Starting My Quest For A Big Bass! 2024

Catch and Grease reply :

Im tired of not being able to brag about my PB! (Just under 5lb) from now on I'm only gonna fish big fish baits like 10-12inch worms, square bills like the KVD 2.5, and big jigs until I catch a 5lb+ bass....

Today went out and only fished 12 inch worms, Didn't get a bite all day except for some pickerel chomping my worm in half.

Wish me luck....

WRB reply :

Location, location, location.

Tom

Dwight Hottle reply :

You need a find a pond or lake that has double digit fish in it. Like Tom said location, location,location.

Raul reply :

Is not about the size of your baits, it´s about where, when and how,. Preparation meets opportunity. There´s pickerel where you´re at, soft baits are not such a good idea, the bait will get torn to pieces and unless it lands right on the face of your next PB most probably 99% of your baits will never reach destination 99% of the time. Bigger baits ? not necesarily, my first 10 and my PB were caught with small baits, the catch was when ( there´s a specific window when bigger fish are more catchable ), where ( you can´t catch big fish where there are no big fish ) and how ( slow ). To be true to you, fast moving baits don´t catch as many big fish as slow moving baits.

Catch and Grease reply :

Guys I know a big bass will bite a small lure too, but I believe that you have a better chance of catching big bass with big lures... Just my opinion, yes location has a lot to do with it, but I don't wanna just go to some private pond and catch a trophy, I want to catch a big bass in banks lake!

You know what I'm saying?? Like I don't just want the big bass, I want the satisfaction of catching the big bass in this specific lake (which is a very tough lake BTW)

EDIT: Maybe I didn't word that part about big lures right... I just think a big bass will have a harder time turning down an ole' monster than a trick worm.

Raul reply :

Hey, he didn´t say he was going after 10 lbers, we immediately asume when our cyberpals say they are going after bigger fish they mean 10+ lbs bass and such thing is not necessarily true. "Big momma" is a matter of interpretation and geographical location, you can´t go fishing for 10 lbs LMB bass in Minnesota.

A 7 LMB where I´m at is a very nice fish, nicer than what 99% of the guys fishing where I fish will ever catch and at least 4 lbs better than what they will catch 95% of the time. I´ve pulled from 5 to 12 lbs out of my everyday lake consistently throughout a year but my average bass for that lake is around 1 1/2 pounds.

Catch and Grease reply :

I just want a 5lb bass man....

But a 10lber would be nice too... Haha

I have seen plenty 10lb+ bass get pulled out of banks lake too BTW, So it can produce big fish under the right circumstances.

Raul reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 1:07 AM, Catch and Grease said:

I just want a 5lb bass man....

But a 10lber would be nice too... Haha

I often joke about 5 lbs being "pan size", dink and so but 5 lbs is nice and a realistic size, in my experience you don´t need the big guns, your regular everyday tackle is good enough, opportunity for you will be during the pre spawn, for your geographical zone that would be around April - May. The problem with the South is that there are no "seasons" per se. It´s warm water and less warm water, there´s hot climate or not that hot climate.

gulfcaptain reply :

Location would be the key to your quests and understand the fish you are after. What's the food chain? Some of the areas I fish they key in on different forage at times, will a certain bait work all year......maybe. But it is best to try and match the forage base they are chasing. Raul and WRB have great advice and lots of knowledge. I would say a jig over a 10-12" worm or a 2.5 squarbill. I would include them in your bait selection.

A-Jay reply :

Best of luck to you on your Quest for a Big Bass.

I have three pieces of advice for you.

First, consider beefing up your tackle, at least go up a line class or two. So when the fish you're fishing for does strike, your tackle will not be the weak link.

Second, fish a healthy sized jig & craw trailer - A Lot. As the water starts to cool, and the bass you're looking for start feeding more (and moving a little shallower), put that jig in places others are not.

And last but certainly not least - Be Confident. Know & Believe, that if you put the time in, fish enough of the right places with the right bait & tackle, you'll get a shot at a bigger bass. When you're doing it right, you're thinking that each & every cast can and should produce what you're hunting for. Do Not Be Surprised when it happens. They biggest bass are often not "where they are supposed to be".

What has yet to be determined is, are you willing to put in the time and will you be ready ?

Good Luck

A-Jay

gulfcaptain reply :

Correction....already had jig in there, but I would stick to that bait more then the worm.

OK Bass Hunter reply :

Location doesn't have alot to do with it. It has everything to do with it.

Catch and Grease reply :

Thanks guys!

So if y'all were targeting bigger bass y'all would throw the same things you would for any other size?

Basically I'm asking why I shouldn't throw a big worm...

I've always been under the impression that bigger worms catch bigger bass.

I've got lots of 2-4lb bass on 12 inch worms so idk...

Catch and Grease reply :

Another question, where would a big bass be? I mean I find bass by finding baitfish in my lake, I've never really went into much more detail than that.

So where would the bigger bass hangout?

A-Jay reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 3:18 AM, Catch and Grease said:

Another question, where would a big bass be? I mean I find bass by finding baitfish in my lake, I've never really went into much more detail than that.

So where would the bigger bass hangout?

That's a tough one right there.

Short answer could be in close proximity to whatever their food source of that day happens to be.

The tough part about that is I haven't been able to find the Forecasted Bass Menu for my area anywhere on line . . . ..

A-Jay

Catch and Grease reply :

Yeah I mean lately the baitfish have been all piled into small areas on the lake, But it seems like bass of all sizes would be anywhere that the other is.

