Bass baits of Toledo Bend

Top Stren Series anglers share their productive lures

HEMPHILL, Texas – With three-quarters of the Stren Series event on Toledo Bend complete and just one more day to go, pros were a bit more willing to share their successful baits this morning as they awaited safe light for takeoff.

Leader Russell Cecil of Willis, Texas, was rigging up a Lake Fork Ring Fry and an Academy Big Bites little creature on a Carolina rig.

In the boat next to him, well-known pro Harold Allen prepped his Texas-rigged V&M Pork Pin needle worm and V&M 11-inch worm.

From the third-place position, Stan Burgay of Timpson, Texas, showed off a pair of deep-diving crankbaits that have been producing for him.

In the next boat over Mark Allen of Kemp, Texas, in fourth, was busy threading Wave Worm Tiki Craws onto heavy Texas rigs for pitching.

And in fifth place, Stephen Johnston of Hemphill readied his jig rods with a 1-ounce Falcon Lures jig, designed with a flat head so it falls faster through the water.

All five pros are using these lures to probe deeper cover, anywhere from 15 to 25 feet deep.

Some are targeting deep grass: using a depth finder to find taller “clumps” of grass and then dropping a heavy jig or heavy soft plastic down to “punch” through the thicker tops.

Others, such as Burgay, are targeting hard structure only on breaks and drops.

Which technique will produce a win? We will find out this afternoon when the top 10 finalists of the Toledo Bend Stren event weigh in at the Wal-Mart in Many, La., at 4 p.m.

Saturday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:12 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 75 degrees

Expected high temperature: 87 degrees

Water temperature: 86 degrees

Forecasted winds: light and variable

Day’s outlook: cloudier, cooler with a better chance of rain