Are you surprised ??? 2024

Fish Chris reply :

Of course I understand that "all" of you fish for bass, while some of you (like myself) will fish for anything that swims.....

But does it surprise you that here in Nor Cal, there will be at least 2 hatchery trout fishermen, for each bass fishermen.... and sometimes, even 10 or 20 trout fishermen, for each bass guy ! These guys have some of the biggest "wild" trophy bass swimming all around them, yet they choose to chase fish that were raised in a swimming pool, and dumped in yesterday, to be pulled out today ?

To me it's just mind boggling ! And you should see some of these guys equipment, and boats ! I'm telling you, I have seen trout guys in 24ft, 80K boats ! Downriggers, super-duper electronics, and on and on !

I guess this doesn't surprise me anymore, but it still just trips me out.....

Now with this next one, I can certainly understand how / why this is.... But it might surprise some of you. You guys see Super Matt, Fourbizzle, myself, and a few other Cali guys posting these big bass shots, and might assume that any serious bass angler out here would have at least caught a few double digit bass.

Well, I fished from the time I was old enough to stand up, and hold a pole, until I was 33 years old (9 years ago) and never caught a single double digit bass ! But it wasn't until I just threw everything I ever learned about bass fishing, completely out of the window, and started fishing specifically for big bass, that I started sticking them. Thirty years without a single double digit bass, then 76 of them in the last 9 years. I think this proves that a guy can first "decide to do it" then go out and make it happen.

If I had to guess (and its hard to get a real idea, because their are a lot of guys in 40K bass boats out here, even ones who don't normally blow too much smoke, that just can't bring themselves to tell you they have never caught a legit, 10 plus bass) I'd say that maybe 1 in 4 "serious and / or tournament bass anglers" have caught 1 bass over 10 lbs.

Curious what SuperMatt would guess ?

Now, with all of this said, I do believe that 39 out of 40 guys out here that have never caught a DD bass, could catch 10, 20, or heck, 100 DD bass if they did like I did..... Threw everything out of the window and started from scratch. But I understand that different people have different goals.

The thing that always gets me though, is to hear guys out here talk about "how they would love to stick a giant".... Yet they go out using numbers / small fish techniques" ??? If I would love to win a marathon, I wouldn't be filling my pockets with lead.....

The biggest secret to my success, has been by stacking all of the odds in my favor.

Your thoughts ?

Peace,

Fish

largemouthslayer reply :

Would you be kind enough to write us an script on what you threw out and what you started doing. But do it in detail. Example(what you fish with,what line and rig, what you look for structure, depth of water , ect.) I think you would help some of us that want to start catching BIG BASS.

Thanks,

Frank

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

In short, it's a matter of discipline.

The guy who wishes for a DD but uses smaller fish techniques is doing exactly that....wishin', and there is still a chance his wish could come true but again, the odds are stacked against him

Frank- 2 words are all you need to know,......Huddleston Deluxe.

roadwarrior reply :

I think you are being too kind...I doubt 1 in 4 "serious" fisherman have ever caught a 10 lb bass even out there in California. (Very few BASS pros have ever caught a 10 lb bass, KDV has only caught two). I would guess the number at far less than 1/100.

BTW, you left out Captain Cali.

Bass Smacker reply :

Fish Is right. there are more people fishing for trout than bass alot more. All the lake are planted with trout some weekly. Until the water is to warm and the trout all die off. Then the lakes are about void of fishermen. The Delta is known here for Stripers and sturgun not so much for bass.

When I first started fishing for Bass I'd think about going where the (real) bass fishing was Texas or Florida. It wasent until the first B.A.S.S. turniment that I know it was such good place

and even now I'll be talking with people and the'll ask me what I fish for and when I say Bass the think I'm talking about striped bass.

The closest I'v come to DD is about 8lb but I don't fish for size but # of decent fish in the 2and up range i just don't have the pasonts to fish for the big ones like Fish dose. Only one or two fish a day

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Id be fishing for blue gills in two hours just to feel something on my line.

logger reply :

The Michigan state record is 11 lbs 15 oz. That was set in 1934. I have seen lots of 7's and 8's but 10lb are almost unheard of up here, we just don't grow them that big up here very often. At least that's my excuse.

