The Downside To Hawg Hunting 2024
roadwarrior reply :
Everyone hates to lose a big bass, for any reason!
For a lot of guys the big bass is icing on the cake,
but it's five that count if you're tournament fishing.
For many fisherman, numbers and action make the
day. For Hawg Hunters, it's an entirely different mindset.
The big bass fisherman are after A FISH. Getting
"skunked" is part of the game, it's not a bad day, just
not the "right day". However, that's not the downside
to hawg hunting.
In any body of water the population of the largest bass
represents the lowest percentage of all the fish in the lake.
The "biggest" bass, by definition, is 1 fish. To catch that
fish takes more than luck, as a matter-of-fact, luck has
very little to do with "consistantly" landing trophy bass.
The downside to hawg hunting is missing a bite. A single
strike might not be her, but if it is, it's probably the only
chance you will ever get at THAT fish! For big bass
guys, missing a bite is losing a huge opportunity. Just thinking
about "what it could have been" can drive a man crazy!
It's not exactly like "the one that got away". There is more
mystery involved with the fish you never see. Sometimes it
can be a striking blow, but more often a subtle softness,
something light, something missing. I suspect the majority
of the time we simply don't detect the bite. It's when the hook
is set, you don't move the fish and you know it's game on.
Those are the bites that make or break a great day.
8-)
Big-O reply :
QuoteIt's when the hook is set, you don't move the fish and you know it's game on. Those are the bites that make or break a great day.8-)
You set the hook and THUD, everything in time stops, your rod is bent and creaks under unbelievable pressure, your line sings with the tremendous stretch as if to say "Hello, this is the Real Deal", and suddenly something is moving at the other end of your line....................... "Oh A Happy Day"
Big O
www.ragetail.com
fishfordollars reply :
Unfortunately for me it does not happen often enough. It has been several years since I have had a double digit on the other end.
JDPgator reply :
QuoteQuoteIt's when the hook is set, you don't move the fish and you know it's game on. Those are the bites that make or break a great day.8-)
You set the hook and THUD, everything in time stops, your rod is bent and creaks under unbelievable pressure, your line sings with the tremendous stretch as if to say "Hello, this is the Real Deal", and suddenly something is moving at the other end of your line....................... "Oh A Happy Day"
Big O
www.ragetail.com
Yesterday is the first time I had a big fish on that broke off right in front of me. Big O described the situation perfectly, I set the hook and time stopped, a pure pause until the drag started going. Everything was great right up til the fish broke off as a I was reaching to lip it. 6 unbelievable inches and snap, fish rolled off and was gone. I was absolutely numb. At 38 years old I am fortunate enough to say that I can't remember the last time I have cried but yesterday I felt like it.
Only two good things came from it: I learned how much I like GMan's jigs and when telling the story to a friend he told me his story of having a 50 lb king within gaffing reach only to break off. That fish was worth a $100,000 and a brand new ($150,000) boat. His story made me feel better.
Paul Roberts reply :
Awesome.
Catt reply :
Many anglers assume big bass are so elusive and intelligent simply because they don't catch many of them but in most cases big bass are so elusive simply because they are so rare.
Team9nine reply :
Very nice perspective into the mindset of a trophy hunter. 
Only thing I'd comment on is the luck factor. To catch one of the largest bass in the lake, luck (for lack of a better term) plays a definite role as evidenced by the hundreds of Texas Share Lunkers caught over the years by normal, everyday anglers, or probably a good majority of the state record holders across the country - right time/right place/right presentation - just their "lucky" day for most of them. Almost like winning the lottery in a sense that it rarely happens and will probably never repeat again for most. But I agree completely with your statement that the consistently successful big bass anglers truly have an understanding and a talent, as well as that unique mental outlook you mention, that most anglers won't ever possess.
-T9
WRB reply :
The late Bill Murphy's book; In Pursuit of Giant Bass, is a must read for any avide bass fishermen and gives a good insight into the trophy bass fishermen mind set.
I became a trophy bas fisherman with my fisrt double digit bass way back in 1959, that is a long time in pursuit of giant bass.
In my opinion you must fish for big bass to consistanly catch big bass.
