Chickamauga lure tour

A closer look at the top-5 pros, baits at the FLW Series

HIXSON, Tenn., — Welcome to the FLW Series “lure tour” where we get a better look at what the top pros have been using to catch fish this week at Chickamauga.

With the top-five cut made and just one day left in competition, the pros usually get a little “less protective” about their techniques and lures.

Tournament leader Mark Rose has been relying on a variety of ledge-fishing lures this week. Pictured (from left to right) are his four best producers, including a ¾-ounce Strike King Football Jig with a Rage Tail trailer, a hand-tied hair jig, a Strike King Sexy Spoon and his money-maker: a 6XD crankbait.

Rose also includes his two bow-mounted Lowrance HDS-8 units in his lure tour since they are such a critical part of what he does on ledges.

When fishing, Rose will be monitoring three to four different screens at one time. He likes two units because he simultaneously runs two mapping programs side-by-side – Navionics and Hot Spots – so he can have a “second opinion” about how each ledge, hump or ridge lays at all times.

In addition he will run a combination of StructureScan, DownScan and sonar simultaneously as well to make sure he’s not missing a thing out there.



Rapala pro Tom Mann, Jr., currently in second place, has built his week off of two Yamamoto soft plastic lures: a 6-inch Kut-tail worm and a Senko, both green pumpkin.

Mann is rigging both plastics on a 3/16-ounce tungsten weight tied to Suffix fluorocarbon line.

Goodwill pro Wesley Strader, who was hesitant to release his key bait yesterday, could not hide them this morning. As he retied two Chatterbaits tipped with Zoom Speed Craws (one green pumpkin and one white) this morning, he revealed the baits.

“This is that lure those Carolina boys made famous,” Strader announced, on purpose.

Andy Montgomery – one of the “Carolina boys” that made the Chatterbait famous – was in the boat next to Strader’s and could only groan as Strader bragged on his success with the Chatterbait this week.

“Man, I can’t believe that,” Montgomery said of Strader’s revelation. “I’ve caught a few on a Chatterbait this week, but nothing like he’s catching on it.”

Instead, Montgomery is punching thick mats with a Zoom Super Hog.



Last but not least, Pete Thliveros, or Peter T., gave us a look at his Rapala DT-3 square-bill crankbait and a Spook that has produced many of his fish this week.

The final day weigh-in of the FLW Series event on Lake Chickamauga begins at 4 p.m. today at Chester Frost Park.