Bigger baits.... 2024
I/MBasser reply :
Up in the Chicagoland area I have a few ponds where I can catch 4#ers. Recently learned of a few lakes that have bass as big as 9#s. I want to put together a Plano box of bigger baits to target the bigger bass. Looking at some bigger Swimbaits (both hard and soft) and some worms. What other baits should I consider? What specific swimbaits and worms do you use that are successful. Thanks in advance for the help!!
Catt reply :
Location, Location, Location! ????
Mobasser reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 12:20 AM, Catt said:Location, Location, Location! ????
Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs will all catch big bass at times. But, as Catt says here, it's the location your fishing that matters most.
I/MBasser reply :
Totally get the point about location. But what I want to know is what specific bait is working for you guys.
BoatSquirrel reply :
Until the water warms up, drag a big black/blue jig and beaver trailer. If You can see 2 feet down or more in the water, go with a green pumpkin jig instead. SLOW. An all-time winter fishing killer.
EGbassing reply :
Zoom magnum lizards.
Dens228 reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 12:13 AM, I/MBasser said:Up in the Chicagoland area I have a few ponds where I can catch 4#ers. Recently learned of a few lakes that have bass as big as 9#s. I want to put together a Plano box of bigger baits to target the bigger bass. Looking at some bigger Swimbaits (both hard and soft) and some worms. What other baits should I consider? What specific swimbaits and worms do you use that are successful. Thanks in advance for the help!!
A few lakes, as in plural, that have 9 pounders as in plural?!!? Public lakes? Chicago area?
Jigs catch pigs........
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 5:36 AM, BoatSquirrel said:Until the water warms up, drag a big black/blue jig and beaver trailer. If You can see 2 feet down or more in the water, go with a green pumpkin jig instead. SLOW. An all-time winter fishing killer.
Too cold for me right now. I’m preparing for spring. And loaded with Siebert Jigs!
On 12/10/2018 at 5:56 AM, Dens228 said:A few lakes, as in plural, that have 9 pounders as in plural?!!? Public lakes? Chicago area?
Jigs catch pigs........
Yes. That is what I’m told. I’m pretty happy catching 4#ers at my honey hole and can’t imagine the fun catching a 9#er. Looking forward to Spring
On 12/10/2018 at 5:50 AM, EGbassing said:Zoom magnum lizards.
Sweet. I’ll pick up a pack and give them a try.
BassWhole! reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 12:20 AM, Catt said:Location, Location, Location! ????
X2. While there is a place and time for larger baits to target larger fish, the trick is to show your wares to larger fish.
NorthernBasser reply :
7" version.
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Big_Bite_Baits_Suicide_Shad_Swimbait/descpage-BBBSS.html
Koz reply :
I agree with Catt but the OP still has a legitimate question. And while you can catch a big bass on any sized bait in general bigger baits (especially BIG baits) are a good way to target bigger bass. The trade off is that if you're fishing a really big swimbait you had better be prepared to be patient - really, really patient - in not getting a bite in a day, or two, or more.
Personally, I can't do that. I have a few 5 inch swimbaits and just bought a few bigger S-Wavers (thanks Bait Monkey!) but I can't sit there and throw them all day long.
So my compromise is using a big jig and a trailer. I haven't caught a DD on one yet, but I had my fair share of 5 and 6 pounders this season. If I throw it enough - in the right location - I'm confident that it will happen.
papajoe222 reply :
There are very few lakes in the Chicago area that hold 9# bass. The ones that do are the power plant lakes that have warm water year round. The downside is those lakes also get above 80 degrees by mid May and bass, in general, are difficult to catch. The same baits you use in the ponds you fish have just as good a chance of catching one of those brutes as any other, but 6in. swimbaits and jigs with big trailers catch the majority of fish over 4# Painfully slow presentations produce the occasional bragger, so, big or small that fact alone should swing things in your favor.
I would imagine if you hit those lakes hard for three or four years, you'd have a chance at one.
EGbassing reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 6:34 AM, I/MBasser said:Sweet. I’ll pick up a pack and give them a try.
Good luck man. You won't be disappointed with the mag lizards.
dgkasper58 reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 12:13 AM, I/MBasser said:Up in the Chicagoland area I have a few ponds where I can catch 4#ers. Recently learned of a few lakes that have bass as big as 9#s. I want to put together a Plano box of bigger baits to target the bigger bass. Looking at some bigger Swimbaits (both hard and soft) and some worms. What other baits should I consider? What specific swimbaits and worms do you use that are successful. Thanks in advance for the help!!
If you could share some names and maybe gps locations that would really assist me in telling you where they are.
