Breazeale’ s strategy was to cover water for a mix of prespawners and spawning fish. He wasn’ t committed to sight-fishing, but he did stop

and spend several minutes on a promising fish when he spotted one.

The Kelseyville, Calif., pro cast a Yamamoto Single Tail Grub on a 1 / 4-ounce ballhead jig to probe deeper adjacent waters, but he did most of his damage with a drop-shot fitted with a Roboworm in margarita mutilator, the perennial Clear Lake favorite color.

Breazeale pitched his bait to every piece of cover he encountered, with dominant features ranging from docks( single residential

WINNING BAITS

Inconsistent spring weather that included unseasonable cold and water-level fluctuations had a major impact on Clear Lake’ s bass. Specifically, Breazeale found that the fish he encountered lacked the aggression typical of the prespawn / spawn period.

“ They were biting really lightly, so you just had to let them eat it a little more,” he says.

He also made a risky adjustment in his line size. Dropping from 8-pound-test fluorocarbon to 6-pound test definitely seemed to increase the number of bites Breazeale got, but the move also increased the risk of breaking off.

“ You just have to let them run when they want to run,” Breazeale says of his light-line approach.

structures, as well as large floating marina complexes) to natural rock to riprap.

“ I was especially looking for little pockets in tules with rock in the back, because that’ s where they like to spawn,” he says.

Nosing his boat deep into tule lines revealed additional spawners. In general, tucked-away places such as areas adjacent to decrepit docks and a fallen walkway held spawning fish.

A rocky offshore reef also produced keepers. Here, Breazeale made controlled drifts down the side of the rocky mound and walked his drop-shot along the breaks. Making long parallel casts was key to the presentation.

After spending most of days one and two on the same stretch of Konocti Bay, Breazeale found that the heavy winds the night before day three had blown out his primary waters. Shifting to his main backup spot at Gooseneck Point, Breazeale was able to find enough bass to secure his first FLW win.

WINNING CO-ANGLER

rick grover Trabuco Canyon, Calif.

Winning Weight: 42-01( 15 fish)

Winning program:

After capitalizing on a raging shad-spawn bite with an under-spin and a Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait the morning of day one, Rick Grover settled into a steady program of picking off keepers with a drop-shot. Grover used a 6-inch Roboworm Fat Straight Tail Worm with a 1 / 4-ounce sinker and a 3 / 0 Roboworm Rebarb hook.

PHOTO BY JESSE SCHULTZ