Idk if that made any sense what's so ever haha

gulfcaptain reply :

Big fish aren't going to out compete smaller bass. Example, lake I fish, the smaller 10-12" bass chase shad amost daily in one area. Decided to bring an umbrella rig. Below those smaller fish the bigger bass will lay in wait to pick off shad that the smaller fish have injured but didn't eat. Caught 2 of the 3 I hooked....one 12", the other almost 5lbs and staightened a hook on another before the bigger fish.(new rod and reel set up so drag was a bit tight). Big fish will look for prime areas to feed. Deep weed beds, points on the weedbeds or breaks where forage funnels through for easy picking. Two types of cover coming together, structure and cover. Sometimes big fish just decide to suspend out in deeper water till they decide to feed or a feeding oppurtuity presents itself. Big worms are skinny and produce more fish but may be smaller. Jigs produce bigger average fish depending on the jig and trailer size. I have caught bigger average on a 3/4 to 1oz punch jig and a SK Rage DB Craw then say fishing with a 1/2oz jig and a 4" paca craw. Bigger profile craw bait I believe tends to attract that bigger bite although it is compact in size compared to a big worm. I can also drop this bait into their space quickly producing a reation bite where a big worm may fall slower and give them time to look at as well as possibly mouth and spit it out. Bigger fish use their enviorment to their advantage for a meal instead of chasing it down. They will sit motionless next to bluegill beds for what seems like forever until they explode and grab one that has gotten used to them sitting there and deemed them to be no threat. So as stated although some may disagree, location, location, location. Then it's putting something that they see as an easy meal in front of them that they can't resist. A jig could represent a crawfish or a bluegil, I use the A-rig to my advantage on schooled up bass chasing shad or glass minniows to take advantage of their messy feeding habits when schooled up. Other times swimbaits will work, but only when they are keying in on them when they stock trout which is a small window on small bodies of water. So guess I would have to add timing to the location as well. Disect each fish you catch...where, and why was it there. What were the conditions? All of that information will help you in your persuit of larger fish you are after.

Good luck.

Catch and Grease reply :

Great post man ^^

thanks for the tips, when summers is coming to an end I may buy a smaller type A-Rig because I don't feel like buying a new rod just for A-Rigs yet.

Something small enough I can get it out with a MH/F

gulfcaptain reply :

I fish 2 main rigs, the Yum Flashmob jr with 1/8 oz heads and 3-4" swing impacts, 3" Big Bite Shad's, and Lunker City Grubsters. Only can fish 3 hooks but use 5 wire with 2 dummy heads normally attached to the BB shad or grubsters and use Kietech 3/0 1/8oz tungsten heads on the others. The hooks hold better but I can still straighten them if needed with 20lb mono and 30lb braid. Other rig is the yellow hammer spinnerbait rig. Same baits, but this is a bigger rig and has larger blades which I can fish slower and shallower. Both I throw on a BPS MH 7'6" Cranking Stick with a 5:4 Carbonlite reel spooled with 30lb braid. Like the softer tip so it doesn't pull hooks. It's kinda like fishing a big spinnerbait. Is this fishing for everyone....no. Many have seen me use it, tried it and gotten frustrated. When all is said and done, one rig may run you after all the components $30+ hence why I fish leadhead I can straighten if needed but may cost me a fish if I pull too hard. But then I feel the smaller jig heads give the baits more action also.

Catch and Grease reply :

Someone give this man a medal!! Thanks I'll definitely be looking into those setups, do you use those in the summer time?

Most people say A-rigs aren't particularly successful this time of year...

gulfcaptain reply :

Anytime you can find them schooled up chasing shad or baitfish they can be successful. It's a tool that I find excels when they are in that feeding mood. Late summer, fall, late winter and spring up until early summer....especially right before and after spawn. Only time I don't throw it is when they are keyin in on bluegill or burried in the grass and weeds. I fish highy pressure wates, anything I can do to set myself apart from everyone else I feel gives me an edge. Your hunt for bigger fish should include mastering new techniques as well. The more options and techniques you have the better your chances of catching those fish you are after.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 4:48 AM, gulfcaptain said:
Anytime you can find them schooled up chasing shad or baitfish they can be successful. It's a tool that I find excels when they are in that feeding mood. Late summer, fall, late winter and spring up until early summer....especially right before and after spawn. Only time I don't throw it is when they are keyin in on bluegill or burried in the grass and weeds. I fish highy pressure wates, anything I can do to set myself apart from everyone else I feel gives me an edge. Your hunt for bigger fish should include mastering new techniques as well. The more options and techniques you have the better your chances of catching those fish you are after.

Thanks, the bass here aren't nessecarily schooling up yet but they are chasing schooling bait fish, so a A-rig is plausible right now I geuss, I have a few lighter A-rigs that are 10-20$ setups but I haven't fished them much...

gulfcaptain reply :

Well it took me a year to figure those out for what would work for me and what was the best. And quite a bit of failure too before I figured out what worked best for me. I've only lost 2 rigs and have broken 3 due to fishing use. They don't last forever and will break.

joeyfishes reply :

As long as you don't keep it. Those big fish are critical to the population.

Catch and Grease reply :

I wouldn't call them critical to the population, a big bass is old and has already spawned multiple times, so its genes are already out there... But that's for a whole new thread, let's not get that debate started up here

gulfcaptain reply :

Some larger older unhealthy skinny fish should be removed. Healthy fish not so much. But like it's stated above that's a whole different discussion as well as ones own personal preferences.

Sam reply :

Please keep a log so you can write about your quest hunting the monster bass.

Go to college; earn a degree; start your career; save your money; don't get married; and head to Texas and Florida for that big bass unless you know of one in a private pond.

There is a private fishing and hunting camp I believe in North Carolina that has a pond of female largemouth bass, only. Anyone out there remember the name of the place? Those females are extremely big.

If you are a member of B.A.S.S. And receive Bassmasters Magazine you can check out the states where guys and and gals have caught lunkers and see their photos.

