Get The Big Mama

[BigOnFishin]

I have been fishing at one of my buddies ponds and have been catching good numbers of smaller bass(most likely males). However, i have seen atleast two pretty hefty females swimming around pretty shallow but i just can not get them to strike. I have been throwing a Watermelon Senko and a smaller Carolina Rig but they keep spooking. Any tips on how to get her to strike without scaring her off? My first thought is taking the little boat out and casting from behind her, but that doesnt eliminate the spook factor from the bait hitting the water. Any tips on bait presentation and bait selection would help tremendously. Thanks

[00 mod]

Throw onto bank and slowly pull you lure in.

Jeff

[senile1]

If you can see them, they can see you.  I think slonezp mentioned in another thread that if you are bank fishing, mark where you saw them on the bed with a stick and then walk away to let them calm down. Sometimes you need to give them quite a bit of time to settle down.  Then cast from a distance.  Try to cast past the bed and then slowly pull the lure into the bed, or where you think the bed is.  If you can cast up on the bank like Jeff mentioned that would be the best way to avoid a loud splash.  Be stealthy.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

If you don't have any opposition to live bait, catch a small bluegill from the pond.

 

Run a hook through the tail and pitch it out past where you last saw her heading.

 

Hold onto rod.

 

Take picture.

 

Release.

 

[Hyrule Bass]

the bluegill idea of speedbeads is a good one. pond bass cant resist it when that bluegill starts jerking on your line. ive seen smaller bass congregate only to watch a big bass swim in and eat the bluegill. this was right off the bank in a clear water pond, the fish could see me but it didnt matter...

 

but if you want to use artificial. try for the reaction bite, just keep reeling a spinnerbait past them.

 

and perhaps the best idea, try what i like to call the Fish Chris method, as i learned it from him, just hope i dont mess it up explaining it. put on a small hook and if you need to no more than as small a split shot as you can get away with. then nose hook on a live night crawler through the that fat meaty part of the nightcrawler. toss it out near the bass. its really hard for a largemouth to resist that long lively nightcrawler. its an easy soft meal, the bass will come over and suck it right up. in some cases they may briefly inspect it or approach it cautiously, but it has worked for me. i have no problem fishing live bait so its a valuable method for me...