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 11:37 AM, papajoe222 said:There are very few lakes in the Chicago area that hold 9# bass. The ones that do are the power plant lakes that have warm water year round. The downside is those lakes also get above 80 degrees by mid May and bass, in general, are difficult to catch. The same baits you use in the ponds you fish have just as good a chance of catching one of those brutes as any other, but 6in. swimbaits and jigs with big trailers catch the majority of fish over 4# Painfully slow presentations produce the occasional bragger, so, big or small that fact alone should swing things in your favor.
I would imagine if you hit those lakes hard for three or four years, you'd have a chance at one.
Well, that's the hope. And if it takes three or four years I would be fine with that. I enjoy the chase and simply being out there. I'm not saying these Chicago lakes are littered with lunkers, just that they exist. Half my enjoyment comes from exploring new places and learning what's out there. Most of the ponds near me hold 2#ers or less. Buddy and I randomly stopped at a little pond that we drive by all the time and decided to give it a shot. Spent the next two hours catching a couple dozen and a handful of 4#ers. One of the best days fishing I ever had.
This spring I plan on targeting a few of the ponds/lakes that I was told hold big bass. Just want to be prepared with some bigger baits. You mentioned swimbaits. From reading these forums I might pick up a Huddleston 68, Savage Gear 3D Shine Glide and a Spro BBZ-1. Which swimbaits do you use in our region? Thanks for all the input!
Bluebasser86 reply :
Are these ponds or lakes? I've had very limited success with big baits in ponds. Big pond bass are just so in tune with everything that they seem to be able to tell a fake from the reel thing easier. The exception being large topwaters like big walkers or wake baits like a Slammer or rat. Big pond bass eat lots of terrestrial animals so topwaters are a great way temp them. Tubes, brush hogs, 10" worms, senkos, and big straight tail worms like a YUM mighty worm or Strike King Bull worm are good baits for big pond fish. A spinnerbait or bladed jig probably catches me more big ones from ponds than anything else though.
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 9:47 PM, dgkasper58 said:If you could share some names and maybe gps locations that would really assist me in telling you where they are.
Ha! If/when i find them I'll be sure to send you a DM 
On 12/11/2018 at 1:56 AM, Bluebasser86 said:Are these ponds or lakes? I've had very limited success with big baits in ponds. Big pond bass are just so in tune with everything that they seem to be able to tell a fake from the reel thing easier. The exception being large topwaters like big walkers or wake baits like a Slammer or rat. Big pond bass eat lots of terrestrial animals so topwaters are a great way temp them. Tubes, brush hogs, 10" worms, senkos, and big straight tail worms like a YUM mighty worm or Strike King Bull worm are good baits for big pond fish. A spinnerbait or bladed jig probably catches me more big ones from ponds than anything else though.
To be honest, I don't know how to differentiate between the two. Is it acreage? Habitat? I'll come prepared with a selection that works at both. Thank you very much for the suggestions.
papajoe222 reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 9:48 PM, I/MBasser said:You mentioned swimbaits. From reading these forums I might pick up a Huddleston 68, Savage Gear 3D Shine Glide and a Spro BBZ-1. Which swimbaits do you use in our region? Thanks for all the input!
I use soft plastic swim baits rigged on a Siebert jig head the majority of the time. Havoc GrassPig, BPS SpeedShad and Basstrix hollow bodies for over 6in. although I have tried some solid body hand pours, but mainly those three. On occasion I have used a belly weighted hook for a weedless presentation, but I prefer a big, thick worm in that situation.
stratoliner92 reply :
Netbait C-MAC 11" worm
Zoom Ol' Monster 10.5" worm
Large Jig with craw trailer. Style/Weight depends on cover/depth of area fished.
Jigs are good year around for large bass. I prefer using large worms post spawn thru early Fall but they work all year its just my preference.
Catt reply :
Caught on a Chicken McNugget!
Wrong lure...right location ????
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Harold Scoggins reply :
On 12/11/2018 at 5:13 PM, Catt said:Caught on a Chicken McNugget!
Try the Chicken Tenders next time, they catch the HAWGS!
the reel ess reply :
Spinnerbaits (2) ,jigs (2), and frog (1) have accounted for my last 5 PB's. These baits also won't cull all the smaller bass so you'll get lots of action between new PB's. 
Mr. Aquarium reply :
I live in Ma and we dont get the true giant bass but ever since I switched to swimbaits, my average size went up. But you will get skunked more often then not. You need to get your mind into the game. I love fishing swimbaits!! I dont strictly fish swimbaits only, I'll toss other gear but I always have a swimbait stick with me.