Your quest for the Holy Grail of bass fishing will take time and money. Just remember, once you walk down that aisle your quest will be put on hold for about 30 years.

Good luck and go out now and try for that big one but have some fun catching smaller ones, too.

Sam reply :

You also ask where the big ones are. Probably all over the place.

The big ones have their special place in the lake or pond. She will venture out in the early AM and late PM.

She has seen many baits and is very selective on what she eats.

She is coy. She is stealth. She demonstrates patience. If she is the biggest one in her area she takes her time to swim, eat and rest. She has her daily "milk run" and takes her time visiting her favorite places. She stays deep or away from the shore line in a bush or in a fallen tree or against some rocks. She visits the bank for a nice breakfast or dinner. She usually skips lunch and snacks.

You may have to aggravate her to hit your bait. 10 to 20 casts with one bait from each angle you can throw. You will need to get out I. The middle of the pond or lake. You will need electronics to find her hidden home. And you have to have patience. Lots of patience.

Read. Watch DVDs. Check out Bass Times. Speak with old timers who have fished your lake or pond. Plan your attack carefully. Match the hatch. I caught a five pounder at my feet in a pond when she hit my one-inch grub. Scared me to death! Seems she was feeding on small minnows that morning.

Keep that log. Refer to it every day.

When all else fails, see my previous post.

Good luck.

quanjig reply :

Can you describe the lake you fish and the areas you fish the most?? Personally I would look for main lake points or deeper areas in close proximity to shallow flats and fish those areas where they intersect. Those most likely will be areas that your bigger fish use to get from the shallow feeding areas to deeper resting areas.

Catch and Grease reply :

The lake I fish is banks lake national wildlife refuge in lakeland Georiga, it is a natural lake that is 4,096 acres and 1000 of that is open water, 900 acres of marsh, 1644 acres of Cyprus swamp and 15 acres of uplands.

Its a shallow lake averaging 6-8 FOW and doesn't have deep spots, the deepest place I've found is 12ft and is right by the boat ramp. Its extremely grassy, mostly all of the lake has some sort of grass, it has tons of matted grass and Lilly pads in areas, in the Cyprus Forrest on the lake it isn't quite as grassy and is more open.

It is stained with 2-3 feet visibility.

It has bass, pickerel, gar, bowfin, bream, crappie, warmouth, and catfish.

The one thing I do not know is what kind of baitfish Is there, they school up around the grass this time of year and jump out of the water if your boat gets close, threadfin shad maybe???

Catch and Grease reply :

Most people talk deep off shore fishing this time of year but since banks lake is all shallow I stick to fishing visible cover mostly, I have almost no luck fishing out in the open water.

I really wanna know what kind of bait fish are there but I haven't had any luck catching any and the refuge never answer my calls/emails.

All I know is the baits fish are around 2-6 inches long mostly and school up around the grass during this time of year, and if you run your boat through the schools they jump and make weird noises... Any idea what it might be?

quanjig reply :

I would try to find some isolated cover. Running down a bank, look for lone stick ups, logs, stumps. Make some longer casts, with as little splash as possible. Beaver style baits, senko, fluke matching your baitfish.

What is your usual approach to the lake? What features of the lake have been the most successful??

frogflogger reply :

Water like you described - frog - frog - frog - if it's windy throw a furbit - keep throwing - you'll catch that pb sooner than you think. Did I mention throw a frog?

gulfcaptain reply :

I would suggest getting a heavy flipping stick, hit up Siebert Jigs and get yourself some 3/4, 1, and 1 /12oz tungsten punch jigs, some DB Craws, bobber stoppers, and start punching. Depth breaks, where 2 types of cover meet, etc what I said earlier. Go punching into the thick stuff with some 50lb or 65lb braid. Forget the worms, compact flipping baits. Go in and get them. Only need two rods right now, the frog rod and the punch rod. if you miss one on the frog follow it up with the jig.

Catch and Grease reply :

Definitely my most successful features are fishing the matted grass, whether it be in the grass or the edge of the grass, pads are good too but I do better in the grass.

I throw frogs on my lake a lot and have caught tons of bass on them but no 5lbers yet!

I don't own a heavy power rod, the closest to a broom stick I have is a medium heavy/ fast action, so when I'm punching grass I lose a lot of fish, sadly I don't have funds to buy tons of rods right now.

greyleg33 reply :

Time on he water is no small part. The law of averages says that sooner or later you will connect.

einscodek reply :

Dunno about Georgia but 6lb+ fish up north here are essentially trophies and behave alil differently running north of 22"

These guys have it spot on.. location, time, and slow presentation

And lure size is and isnt important.. I caught my 5's and 6's on above-average size lures not the supersized ones they sell us from California

I'm really about length than weight.. but if yer after a fat fish then beef-up time in late fall and early spring are when yer more likely to catch yer fat fish from a weight scale POV

gulfcaptain reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 9:17 AM, Catch and Grease said:
I don't own a heavy power rod, the closest to a broom stick I have is a medium heavy/ fast action, so when I'm punching grass I lose a lot of fish, sadly I don't have funds to buy tons of rods right now.

Budget Rod....if you have an Acadamy close by, the H20 Heavy rods will work 7' and over. Or BPS Graphite IM6 under 40 for a 7'6".. Check Wally World out and if you can find one of the Bucco 6'10Hvy's that would work as well. Mine, I went to a 7'11" Quatum Tour Tactical Hack Attack Moderate Action rod. Spent a bit more money but well worth the investement. Those big fish you yearn for you're gonna have to go in and get them. You can go bear hunting with a 22 mag, but I think I would prefer a 30/06. Same thing when you're fishing the cover you're talking about. You don't need a $200+ flipping stick or punch rod to get the job done....may be lighter and a tad more sensitive but fishing heavy jigs and straight braid you can get away with a lot less and be extremely successful.

