The U.S. Open on Lake Mead has been the premier event in the west for years, and it is becoming a more significant and more prestigious event every year. It attracts the best anglers in the west as well as national touring pros who are hoping to win the event.
One angler who makes a point to fish it every fall is Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour angler Luke Clausen.
Having already won the 2006 Bassmaster Classic and FLW’s 2004 Forrest Wood Cup, (then called the FLW Tour Championship), the U.S. Open title is one of the only titles Clausen is missing.
He’s recorded a Top-10 finish in this tournament and hopes this is his year to win it all. He believes five baits could lead him to victory on Lake Mead in October.
Lake Mead as a Venue
Mead has always had a reputation as one of the toughest venues in bass fishing. In years past, catching a limit every day was usually good enough to get a paycheck, but things are changing according to Clausen.
“Mead seems to get better every year. Before you were trying to catch five, but now you are getting a limit much easier and searching for kickers instead of just trying to fill your limit,” he begins. “The smallmouths have become a major factor, and you are starting to see more and bigger ones weighed in.”
The desert lake has always been reliable for topwater fishing and other reaction baits, and Clausen feels that they will again be the way to win this year.
“Jigs, Ned Rigs, and other bottom baits will catch fish, but it always seems like the bigger fish come on moving baits. You can cover tons of water with them since Mead is so big and that is a big part of my game plan. I am going to put the trolling motor down and start casting and winding,” he says.
With that approach, he feels that several types of baits could play into his strategy this year.
Topwaters, jerkbaits, wake baits and lipless crankbaits will all be tied up on the deck of his boat when he starts practice.
Topwater
Mead has always set up well for topwater fishing and Clausen, and the rest of the field will have them tied on for the morning bite and possibly all day long.
“You can cover water quickly with a topwater, and that is a key on Mead where you may go through long stretches that seem to have no bass living there. The fish also move often, and you always seem to be in search mode there,” he believes.
He says a walking bait like the Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil and a slower approach with the 3DB Popper will be the two he reaches for first.
“The 3DB Pencil is one of the easiest walking baits I have ever used. It walks very nicely and also has a loud sound to draw them up from deep water,” he says. “I’ll fish the popper around any cover or shade I can find and when I need to slow down if they stop hitting the walking bait.”
Wakebaits
The Duel Hardcore Noi-Z and smaller Noi-Z Jr. are two of Clausen’s favorite baits, and he plans to use the smaller sized version at Lake Mead. It is a unique lure with a jointed body and rear blade. As the name implies, it creates a loud noise and unique action as it is fished just under the surface.
“I have found that it works great in clear water and gives the fish a different look. Mead sets up perfectly for it,” Clausen says.
Jerkbaits and Lipless Crankbaits
If the topwater bite dies, Clausen is ready to go subsurface and still maintain the ability to cover water quickly.
“It is so important to keep covering water during this tournament, and a jerkbait and lipless let you do that and still imitate the shad that the bass are keying on this time of year,” he believes.
For jerkbait fishing, Clausen picked the Duel Hardcore Flat 100SP as a possible player in this year’s U.S. Open.
“It is a jerkbait I have a lot of confidence in and it casts well which is important in the ultra-clear water,” he says.
A lipless crankbait also allows anglers to move fast and is part of Clausen’s plan for the event. “I’ll be throwing a Duel Hardcore Flash’n Vibe 65S. Yo-Zuri and Duel make several lipless crankbaits, but this has become on one my favorites because of the sound and how fast you can burn it,” adds the Washington pro.
Reaction baits are sure to catch many bass for the anglers competing in the upcoming U.S. Open and Clausen will be ready with these five baits. They cover the surface to deeper water and will give him plenty of weapons when he arrives in Nevada.
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