For someone like yourself, I would look into spro swimbaits. The BBZ 1, the spro rat. Also savage gear makes good swimbaits as well. I fish the expensive hand made swimbaits.
WRB reply :
What Catt is saying is spot on, it's always location before lure selection. Thinking there is a panacea lure that a big bass will seek out and strike is misleading.
Spring to me means the spawn cycle and definately prime big bass periods. I have no idea what spring means to the OP?
If the pond is a power plant discharge with year around warm water then that creates a different spawn cycle period then a natural ice out pond that far north.
It comes down to location and abundant high protein prey sources, select lures that represent what the bass are eating. Big lure equals big bass is often a myth along with 9 lb LMB in a northern pond.
You can use jigs and big worms using standard bass tackle, big swimbaits you need swimbait tackle.
Tom
Dens228 reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 12:55 AM, WRB said:What Catt is saying is spot on, it's always location before lure selection. Thinking there is a panacea lure that a big bass will seek out and strike is misleading.
Spring to me means the spawn cycle and definately prime big bass periods. I have no idea what spring means to the OP?
If the pond is a power plant discharge with year around warm water then that creates a different spawn cycle period then a natural ice out pond that far north.
It comes down to location and abundant high protein prey sources, select lures that represent what the bass are eating. Big lure equals big bass is often a myth along with 9 lb LMB in a northern pond.
You can use jigs and big worms using standard bass tackle, big swimbaits you need swimbait tackle.
Tom
I wouldn't say a myth......but close to a myth. I caught my pb best, 8-03 in a pond around 6 acres in size an hour straight west of Chicago. I also caught it on a huge lure, a 5 inch wacky rigged Senko! LOL I will admit I didn't think it was a bass, my son saw it first as it swung towards shore near him, I told him he was crazy, that it had to be a catfish........imagine my heart right when I saw it for myself. That's about 3 pounds bigger than my second best so yes they are very rare around here. I'd consider a 5 pound bass a monster in my neck of the woods.
WRB reply :
Most 10 lb bass tend weigh 7 lbs on a scale.
Congratulations on a 8 lb in Illinois.
Tom
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 12:55 AM, WRB said:What Catt is saying is spot on, it's always location before lure selection. Thinking there is a panacea lure that a big bass will seek out and strike is misleading.
Spring to me means the spawn cycle and definately prime big bass periods. I have no idea what spring means to the OP?
If the pond is a power plant discharge with year around warm water then that creates a different spawn cycle period then a natural ice out pond that far north.
It comes down to location and abundant high protein prey sources, select lures that represent what the bass are eating. Big lure equals big bass is often a myth along with 9 lb LMB in a northern pond.
You can use jigs and big worms using standard bass tackle, big swimbaits you need swimbait tackle.
Tom
I’d say the only myth is that 9#ers don’t exist in the north. There may not be many, but they are here. For me, seeking them out is half the fun. And I’m not looking for a magic lure. Just something that may give me an edge. Other than that I do appreciate the input.
WRB reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 1:59 AM, I/MBasser said:I’d say the only myth is that 9#ers don’t exist in the north. There may not be many, but they are here. For me, seeking them out is half the fun. And I’m not looking for a magic lure. Just something that may give me an edge. Other than that I do appreciate the input.
9 lb bass are extremely rare in SoCal ponds but depends on what you call a pond vs a small lake and it's abundant renewable prey sources.
Tom
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 2:03 AM, WRB said:9 lb bass are extremely rare in SoCal ponds but depends on what you call a pond vs a small lake and it's abundant renewable prey sources.
Tom
I have no doubt they are very very rare in my region.
SnailsYeast reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 2:11 AM, I/MBasser said:I have no doubt they are very very rare in my region.
Same here. I’m lucky to have caught a 5 1/2.
JeepFisher reply :
On 12/10/2018 at 9:48 PM, I/MBasser said:Well, that's the hope. And if it takes three or four years I would be fine with that. I enjoy the chase and simply being out there. I'm not saying these Chicago lakes are littered with lunkers, just that they exist. Half my enjoyment comes from exploring new places and learning what's out there. Most of the ponds near me hold 2#ers or less. Buddy and I randomly stopped at a little pond that we drive by all the time and decided to give it a shot. Spent the next two hours catching a couple dozen and a handful of 4#ers. One of the best days fishing I ever had.
This spring I plan on targeting a few of the ponds/lakes that I was told hold big bass. Just want to be prepared with some bigger baits. You mentioned swimbaits. From reading these forums I might pick up a Huddleston 68, Savage Gear 3D Shine Glide and a Spro BBZ-1. Which swimbaits do you use in our region? Thanks for all the input!
