Top 10 Baits from the Harris Chain
ChatterBaits, Speed Worms, Traps, Senkos and jerkbaits got it done offshore
The typical shallow baits worked for the Harris Chain’s spawning bass during stop No. 2 of the FLW Tour event, which was presented by Lowrance. The offshore grass bite required a different approach, however. For that, pros relied on five primary tools: ChatterBaits, Speed Worms, Senkos, jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits. Here are the details.
1. Chris Johnston
The Ontario pro started the tournament in Lake Griffin with a prop bait, vibrating jig and Zoom UV Speed Worm, but that pattern didn’t last long. The champ caught most of his keepers on a jerkbait and a gold lipless crankbait in Lake Harris just a couple minutes from takeoff. Those fish were keying on spawning shad. When that bite died, Johnston switched to schooling fish in a shallower hydrilla bed, and fished the vibrating jig with a Jackall Rhythm Wave 4.8 swimbait trailer.
2. Jeff Gustafson
Gussy used one bait and one bait only to catch bass out of Lake Harris’ offshore hydrilla: a 1/2-ounce Z-Man/Evergreen Jack Hammer ChatterBait with a Z-Man RaZor ShadZ swimbait trailer.
3. John Hunter
Other than a lone keeper that he caught on a prop bait the last day, John Hunter spent his tournament fishing offshore hydrilla in Little Harris with a 6th Sense Provoke jerkbait in a solid shad pattern during low-light conditions and a translucent Megabass Vision 110 in the afternoons when the sun got high. He also fished a Z-Man/Evergreen Jack Hammer ChatterBait in shallower grass.
4. Glenn Browne
Flipping a Copperfield-colored Gambler Ugly Otter on a 1/2-ounce Texas rig in Lake Apopka earned a top-10 finish for Glenn Browne, who caught spawning fish that he couldn’t see well enough to sight-fish.
5. Buddy Gross
The Georgia pro spent the tournament in Harris fishing offshore grass. His go-to baits were a Profound Outdoors Azuma Shaker Z Mime lipless crankbait (chrome), a Texas-rigged Zoom Magnum Trick Worm (junebug) and a Z-Man ChatterBait (white). Whenever he found a patch of grass to flip, Gross used a Zoom Z Craw.
6. Matt Greenblatt
Offshore bass in Harris did it for Greenblatt, too. He fished three sizes of the Yamamoto Senko in black and blue, as well as a Zoom UV Speed Worm (junebug).
7. Tony Dumitras
A Texas-rigged black Zoom Magnum Trick Worm was Tony Dumitras’ primary bait, but he also fished a gold Strike King Red Eye Shad, a Keitech swimbait and a Zoom Fluke rigged on a lead-head.
8. Kurt Dove
Kurt Dove relied on an ima Flit 120 jerkbait in chartreuse shad at his shallower offshore grass areas in Harris. In deeper water he used a Yamamoto Senko (black blue fleck). Dove added Hayabusa TBL930 treble hooks to the jerkbait and used a Hayabusa WRM959 wide-gap hook with the Senko.
9. Jared McMillan
One of only two pros to fish in Lake Denham, Jared McMillan used the Z-Man/Evergreen Jack Hammer ChatterBait in green pumpkin with a Bruiser Baits Super Swimmer trailer to fish through pads and other shallow grass. When he felt that the fish had grown lethargic, he swapped the Super Swimmer for a Yamamoto Zako. He sight-fished with a Bruiser Baits Crazy Craw and Big Stick.
10. Anthony Gagliardi
Former Forrest Wood Cup champ Anthony Gagliardi fished offshore grass right next to Dove using a Carolina-rigged Black Flagg Grande Worm. In the shallows for spawners and staging fish he used a Buckeye Lures J-Will Swim Jig, but switched to a white-colored Black Flagg Slikk Shadd on a drop-shot for sight-fishing. A wacky worm produced a few bites on the final day.