-size Abu Garcia Zenon MGX. For his cranks, he used 10-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon, a 7-foot, 5-inch Fenwick World Class rod and a 6.8:1 Abu Garcia Zenon X.