THE LEAGUE 2025
Top Bait Performers
Check out the top performers of the week on the NPFL Tournament Trail
2025 SEASON
STOP #1 - SANTEE COOPER LAKES | MARCH 7-9
The Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper is in the books, and it didn’t disappoint, delivering giant bags and record-breaking weights. Now, we’re taking a closer look at the top-producing baits that helped the best in the field land trophy fish and climb the leaderboard, presented by Tackle Warehouse.
JASON CHRISTIE - 1ST
Jason Christie dominated Santee Cooper by sticking to his strengths, slow-rolling a ½-ounce BOOYAH Covert Single Colorado Blade spinnerbait around isolated cypress trees in 2 to 5 feet of water. Targeting the cooler water in Lake Marion’s “Brickyard” area, he relied on a Falcon Cara Head Turner (6-10, medium-fast) rod, paired with a SPRO Jason Christie Elite MG (5.6:1 ratio) reel and 22# Sunline Power 2C FC fluorocarbon. His methodical approach kept him around fish, leading to two 30-pound bags – setting a new NPFL three-day weight record of 82 pounds, 12 ounces.
COREY CASEY - 2ND
Corey Casey adapted to changing conditions throughout the event, keeping it simple with a Z-Man Jack-Hammer to target staging fish in deeper weed areas. He paired it with a Daiwa 7’2” Chatterbait casting rod, a Daiwa 6.3:1 ratio reel, and 20-pound fluorocarbon line. After adjusting his approach on Day Two, he found a productive spot that delivered a massive 30-pound, 4-ounce bag. Though the final day proved tougher, his strategy secured a strong second-place finish on his home waters of Santee Cooper.
CALEB KUPHALL - 3RD
Caleb Kuphall kept it simple with one rod and one lure, using a Piscifun Alloy M Reel (7.5:1 ratio) and a St. Croix Legend Tourney 7’2” Heavy, Ripping Chatter Rod, paired with 20-pound Viscous Fluorocarbon for superior sensitivity. He threw Z-Man EVO Elite 3/8-ounce bladed jig in black and blue, with a Zoom Shimmer Shad trailer. Kuphall focused on two main areas: a 4-foot deep grass flat leading to a spawning bay, where he found key fish early on Day One around scattered cypress trees, and a spawning flat surrounded by cypress, where he targeted pockets with grass near the trees, especially in drains and ditches.
STOP #2 - LAKE NORMAN | APRIL 16-18
Stop Two at Lake Norman is a wrap and the weights were as tight as ever. The majority of the field brought limits to the scales each of the three days when it was all said and done, largemouth made the difference, bumping those who found them way up the leaderboard. Now, we’re taking a closer look at the top-producing baits that helped the best in the field land trophy fish and climb the leaderboard, presented by Tackle Warehouse.
GREG HACKNEY - 1ST
Hackney focused his efforts on creeks with shallow pockets in the back, employing a one-two punch of Strike King soft plastics to target both spawning fish and those staging to spawn. When the fish were locked on beds or positioned on the bottom, he used a 4-inch Green Pumpkin-colored Finesse Worm on a 1/8-ounce shaky head jig. As the fish moved higher in the water column—especially around dock posts and floats—he switched to the same Green Pumpkin Finesse Worm, this time in a 6-inch version, wacky-rigged without any weight. For both setups, Hackney relied on a Mark Zona Lew’s All-Purpose rod paired with a Lew’s HyperMag reel, spooled with 10-pound braided line and a 10-pound Gamma leader material. This combination was key to fighting fish around docks and wood, ensuring he could handle the heavier pressure from the structure.
KJ Queen - 2ND
While the majority of his fish were spawning, KJ Queen filled a limit on Day One by strolling a Queen Tackle LS Jighead around dock poles. After that, he switched to a Zoom Z Craw with a ¼-ounce Queen Tackle Tungsten Flipping Weight and a Zoom Zlinky Stick Worm to target spawning largemouth. For all his setups, Queen used a Khaotic Kustom Rod paired with a Lew’s Reel, spooled with 12-pound fluorocarbon line.
Kyle Welcher - 3RD
Kyle Welcher is on a roll, and his key weapon for his recent victory on the Pasquotank River—and this week on Lake Norman—was the Rapala Crush City Bronco Bug. On Norman, he used a 7′ 6″ Khaotic Kustom Rod paired with a Lew’s Hypermag reel with an 8:1 gear ratio, spooled with 22-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon. Targeting spawning bass, he fished a ¼-ounce tungsten weight with a 4/0 Gamakatsu G-Power Flippin Hook.