Raul reply :

Not really surprised, I know few anglers that have landed a DD, I know a lot less anglers that have landed more than 1 DD and I 've got too many fingers in my hand to count those ones that have caught DDs on a regular basis ..... in big bass country .

For 10 years in a row I landed at least one 10+ pounder per year, right now I 'm in a slump and I attribute it more to the fact that during the past 2 years I haven 't fished much, it 's the middle of April and so far I 've only fished 4 days :-/.

senile1 reply :

Great thread! I needed this.

I have been slowly coming to the conclusion that I am one of those bass fishermen who uses smaller fish lures but wishes for bigger bass. Double-digit bass are rare here in Northwest Missouri but they do exist. If I would change my tactics I do believe an angler in my neck of the woods should be able to stick a few 7 - 9 lb'ers every year. I catch a lot of 1 - 4 lb'ers with an occasional fish over 5 lbs but as the weights go up the numbers diminish drastically, so I'm definitely not using the right tactics to attract big bass on a regular basis. I've started using jigs more in the last three years, but I'm thinking I need to have a bulky jig and a swimbait tied on at all times.

BucketmouthAngler13 reply :

I agree 100%. This year I've thrown a swimbait probaly twice as much as standered tackle. (aka: alot)

The state record here is 10lbs 14oz. The list of anglers who cought DD's in NJ is quite small. (I guess not over 5)

Hopfuly someday I'll be on that list.

llPa1nll reply :

Well I have caught a handful of LM bass in the 5-7lb range. I have landed one that was 7lbs 11oz, check out my avatar. I however diminish my odds by the geographical area of the country I fish. NH isnt known as a monster bass state. The NH state record is only 10lbs 8oz caught in 1967. Now Im not saying that there aren't any +10lbs LM bass here, just saying they are rare. I would be very interested to hear some of the techniques that have produced your large numbers of +10lb LM bass.

Ozarkie reply :

IT DON'T TAKE A BIG BOAT TO CATCH FISH.

I have a 14ft jon, had a 4hp Mariner on it. No fish finder or any of the big electronics. I went to Lake Fork and everybody LOL, no make that ROTFL. Anywho in less that 2 hours I had caught four 10lb bass and one over the slot limit at 15lb 9oz.

I also chase the trout in this same boat, I have caught 11 Brown trout over 5lbs with the largest at 21 lbs. Same boat same motor.

Recently I have upgraded the 14ft Jon. to a 9.8 Merc with Elct. start, my shoulders sure don't hurt no after a day of fishing.

Plus for lake fishing a 17' Lowe with a 90 HP Johnson, yea I have caught more fish from the bigger boat, but its is because I can get on the lakes more in windy weather and at night.

Many years ago a friend and I fished with a 9.8 Merc and a 14ft Richline aluminum boat and won a tournement, man were all the big boys poed. So bad in fact they disqualified us because tournement rules called for a min of 25hp motor. Yep this still burns my butt!!

First you must learn to fish, then its a matter of spending time on the water.

I am stuck at work this week so will not get on the water but darn sure need to be. as everything is on beds in my area.

Or at lest hit the river for your swimming pool fish, its not all that easy either!! I have guides darn near run over me, because I catch fish and they don't thier clients don't and heck they spend more on corn to chum with than I do on boat gas.

Ozarkie

Raul reply :

I think the discussion is going in the wrong direction, I certainly think that FC used the magical 10 lb mark to exemplify a point, to me it 's pretty obvious that for you guyz up north the chances of landing a 10+ pound fish are pretty narrow if your state record barely scratches the 10 pound mark, 11 pounds is barely above the 10 pound mark. I 'm shure what FC is trying to make you understand is that in order to catch bigger than average fish you have to change your mentality about which baits you are going to fish with to acomplish the task.

I caught my first 10 pounder with a Rapala Minnow, I caught my PB ( 13.86 ) with a Rapala Shad Rap, but it was out of luck and I can 't think of it in any other way that those fish were caught with those baits just because the fish happened to be there when the bait passed right before their very eyes, it was an ordinary fishing day when the fish were caught, I was there just to fish and nothing else.

