Texas pro Keith Combs is preparing for another Bassmaster Classic. He had a challenging season on the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2022 but won at home on Sam Rayburn in a fall Bassmaster Open to punch his ticket. Now, he's in the field at the Classic and has a great shot of winning. He's familiar with the venue on the Tennessee River, and it should fit right into his wheelhouse as one of the best there is with a crankbait.
Familiarity Fishing the River
During his days on the FLW Tour, Combs visited the fishery a handful of times and made a trip there the last time the Elite Series fished there. He knows how it sets up and although the fishery won't likely offer huge weights, he likes it.
"It's not a Guntersville or Sam Rayburn where everyone catches huge bags, but it has a lot of quality fish in there," said Combs. "The forecast looks pretty chilly with cold nighttime temps, but the time of year should have plenty of fish shallow. It's going to be a good winter and prespawn type bite."
The river has both largemouth and smallmouth and each species can deliver a win. Combs will decide what to target when he arrives for practice.
"It's going to depend on the river's flow and how fast it's moving," he said. "If it's flowing and has some stain to it, I think smallmouth will definitely play. It helps to set them up in predictable places. If the water is moving a lot slower, largemouth could be the way to go."
Combs' Cranking Arsenal
Most of Combs' big wins and high tournament placements have come with jumbo crankbaits like the Strike King 6XD and 10XD; he's deadly with any crankbait. This time of year and on this fishery, he's thinking much shallower crankbaits.
"I always have a Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill tied on this year," said Combs. "It's a proven bait for fishing shallow water in the prespawn and works everywhere."
For a little deeper option, he's a big fan of the Strike King KVD 1.5 Flat, a flat-sided bait with the same great action as balsa baits, but it's a much more durable and better casting crankbait, according to Combs.
"That bait has been really good for me," he said. "It's a great winter and prespawn crankbait. I'll be fishing it on any flatter banks I can find."
He also plans to mix in a lipless crankbait, specifically the Strike King Red Eye Shad in the 2-Tap version.
"It's got a unique sound compared to other lipless baits and an action that's hard to describe," he said. "It's got an excellent thumping vibration that gets bit."
Besides Cranking Classic Bass
While Combs loves to throw a crankbait, especially early in the year, he knows some other lures can help him achieve his goal of winning the Bassmaster Classic. Among those is the Strike King Thunder Cricket vibrating jig.
"I really like the new tungsten version because it's a lot more compact," he said. "That ½-ounce version still casts very well, but it stays down in the water column better than the regular lead version. That lets me slow it down and keep it down, which is great when the water is still cold."
Sights Set on the High Teens
It's always hard to predict what it will take to win an event before practice begins. Even after the practice period, making accurate predictions still takes a lot of thought. But Combs does have some weights in mind that will be stout for the Bassmaster Classic.
"I have my sights set on catching 15 pounds daily," he said. "I want to catch my five that weigh about that much and hope to catch a big one or two each day to boost my total. If someone can do that every day, they'll be right there at the end."
Combs feels that weights will be tight throughout the field, with big bass playing a significant role in deciding who wins the tournament.
"There are a lot of solid fish in there, but there are also some nice kickers," he said. "A 5 or 6-pound fish will go a long way here. That's what you'll need to get to that 18-pound range that can separate you from the pack."
No matter how Combs got into this event, he's thrilled to be there. He has as good of a shot as anyone in the field and the Tennessee River sets up very well for his strengths. If there's a crankbait bite to be found, Keith Combs will be one to watch in Tennessee.
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