It was only a few years ago when Ott DeFoe won the 2019 Bassmaster Classic with the help of a crankbait. That event was held near his home in East Tennessee in March and he’s hoping for a similar outcome at REDCREST in North Carolina. Winning both titles would have him in exclusive company and he’s got a good shot if the fishing works out as many expect, with fish moving shallow and willing to eat a crankbait.
Ott likes the new format and tournament venue
New for this year, REDCREST will be a five-fish limit instead of the every-fish-counts format that Major League Fishing is known for. DeFoe likes this, but also the new wrinkle this year where the winner will be the one with a cumulative weight for the final three days.
First, the 40 anglers will battle it out for 20 spots in the Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed. “Once you get to the Knockout Round, it’s a three-day tournament more like the championships we have fished,” he shared. “I like the flow of it and the new structure this year.”
Most in the field have been to Lake Norman, but it’s been a while. The same is true of DeFoe, who competed in a handful of FLW Tour events back in the day to go with a PAA tournament he fished back then. He finished 2nd in that one, to Edwin Evers, and says he always does pretty well on the lake because he likes how it is set up.
“I’ve always liked it and never had a bad one there,” said DeFoe. “I know it has changed over the years, but talking to Thrift and Montgomery, who live there, it looks like it’s changed for the better. Back then, a big spotted bass was a two-and-a-half pounder and now guys catch 20-pound bags with them in local events. Since spotted bass have become so prolific there, I’ll focus on them and try for some big largemouth even though that will be a little harder to do consistently.”
Ott’s Garage
Rapala’s line of Ott’s Garage crankbaits has been highly successful and continues to expand, with a new lure coming out every year for the past three years. All of them have been big hits and he expects to use each in North Carolina during REDCREST.
Each of them (Rocco, Slim, Tiny) has a different action and size profile and DeFoe will be using them all at some point, along with the Rapala DT-6 and DT-8.
“Crankbaits are always a major player in the spring months,” he said. “The color I use will fully depend on the water clarity, but one that always works well with spotted bass with a little color in the water is chartreuse rootbeer crawdad. Spots don’t mind a little dirty water at all, and that color has a bright belly with a green back and is one of my major confidence colors.”
He’ll bust out the proven Rapala Shad Rap if he finds colder water. “It’s been warm throughout the region, but if it gets cold again right before the tournament, I’ll be using a Shad Rap,” he added.
Besides cranking
Ideally, DeFoe will always have a crankbait in his hands, but if he sees some other scenarios coming into play and possibly assisting his crankbaits. Among those are single swimbaits, jigs, and a jerkbait.
“The last time I was there, I caught some fish on a little swimbait, fishing it on windblown points, ditches, and long gravel points,” he said. “That should also be a player this time, and I’ll fish my swimbaits on a ¼-ounce VMC swimbait head.”
Jigs should also shine around the many docks on the lake and DeFoe plans to employ a Terminator Pro Series. “That’ll be a big player around docks and brush,” he said. “It’s a good all-purpose jig with a midgrade weed guard and mid-gauge hook. It’s not a little finesse jig or some giant flipping jig; it’s a nice in-between size.
A jerkbait may also play and DeFoe likes the Rapala Shadow Rap Shad Deep when spots are a factor. “It’s got a little smaller profile but still gets down good,” he said. “I’ve caught a lot of spotted bass on it and the size profile fits well for them.”
Fishing major championship events is nothing new for Ott DeFoe, as he has competed in 4 FLW Forrest Wood Cups, 8 Bassmaster Classics, and all 4 REDCREST events. He’s one of the best in the world and should be on the short list of anglers with a good chance of taking the title this year. The lake sets up great for him and if the bass are eating a crankbait, watch out for Ott on Lake Norman.
Advertising