Ask me how many times I 've caught a 10 pounder on a jerkbait after catching my first 10 pounder ----> ZERO, NADA, NONE, after lucking out with that one I 've never caught anything barely close to that weight with a jerkbait so for me jerkbaits are hardly what I could call a BIG BASS BAIT.

Ask me how many times I 've caught a teen pounder with a crankbait after catching that one, the answer is the same, yeah I 've caught several fish over 10 pounds with a crankbait but crankbaits can also barely qualify as a big bass bait for me.

With what I catch my big bass ? with the old reliable jig/pig combination, Muskie size Jitterbugs and with swimbaits lately, those really are big bass baits to my eyes because most of the big fish I 've caught have been caught with them in that order. And most of them were caught from the bank.

llPa1nll reply :

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I think the discussion is going in the wrong direction, I certainly think that FC used the magical 10 lb mark to exemplify a point, to me it 's pretty obvious that for you guyz up north the chances of landing a 10+ pound fish are pretty narrow if your state record barely scratches the 10 pound mark, 11 pounds is barely above the 10 pound mark. I 'm shure what FC is trying to make you understand is that in order to catch bigger than average fish you have to change your mentality about which baits you are going to fish with to acomplish the task.
I caught my first 10 pounder with a Rapala Minnow, I caught my PB ( 13.86 ) with a Rapala Shad Rap, but it was out of luck and I can 't think of it in any other way that those fish were caught with those baits just because the fish happened to be there when the bait passed right before their very eyes, it was an ordinary fishing day when the fish were caught, I was there just to fish and nothing else.

Ask me how many times I 've caught a 10 pounder on a jerkbait after catching my first 10 pounder ----> ZERO, NADA, NONE, after lucking out with that one I 've never caught anything barely close to that weight with a jerkbait so for me jerkbaits are hardly what I could call a BIG BASS BAIT.

Ask me how many times I 've caught a teen pounder with a crankbait after catching that one, the answer is the same, yeah I 've caught several fish over 10 pounds with a crankbait but crankbaits can also barely qualify as a big bass bait for me.

With what I catch my big bass ? with the old reliable jig/pig combination, Muskie size Jitterbugs and with swimbaits lately, those really are big bass baits to my eyes because most of the big fish I 've caught have been caught with them in that order. And most of them were caught from the bank.

I understand where FC was going with his thread I was just also stating that for some waters where some members of the board fish they dont hold that kind of size. I agree with you again Raul that a Jig/Pig is a great big fish bait. I have easily caught all of my PBs on a Jig/Pig. I have ordered some Mattlure swimbaits and plan to try them out this year. I would just like to hear the "alternative" thinking to catching +10lb bass. What mindset do you use? Big Baits big fish? Anyway interesting topic.

guest reply :

Ive never even caught one in the higher single digits

GatorBK reply :

I have caught 2 bass over 10 pounds both came from ponds/lakes under 10 acres and both were caught fishing from the bank.

The first was an 11 pound 1 ounce bass caught in a 4 acre pond in the mountains of NC caught off a number 10 hook and a 1/2 nightcrawler . And I hooked it 2 times in less than 20 minutes . I was bream fishing and saw it spawning. I threw a nightcrawler in its bed and watched it eat. I set the hook and it fought for a minute and I thought the line broke but it was the hook that broke right at the bend. Well about 10 minutes later it was back so I cast back in the bed and it bit again . that time it just shook its head a couple times and give up . No real fight.

The next was a 10 1/2 pounder off a culprit worm near Tampa Fl . No real fight to it either it couldnt jump out of the water it shook its head on top a few times and give up.

Raul reply :

Big baits = big fish, not really, but big baits = better chances of catching a bigun most certainly. Bass have bigger mouths than brains, the catch is, since they have bigger mouths than brains let 's give them something big to chew on so the little ones can 't eat it.

Not politically correct to discriminate but when it comes to trying to catch bigger than average fish then screw political correctness, size discrimination is ok in my book.