A blind squirrel may occasionally find an acorn. If the squirrel lives in an oak tree, it's chances increase and are very good he will find the acorn. Same is true for bass fisherman, anyone can catch a bass of a lifetime, few can catch them consistantly. Like the squirrell in the oak tree, it helps your success if you fish where big bass live.
My self imposed handy cap of not fishing with live bait has limited my success to some degree. I believe however fishing with lures has had a benefit in regards to learning big bass habits and honning my fishing skills to become consistanly successful at catching these truely special bass.
There is no reason to lose a big bass from tackle failure. Big bass break your line because you allowed that to happen and made a critical error. We all make mistakes and mistakes are extremely costly in pursuit of giant bass. Your goal is to put the bass in the boat. There isn't any reason to break off big bass, or let them get into something and foul your line. You must keep focused and plan ahead, if you want to be a successful big bass fisherman.
The thought of going out and not catching any bass during a trip doesn't enter my mind and it does bother me if I get skunked. I believe you can't use the excuse "I was fishing for big bass, so it doesn't matter if I catch anything", it should bother any bass fisherman to get blanked. If you can't catch a few average size bass you don't have a snow balls chance in H to catch big bass consistantly.
WRB
Alpster reply :
QuoteI believe you can't use the excuse "I was fishing for big bass, so it doesn't matter if I catch anything", it should bother any bass fisherman to get blanked. If you can't catch a few average size bass you don't have a snow balls chance in H to catch big bass consistantly.WRB
Very well said!
Ronnie
roadwarrior reply :
I don't think so...
I really don't care about 3 lb bass. All those tournament guys
that have to step on a fish to make it a "keeper" can have that stuff.
I would rather catch nothing than little fish. I wasn't always like that,
but now that I'm spoiled, I ain't going back!
Honestly, 8 hours, 15 lbs and 4 little fish just doesn't trip my
trigger. Three bass and 23 lbs works, but one fish 10+ works
better! I have absolutely no interest in just "catching a fish".
Not catching "tournament fish" is worth the story to me...
Go big or go home.
8-)
benito reply :
Great words on "Trophy Hunting"....
I'm fairly new to fishing, but alreay am addicted/obsessed with landing the "Giants".....This is my first full year fishing for Bass - I'm fortunate that I've caught one just shy of 10 pounds (9lb 10oz) and another 7lber this year.....But it just wets my appetite.....
And I can't let one out of my mind - About 3 months ago, in a very small pond, I saw a HUGE girl on bed - Significantly bigger than the nearly 10 pounder I caught earlier....Biggest Bass I've ever seen......
I spent 2 full days going after her - finally, on day 2, things were perfect - I hooked her THREE times that day, and lost her all 3 times - once line broke, once the trailer hook came off, and once she shook me loose about 3 feet from the shore....Each time, about 2-3 hours later I was able to get her to bite again (very lucky on my part), but I kept screwing it up and didn't ever land her.....
I've since been back to the pond about 12-15 times, but haven't even seen her once......I had not just 1 chance, but 3 chances at her, and I failed! I think about her every day........She could have been 10, or 12, or 15+ - Not knowing is the worst part.....(Or was she 22-5? She haunts me......)
The more I fish, the more I realize what a golden opportunity I let slip away....I know now what I could/should have done differently, but it's too late.....
Next year!
BEN
rondef reply :
X2 Kent
I feel the same way. I would much rather catch a hawg then a bunch of smaller bass. The feeling is just not the same when I catch a smaller bass, don't get me wrong I enjoy each and every fight I experience with a bass. I have yet to hook or catch that double digit trophy bass but I continue my quest for it daily. I also understand that when I throw bigger baits that I most likely will not get as many strikes so I have to make the ones I get count.
The fish my son lost the other day got me even more excited to catch the big one.
paul. reply :
very cool post kent. great insights buddy. one thing i have learned is that you cannot "make" a big fish happen. you put yourself in the right places and situations at the right times with the right equipment and baits. then you "let" it happen. and sooner or later, it will. but you cannot be preoccupied with your previous cast or anxious about the next. you have to fish the moment. when you try to "make" it happen you push, you press, you hurry, you make mistakes. you give up on spots and baits too soon. hawg hunting is many times a waiting game. but no matter how long the wait, whether hours or months, the reward is always worth it. there is absolutely no feeling in the world like knowing for a fact that you tricked and caught the biggest bass swimming in a given body of water. i wish everyone the best of luck in the noble quest for their "fish of a lifetime".
