Tackle Shack Report
Jake and Danny Otto - 1st Place
Jake and Danny Otto never had a chance to practice Lake Wawasee for the Tackle Shack Open last weekend but it didn’t prevent them from winning.
The Ottos had 13.91 pounds to win $2,500, plus they took home the $500 Stutzman Landscaping pot with big bass of the tournament. The big fish weighed 4.90 pounds and was caught on a Berkley Slobberknocker.
The Ottos said they ran shallow channels all day and landed close to 20 keepers, mostly on Chatterbaits in shad patterns. Their two biggest fish came from shallow pads in the channels.
Chase Laughlin and Chase Fennell were second with 13.06 pounds, taking home the $1,700 prize. They said they were only catching small keeper in the shallow channels, so they slid out to the main lake and slowly upgraded. Their big fish were produced by ¾-ounce Rat’L Traps and heavy Jackhammers. They lost one big largemouth that might have cost them the tournament win.
Benji and Kyle Mast - 3rd Place
Benji and Kyle Mast also fished a channel to win $1,000 for third. Most of their fish came on red and orange lipless crankbaits. They had a limit by 10 a.m. and were able to cull one in the afternoon.
Bud Tonkel and Greg Mangus fished breaklines adjacent to large flats to catch 12.54 pounds and pocket $600 for fourth place. They said they used a variety of baits, but TRDs, jerkbaits and bladed jigs did most of the damage.
They said their big smallmouth came on a TRD and noted that the rainy and snowy periods throughout the day seemed to fire up the fish.