You seldomly see me casting a jig with a small trailer. Heavy jigs with lots of long rubber strands and big trailers ( baby brush hogs ) that 's the kind of jig/trailer I cast, don 't catch many fish on it but when I catch one it 's usually a goodun.

Pa Angler reply :

Quote
I think you are being too kind...I doubt 1 in 4 "serious" fisherman have ever caught a 10 lb bass even out there in California. (Very few BASS pros have ever caught a 10 lb bass, KDV has only caught two). I would guess the number at far less than 1/100.
BTW, you left out Captain Cali.

Tournament Pros's fish for the limit first then cull for the bigger bite so that doesn't surprise me that KVD has only two. The serious big bite angler may go all day without a bite, the bigger the bite the less you are going to get as compared to smaller more plentiful bites.

Brian_Reeves reply :

I'm not a big bass fisherman really. I'm a tournament guy. I'd rather get a boatload of 3 and 4lb fish instead of one 10lb bass. It's just rare that a monster bass wins a tournament. Now once I have a good limit sitting around 15-20lbs, I'm looking for a bigger bite by throwing larger jigs, crankbaits, and soon adding swimbaits to my ammunition. Throughout a normal fishing day, I'm looking for fish between 3-8lbs by throwing jigs and searchbaits. More often than not (like most tourney guys) I'm pulling out more 1 and 2 pound fish than anything else. Hopefully that will change and I can rake in that $$$.

I'd love to catch a monster bass though and when I get my own boat, I'm going to be spending some serious time on offshore structure with large baits trying to do just that. I'm also planning on saving up some dinero and heading down to Old Mexico for some of that hot tamale action. There are more reasons that just personal satisfaction though. For one, I need pictures like that to promote myself and my affiliates/sponsors and I need to catch fish like that for the experience when I have to turn to a big bite during a tournament. Right now, I'm pretty consistant of pulling fish out of highland reservoirs as well as natural, swampy lakes...but those fish are tournament fish...not wall-hanging lunkers.

roadwarrior reply :

All but one of my biggest largemouth bass have been caught from the bank; all but two on a 6" Senko.

In this part of the country fishing for 10 lb bass is a realistic proposition. Fishing for 15 lb bass is not. I am a firm believer in "big baits" that most smaller fish shy away from. In this part of the country, a big bait is a 1/2 oz jig, 3/4 oz Ledgebuster and 6" Senko.

I haven't jumped on the swimbait bandwagon because #1 I'm not convinced I would catch more big bass; #2 I tried it a couple of years ago and didn't like throwing those big baits. I suspect most of the bass I would catch around here would still be 7 or 8 lbs and maybe a big bass once in a while. Heavy gear takes a lot of the fun out of catching bass that size. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing.

Peter E. reply :

Not in the least bit. My cousin from El Dorado Hills Ca, came down this summer and I took him bass fishing for the first time in his life. He seemed to enjoy it though I doubt that he will pursue it. He oddly seemed more interested in the trout. I could only shake my head.

Raul reply :

Quote
I'm not a big bass fisherman really. I'm a tournament guy. I'd rather get a boatload of 3 and 4lb fish instead of one 10lb bass. It's just rare that a monster bass wins a tournament. Now once I have a good limit sitting around 15-20lbs, I'm looking for a bigger bite by throwing larger jigs, crankbaits, and soon adding swimbaits to my ammunition. Throughout a normal fishing day, I'm looking for fish between 3-8lbs by throwing jigs and searchbaits. More often than not (like most tourney guys) I'm pulling out more 1 and 2 pound fish than anything else. Hopefully that will change and I can rake in that $$$.
I'd love to catch a monster bass though and when I get my own boat, I'm going to be spending some serious time on offshore structure with large baits trying to do just that. I'm also planning on saving up some dinero and heading down to Old Mexico for some of that hot tamale action. There are more reasons that just personal satisfaction though. For one, I need pictures like that to promote myself and my affiliates/sponsors and I need to catch fish like that for the experience when I have to turn to a big bite during a tournament. Right now, I'm pretty consistant of pulling fish out of highland reservoirs as well as natural, swampy lakes...but those fish are tournament fish...not wall-hanging lunkers.