David P reply :
I love fishing for big fish, I dedicate some days to big baits, and other days to numbers.
When I miss a bite on a huddleston, or any swimbait, I just try and tell myself that it wasn't the RIGHT fish. The RIGHT fish will bite, the right fish will INHALE the bait.
Now... If I see a BIG fish bite the tail close to the boat. That's another story. I just want to die.
gordon reply :
I'm a relative "newbie" to the art of bass fishing but I've been doing fairly well, working with just a few baits so far. I've been fishing with 5" senko style worms, 5" trick worms and a few other lures on occasion. My best was a bit over 5 lbs I'd say.
For those of you that are primarily going after "the" hawg, what types of baits are you using?
The first year or so I lost a lot because of my lack of experience and I'd miss the hook set or not sense the bite. This year I've concentrated on watching my line and the feel of the bass and have missed very few due to hook set issues.
I'm heading up to NH in a month and I'll be on a quest for "the one"!
roadwarrior reply :
Well, swimbaits are the "hot lures", no doubt. Many of our Big Bass
Boys have posted some remarkable fish, both in numbers and size.
Otherwise, soft plastics and jigs. That doesn't mean other lures won't
work, but if you are playing the percentages, these three classes of
lures/ baits rule!
I also think size matters. Again, smaller baits produce big bass,
but the odds favor bigger presentations. I'm not a member of the
"A Class", I don't fish gaint swimbaits, but I do favor big worms and
large profile jig rigs. To be specific, my largest swimbait is Mattlures
Baby Bass; 6" Senko; 12" worms and 1/2 oz jigs with GYCB
Flappin'Hog, NetBait Paca Craw or Double Wide Sweet Beavers.
In theory big bass might prefer a bigger meal, but I think the most
important aspect is to discourage smaller fish from bitting. Sometimes
you need to get past the tournament fish!
8-)
Big-O reply :
There are no slumps in HAWG HUNTING, only extended times between HAWGS. This style of fishing is definitely not for the weak hearted or impatient fisherman but more for confident and persistent souls. This is a learned behavior and has tremendous upsides. Once you are confident in your locations and bait or style choice of fishing, it is only a matter of time before you realize your goal. Your thought process begins to eliminate the many possibilities of less productive BIG fish water and your patience builds so that you are able to slow down and concentrate on every pebble, stick, log, piece of grass or moss. You will actually start to see or visualize your bait slowly, methodically searching the depths and then .......... there she is! GIVE IT TO HER!
Big O
www.ragetail.com
WRB reply :
It takes no skill or experience to talk the talk, it's a different story altoghter the walk the walk. Big bass are relative to where you fish, in California a giant bass is considered anyhting over 15 lbs., a state record for the vast majority of states.
What are the down sides to trophy bass fishing; family, friends and jobs and health become secondary.
Catching bass is a sport to enjoy, catching big bass is every fishermans goal. Giving up everything to catch big bass is foolish and not needed. Take it from someone who has walked the walk, lost marriages, ticked off friends and has severe skin cancer; take the time to enjoy bass fishing. If you want help to catch a bass of a life time, just ask and I will be more than happy to help you reach that goal.
WRB
Mattlures reply :
There are definatly downsides. For me its harder to get high. If I catch a few fish from 4-7 lbs in a day, I am still disapointed I didnt get a big one. Now yes it was still fun but it definatly spoils you. I realy have to make myself have fun when I am fishing, especialy when I am just fishing for small tournament sized fish. I may go to a pond just to relax and the biggest fish in there might only be 5lb. I have to mentaly prepare myself to have fun catching small bass or it gets borring. I agree with WRB. It take a lot more dedication then most are willing to sacrafice. If I dedicated more time to fishing I honestly believe I could put up some huge numbers. This year I avereaged a little better then 1 big fish per trip. Big being anything over 8lbs. I also caught a bunch over ten and beat my pb twice. The sad thing is I caught a few 9's and 10's after my monsters and they just werent as exciting. When you raise the bar it gets harder and harder to get "high" It takes a reality check and a slump to make you apreciate the non giant big fish. Now as far as fishing for 1 big bite??????????????????????????? Well I used to do that. Now I fish for 3 or 4 or 6 big bites in a trip. I ususly dont get one big bite. I either get several or none. The one big bite is kind of a myth. Ask anybody who consistantly catches big bass if they have ever had one of those special days where they catch multiple big bass. Thats why we put in the hours and dedication. and of course the ocasional monster. After a while catching 6-9lb bass looses some of its excitement. I am actualy a little burnt out on LMB this year. I went about 15 times and had my best year evey and I am good for at least a few months. Thank God I have the ocean. Now I have a bunch of other trophy fish that I am hungy for!!!!!
