Elephants eat peanuts, Snakes eat rabbits, ants eat grasshoppers, kids eat their vegetables, etc etc etc
Bottom line is this, big bass love big bait. Always have, always will. And to reiterate, i'd rather fish all day long for a big bass and not catch any (which i hate to admit i did the other day) then to catch a bunch of dinkers. If i wanted those, i'd go to the local pet shop, grab the little green net, and scoop a dozen minnows.
I live nowhere near NOVA, but I have been following this whole thread. I do have to say it's quite entertaining, especially this post. ;D
I wish I could play!