The tournament thingy ... oh well, that really depends where the tourney is taking place, in Lake Zimapán a 20 lbs bag will win a tourny, in Sugar Lake same 20 lbs won 't put you in the first 30 places.

Now on where would you catch them big basses down in Mexico, coming from someone living down here, if I were to go loonker huntin only 2 lakes in my mind are worth taken in consideration: Lake Baccarac in Sinaloa and Sugar Lake in Tamaulipas ( not far from Laredo ). "El Salto" ? ....I don 't see what 's all the fuzz about El Salto.

bob101 reply :

I'd say it's a LOT less than 1 in 4 serious fisherman have caught a 10+. I live in Texas and even guys who fish Fork every weekend many have never caught a 10+ fish even if you see them on the beds...

I've caught one fish over 10+ pounds and it wasn't on a lake known for 10+ pound fish, caught it on a 3/8 oz. black/blue jig under a cypress tree at Caddo Lake. I caught another one just shy of 10 pounds and it was on a 3" craw soft plastic bait off the bed with 1/8oz. jighead.

I've been lucky enough to be in the back of the boat with 2 different people who caught bass that would qualify for our state's share a lunker program (13+ pounds) both were returned to the lake in a matter of minutes and not donated.

Before I moved to Texas people where I fished mounted fish over 3+ pounds. Now if I go out and don't catch one fish over 5+ pounds it's been a subpar day.

It's all in perspective of where you fish.

.ghoti. reply :

I've never caught one. A couple of 8's are my biggest. I've caught a lot of 5+ bass, which is pretty good for my area, but no DD's.

I'm not a "big fish" fisherman. A typical trip for me is three or four hours after work. A half a dozen two pounders makes me a very happy camper. A 5, and I'm hootin "n hollerin.

I haven't made the commitment to that totally different game. I could see myself doing that if I lived in an area that grew big bass. Central Illinois ain't the place. An 8 is a true giant here.

I admire you guys who do play that game, and I love to see your pictures, so keep putting up.

Cheers,

RW, I'd guess the number around here at 1/1000, if you could get the truth out of "em.

fourbizz reply :

I'd say one in four out here is probably reasonable. I do agree that it seems like alot of people go "Oh your in CA? Well of course you have some DD's" It aint THAT easy people!!!! Least ways not for me!

guest reply :

Great question FC. And I like what you said about throwing out all you have learned about bass fishing and relearning how to fish so you catch big bass.

I'm trying dude, I really am.

Today I got my okuma broomstick. I've got a hud, mattlures, mission fish, that King Kong monster and other proven big bass lures. I'm going out tomorrow and give it another shot.

I KNOW I have hooked into 10 lb plus bass on several occassions. I know you remember some of my posts about landing these really bigguns because you graciously pm'd me some advice.

So all I can say is that there should be a third choice on your poll.

>Not Yet<

KYbass1276 reply :

The biggest I have caught is a 7 pounder. But I have been working on getting that ten.

Alpster reply :

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It's all in perspective of where you fish.

I agree with Bob101, 15 oz over 10lbs where I live is the State record. I get to fish once or twice a week (my kids think they are supposed to eat every day. LOL) I live vicariously through you guys that fish several days a week and catch monster bass. I will take all the 4, 5 and 6lb bass I can catch. Live well full of fish or skunked, I'm just proud to participate.

God Bless

Ronnie

flyphisher # reply :

My 10 was on a trick worm(powerpro w/ 17lb flouro leader to skim top of grass) in a 100 acre public lake.

My 9.5 was in a 28 acre private lake on fly tackle. #6 popper

I broke off a 10+ in a private pond on a jig, 30lb test.

I tournament fish mostly but I throw baits the majority of the time that are bigger than average just so I hopefully catch larger than average fish when conditions allow.

frogtog reply :

I have lost thousands of 10# + Bass. ;D

Catt reply :

Ok what am I voting on again?

You may not catch a 10 lb bass but you can definitely increase the size you catch by simply changing where on any giving lake you fish. You can fish Jigs, Worms, or Swim Baits and still not catch bigger bass because you aint fishing where they're at.