Thats the beauty of fishing, it might be your 3rd cast or your 3,000,000th cast. Hudd 68, Swaver 200, Spro Rat 50, Jackall Ganterel (like someone else said), and maybe (if you really get into it) a DEPS 250. Message me for a good swimbait resource if interested. I am not that serious a swimbaiter compared to hard core swimbait guys, but the Swaver, spro rats, and jackall ganterels i have done great on... Also, dont forget big Keitechs.
FCPhil reply :
I tried getting into bigger swimbaits two years ago. I heard a lot of people talk about not being afraid to throw them because smaller bass still will strike larger baits. I got a few bites but nothing bigger than I was getting on other lures. The big thing for me is I was limited in how much time I can spend fishing and I was catching so few fish on the swimbaits that I got burned out on them.
Unless you have a ton of time to sink into fishing bigger baits, I would start off with some smaller swimbaits and work your way up. I really like the 5.25 inch Shine Glide from Savage Gear, it doesn't cast the best but it caught my second biggest fish. You can work it a bit more like a jerkbait if you want too (which has worked better for me). I have seen the Osprey Tournament Top Talon produce pretty well as well.
If your targeting bigger fish, I would highly recommend the Whopper Plopper 110. It caught my PB and more larger fish than anything else I have thrown. You could try up sizing to the 130 also. Jigs in heavy cover also has produced bigger fish for me.
fishwizzard reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 3:20 AM, JeepFisher said:I am not that serious a swimbaiter compared to hard core swimbait guys, but the Swaver, spro rats, and jackall ganterels i have done great on... Also, dont forget big Keitechs.
Im in the same boat, I throw those three lures plus assorted soft Bluegill swimbaits in smaller ponds and do quite well on them. I almost never see anyone fishing them around here.
Catt reply :
Barry St. Clair's Texas state record 18.18#
Caught on a Crappie jig ????
Team9nine reply :
On 12/14/2018 at 11:34 AM, Catt said:Barry St. Clair's Texas state record 18.18#
Caught on a Crappie jig ????
That's Mark Stevenson's 17# bass, "Ethel."
Catt reply :
On 12/14/2018 at 8:57 PM, Team9nine said:That's Mark Stevenson's 17# bass, "Ethel."
Sure is!
I was looking at that picture thinking something aint right & your post popped up!
Team9nine reply :
Here's Barry's fish...
JeepFisher reply :
On 12/14/2018 at 8:04 AM, fishwizzard said:
Im in the same boat, I throw those three lures plus assorted soft Bluegill swimbaits in smaller ponds and do quite well on them. I almost never see anyone fishing them around here.
I need to throw more bluegill baits... especially soft baits. I have the hudd gills, just didnt like the weeds they kept gathering.
fishwizzard reply :
On 12/15/2018 at 12:10 AM, JeepFisher said:I need to throw more bluegill baits... especially soft baits. I have the hudd gills, just didnt like the weeds they kept gathering.
The Hudd Gills get the most hits but have the worst hookup:landing ratio for me. It's very very demoralizing. I think I was both not setting the hook hard enough and not getting them in fast enough, both things I am going to work on. Snapping turtles also love them so it's an expensive lure to fish in a lot of the ponds that I like.
But man, they by far got me the most hits of any "big bait" I threw last year. I think the S-Waver was the over all best in terms of both number of hits and hit/landing ratio.
Bankbeater reply :
There have been some 8 lb and 9 lb bass caught locally, but it seems that those bass are hitting baits that they haven't seen in a while. The bigger baits seem to be more productive in the fall when the bass are feeding for winter.
evilcatfish reply :
My big fish thoughts in regards to lake/pond fishing for green bass, and I’m not far from Chicago often fishing southern Illinois
1. 4# and 9# fish will both eat “big” baits
2. Big soft swimmers in cooler months
3. Hard swimmers or chatterbaits in warmer months up until it gets too warm
4. In the dead of summer, a large t rigged worm or mag Shakeyhead is king
5. Jigs catch big bass all year long
6. Don’t get too hung up on the big bait=big fish thing. In some lakes, the big fish just don’t want a 10 oz glide bait
7. Experiment and see what works best for you, every lake is different
8.Don’t get discouraged if at first you don’t succeed
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 12/14/2018 at 4:09 AM, FCPhil said:I tried getting into bigger swimbaits two years ago. I heard a lot of people talk about not being afraid to throw them because smaller bass still will strike larger baits. I got a few bites but nothing bigger than I was getting on other lures. The big thing for me is I was limited in how much time I can spend fishing and I was catching so few fish on the swimbaits that I got burned out on them.