Catch and Grease reply :

Yeah I was looking at the H2O rods the other day, I'll probably pick up 2 heavy ones to fish my frogs, punch grass, and fish jigs....

missouribigbass reply :

If you're targeting big bass and following schools of shad.........Why aren't you fishing a something like a storm wild eye shad below the school? Run it slow and Chang your retrieve sporadically to mimic an injured bait fish. Honestly sometimes the answer is right in front of you. My home lakes primary food source is shad. I've fished for years and never got into swimbaits. Finally decided this year to try it and dang wouldn't you know it I've had more successono my home lake this year than I've ever had. And why wouldn't I? I'm fishing with their primary food source. Just something to think about.

Catch and Grease reply :

Because I'm just not a big swimbait guy, I like shallow cranks and lipless much more...

I'm not always following schooling baitfish but when that's what the bass are after I usually pull out the things like crankbaits, flukes, lipless cranks, etc...

missouribigbass reply :

Have you tried a storm wild eye shad? They're cheap come in packs of 3 and will produce fish. Btw I wasn't a swim bait guy either but the results are there and its probably my favorite lure now

Catch and Grease reply :

I haven't tried that specific lure but many like it, you see the problem is that most of my fishing is done over a grassy bottom, so when I use baits that sink and I kill them they sink inside the grass, so things like these open hook swimbaits don't work well. But say a weedless fluke will sink into grass and come right back out

That's another problem I find myself running into with things like jigs, with jigs/worms sometimes you need it to sit still. But if your fishing say a 1/4oz or 1/2oz jig over a grassy bottom it sinks down into the grass and the bass never even see it.

Texas Rigs are a little better because your weight will sink into the grass but the worm will stay above the grass but that's not always the case...

I need to fish the split shot/mojo rig more because it helps with this problem, your weight will sink but your bait will stay above the grass....

gulfcaptain reply :

If you get through the grass, a lot of times it's open below. You would think that it being up in the grass would work better and the thought of it hitting the bottom and disappearing into that mat would lesson your chances. The heavier the weight, the less it will hang up. Lighter weights get caught in the grass.You can work a bait easier on a 3/4oz weight thru grass then with a 1/4. The fish you are after look for the clear pockets that are open below the grass, That is where you want your bait, not in the canopy above. You peg your sinker/jig so your sinker doesn't end up at the bottom while your bait is stuck up in the weeds out of the strike zone. You want it to be pulled down to them. And be careful with the 7'6" XH H20, I have broke 2 of them. One was trying to flip a fish and grass up out of the water and the other I think was damaged during shipping. Broke right off the bat. Good rod, just be careful.

Catch and Grease reply :

You miss understood what I was saying.

Okay with matted grass out of the picture, think about sub surface grass. A heavy jig will sink into it and the bass will never see it... Re-read my post and see if it clicks...

Like on a hard bottom your worm happily dances as you hop it back to the boat, but on a grassy bottom it just sinks into the grass, pops back out, then sinks back in the grass, same with jigs.

gulfcaptain reply :

You would think so, but they look for the crayfish and other bits of goodness down in that stuff. Normally when you drop it in there they pick it up right away. Don't worry, they will find it. I don't have matted beds I fish, just grass beds and they tend to find the jigs just fine.

tomustang reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 3:15 AM, Catch and Grease said:

Thanks guys!

So if y'all were targeting bigger bass y'all would throw the same things you would for any other size?

Basically I'm asking why I shouldn't throw a big worm...

I've always been under the impression that bigger worms catch bigger bass.

I've got lots of 2-4lb bass on 12 inch worms so idk...

Doesn't really matter, big fish hit small lures just like small fish hit big lures.

Finding where/when the big girls hang out is the key, once you know where that is you can throw anything at them. Half of my bigger catches came from 3" soft plastics or a plain 5" senko

tatertester reply :

Try what I call a" horizontal drop shot"......Rig a heavy duty drop shot , cast it out , work it along. Your lure will be as far off the bottom as you rig it. Consider that your lure will be off the bottom , but, not too much, as the angle of your line determines that......2 feet length of drop line can keep the lure only 8 or 10 inches off the bottom, but, keeps it clear of all yuk and most weeds, while still taunting the bass....Works great in many weedy bottom situations.

WRB reply :

I was going to suggest you read "In Pursuit of Giant Bass" by Bill Murphy, however Banks lake appears to be a natural shallow lake about 4,000 acres. Bill's experience is a lot like mine, deep rocky structure lakes, not much help fishing a swamp. The book is a great resource regarding adult size bass behavior, so in that regards you should read it.

My suggestion for lures would be a wake bait, a swim bait, jig and pig and a big soft plastic worms and fish at night or low light periods.

Tom

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 10:15 AM, Catch and Grease said:

You miss understood what I was saying.

Okay with matted grass out of the picture, think about sub surface grass. A heavy jig will sink into it and the bass will never see it... Re-read my post and see if it clicks...

Like on a hard bottom your worm happily dances as you hop it back to the boat, but on a grassy bottom it just sinks into the grass, pops back out, then sinks back in the grass, same with jigs.

In a situation like that is when you should go with a lightweight jig with a bulked up skirt. The extra skirt acts as a parachute of sorts and keeps the bait from disappearing into the bottom vegetation. Of course if you're trying to punch vegetation first that's not going to work though.

As much as I hate to say it, if you're just trying to catch a 5+, it's pretty hard to beat a 5-7 inch stickworm. They can be extremely boring to fish but they catch all sizes of bass, including more than their share of quality fish like you're looking for. They also slide easily through heavy vegetation and offer a profile that fish under mats don't see often. One of the first tournaments I ever won was flipping a Senko through holes in matted weeds.