Catching big bass is combination of every thing you do, it aint just the bait, the boat, or anything else.

It's you!

I have a saying that really ticks every one off but it's the truth If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got.

bighed reply :

I've been unable to make a correlation between bait size and fish size around here. I'm no big bass expert (would like to be though) but here's some observations: The state record bass, 18.18 lbs., was caught on a crappie minnow a couple inches long in 40+ feet of water. The details of the fish donated to the Share a Lunker program indicate that a variety of baits landed the big girls and that very few were caught on large baits. The online fishing reports I've read for local lakes the last several years show no big bait/big fish relationship. Everybody's favorite 5" Senkos for me have caught more 12" fish than keepers so I started throwing 7" Senkos. The average size of the fish has increased but only about 2". On a guided trip on Lake Fork I had requested some deep water drop shot training. The guide pulled out the spinning rod rigged with a single 2" senko and I caught a couple 6 pounders in the next half hour. While preparing for a yellow fin tuna trip I took a new popping rod to the lake for practice. Casting a Tuna Hunter lure (about 10" and four ounces) I actually caught a couple bass around 14". Sorry if this sounds like random ramblings but it seems to me that sometimes big fish like little baits and little fish like big baits. :o big

Mattlures reply :

Bighead ist about playing the percentages and increasing your odds. That giant caught on a little shinner was a fluke. Heck some monsters are caught in Cali off of powerbait. Yes big baits will catch little bass and little baits will catch big bass. Catt hit the nail on the head. If you keep doing what you have always done than you will catch the same sized fish. Its not all in the baits. Its about targeting big bass. think of them as a diferent species. kinda like targeting smallmouth when they live in the same lake as largies. They are both bass but they have diferent habits. Well so do big bass. I fished for probably 20 years before I caught my first big bass. Up untill that point I hade caught many bass between 5-8lbs but only a few bigger than that and none over 10. I had to change my entire mindset and only specificly target big bass. It also took me 2 years of half a$$ed swimbait fishing to finaly catch one on it. After that I used swimbaits religously and actualy learned how and when and where to fish them. Heck I even figured out how to make them . The single biggest adjustment I made was to spend more time fishing lakes that kicked out the big fish. this was hard to do because where I live the smaller super clear deep lakes have the biggest fish. These lakes are brutaly hard to catch any bass let alone a big one. But I instantly increased my odds. I had to leave my favorite lakes where 20lb bags were common for me. I made up my mind that I was going to do what ever it took to get a 10lber.

bob101 reply :

Quote
I've been unable to make a correlation between bait size and fish size around here. I'm no big bass expert (would like to be though) but here's some observations: The state record bass, 18.18 lbs., was caught on a crappie minnow a couple inches long in 40+ feet of water. The details of the fish donated to the Share a Lunker program indicate that a variety of baits landed the big girls and that very few were caught on large baits. The online fishing reports I've read for local lakes the last several years show no big bait/big fish relationship. Everybody's favorite 5" Senkos for me have caught more 12" fish than keepers so I started throwing 7" Senkos. The average size of the fish has increased but only about 2". On a guided trip on Lake Fork I had requested some deep water drop shot training. The guide pulled out the spinning rod rigged with a single 2" senko and I caught a couple 6 pounders in the next half hour. While preparing for a yellow fin tuna trip I took a new popping rod to the lake for practice. Casting a Tuna Hunter lure (about 10" and four ounces) I actually caught a couple bass around 14". Sorry if this sounds like random ramblings but it seems to me that sometimes big fish like little baits and little fish like big baits. :o big

I almost made the same observation about Barry's 18.18 fish here in Texas being caught while crappie fishing.

Fish Chris reply :

Wow ! Thank you for all the replies.

I was primarily talking about "Cali bass". Obviously in states where 10 plus bass are rare, or non-existent, the catches of 10 plus bass, will also be rare, or non-existent. I just find it interesting that even in a state where 10 plus bass are relatively plentiful, there are a large majority of serious bass fishermen, who still haven't caught one...... but then like I said, I was in that same boat myself for a lot of years, until I finally cracked it. Obviously these fish are catchable, but then they are not ususally catchable using standard numbers / small fish techniques.

