Im surprised/not surprised that in his GoPro footage not even one fish came off of a crankbait. It was only footage of the first hour, so I am sure that once the sun got high he probably threw the crank until his shoulder fell off, but weird none the less. This tournament is obviously in his wheelhouse so if he can't pull out a W in this event, I would have to imagine it will not sit well with his confidence going forward, especially with his struggle to even make a 12 cut the past few seasons.

I heard he killed them in the first hour. What was he using?

His GoPro videos cut out right before you see the bait. It was a bait that he let soak, thats all i know.

Go pro indicates he is using hair jig although you don't see it well.

He is very very hush hush about hair jigs. The retrieve on hookups is different than the fish he caught with cranks. Also how he plays the fish is different. Also how he lands the fish is different. He boat flipped all of them, but the ones on hair jigs he flipped behind the camera onto carpet. The cranks he flipped to his body or feet and you can hear the crank rattling, the fish he tossed behind camera had no rattling.

I've been told he was drop shotting with like 5/8oz to get schools fired up. But I haven't been on the lake to watch. Too much traffic this weekend.

Look at the pics of his last hour of fishing. Buck tail jig.

http://www.bassmaster.com/slideshow/kvds-phenomenal-final-hour-bassfest

He used a 6XD, 8XD, 10XD, a hair jig, a spoon, either a Rage Thumper worm or a Rage Cut R Worm on a swing head, a hollow belly swimbait and a drop shot rig.  He was pretty open about his baits.

He got alot a attention and got beat.  Bassmasters is eat up with him.  I like the guy and he is a badarse fisherman, but dang it man.  He was on more of the classic show than the fisherman that made the dance. 

This tournament is obviously in his wheelhouse so if he can't pull out a W in this event, I would have to imagine it will not sit well with his confidence going forward, especially with his struggle to even make a 12 cut the past few seasons.

Why not? I'd take a 2nd place check in a 124 boat tournament any day.

Go pro indicates he is using hair jig although you don't see it well.

He is very very hush hush about hair jigs. The retrieve on hookups is different than the fish he caught with cranks. Also how he plays the fish is different. Also how he lands the fish is different. He boat flipped all of them, but the ones on hair jigs he flipped behind the camera onto carpet. The cranks he flipped to his body or feet and you can hear the crank rattling, the fish he tossed behind camera had no rattling.

This