Unless you have a ton of time to sink into fishing bigger baits, I would start off with some smaller swimbaits and work your way up. I really like the 5.25 inch Shine Glide from Savage Gear, it doesn't cast the best but it caught my second biggest fish. You can work it a bit more like a jerkbait if you want too (which has worked better for me). I have seen the Osprey Tournament Top Talon produce pretty well as well.
If your targeting bigger fish, I would highly recommend the Whopper Plopper 110. It caught my PB and more larger fish than anything else I have thrown. You could try up sizing to the 130 also. Jigs in heavy cover also has produced bigger fish for me.
I fish both big baits and standard equipment most every trip. I throw the big baits on high percentage areas most days but I will fish them all day long too. It's a different mindset, kind of like muskie fishing, it's not for everyone for sure but it's addicting for some. I've caught so many fish in my life that I've got to the point I'd rather try to catch a big one instead of a bunch of little ones a lit of the time.
WRB reply :
On 12/15/2018 at 1:15 AM, fishwizzard said:The Hudd Gills get the most hits but have the worst hookup:landing ratio for me. It's very very demoralizing. I think I was both not setting the hook hard enough and not getting them in fast enough, both things I am going to work on. Snapping turtles also love them so it's an expensive lure to fish in a lot of the ponds that I like.
But man, they by far got me the most hits of any "big bait" I threw last year. I think the S-Waver was the over all best in terms of both number of hits and hit/landing ratio.
Hudd Gill isn't a big lure. Agree the strike to hook up ratio is horrible. I use a modified Butch Brown style top treble hook to solve the problem.
Tom
Primus reply :
I live in SW Michigan and have known of legit 8 plus Bass being caught and yes weighed on an accurate scale, not a common occurrence but they are there in our part of the country and I would imagine in Illinois as well . In my opinion in this part of the country when fishing for largemouth on our inland lakes in most of our lakes you've caught one of the biggest oldest Bass in the system when you run into a 6 lb plus fish .
I don't claim to be God's gift to fishing but because of time on the water & opportunity I've been fortunate to have caught more than my fair share of the 5 plus Bass the past 20 years or so with a decent number of those 6 lb plus fish as well. So I will share my observations on what has worked for me which I think would be pretty applicable to the OP fishing in Illinois since it's in the same part of the country.
As others have pointed out location & presentation are by far the most important ingredients to catching bigger fish whether a big fish in your part of country is 6 lbs or you live in an area where 10 lbers are big fish. This will always apply no matter where you fish or even what you fish for.
There is no doubt that average size baits or on occasion tiny baits will catch trophy class fish . That said If 2 fisherman of similar ability were fishing a season at the same lakes with a Crappie jig verses a medium to large size swimbait I'm confident the swimbait fisherman will likely catch a lot more of the bigger fish that are available in their area.
Though I'm a believer in swimbaits I have also have had success with conventional tackle which is what I 've cut my teeth with and still use as an integral part of my fishing. Though I don't believe this applies as much with small mouth I tend to do better using larger versions of these baits in most situations though they don't have to be huge to be effective. As an example , when using a walking stick bait I tend do better with a 5" bait verses a 3 " walking bait. My favorite size of the Whopper Plopper is the 130 , not a huge bait but it catches almost as many as the smaller versions but my average size fish tend to be a lot bigger and more likely to catch a 5 plus Bass in my opinion. When slow rolling a Kietech or a hollow belly on a jighead in deep water I tend to do much better with say 4.8 or larger size verses the 2.8 as another example .
In the category of conventional tackle Jigs have been my most consistent producer of bigger fish but really just about all the major category of lures will produce at the right time. Deep diving cranks in the summer are probably a close second.
So I definitely still use conventional tackle. However , there is a place for big baits even in Northern states and at times they can be special and a blast to fish. Keep in mind if you are price conscious and have a limited amount of discretionary income they may not be right for you. Also, you will need to be bullheaded and be willing to go through a learning curve with these baits and if you can only fish once a week for about 3 hours it probably won't be worth it . That said if you are already a successful fisherman with conventional tackle then it can be an exciting addition to your arsenal. If someone is still a novice fisherman then start of with conventional tackle and learn the fundamentals before you even think about fishing larger swimbaits .
The cool thing about adding this category of lures to your arsenal is that it is a great way to show the fish on heavily fished lakes something different and even when they are not getting bit they will show big fish. They also tend to catch nice bonus fish , especially on lakes where Muskies are available. Even when Muskies are not part of the system they tend to attract bigger Pike over those pesky hammer handles. Big Walleye also like these baits.