As a matter of fact, I talked to a guy yesterday, who puts in the time..... on the right lakes.... and fishes specifically for bass.... and doesn't fish tournies.... "BUT, who doesn't fish swimbaits". He said that he once caught a 10 lb'er, back in the day when it was hot {this is the place that I caught the 14.40 at a couple weeks ago}.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm not the first guy he has seen throwing swimbaits..... But he just kind of brushed it off, saying something like, "They are just too heavy, and too much work.... no fun...." Okay. To each there own. But then he went on to say that he knows their are still some big ones in there, and he'd sure like to catch one..................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the trout fishing at that place.... Geeeez ! You should see the size of the trout they been dumping in that place ! They look like small Salmon ! A whole bunch of them are like 5 to 8 lbs ! So of course, guys are catching a whole bunch of 5 to 8 lb'ers. (That would have been a tough prediction, huh ;-) And ya' know, although I would not feel as if I had accomplshed anything to catch a few of these, I think it would still be somewhat fun :-) .....more fun than work anyway :-)

Peace,

Fish

bighed reply :

I agree that a mind set change has to be made to catch more big fish. Of the dozens of lakes in this area all have produced 15 pound plus fish except a very few. I fish them often, at least two full days a week sometimes three or four. My big fish results have been poor. I've caught countless 6-7 pounders but fish above 8 pounds have for the most part eluded me. For the last several years my time on the water has been almost all pre fishing or fishing tournaments. I spend lots of time trying to pattern the fish and it's worked pretty good for me. Usually during a tournament I'll have close to a limit or a limit by mid morning. I'll sometimes cull a fish or two during a mid day feeding period but that's about it. I think there might be a chance for me to shift to a big fish mind set after the morning bite and "swing for the fence". A six, eight, or ten pound kicker fish would take me up into the good money instead of settling for gas money or no money not to mention the pride of weighing a big sack of fish. What's everybody's thoughts on this idea? What kind of results might a person hope for with maybe only four hours fishing large baits/large fish techniques? Really, one bite is all it would take and I'd gladly wager that one or two pounds I might cull up for a shot at the top. big

Live.2.Fish reply :

Up here in the Cornhusker state the state record is 10lb 11oz (Caught in 1960's). So my chances are slim to none here. But this weekend I'm heading to Lake Fork for our fishing trip . So we will have to see how it goes down south for us.

Cravin reply :

I don't mind saying I never caught a DD Bass. 3yrs of club fishing and never seen one there either. I've been to friends houses who bass fish and never seen a photo or a mount of a 10+ bass. 8 pounders are the biggest I'd actually seen in Oklahoma although there are bigger ones. I know some lakes here in Texas have Florida strand bass in them....Thats probably my best bet for 10lb bass or go to Mexico.

senile1 reply :

In any region, to catch the older, warier, larger bass on a regular basis one has to use the proper tactics and the proper lures. If your biggest bass in your state are 7 - 10 lbs they're going to be just as tough to catch as a high Teener in California, because they've been around a long time and probably have seen just about every lure there is. If you want to catch them you should alter your tactics accordingly. I know I need to do something different.

bighed reply :

I had been pondering the possibilities (me and everybody else) of the swim bait for some time now. This thread has got me moving in the big fish direction. I placed an order with mattlures and have some of those sweet bluegill coming as well as the baby bass and yellow bass. Now it's time to read up on how to fish these baits. I'll report back with pics ;D

Siebert Outdoors reply :

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In this part of the country fishing for 10 lb bass is a realistic proposition. Fishing for 15 lb bass is not. I am a firm believer in "big baits" that most smaller fish shy away from. In this part of the country, a big bait is a 1/2 oz jig, 3/4 oz Ledgebuster and 6" Senko.

I haven't jumped on the swimbait bandwagon because #1 I'm not convinced I would catch more big bass; #2 I tried it a couple of years ago and didn't like throwing those big baits. I suspect most of the bass I would catch around here would still be 7 or 8 lbs and maybe a big bass once in a while. Heavy gear takes a lot of the fun out of catching bass that size. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing.