roadwarrior reply :
Now we have LBH throwing a $33 swimbait...No more "Low Budget"!
8-)
cajun1977. reply :
very well said WRB.i always look for your posts as you always have great insight......QuoteIt takes no skill or experience to talk the talk, it's a different story altoghter the walk the walk. Big bass are relative to where you fish, in California a giant bass is considered anyhting over 15 lbs., a state record for the vast majority of states.What are the down sides to trophy bass fishing; family, friends and jobs and health become secondary.
Catching bass is a sport to enjoy, catching big bass is every fishermans goal. Giving up everything to catch big bass is foolish and not needed. Take it from someone who has walked the walk, lost marriages, ticked off friends and has severe skin cancer; take the time to enjoy bass fishing. If you want help to catch a bass of a life time, just ask and I will be more than happy to help you reach that goal.
WRB
A-Jay reply :
Although the OP has been lying dormant for well over 11 years, I am bringing this one back !
While my world has been totally frozen over for a while, something that will continue for even longer,
I am offered plenty of quiet time to reflect on this & other seasons past.
Specifically as it relates to this particular thread, how I approached my fishing, the circumstances where I had success and where I may not have. Perhaps more importantly, why.
I do consider myself an angler who is almost always fishing for one fish.
And my time & efforts are directed in such a manner as to be seeking a big fish.
While I totally agree it's a different type of game, it's still bass fishing.
Meaning I do not feel the need to employ wildly exotic techniques, or fish giant baits.
For me it's more about putting time on the water, learning as much about the habitat, the bait & the bass as I can, by fishing it. And when I look back at each seasons results - there are always a few days were it came together.
Whatever these few 'successes' may be - they always represent quite a bit more fishing than catching and that's the game. Those few days, make each different & season special.
Much of what is endured during this process is related in this thread.
It was and is very rejuvenating in a way for me - to read the perspective of very accomplished bassheads as they discuss the hunt for big bass. In my case, locally, it's a mutant brown bass I most often hunt.
When I travel south, it's a giant freak green one I'm slaving in the hot sun for.
Either way, the process & over all mind sets are the same.
Can happen on any cast and I'm doing everything I can to eliminate the risk of not capitalizing on any & every opportunity I am offered - as there usually isn't that many.
A-Jay
Team9nine reply :
On 12/20/2019 at 7:39 AM, A-Jay said:Although the OP has been lying dormant for well over 11 years, I am bringing this one back !
While my world has been totally frozen over for a while, something that will continue for even longer,
I am offered plenty of quiet time to reflect on this & other seasons past.
Specifically as it relates to this particular thread, how I approached my fishing, the circumstances where I had success and where I may not have. Perhaps more importantly, why.
I do consider myself an angler who is almost always fishing for one fish.
And my time & efforts are directed in such a manner as to be seeking a big fish.
While I totally agree it's a different type of game, it's still bass fishing.
Meaning I do not feel the need to employ wildly exotic techniques, or fish giant baits.
For me it's more about putting time on the water, learning as much about the habitat, the bait & the bass as I can, by fishing it. And when I look back at each seasons results - there are always a few days were it came together.
Whatever these few 'successes' may be - they always represent quite a bit more fishing than catching and that's the game. Those few days, make each different & season special.
Much of what is endured during this process is related in this thread.
It was and is very rejuvenating in a way for me - to read the perspective of very accomplished bassheads as they discuss the hunt for big bass. In my case, locally, it's a mutant brown bass I most often hunt.
When I travel south, it's a giant freak green one I'm slaving in the hot sun for.
Either way, the process & over all mind sets are the same.
Can happen on any cast and I'm doing everything I can to eliminate the risk of not capitalizing on any & every opportunity I am offered - as there usually isn't that many.
