Top 10 Baits from Oneida
What was best for fooling finicky smallmouth bass
The Costa FLW Series Northern Division finale on Oneida showed off some really good smallmouth fishing, but the bites didn’t always come easy. Even mixing in a few largemouths, the pros in the top 10 pulled out every trick in the book to catch five, from umbrella rigs to finesse.
1. For the win, Cory Johnston threw a variety of finesse plastics, including tubes and Yamamoto Senkos, as well as a DUO Realis Spinbait 80 (ghost pearl) and a Rapala X-Rap Pop(chartreuse ghost).
2. In second, Casey Smith relied on a D&W Custom Lures Schooler Rig with Keitech Swing Impact FAT (and regular) swimbaits (3.3- and 3.8-inches in bluegill flash) as well as a 1/2-ounce Keitech Model II Tungsten Football Jig (pb&j with a green pumpkin trailer).
3. Ian Renfrew chased largemouths with a 6-inch Roboworm Fat Straight Tail Worm (Aaron’s morning dawn) on a drop-shot and smallmouths with a homemade umbrella rig. The umbrella rig was specially tuned for Oneida smallmouths by himself and fifth place pro Lawrence Mazur and he used Optimum Opti Shad swimbaits around the outside with a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT in the middle with 1/4-ounce heads on the two bottom wires and 1/8-ounce heads everywhere else.
4. Like his brother, Chris Johnston relied on topwater and finesse throughout the week. His baits of choice were a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko and an Evergreen OB Popper.
5. Besides throwing the same umbrella rig as Renfrew, Lawrence Mazur also caught fish on a 1/2-ounce Missile Jigs Mini Flip Jig paired with a 2.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT (black).
6. To lock down sixth place, Kyle Weisenburger tossed a YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr. with Zoom Swimmin’ Fluke Jr. swimbaits (white ice) and a 3/8-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait tipped with a Strike King Blade Minnow.
7. Grinding up the leaderboard every day after winning last weekend’s FLW Bass Fishing League event on Oneida, Ed Casey mostly rolled with either a Keitech Model II Tungsten Football Jig or a Strike King Baby Structure Jig, both of which he trailered with a black Keitech Swing Impact FAT.
8. Jim Vitaro took eighth with a variety of baits including a YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr. with Reaction Innovations Little Dippers, a Z-Man ChatterBait tipped with a Strike King Blade Minnow and a Heddon Saltwater Super Spook Jr. in the red head color.
9. For ninth, Jason Shipton tossed a few moving baits, but his bread and butter the first two days was a Sneaky Hollow Tarantula on a 3/8-ounce Texas rig.
10. Lucas McDaniel did his damage the first couple days largely with a Lobina Lures Rio Rico and a Z-Man ChatterBait matched with a Zoom Super Fluke.