Bass Fishing May - Jun 2017 | Page 9

BIG WINNER On lakes flush with big bass, you’re never out of contention. Just one big head, like the 8-pounder shown here performing its nothing-but-net leap for Bradley Dortch on day four at the Harris Chain FLW Tour event, can move a guy many places up the leaderboard. In Dortch’s case, the fish contributed to a final- day 22-pound, 2-ounce catch that moved him from fifth place to first. Dortch had just switched from throwing a lipless crankbait to winding a NetBait Big Bopper Worm through a seam between two clumps of hydrilla when the fish bit. It was the big bite he needed to clinch the biggest win of his career. PHOTO BY KYLE WOOD May-juNe 2017 I FLWFISHING.COM 7