On a lot of our inland small lakes especially the smaller ones under 500 acres Bluegills and Perch often times are the dominant forage so don't believe those who say you should only throw Bluegill swimbaits in the spring. There have been some real nice Bass that I 've caught in the summer & fall that will argue otherwise. In addition to Bluegill & Perch I also like Golden Shiner, Baby Bass, Carp patterns and even Trout colors on non Trout lakes.
So here some of the baits that I'm confident will produce...
Topwater Wake style baits - The 7 " & 9" MS Slammer & Spro Rat 50 size are readily available and work well especially at night or low light conditions. That said I love the 3:16 Wake Jr. , the problem is they are expensive and hard to get. The best way is through the buy/sell pages of the swimbait forums. They are a special bait when used in the right situation.
Bluegill style topwater bait. - The Matt lures Hardgill is an awesome bait , it will flat out catch numbers and big ones as well. I absolutely love this bait and it will work in shallow water when the others get ignored. Besides a slow steady retrieve try mixing in shorts rips. Think prop bait without a prop. The Got' em Coach Gill can be had for a reasonable price and had produced a 7lber for me a few years back. I tend to use the Matt LURES when I want to finnesse the fish more and go the GEC when I want to fish a little more aggressively.
Glide baits - The River to Sea S Waver 168 & 200 size. Don't waste your time with the smaller sizes. Tactical Bassin' has excellent videos on how to fish these baits . The Gancraft 178 Jointed Claw in the Perch color is one of my favorites and are readily available like the RTS baits though they are pricier. That said shad/ golden shiner profiles have been very good to me especially in the spring. One bait that doesn't get talked about but has been very good to me is the Evergreen ES Flat, you can usually find them on Ebay and they aren't terribly expensive. Last year was my first with the High Power Herring 8" glide bait. I'm very impressed with this bait though I did much better fishing fairly fast with quick stop and go turns of the real handle and jerking the slack. That said if you want one they are fairly hard to get and expensive. You will also hear a lot of recommendations for a Deps 250 , for whatever reason I have not caught any on this bait but it's success throughout the country speaks to it's abilities I just need more time with it.
Crank down bait - the Pat's Perch is a great bait. I was lucky enough to get a few before they became hard to get and very expensive . I caught some on the Bull Shad 4 x 4 last year though I need more time with the bait. It is more readily available and affordable than the Pat's bait. A lure that I 've experimented with last year is the Musky Armour Krisco Jr which caught me enough fish last year to make want to give it more time on the water next spring. It is mass produced and under 20 $ so it might be worth a shot . Though these are crankbaits the Rapala Super Shad Rap and especially the Strike King Mag 8.0 squarebill will catch big fish. I love that SK 8.0 squarebill .
Multi Joint sinking baits. - some of the ones that have excelled for me include are the sinking versions of the Matt's Hard Gills, Bull Shads & Bull Gills also produce. The Jackall Ganteral would be a great bait to start with as it's readily available with an affordable by swimbait standards price tag. Fish these baits, sometimes slow or even twitch them.
If I had to sell them all and can only keep one it would be the 7" 22nd Century Trout in the Baby Bass color. It was already one of my better swimbaits before I knew what I was doing with it as it will produce with a steady retrieve. That said when I started fishing it with a stop & go fast retrieve along with some twitches then it became my favorite hard bait style swimbait. That said don't over do the twitches as the line can wrap around the hook as it is a lipless bait. Think of this as combo swim & jerk bait and it will absolutely produce. These tend to be a medium priced for swimbaits but the good news is they are not hard to get.
Soft swimbaits are also a staple of swimbait fishing , especially when dealing with grass or cooler water. Slow rolling heavier style Hudd baits , kietech/ bass trix style baits attached to jigheads are also a great way to have fun swimbait fishing. I've had bass as small as 2-1/2 to 3 lbs choke on an 8" Hudd so don't be afraid to try these baits. If you made it this far and due to the length of my post I will stop right here . This is a terrific website and at times has good info for swimbait fishing, that said I think the majority of the info and fisherman on this site tend to rely more conventional tackle which should be the foundation of any Bass fisherman . I would also suggest you that if the OP was interested in swimbait specific info that he may also want to check out some speciality swimbait sites in addition to the great info on Bass Resource.
WRB reply :
The OP said he is targeting big bass in ponds. We can debate what a pond is and never come to aggrement the difference between a small lake and a pond. Technically a pond is shallow enough for depth of light to reach the bottom allowing aquatic plants to grow.
In northern climates ponds freeze over and without deeper water the bass can die off depending on the extended time period it stays iced over, severely reducing growth potential. Bass need a constant source of food from the time they are fingerlings to adults to grow big, few ponds have a sufficient food supply to support bass over 5 lbs. There are exceptions but they usually are deeper small lakes like a quarry lake with a stream replenishing the food supply.