If you're needing a heavier rod and have an Academy close by you might want to check it out. I picked up a 7' 6" H/F Ethos for $40 not long ago. They still had a few of the same rods for the same price a couple days ago too. Our local DSGs has Veritas rods for $50 right now also, which would be another good option at a very affordable price.

A-Jay reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 11:14 AM, tatertester said:
Try what I call a" horizontal drop shot"......Rig a heavy duty drop shot , cast it out , work it along. Your lure will be as far off the bottom as you rig it. Consider that your lure will be off the bottom , but, not too much, as the angle of your line determines that......2 feet length of drop line can keep the lure only 8 or 10 inches off the bottom, but, keeps it clear of all yuk and most weeds, while still taunting the bass....Works great in many weedy bottom situations.

X2 ~

A most effective rig and one I use quite a bit during mid to late summer.

I don't go super heavy, usually 10-12 lb test and an 18 inch or so dropper length. This summer a Rage Craw Tex-posed on a 2/0 EWG hook has been very good.

A-Jay

Slade House reply :

my advice, missle bait d-bomb or baby d-bomb texas rigged and fish it on a fallen down log in January. let it sit there for 2 minutes after it hits the bottom.

Slade House reply :

if you're fishing swampy areas, try a bandit 200 series chartreuse with black splatter back.

Slade House reply :

or just listen to Tom , he knows more about catching large bass than anyone on bass resource, and has caught more bass over 15lbs than anyone i can think of .

Catch and Grease reply :

Thanks guys, This information really helps...

I really wanna try that variation of the drop shot y'all mentioned, and I'll look into buying some lighter jigs with bigger skirts!

Gonna try and pick that book up when I can WRB.

Mattlures reply :

Wow without calling anybody out, there is some of the worst advise I have seen in this thread. Some of it is good, some bad, and some is just ....really bad.

roadwarrior reply :

This was 7.49 caught on a Fat Ika: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/lake-guntersville-2012.html

If there are any 5 lb bass in the water you are fishing you can catch them on a Senko or Fat Ika.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 10:17 PM, Mattlures said:
Wow without calling anybody out, there is some of the worst advise I have seen in this thread. Some of it is good, some bad, and some is just ....really bad.

What information is bad? Heck call em out, its not like they should get offended. If they get offended from someone disagreeing with them they need to get off the forums.

Catch and Grease reply :

The thing I'm so confused about is people saying if your trying to target the bigger bass don't worry about throwing specific lures? Like one guy said "it doesn't matter" and to an extent it probably doesnt. But I'm sure if your targeting big bass a bigger lure will be better usually.

Like why do pro's always reach for the jig or 12 inch worm when trying to catch the biggest of the day? BECAUSE THOSE LURES CATCH BIG FISH!

What about the guys consistently catching trophy bass on huge swimbaits?

Like obviously a big bass will bite a trick worm or a 10 inch worm but which one looks better to him? Which will get the big bass to bite more than the other? My vote is for the big worm.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 1:04 AM, Raul said:

Hey, he didn´t say he was going after 10 lbers, we immediately asume when our cyberpals say they are going after bigger fish they mean 10+ lbs bass and such thing is not necessarily true. "Big momma" is a matter of interpretation and geographical location, you can´t go fishing for 10 lbs LMB bass in Minnesota.

How about Pennsylvania?

Catch and Grease, do your thing man. It's pretty obvious that I buy into the bigger bait, bigger fish theory but like others have said if you are not fishing where there are big fish then it's certain you won't catch them. Seeing where you're from, I'd say a 5+lb PB is easily attainable.

Learn your water. Learn fish behavior specific to your location. Success is found through planning and preparation more often than luck.

OK Bass Hunter reply :

In Pursuit of Giant Bass will help you regardless of what kinda lake you're fishing. It helps with the mindset, the deliberate presentations, preparations and overall feel of going after big bass.

deep reply :

On 8/25/2014 at 10:44 PM, Catch and Grease said:

The thing I'm so confused about is people saying if your trying to target the bigger bass don't worry about throwing specific lures? Like one guy said "it doesn't matter" and to an extent it probably doesnt.

You worry about specific lures AFTER you've located the bigger bass. The specific lure choice really matters only when it matters.

But I'm sure if your targeting big bass a bigger lure will be better usually.

Some of the times, bigger baits are better; some other times, smaller baits. It's all about getting a "positive reaction" from the bass. Note that this may or may not mean matching the forage. You can't forcefeed these fish anything, it's all about what THEY want, and their choices will change from time to time.

Like why do pro's always reach for the jig or 12 inch worm when trying to catch the biggest of the day?

Pros do NOT fish for big fish, they're trying to catch five fish whose total weight hopefully is higher than that caught by the other competitors.

BECAUSE THOSE LURES CATCH BIG FISH!

Sometimes, not always. There's a LOT more to it than fishing the largest bait in your tacklebox. There are certain high percentage lures, proven over time and across the US to catch bigger fish.

What about the guys consistently catching trophy bass on huge swimbaits?

Define huge. Sometimes a hardgill is a higher percentage bait to target a giant, sometimes its a BS magnum (sorry Matt). I talked with Mr Long once, and he almost never fishes what I'd consider a huge bait. Okay, a 8" bait is a regular sized one btw. Once again, it's giving the fish what they want. Ask Speed how many big bass he's caught on hudds

Like obviously a big bass will bite a trick worm or a 10 inch worm but which one looks better to him? Which will get the big bass to bite more than the other? My vote is for the big worm.

Sometimes you want to fish a 4" worm or a tiny crawfish because that's the highest percentage lure, and that's what the fish wants.

We can go back and forth on this all day, but you won't be asking a lot of these questions if you were to read the book I recommended. Ordered it yet?

Catch and Grease reply :

Haven't ordered the book yet, kinda broke... Gonna buy that book and a heavy rod when I get some extra funds.

