Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala. closed out a wire-to-wire victory at the Alabama River Bassmaster Southern Open on Saturday after catching an 18-06 bag for a 55-01 total.
I had adversity all week,” he said. “I don’t know how I adjusted.”
After locking downriver on the first 2 days, he fished “community water” on the final day that had been pounded by his competitors Thursday and Friday. The Coosa River spotted bass pounced his spinnerbait.
Not one to get stuck on a single lure, Connell showed the bass a wide variety of baits. His most productive lures were a 3/4-ounce chartreuse Strike King spinnerbait sporting tandem chartreuse willow-leaf blades, a 1/2-ounce Strike King jig and a Spro Fat Papa crankbait. A Keitech swimbait rigged on a 1/2-ounce jighead also produced two key bass for Connell Thursday.
The downside to Connell’s victory is that he will not receive an invitation to fish the 2016 Bassmaster Classic – he did not compete in the first Southern Open in January at Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga. Any angler who wins an Open tournament must fish all three of the events in that division to qualify for the Classic.
He finished 8 pounds ahead of runner-up J.P. Prouty of Florida. FLW Tour pro Clent Davis was 3rd.
Here are the final totals for the Top 12:
1. Dustin Connell: 55-01
2. J.P. Prouty: 47-01
3. Clent Davis: 46-08
4. Brandon McMillan: 46-07
5. Drew Benton: 44-04
6. Luke Clausen: 44-01
7. Russ Lane: 43-09
8. Jordan Lee: 41-01
9. Michael Neal: 41-01
10. Charlie Hartley: 38-07
11. David Perdue: 36-04
12. Brett Preuett: 32-00