A-Jay
A-Jay
Funny you brought this one up when you did. About 2 weeks ago I was rereading through your "In Pursuit of Giant Bass" stitching thread from a few years back and thinking about messaging you. Every so many years I need a change of pace and something to chase to keep the interest, and chasing better quality fish next year, here in Indiana, was getting high on my radar - Kind of a IPoGB II thread 
Rereading through this thread, I can say that fishing for THE ONE giant bass has zero interest to me. I love bites too much to go that route, but I am intrigued by figuring out how to target a larger class of fish more routinely while not sacrificing bites to the degree of going fishless most trips (keeping in mind we're talking Indiana fishing, ranked one of the worst states in the country for bass fishing and continuing to go downhill for big fish).
What really spurred the interest: Last year, I had the great pleasure of talking to Paul Prorok (he produced and edited Bill's book) for about an hour or so, and one of the things he said to me about Bill (and the book) really stuck.
QuoteMurphy would always say, "What would happen if I did everything right?" What would happen if I had the right spot, at the right time when they're moving up, and I had the right lure and the right color, the right retrieve, and everything was just perfect? How many fish could I catch? That was the beautiful thing about Murphy. It wasn't just about catching the biggest fish. It was about catching fish, in general. So, the misconception with stitching was that it was only for big fish and, you know...that's not true. It was for fish in general. So Murphy - he got on a spot and figured them out, he could catch them better than anybody I've seen.
That really hit home, that I could target and catch big fish (relatively speaking) with a Murphy-style approach and without having to sacrifice numbers to the extent of a One Giant Bass angler as expressed by several above.
A-Jay reply :
On 12/20/2019 at 9:27 AM, Team9nine said:
A-Jay
Funny you brought this one up when you did. About 2 weeks ago I was rereading through your "In Pursuit of Giant Bass" stitching thread from a few years back and thinking about messaging you. Every so many years I need a change of pace and something to chase to keep the interest, and chasing better quality fish next year, here in Indiana, was getting high on my radar - Kind of a IPoGB II
Reading through this thread, I can say that fishing for THE ONE giant bass has zero interest to me. I love bites too much to go that route, but I am intrigued by figuring out how to target a larger class of fish more routinely while not sacrificing bites to the degree of going fishless most trips (keeping in mind we're talking Indiana fishing, ranked one of the worst states in the country for bass fishing and continuing to go downhill for big fish).
What really spurred the interest: Last year, I had the great pleasure of talking to Paul Prorok (he produced and edited Bill's book) for about an hour or so, and one of the things he said to me about Bill (and the book) really stuck.
That really hit home, that I could target and catch big fish (relatively speaking) with a Murphy-style approach and without having to sacrifice numbers to the extent of a One Giant Bass angler as expressed by several above.
I will be very interested in both your approach and of course your success. If anyone can make that happen, my money is on you. I will admit that while I certainly enjoy the entire bigger fish hunt process, I am certainly not allergic to bites !
However, most of my big brown bass catches have come one of two ways. Either I am camped out when and where a number of them are at or coming to and I will get several. That is the rarest of deals for me, may happen once or twice a season if I'm lucky. The other deal, which may represent how a larger percentage of my plus size fish come, is when I have found what I think is the right area, it's holding the right bait and the conditions are right. But often these spots can be kind of big or I don't have the 'spot' pinned down. So I'm in semi-search mode and then I will connect. Clearly I will always fish that area hard but as so often is the case, there may be more smallies there, but they can often be quite a bit smaller. I will move on at that point planning to return again at a time when I may connect again with her grandmother's mother.
Btw, 'stitching' is a very interesting technique but definitely slow. After several long days on the water, I started nodding off. Not exactly helping bite detection, especially when they are often fairly subtle.
Seems 2020 is going to be perhaps just a little more intersting than usual.
Good Luck
A-Jay
Edited by A-JayWRB reply :
Old dusty thread and didn't realize that I have been around since 2008.
Stitching is something I have experience with but may not be the same Murphy's technique.
Just a reminder that I was in the Pisces bass club with Murph back in '69-'70 when stitching was a technique for fishing live crawdads that evolved into retreiving soft plastic worms.