WRB reply :

I haven't suggested a specific lure by brand because don't have any idea what the big bass in Banks lake prefer, water color or types of bait fish, size of crawdads etc.

You can't go wrong with Matts bluegills, they work everywhere, a good choice to start your quest with.

Tom

Catch and Grease reply :

There pretty large crawfish there... As I already mentioned Idk what bait fish are there, I've tried getting a hold of people to find out what kind are here but nobody ever answers... I described them earlier in the thread, maybe you can help me make an educated guess.

The water clarity is very stained its like 2-3 foot or less visibility, kinda tea colored water

Catch and Grease reply :

The Biggest bass I've caught in banks were on soft plastics used as buzzbaits and squarebills if that means anything.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Don't get hung up on "baitfish" as being shad, specific minnows, etc.

Bluegills live everywhere bass live. There's your baitfish. Simple.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 12:24 AM, SPEEDBEAD. said:

Don't get hung up on "baitfish" as being shad, specific minnows, etc.

Bluegills live everywhere bass live. There's your baitfish. Simple.

Yea but I have been curious about what kind of bait fish are in the big schools I've been seeing...

FishingTheGreatLakes reply :

I understand that i may not look like a very reputable source of information, but generally, using larger baits doesn't necessarily mean you'll find yourself into bigger bass. In my opinion i think you should look for some private ponds that are never really fished. Many people have heard of this method of finding good spots. what you need to do is go on Google Maps, and find yourself some good looking ponds in your area that belong to farms and such. Then dress up business casual and head over to the spot at a good time of day, maybe noon on a Saturday. Then ask the owner about the pond, if there are fish in it, and if so, if you can fish it. Tell the owner that you only release the fish you catch and you wont cause any messes/damage to their property. Then usually by that time, they will be comfortable with you fishing there. If they are any bit unsure about it, then have them ask you some questions. Best of luck man!

Also, do NOT be repetitive, if they don't want you fishing there then accept that fact. do NOT trespass also, that is extremely illegal

Catch and Grease reply :

I have already mentioned that I don't want to go to some private pond and catch a trophy.

I want to catch a big bass out of banks lake Georiga!

Choporoz reply :

Go fishing. Then go fishing some more. Pay your dues, learn the water, learn your prey. Sorry to sound flip, but there's thousands of threads on here about big bass. I'm sure you've read plenty of them. What more did you hope to learn in this one? Keep an optimistic attitude; build confidence and go fishing. While your fishing, consider.....if you catch your life-time PB in the first months or year of bass fishing, it'd be all downhill and disappointment ever after. May every next fish be bigger than your last.

Brian6428 reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 12:17 AM, Catch and Grease said:

There pretty large crawfish there... As I already mentioned Idk what bait fish are there, I've tried getting a hold of people to find out what kind are here but nobody ever answers... I described them earlier in the thread, maybe you can help me make an educated guess.

The water clarity is very stained its like 2-3 foot or less visibility, kinda tea colored water

Man, this has turned into one of the best threads I have seen all year. Good question! Here is my humble suggestion.

My thoughts on swimbaits:

Swimbaits were designed and are most effective in the clear, deep, rocky reservoirs of California. They do work other places, but that does not mean they are the best option for all lakes. How often do you get stuck with normal lures? 3,4 times a trip? Now imaging there is a $25< swim bait on the end of your line when you inevitably break off. Based one of your earlier posts, it sounds like you don't have money coming out of your ears (aka 99% of the population). This makes losing those expensive swim baits really hurt.

In addition to this, they work best in clear water. Most man made lakes have poor visibility, making swim baits not as effective.

My suggestions:

Here is how I would approach the situation.

Fish at both ends of the spectrum. By this I mean that you should be doing 2 things: flipping and pitching, and fish deep structure. I saw a video where Denny Brauer said "pitching lets you make accurate quiet casts up to the nasty, shallow areas where the big bass live" (quoted from memory, not directly). I would suggest pitching a big jig, creature bait or something else deep up into some shallow cover. This shallow big bass philosophy is also shared by Doug Hannon in his book "Big Bass magic."

The other thing I would do is fish deep. I would probably split my time 50/50 between shallow and deep. Some big bass (or all, or none, based on the lake) will live deep. Find cover on structure near deep water near by and your odds of catching a lunker multiply by 10. Start your search on a good topographic map. Look for points, humps, drop offs etc with deep water nearby. Once these have been identified, go to the lake and scout out these spots with your fish finder. You are looking for cover (just like fishing shallow!) on the structure. This can be a brush pile, rock pile, weed bed, weed break line etc.

In case you are confused, here is an example. You look at a topo map and see a long point with one side dropping into the creek bed. This spot is already good in and of itself. Then, you go to the lake. If you can find a brush pile, rock pile or weed bed on this point near the drop off to the creek bed, that is a high percentage spot to catch a big bass.

Now for lures. I have thrown swim baits for approx 1 month, but I got priced out of the market due to losing too many 25$ baits. With that in consideration (aka i haven't fished swim baits much, so the sample is skewed). Here are my brother and my top big fish lures:

Each of our Pb's came off jigs. Each of our second biggest bass also came off jigs. My third biggest bass are tied on a brush hawg, buzz bait and 10" worm.

I would suggest you use jigs primarily, specifically the Big-O series Jig by siebert outdoors. Pair it with a nice big trailer and you're good to go. Secondary would be a 10-12" worm, 3rd would be a creature bait on a flipping hook.

Good luck! Hope this helped somebody at least a little.