Tom
Primus reply :
I have caught some very nice Bass in ponds along with lakes as well using what most here consider big baits. Bluegill baits in particular slay 'em in ponds .
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 3:40 AM, WRB said:The OP said he is targeting big bass in ponds. We can debate what a pond is and never come to aggrement the difference between a small lake and a pond. Technically a pond is shallow enough for depth of light to reach the bottom allowing aquatic plants to grow.
In northern climates ponds freeze over and without deeper water the bass can die off depending on the extended time period it stays iced over, severely reducing growth potential. Bass need a constant source of food from the time they are fingerlings to adults to grow big, few ponds have a sufficient food supply to support bass over 5 lbs. There are exceptions but they usually are deeper small lakes like a quarry lake with a stream replenishing the food supply.
Tom
Well, actually, I said I’ve been catching 4# bass in local ponds but have learned of a few lakes that have bass as big as 9#s. But the point of the original post was just to learn what folks have been using to target the larger bass.
fishwizzard reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 12:36 AM, WRB said:Hudd Gill isn't a big lure. Agree the strike to hook up ratio is horrible. I use a modified Butch Brown style top treble hook to solve the problem.
Tom
They are big for the 4lb bass I am trying to catch with them. 
Most all my big bait fishing is in small surbaban ponds. I wanted to see if using larger lure would produce larger bass then the ones I would catch on my usual finesse presentations. I figured focusing on smaller spots where I knew there is a population of 3-4lb bass was a good place to start. The results after a season is a solid “maybe”, but that is beside the point.
In any case, when you BB rig the hudd gills do you clip the top hook off or leave it? I have though about trying it but I really like how weedless they are. I am going to work on my hooksets, I am usualy a “10lb line and fine-wire hooks” kinda guy so it’s a big transition when I spend a day fishing the Hudds.
WRB reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 4:43 AM, I/MBasser said:Well, actually, I said I’ve been catching 4# bass in local ponds but have learned of a few lakes that have bass as big as 9#s. But the point of the original post was just to learn what folks have been using to target the larger bass.
Illinois state record LMB is 13 lbs from a quarry lake caught on a inline spinner, giant bass that far north and tiny lure. I have caught a few giant bass over the years and use whatever replicates what the bass are feeding on at the time period.
If there is a crawdad migration the bass feed on crawdads for example. The big lure = big bass theory works if that is what you use 90% if the time, but it doesn't work well if the bass are feeding on crawdads. The 1st task is to determine what the big bass are eating, not an easy task. What most bass anglers do is try various lures until they have success and this works if you are fishing in the right area at the right time.
Bass are opportunist predators at times and that is why anglers catch one big bass by blindly putting a lure in front of a active bass. Your goal is not to fish blindly but to learn big bass habits and the prey they target where you fish.
Tom
WRB reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 5:32 AM, fishwizzard said:They are big for the 4lb bass I am trying to catch with them.
In any case, when you BB rig the hudd gills do you clip the top hook off or leave it? I have though about trying it but I really like how weedless they are. I am going to work on my hooksets, I am usualy a “10lb line and fine-wire hooks” kinda guy so it’s a big transition when I spend a day fishing the Hudds.
I use Owner Hyper Weld snap and attach 1" long finished wire leader, size 2 treble hook on one end a small loop on the snap end with crimp sleeves. The treble hook can be added or taken off as needed. Mustad 3551W weedless treble hook and cut the wire gaurd off the point inserted into the swimbait in front of the dorsal fin, leave the original hook on the Hudd Gill.
Tom
Catt reply :
The example of Barry St. Clair was not to say Crappie Jigs are a big bass lure!
Barry was in the right place at the right time & put a crappie jig in big Momma's face & she ate it.
Would she have eaten a big swim bait... probably!
But that aint what Barry had in his hand!
Location & Timing ????
The Bassman reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 3:40 AM, WRB said:Bass need a constant source of food from the time they are fingerlings to adults to grow big, few ponds have a sufficient food supply to support bass over 5 lbs. There are exceptions but they usually are deeper small lakes like a quarry lake with a stream replenishing the food supply.
Tom
I'm fortunate to have access to a few HOA lakes (I bank fish) that have a shad forage base. I've caught bass close to six lbs. from them. Have to believe there's a real big one waiting for me to post here some time. I agree that most ponds I fish with a bluegill forage base are limited in their potential to produce bass much over four lbs.
