On the Wednesday before the Bassmaster Classic, this site interviewed 2014 FLW Forrest Wood Cup Champion Anthony Gagliardi about baits he would be throwing if were fishing the Classic. Anthony told us his first choice would be the Buckeye Lures Su-Spin Blade, and told us that in the late winter when bass are around bait – either suspended near herring schools or on the bottom – the Su-Spin Blade is hard to beat. He said that he likes to fish the bait in shad or herring-type colors, such as Pearl, Albino or Arkansas Shiner. His go-to size is 3/8 ounce and he rigs it with a Zoom Fluke or Fluke Junior.
He added that, “If I had to pick one Su-Spin Blade, 90% of the time I would want the 3/8 ounce [lure] in Pearl color. I can fish it slowly and it’s heavy enough to get down if fish are near the bottom, and it’s also good up in the water column.”
You can read the full article here.
By now everyone knows that Costa Del Mar pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina won the 2015 Classic with 50 pounds and 1 ounce of Lake Hartwell bass, including a final day sack weighing 20-3. And what bait did he use?
According to the feature story on Bassmaster.com, “He went out and steadily caught fish every day on a homemade fish-head spinner rigged with a Zoom Super Fluke Jr. in pearl white. His father, Danny, made him about 20 of the baits before the tournament began.”
And the lead story on BassFan.com reports that Ashley called his father and told him he “needed some blade runners. He said he’d pour some up. … Sure enough, the 3/8-ounce white horsehead-shaped jighead with a size 3.5 willow-leaf blade and a 4/0 Mustad hook paired with a Zoom Super Fluke Junior turned out to be the key player in Ashley’s triumph.”
And it wasn’t just this tournament – “I’ll always use that on this lake at this time of year to get a good start and get the day going.” (BassFan.com)
Ashley is not sponsored by Buckeye Lures, and we’re not pretending that he was really fishing a Su-Spin Blade. However, Gagliardi’s prediction that the Classic could be won on a white fish-head spinner-type bait with willow leaf blade(s) rigged with a white Zoom Fluke product was eerily on the money – right down to the 3/8 ounce size!
Buckeye Lures Su-Spin Blades remain available for $4.19 on SCFishingTackle.com. Compare for $4.49 at Tackle Warehouse.
Congrats to South Carolinian Casey Ashley on winning the Classic… It’s a great year for South Carolina pros!