Edit: If you can't tell, I'm procrastination doing my homework

Mattlures reply :

"My thoughts on swimbaits:

In addition to this, they work best in clear water. Most man made lakes have poor visibility, making swim baits not as effective. "

This is so wrong!!! This will be on my biggest swimbait misconception post. Yes Swimbaits are designed to be realistic to help fool the big bass especial when the water is clear and they get a good look at it. To think that this is a negative thing in less then clear water makes no sense at all. Swimbaits work incredibly good in non clear water. I think they work better in non clear water. They push a lot of water, more them most regular baits. and when the bass gets close enough to eat them, the realism help seal the deal.

Jtrout reply :

Go with light tackle and catch the bait fish you see schooling up to see what it is

Brian6428 reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 9:27 AM, Mattlures said:

"My thoughts on swimbaits:

Swimbaits were designed and are most effective in the clear, deep, rocky reservoirs of California. They do work other places, but that does not mean they are the best option for all lakes. How often do you get stuck with normal lures? 3,4 times a trip? Now imaging there is a $25< swim bait on the end of your line when you inevitably break off. Based one of your earlier posts, it sounds like you don't have money coming out of your ears (aka 99% of the population). This makes losing those expensive swim baits really hurt.

In addition to this, they work best in clear water. Most man made lakes have poor visibility, making swim baits not as effective. "

This is so wrong!!! This will be on my biggest swimbait misconception post. Yes Swimbaits are designed to be realistic to help fool the big bass especial when the water is clear and they get a good look at it. To think that this is a negative thing in less then clear water makes no sense at all. Swimbaits work incredibly good in non clear water. I think they work better in non clear water. They push a lot of water, more them most regular baits. and when the bass gets close enough to eat them, the realism help seal the deal.

Dang! The real mattlures! Thanks for pointing this for others to see. I thought it was almost a fact that they work best in clear water, but now that I think about it they do displace a lot more water than a 7" worm, which i catch quite a few fish on. I guess that was my take on the situation, but like i said I only threw swim baits for about 1 month.

What are your thoughts on snags, though? I was throwing a mattlures U2 bluegill and huddleston rof12, and I was working them slowly along the bottom. I got stuck so much. It was super nerve wracking, I just got too nervous throwing them. Any tips? I guess it would also be relevant to the OP if he fishes a snaggy lake.

Loop_Dad reply :

Maybe it is a mute point with the way this thread is going, but since you started by talking about big worm... I throw 11 inch ribbon tail and 3, or even 2 lbers will eat it. I don't think they think those worms are that big, but at least I don't get too many dinks.

WRB reply :

The reason I mentioned a wake bait or very slow sinking swimbait is relavent, bluegills are present everywhere.

This thread has had some good advice from good trophy hunters.

Tom

Mattlures reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 10:04 AM, Brian6428 said:

Dang! The real mattlures! Thanks for pointing this for others to see. I thought it was almost a fact that they work best in clear water, but now that I think about it they do displace a lot more water than a 7" worm, which i catch quite a few fish on. I guess that was my take on the situation, but like i said I only threw swim baits for about 1 month.

What are your thoughts on snags, though? I was throwing a mattlures U2 bluegill and huddleston rof12, and I was working them slowly along the bottom. I got stuck so much. It was super nerve wracking, I just got too nervous throwing them. Any tips? I guess it would also be relevant to the OP if he fishes a snaggy lake.

I agree with your assessment on snags. I would recommend a weed less Hudd or other weed less bait. You can also get creative and rig your baits to be more wed less. Also you might be surprised at how well a good lure retriever works.

ClackerBuzz reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 9:37 AM, Jtrout said:
Go with light tackle and catch the bait fish you see schooling up to see what it is

x2. 10 min's with a small crappie lure and you'll know what kind of baitfish are there

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 10:05 AM, Loop_Dad said:
Maybe it is a mute point with the way this thread is going, but since you started by talking about big worm... I throw 11 inch ribbon tail and 3, or even 2 lbers will eat it. I don't think they think those worms are that big, but at least I don't get too many dinks.

It isn't a mute point and I'm still gonna come out and say some lures catch bigger fish on average than others, this thread hasn't changed my mind.

For the guys telling me to fish deep, remember that I have no deep water here.

I would like to get into swim baits eventually but don't have the money right now to be buying expensive lure, And with all the toothy critters in some areas of the lake they would get tore to shreds I would think....

Thanks guys

Loop_Dad reply :

Other random idea is use bigger hollow belly swim bait. I use Berkley Power Bait Hollow Belly 6" and throw with MH rods, but this might be out of production. I need to look for something else once my stash is gone. Maybe Yum Money minnow? I see them on ebay cheap. There are some bargains like 2 packs of three 6.5" bait for $9, that's like $1.50 each. Something to think about..Anyway good luck of your hunt!

deep reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 6:39 PM, Catch and Grease said:

It isn't a mute point and I'm still gonna come out and say some lures catch bigger fish on average than others, this thread hasn't changed my mind.

For the guys telling me to fish deep, remember that I have no deep water here.

I would like to get into swim baits eventually but don't have the money right now to be buying expensive lure, And with all the toothy critters in some areas of the lake they would get tore to shreds I would think....

Thanks guys

It's all relative man. Your fish in Banks Lake don't know that SoCal reservoirs are hundreds of feet deep.

There are factors like stained water, heavy shoreline cover, low fishing pressure, demersal (sp?) baitfish that can keep the bass relatively close to the shoreline, and the opposites of these would drive them out from the shoreline except during spawning. If you believe that the fish you want to catch are on/near the shore (I'm not saying this in a condescending tone, I'm making a statement- I don't know your lake), then have a go at it. If whatever you're trying isn't working, try finding new hunting grounds. It's pretty simple really, but we can all get stuck in a rut (location, baits, techniques) and actually be comfortable in that rut.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 8:23 PM, deep said:
It's all relative man. Your fish in Banks Lake don't know that SoCal reservoirs are hundreds of feet deep.

