Morning dawn
Pinkish-purple emerges as key worm color
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – After three days of Forrest Wood Cup competition, it’s clear that the drop shot and Roboworm has become the go-to presentation for catching Lake Lanier’s nomadic spotted bass. But one particular color has stood out from the rest. For once, that color isn’t green pumpkin. In fact, it isn’t even a natural color; it’s more of a pinkish-purple.
Roboworm calls this pinkish-purple color morning dawn, and for whatever reason, the Lanier spotted bass just eat it up. Just ask second-place pro Cody Meyer, who is using the morning dawn Roboworm along with a Jackall Cross Tail Shad.
“Lanier is really clear right now and that bait is kind of clear too,” he said. “It gives off kind of a neat hue in the water. When it gets in the sun and reflects it almost has a glow to it. It’s dark down in those brush 
piles and I think the glow looks like baitfish down there. I think it kind of mimics the spot-tail minnows and shad.
“To me, morning dawn isn’t just a Lake Lanier thing. It’s a spotted bass thing. It’s our go-to color back home in California.”
Fourth-place pro Kevin Hawk is also using the morning dawn Roboworm. He characterized it as translucent.
“In clear-water situations, morning dawn is the color. When I moved out here to Lanier that’s immediately what I tied on. And guess what? I started catching fish.”
Hawk doesn’t just throw the Roboworm. He uses a Fish Head Spin for the bass that aren’t holding tight on the bottom.
“The Fish Head Spin is a better bait for suspended fish. But if they’re hunkered down in the brush or just generally inactive that’s when I go to the drop shot and morning dawn. In fact, all of my drop shot 
fish have come from just that one color.”
Pro leader Brent Ehrler is using morning dawn, but he’s not as sold as others.
“I use it; it’s in my rotation, but the bites are too random for me to be conclusive about it,” the National Guard pro said.
Ehrler is also using a green pumpkin Thin Senko. But he’s added a color twist of his own.
“I actually let them sit out in the sun for four or five hours. For whatever reason, over time the sun gives them almost a reddish tint and I really like it.”
If the bass like it again today, Ehrler could be walking away with $600,000 and his second Forrest Wood Cup title.
Logistics
The final weigh-in will be held at 5 p.m. at The Arena at Gwinnett Center located at 6400 Sugarloaf 
Pkwy. in Duluth, Ga. Today’s pro winner will be determined by their cumulative four-day weight.
The FLW Outdoors Expo will be held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup at the Gwinnett Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The FLW Outdoors Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, angler seminars, the opportunity to meet professional anglers, see and test the latest outdoor equipment, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.
Fishing fans can register to win a Ranger boat that will be given away after the pro champion is crowned. Fans can register at ForrestWoodCup.com and must be present to win.
On the Web
For those who can’t catch the weigh-in action in person, FLWOutdoors.com offers FLW Live, an online application that brings fans real-time weigh-in results, streaming video and audio.
In addition to FLW Live, FLWOutdoors.com is offering real-time updates from the water. Simply click on the “On the Water” tab from any of the home pages.
Sunday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:51 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 72 degrees
Expected high temperature: 92 degrees
Water temperature: 89-93 degrees
Wind: E at 6 mph
Maximum humidity: 62 percent
Day’s outlook: mostly sunny