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.