Obviously, but don't tell me to look for deep structure when there isn't any in my lake.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 8:23 PM, deep said:

It's all relative man. Your fish in Banks Lake don't know that SoCal reservoirs are hundreds of feet deep.

There are factors like stained water, heavy shoreline cover, low fishing pressure, demersal (sp?) baitfish that can keep the bass relatively close to the shoreline, and the opposites of these would drive them out from the shoreline except during spawning. If you believe that the fish you want to catch are on/near the shore (I'm not saying this in a condescending tone, I'm making a statement- I don't know your lake), then have a go at it. If whatever you're trying isn't working, try finding new hunting grounds. It's pretty simple really, but we can all get stuck in a rut (location, baits, techniques) and actually be comfortable in that rut.

Off-shore fishing on this lake is still 6ft-8ft. Again I have no deep water, you can be dead center of the lake and still be in 8ft water.

deep reply :

Let me try one more time. What's the max depth in Banks Lake? 6 ft? Think of 0-2 ft as shallow depths, 2-4 ft as medium depths, 4-6 ft as deep water.

Catch and Grease reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 8:33 PM, deep said:
Let me try one more time. What's the max depth in Banks Lake? 6 ft? Think of 0-2 ft as shallow depths, 2-4 ft as medium depths, 4-6 ft as deep water.

It's really not relative, 6ft just flat out Isn't deep water no matter how you look at it.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

On 8/26/2014 at 8:38 PM, Catch and Grease said:
It's really not relative, 6ft just flat out Isn't deep water no matter how you look at it.

Listen, you're going to get a lesson here....

Figuratively speaking, there is a reason you have two ears and only one mouth. You ought to be listening twice as much as you talk (or type). You're asking for advice. You're getting advice from people that have caught more big fish than you've dreamt about while sleeping (no, not counting myself in that group).

It IS relative.

You're stuck under 5lbs in a state that held the world record, a state where I'm good friends with more than a couple people who've caught fish well into the teens. Trust me, you're doing something wrong. Why don't you sit back, check your ego and listen / apply the information that's being presented to you. Try it. If it's something that seems totally against the grain of what you've been doing, that may be a good thing considering where you're stuck.

Catch and Grease reply :

I am doing something wrong, you got that right.

I was just trying to say I already fish the deepest parts of the lake that hold fish, I cant go any deeper without digging a hole.

But thanks SPEEDBEAD I needed someone to knock me down a peg or two lol

Catch and Grease reply :

I have a question, Is there even a noticeable thermocline in shallow water like 8ft?

deep reply :

Let's just assume that you got the location part down, and talk about other parts of the puzzle.

What else do I have? Baits, presentations, atmospheric conditions and moon phases (don't roll your eyes, this is my post, so I'll have my say).

Without going into swimbaits, you can try jigs and straight tail worms on the bottom, and swimjigs, scroungers and paddletails for swimming. Jig head shapes and weights depends on your specific requirements. Trailers, once again your preferences. Just use something proven. I have my own preferred skirt materials and colors and I'm not going to post them here (sorry), but that shouldn't matter because they'll depend on the lake. In any case, I'm no authority on jigs, or on any baits for that matter. Tom might be willing to help you on this.

Note that I mentioned straight tail worms, and not U/ curly/ swimming tail. My thoughts on the worm shape, size and color have been heavily influenced by Bill Murphy's writings. But try Roboworms for a start. They make several sizes upto 7". If that's too small, you can buy some from Josh Upton (he has a website).

Sometimes the fish donot want a bait fished slowly on the bottom. That's the presentation part of the equation. One day in late Spring (this was a year back), I slow-rolled hudds on the bottom all day, and caught nothing. Not even a follow. Then I had an inspiration and started swimming an Osprey near the bottom, and started catching. Maybe they wanted something fast, something close to but not on the bottom, maybe a different bait, or maybe they just turned on; I don't know. But a particular presentation isn't working, it's time to change. (It's easy to get comfortable in the rut.)

I like low visibility conditions. Note that even a lot of wind to break up the surface in the middle of a clear day can translate to low visibility,

After that, I have my moon phases. Several will call BS on this, but my experiences (I track the adult bass I catch) show that I have caught 60% of the fish on one particular phase, and 30% on another. The data do NOT include bed fish, and they're not just pre-spawners either. I might as well stay home/ at work the other two weeks of the month (but I fish anyway trying to figure them out). Unfortunately, my findings do not agree with Murphy's; but that's all right. Maybe he fished deeper and slower. Whatever. As long as I'm on them, I'm good.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that bigger bass are more vulnerable to certain baits and presentation, during certain atmospheric conditions, and during certain moon phases. Now of course, another angler with more talent can clean them up when I can't even get a follow. And that's where I strive to be.

Catch and Grease reply :

Trust me I don't have the location part down... I don't have any part of bass fishing "down"

Jtrout reply :

I read online there are some deeper holes that are 15 feet deep have u found them?

Catch and Grease reply :

When the lake is at full pool there are spots around the boat Ramp and out a little ways from the ramp that hit 15ft

The water is low right now and it is 12ft in the deepest parts, I have caught fish off these spots but they were always near the top in grass or something, I usually catch them around there in the winter it seems like...

If there are any other deep holes then I don't know about them.

Catch and Grease reply :

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/fishing_bass-fishing_ga_0509_01/

Here is a good article on banks lake and describes the lake well. Click the link and scroll down until you see the section on banks lake

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

On 8/27/2014 at 12:14 AM, Catch and Grease said:

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/fishing_bass-fishing_ga_0509_01/

Here is a good article on banks lake and describes the lake well. Click the link and scroll down until you see the section on banks lake

Are you fishing from a boat or the bank?

Catch and Grease reply :

From a boat.

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