I used the fly fisherman's technique of index finger over little finger method of stitching the line. This pulls about 3"-4" of line with each hand rotation while feeling the line for movements. Your plateform must be stable like a anchored boat. Picking out high percentage area with well defined break line like a row of rocks or brush line keeps you focused. Putting the retreived line into a bucket with water in it helps to prevent the loose line from tangling as it's retrieved.
Split shot rigged plastic worms or nose hooked crawdads slowing worked along the bottom takes patience.
Tom
PS, I haven't stitched a worm in a very long time.
Hook2Jaw reply :
I am but a fledgling in both numbers and big bass fishing. I have had days where I have caught quantity as well as quality, but it has all been done in smaller waters I have figured out in the ripest of conditions.
As a pond and river fisherman, branching into lakes has been difficult and it's more difficult to disengage from my habits and comfort zone and target fish that are more displaced and concentrated by season. I've been skunked several times by spotted and largemouth bass on my closest lake.
I look forward and hope this thread becomes an eye opening experience for me. I would like to be capable of finding the most prime locations for both that singular giant bite and a couple really good bites.
All of y'all successful guys get in here and teach us squeakers how to do it! Thanks for what's already been said, @WRB, @A-Jay, and @Team9nine.
A-Jay reply :
On 12/20/2019 at 10:51 AM, Hook2Jaw said:I am but a fledgling in both numbers and big bass fishing. I have had days where I have caught quantity as well as quality, but it has all been done in smaller waters I have figured out in the ripest of conditions.
As a pond and river fisherman, branching into lakes has been difficult and it's more difficult to disengage from my habits and comfort zone and target fish that are more displaced and concentrated by season. I've been skunked several times by spotted and largemouth bass on my closest lake.
I look forward and hope this thread becomes an eye opening experience for me. I would like to be capable of finding the most prime locations for both that singular giant bite and a couple really good bites.
All of y'all successful guys get in here and teach us squeakers how to do it! Thanks for what's already been said, @WRB, @A-Jay, and @Team9nine.
I can relate.
Bigger water can be intimidating. For 10 years I fished mostly smaller lakes here in Michigan from the Old Town canoe. After getting the Pro-V bass, I was trying to make it happen on 30,000 plus acre lakes with 35 miles or more of shoreline. I learned very quickly the importance of being able to breakdown down lake maps at home well before I got on the water. Initially, it was quite a head scratcher. I was trying to fish 'everything'. That really wasn't working. So I went back to what worked in the canoe. I started fishing 'small' again. Meaning, in the canoe, with only a trolling motor, I certainly wasn't moving around much, not fast or far. So when I chose an area, I was pot commited. Learn it and fish it. Clearly the bigger platform I'm in now offers more, but I still need to eliminate water to find bait and bass before I can duplicate it in other areas and perhaps on other lakes close by. Electronics can be very helpful, but I've learned not to try so hard to find The Perfect Structure. At some point I need to actually fish the spot to see what's what. For me it's a delicate balance; reviewing mapping, matching areas with seasonal patterns, some scouting on the water and then finally the fishing.
Unfamiliarity with a lake or area may require more of all of that. Waters I can be on often can decrease the first few deals and allow for more actual fishing, and if I'm holding my mouth right, a little catching too.
A-Jay
GreenPig reply :
I don't like big bass, they pull too hard and hurt my arms. I can't begin to tell y'all how many giant followers I had to jerk my swimbait away from. I much prefer 2 or 3 maybe even 4, two to three lbers on a 6 to 8 hour trip.
roadwarrior reply :
On 12/20/2019 at 12:27 PM, GreenPig said:I don't like big bass, they pull too hard and hurt my arms.
Too funny!
Team9nine reply :
On 12/20/2019 at 12:27 PM, GreenPig said:I much prefer 2 or 3 maybe even 4, two to three lbers on a 6 to 8 hour trip.
If all I ever caught was “2 or 3 maybe even 4, two to three lbers on a 6 to 8 hour trip,” I think I would just quit bass fishing ????
813basstard reply :
On 7/3/2008 at 1:02 AM, Catt said:Many anglers assume big bass are so elusive and intelligent simply because they don't catch many of them but in most cases big bass are so elusive simply because they are so rare.
This^ times a thousand.
You’ll find more sports cars in South Beach than you will in Antelope Oregon. Because, well, there’s physically more of them.
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