For the most part that is the same post I was going to put up here. I have never caught a bass over 7.5lbs. Realistically around here 10+ are very very rare. I hear and see a few 9's and less but that magical 10 is almost non existant. I think the state record is 14. I have for the most part upsized alot of my tackle to bigger baits over the last few years. The lures that RW mentions are pretty much staple big bass producers around here with adding the big 10-12" worms.

We've touched on the mind set between the 2 types of bass fisherman before. There is the 5 in the live then the guys that go out for the few bites. Not that one is better then the other its just a different style of fishing.

Around here catfishing in the Mississippi, and MO river is pretty big. To show the other side of FC comment on big bass swimming around little trout. These guys go out and catch 60+ even into the 100's(rare) size cats. These cat guys dont mess around with the little dinky bass that might weigh 10-14lbs. This also applies to snagging season for spoonbill.

IMO its just a mind set of what you like to do. Catch the biggest possible or catch 5 good ones. Imo a tourney guy isnt out for monsters. Yeah he might get one here and there but not like a guy that hunts them. But on the other hand the tourney guy will catch alot more then the lunker hunter.

Fish Man reply :

let me say one thing.if i ever catch a fish that is 10 pounds i may very well be in the record books.state record for delaware is 10.5 pounds .while there are ponds round here certianly capable of a fish that size they are public ponds with overwhelming pressure.i fish small private ponds one being 5-10 acres and having fish that iv herd stories of being upwards of 8-9 and the nerest public pond is much much larger so i wouldnt doubt there is a record but it will never be caught without a ton of luck and skill(both are sumthing i need a little more of) ;D

wickyman reply :

I live up here in Lake County, California. I am very proud of some of the bass here, though I haven't seen a lot of bass over 8lbs... It's pretty rare! And I think the record bass is 15.13lbs or something close to. I chase the double digits with a dream, but not really being in the game long, has caused me to research, hours, and hours of information! If I ever catch a fish over 9 lbs, I am going to be the happiest guy in the world! My personal best is like 4.6 lbs! So anything is an improvement. I am an all around fisherman, I can fish for just about anything, with ease... I fish for crappie, blue gill, bass, trout... I don't really care what is on the end of my line, as long as it wants to fight me for it! In fact, I have a trout derby, locally, this up coming weekend! It's not going to be huge or anything, but first place is $150 dollars... I think I can do that!

Catt reply :

I totally believe the biggest mistake anglers make is they don't know where to look for bigger size bass. I hear all this talk about search baits, may question has always been What are you searching for? if you know where the prime structure is located the search is over. The problem is these guys are searching in all the wrong places, they aimlessly wonder down a shore line in hopes of finding a bass, when the entire time the bass are behind them.

Brian_Reeves reply :

With search baits, I'm using the bait to generate reaction strikes as well as get a feel for the terrain ahead of my boat or in places where I can't get my boat. If I find a stump with my crankbait, then I am going to re-think my approach. The shorelines I'm searching are pre-determined from past experience or just trying to figure out the bass. That's what I'm searching for.

Once I find prime structure, I usually switch to a carolina rig or a jig to work it over really good before I move on. Most of my "big" fish have come from this tactic. Both of those are over 8lbs, which isn't bad for a lake unaccustomed to producing monsters...even in the heart of Texas.

tbone31 reply :

I wish they made DD bass were I live. We settle for 5 and 6 pounders!!

Still gets my blood flowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

=Matt 5.0= reply :

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Ive never even caught one in the higher single digits

Same here. I think geography is part of my problem....

linesider7 reply :

My PB was 8 on the nose, (see avatar) was so d**n excited I took the pic with the boga still in her mouth. I've been fishing for approximately 15 years, and my PB before was probably 2-3. AND I LIVE IN FL PEOPLE!

I HAVE thrown the senkos, the flukes, the jerkbaits, etc. out the window.

I primarily fish toads, jig/trailers, and soon, swimbaits.

I do not fish for numbers, I fish for big bass. I'll tell you, since I changed my tactics, I don't catch many dinks anymore. I've caught several fish between 5 and 7 lately, even put my buddy on a 9.5

I will break 10 this year. 8-)

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