Classic Winning Weight?

[Quillback]

I don't follow the circuit like I used to. What was the difinitive pattern of the top 3 ?

They (the anglers) are being cagey about it for now - they need to get all that sponsorship stuff right - but from what I can tell, Howell was using cranks. Possibly Rapala DT-6 and a prototype Livingstone lures crank.

[Sore Thumbs]

Not sure but Howell was using a crankbait the last day. Some new Livingston that is coming out. He said it was a craw pattern.

[buzzbaitr]

Sore thumbs I was just joking. Just in case you didn't know. Thanks for the prize though, lol.

[Champ188]

Personally, Donna and I were happy to see an outspoken Christian guy win. And obviously a very nice and gracious guy. And one who has paid his dues over the years.

Some of you may recall the incident a few years back where Swindle ran (on the pad) VERY close thru some boats that were fishing and got his catch for the day disqualified. It was Howell who he ran closest to (less than 20 feet) and Howell just grinned and said in his Alabama drawl, "He ought not to have done that." LOL

[J-Doc]

Not sure on the pattern but Howell won because he found a massive stockpile of big bass. Everyone will want the new proto crankbait he used but that's not the key deal. The key was his stockpile of fish he found and he picked it apart and figured out a way to catch them. I'm sure the bait had a lot to do with it but I attribute it to the angler and not "Livingston Lures". If that proto bait didn't work, I'm sure something else could have been figured out. Might not have had the same results but I don't put that much stock into a bait itself any more. It's more about the presentation and how it's utilized. Although, color and size was a key feature I'm sure. It still took the angler to know what to throw and what the bass were feeding on there. Seemed like a classic case of craw forage on rip rap so he through a medium diver crankbait and got reaction strikes. Forty fish on one single crankbait is pretty amazing though.

I agree..........he's a nice guy. I watched him on Zona's Awesome Fishing Show this weekend (rather Ironic?) and he was a really cool dude. Fished professionally since he was out of high school. Dude has definitely paid his dues.

[fishinwrench]

I was just wondering if the bait being thrown weighed close to 3/8oz.

[Jerry Rapp]

the go pro camera showed a rapala crawdad colored Dt 6. Howell said he did a 180 at take off and went on impulse to fish a community hole(bridge gap) in the middle of the town of Guntersville. He later said he used the proto type Livingston thing (I think Livingston is one of them electronic things like the now defunct Lazer Eye?). But he did do a "gut" thing and did the 180. We have all done that on take off, and it doesn't work way more times than it does work. He got lucky and made the right decision.

[abkeenan]

Yes he was using a Rapala DT6 in the Ike's Ink Demon color. Caught the majority of fish on it he said. Then said he needed a bait to get to 8-10 ft and dumped out a bucket of stuff that Livingston had given him and he had no idea what was in there and a crank in a similar red craw pattern was in the bunch and it ran 8-10 feet and he caught most of his big ones on it and culled up with it the last day.

[abkeenan]

And yes 3 of the 5 Rapala DT models (DT 4-16) in that color are sold out on Tackle Warehouse and are on back order. If you have some SELL! SELL! SELL!

[Jerry Rapp]

and his sponsors include.... guess what? http://www.bassmaster.com/anglers/randy-howell#

Livingstons Lures! Come on, he caught them on a DT-6 around the bridge.

Yes he was using a Rapala DT6 in the Ike's Ink Demon color. Caught the majority of fish on it he said. Then said he needed a bait to get to 8-10 ft and dumped out a bucket of stuff that Livingston had given him and he had no idea what was in there and a crank in a similar red craw pattern was in the bunch and it ran 8-10 feet and he caught most of his big ones on it and culled up with it the last day.

I know he has to support his sponsors, but don't go overboard (dumped a bunch of baits he has never used?, Like he didn't have a 8-10 ft bait in the boat? Come on man). George Cochran did the same thing at Gville years ago. Said he caught them on a Strike King jerk and Bassmaster clearly showed him using a Rogue. You sheep have to learn to read between the lines. Common sense.