Bryant wins bass event on Wappapello

Special to the Southeast Missourian

Kevin Bryant of Cape Girardeau won the Bass Busters of Southeast Missouri tournament held Sept. 18 at Lake Wappapello.

Bryant made good use of the active morning feeding period and had his bag of fish by 10 a.m. He spent his time focused on early morning fall shad patterns. He began his day by fishing a white, 1/4-ounce Lunker Lure buzzbait across shallow flats in the backs of creeks and pockets on the lower end of the lake. He then moved to boat docks and ran the same buzzbait across the front corners of the docks for active fish and followed up with a white Southern Pro Pitching Tube under the docks for neutral fish.

Tony Cooper of Advance took second place and earned big bass honors by applying shallow shad-related patterns. Cooper watched the movement of baitfish and followed them across shallow flats in pockets on the lower end of the lake. He used a 1/2-ounce white Lunker Lure buzzbait thrown near shoreline wood and rock cover. All of his fish, including big bass, came from two feet of water or less.

Fishing conditions where tough with post-frontal high pressure accompanied by blue-bird skies and a slight breeze from the east. Both anglers reported they had few bites after 11 a.m.

David Bortner is a promotional bass fisherman.