Edit: Hope OP will excuse me for deviating from topic. @WRB's quote brought the thought to mind. Most of my better fish come on smaller baits because that's what I primarily use. Go figure.
fishwizzard reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 7:19 AM, WRB said:I use Owner Hyper Weld snap and attach 1" long finished wire leader, size 2 treble hook on one end a small loop on the snap end with crimp sleeves. The treble hook can be added or taken off as needed. Mustad 3551W weedless treble hook and cut the wire gaurd off the point inserted into the swimbait in front of the dorsal fin, leave the original hook on the Hudd Gill.
Tom
I had had never seen those weedless trebels before, thanks for the info.
BassWhole! reply :
On 12/12/2018 at 2:37 AM, SnailsYeast said:Same here. I’m lucky to have caught a 5 1/2.
Don't know about the other areas, but I've fished south Jersey in a limited way and caught probably a dozen over 6 and one over 9. They are there.
I/MBasser reply :
On 12/11/2018 at 1:56 AM, Bluebasser86 said:Are these ponds or lakes? I've had very limited success with big baits in ponds. Big pond bass are just so in tune with everything that they seem to be able to tell a fake from the reel thing easier. The exception being large topwaters like big walkers or wake baits like a Slammer or rat. Big pond bass eat lots of terrestrial animals so topwaters are a great way temp them. Tubes, brush hogs, 10" worms, senkos, and big straight tail worms like a YUM mighty worm or Strike King Bull worm are good baits for big pond fish. A spinnerbait or bladed jig probably catches me more big ones from ponds than anything else though.
What hook do you use with the SK Bull Worm?
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 12/22/2018 at 7:15 AM, I/MBasser said:What hook do you use with the SK Bull Worm?
I fish them on my magnum swinging football heads with a 7/0 monster worm hook.
soflabasser reply :
On 12/16/2018 at 12:13 AM, Bluebasser86 said:It's a different mindset, kind of like muskie fishing, it's not for everyone for sure but it's addicting for some. I've caught so many fish in my life that I've got to the point I'd rather try to catch a big one instead of a bunch of little ones a lit of the time.
A good trophy bass fisherman will find it easy to adapt to muskie fishing just like a good muskie fisherman will find it easy to adapt to trophy bass fishing, at least this is what I learned from my personal experience. You are fishing for the top 5% of fish not the 95% that anyone can catch. At this point I do not care much for bass under 5 pounds and I specifically target bass 5 pounds and up. The exception I make for small bass is when I just want to play around with small bass, going for a new species of bass to add to my list, or days I want to catch over 50 bass in a couple hours.
scaleface reply :
I dont select lures for the purpose of catching large bass . I select lures that will allow me to effectively fish the cover and structure I encounter . The larger bass will come .That said I have never caught a 9 lb bass either , so I might be doing it wrong.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Swimbait fishing is exponentially easier if you have a basic understanding of fish behavior and can generally read productive cover/structure.
The problem is people see big fish caught on swimbaits and think "I should start bass fishing so I can do that too." That's not how it works.
A-Jay reply :
On 12/28/2018 at 12:05 AM, SPEEDBEAD. said:Swimbait fishing is exponentially easier if you have a basic understanding of fish behavior and can generally read productive cover/structure.
The problem is people see big fish caught on swimbaits and think "I should start bass fishing so I can do that too." That's not how it works.
Yup ~
And one could replace the term "Swimbait fishing" with "Most all Bass fishing" and be right on point as well.
A-Jay
Crestliner2008 reply :
Interesting subject for sure. My .02 = I'd target known good structures (that seem to always have bait on them) and plan on spending several hours each NIGHT, 2 days before and 2 days after a new, or full moon period. I'd be tossing a musky sized black Jitterbug (on substantial equipment). Eventually, if there are any 9 pounders in the water you are targeting, you will get bit. But, you're also going to get bit by a lot of smaller bass as well. JMO.
WRB reply :
Understanding the difference between adult size and juevnile bass would be basic bass behavior, start there. Understand the big bass behavior is as different as juevnile bass to adult size bass population. I believe Bill Murphy's book "In Pursuit of Gaint Bass" is essential read for anglers that have a desire to understand big bass behavior.
Big lure presented properly in the wrong place at the wrong time are less effective then standard bass lures presented at the right location.
Tom
Arlo Smithereen reply :
I am not anywhere near as knowledgeable as many here, but this is my personal experience. I live in central Iowa, our state record is 10#12 oz I believe, so 5+ pound bass are fairly rare. That being said, this year I've caught a dozen or so 5 pounders, a handful of 6 pounders, and the biggest going 7 and a half (yes, they were weighed on a scale that I've tested for accuracy lol). My experience was I never threw a bait for bigger fish. I caught them all fishing what worked for the body of water I was on. Jigs, spinnerbaits, frogs and worms accounted for most if not all of them. What made the difference was being in the right place at the right time.
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