Winning Baits: Lake Conroe's MLF Bass Pro Tour Event

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour kickoff at Lake Conroe showcased an interesting mix of power fishing and finesse techniques, with anglers adapting to the tour's new forward-facing sonar (FFS) restrictions. Let's break down the winning patterns and key baits that dominated the event.

The Winning Formula: Justin Cooper's Two-Pronged Approach
Champion Justin Cooper demonstrated that versatility was key to success, employing both forward-facing sonar techniques and traditional power fishing approaches.

His arsenal included:
Morning FFS Pattern
• Bass Pro Shops XPS Rock'n Shad (4" and 5" versions)
• Owner Range Roller jighead (3/16 oz)
• Focus on shad colors

Shallow Power Fishing Pattern
• Bass Pro Shops XPS ChatterBomb (white)
• Swimming worm with 3/16 oz Epic Tungsten bullet weight
• Shad-colored lipless crankbait

Common Threads Among the Top 10
A clear pattern emerged among the top finishers - most started their day using forward-facing sonar with finesse presentations, then transitioned to power fishing techniques in shallow grass. Here's how the other top finishers approached the lake:

Finesse Presentations
The jighead minnow combination dominated the forward-facing sonar periods:
• Yamamoto Scope Shad (used by multiple anglers including Jake Lawrence and Nick LeBrun)
• RAID Fish Roller (Alton Jones Jr.)
• Deps Sakamata Shad (Alton Jones Jr.)
• Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow and Freeloader (Jacob Wheeler)
• Duckett Fishing Sway Minnow (Jacob Wall)

Power Fishing Arsenal
When not using forward-facing sonar, anglers found success with:
• Vibrating jigs (multiple brands including Z-Man Jack Hammer)
• Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap (particularly the 1/4 oz size)
• Berkley Frittside 5 crankbait
• Yo-Zuri Rattl'n Vibe lipless crankbait

Noteworthy Soft Plastics
Several anglers found success mixing in soft plastics:
• Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm (Colby Miller)
• Big Bite Baits Nekorama in matte green pumpkin (Drew Gill)
• Berkley PowerBait Hollow Belly Swimbait (Justin Lucas)

Key Takeaways for Anglers
1. Versatility is Crucial: The most successful anglers demonstrated the ability to transition between forward-facing sonar techniques and traditional power fishing approaches.
2. Location Patterns: The majority of success came from Caney Creek, particularly around hydrilla and eelgrass in 2-5 feet of water.
3. Color Selection: Natural shad patterns dominated for suspended fish, while darker colors like green pumpkin and black/blue proved effective in the vegetation.
4. Gear Considerations: Most anglers using forward-facing sonar opted for lighter fluorocarbon leaders (8-10 lb) paired with braided main line for better sensitivity and control.
The Conroe event showcased how modern bass fishing continues to evolve, with anglers successfully blending new technology with traditional power fishing approaches. The winning formula proved to be not just about having the right baits, but knowing when and where to use them effectively.

References
Major League Fishing
Tackle Warehouse