In Pursuit Of Giant Bass ~ One Man's Journey

[00 mod]

Jerkbait????

[A-Jay]

Maybe a topwater, or dare I say it a jerkbait presentation might work for those suspended mamas.

 

Could Be . . . .   Need to get LC to make a 128 DD

 

 

A-Jay

[pbrussell]

Yes, you didn't catch anything on the deep crank. But, you could be like me this last weekend. First fish I caught was an 8-10 lb flathead throwing a deep runner. Thought I had a new pb for sure...

 

Then I proceeded to catch a bunch of dinky bass on it. At least I caught something

[Dwight Hottle]

Jerkbait????

 

 

So as I look back at what I’ve done so far, the places I’ve fished, the times and conditions I’ve fished in, the baits and techniques I used and the few fish that I have caught, I’m not really putting anything together here. If anything, I’m starting to believe that perhaps the bigger fish I’m after are actually suspending out over the deeper water during neutral periods.

 

 

If those fish are indeed suspended the crankbait presentation is below them. In clear water suspended fish will rise quite a distance to key in on a distressed bait fish (jerkbait).

[A-Jay]

I do mark quite a few suspended fish. 

 

Some seem to be associating with structure and some do not; or if they are, they're a good distance from it.

 

The lakes loaded with trout so I've always imagined that's what they were (not really being able to know for sure)

 

A-Jay

[00 mod]

OK, let me clarify my response before......

 

 

Jerkbait???   <---    SARCASM

 

 

Coming from MR. Jerkbait himself, I would expect nothing but the answer to be " Jerkbait"

 

Jeff

[slonezp]

Throw a jerkbait.   or a crank and find out for sure. You've got nothing to lose and possibly can catch yourself some tablefare. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Going against conventional wisdom as discussed in the Hudd thread, if you know the fish are suspended at a certain depth you can still catch them with the swimbait. The Hudds are very easy to countdown to a specific depth and if the fish are active, they'll hit a swimbait in open water.

 

Key to that is knowing that fish are there and at what depth. Also, if you are fishing open water and having fish slap at the 68, throw a small treble on the bait.

 

Not sure how (or if) Murphy addresses suspended fish but that's what I would do. Not sure how it would fit into the spirit of the thread if he doesn't specifically address a suspended presentation. I've got limited experience doing this as I don't really encounter suspended fish in my little lakes too much, but when I have encountered them it has been a viable option.

[A-Jay]

He does talk about suspended fish.  His experience led him to fish open water during mid thru late summer; which in this area is right now.  I just reviewed this chapter in the book.  He talks about open water long line trolling, a technique that is done by such a small select group of anglers, that if it works - no one is talking (or writing) about it.   Clearly the thermocline plays a role here.  Any and all efforts have to be above it.  There is no doubt in my mind that unless Bill was unbelievably lucky, his success using this particular technique must have come very slowing and required hours upon hours of nothing before he started putting together anything close to a pattern here.

  The more I think about what's happening on the waters I'm fishing, the more sense this makes.  Right now the thermocline on the lake is at about 25 - 30 feet.  The water is very clear, you can often see the bottom in 20 ft plus.  Without much shoreline cover, there just aren't many places for the fish to hold close to the bank where they can't be seen.  This is not going to make them feel safe at all.  I don't think it's a stretch to believe that since they can't go down to get away from danger, moving "out" is the only option. 

 This would make them very hard to find and even harder to catch.  Clearly a very time consuming task and not one any tournament angler could reasonably consider which is why I believe that you just don't hear or read about it.  

  I have the ability (boat & tackle wise) to make a decent attempt at this.  Unfortunately this bite is fairly short lived but it's one I don't necessarily have to do at night which provides more fishing time.    

 Mr. Murphy discusses the lures he found productive and I have some of the same or similar baits.  But with this being a trout lake, I'm seriously considering adding a treble to a couple rof 12 or 16 Hudds and slow trolling them up, down and across the open water of the lake.  Can't catch any less big bass than I already have so far . . . . .

 

More to follow.

 

A-Jay

[Dwight Hottle]

I love it when I can hear the wheels grinding.

[A-Jay]

I start to get a little worried right after I see and smell the smoke . . . . .

 

 

A-Jay

[AK-Jax86]

I see people post in here every day, you catch that giant bass yet?

If not stop posting and get fishing lol

[AK-Jax86]

Or just take a trip to Lake Baccarac, seems like the trend

[A-Jay]

 

After the last trip in the rain - I'm waiting for my boat and gear to dry out. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.

 

As for heading to  Lake Baccarac - been there and have 2 more trips planned.

 

It's not super easy fishing there - it's just that your efforts are often rewarded with something in the "Holy Smokes" category.

 

It's really quite a special place - perhaps you should consider it.

 

A-Jay

[AK-Jax86]

Yea I was under the impression that it was easy to fish there I see so many users posting steroid fish that they caught there.

And this is my dream trip! I have a 12 month old so I can't afford to drop 4k to have an amazing fishing experience. My girlfriend knows that I want to take this trip I have a feeling I will be getting a nice gift in the near future from her!!

She even jokes that when we get married and go on our honey moon I can go to Lake Baccarac and she will go somewhere else in Mexico and then we can meet up after my fishing trip. NOW THAT'S A REAL WOMAN lol eventhough I kno she is kidding

[A-Jay]

  I’m making this entry to apologize to the masses.  I haven’t been on the water for more than a week and I feel like I’ve left you hanging.  Truth is I had an opportunity to turn my “Part Time” Consulting Job into much more.  In some ways, it’s a double edged sword; especially since it’s an optional deal.  I appreciate the opportunity to broaden my financial horizon but miss the time afloat.  Clearly the timing wangs but the $$$ is nothing to sneeze at (and does help support these adventures).

  So for the next several weeks away, there will be very few (if any) opportunities to pursue The Fat Bass I’ve been looking for.  My future plans are to carve out sufficient time as the weather cools to continue my quest.  

 

You just never know what each new day will bring . . . . . . . .

 

A-Jay

 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I need a consulting job. 

[A-Jay]

I need a consulting job. 

 

 

OK we'll switch - send me all your tackle . . . . .

 

Oh - and you'll have to shave.

 

A-Jay

[Dwight Hottle]

Make hay while the suns shines. Those big bass will be there when you get back. You know nobody else is pressuring them.

[A-Jay]

Yes Sir - but easier said than done.

 

 

A-Jay

[SPEEDBEAD.]

We both know that isn't happening...

[Bladesmith,]

The pursuit of big bass is a worthy goal but so is the pursuit of a good financial base with which to finance this pursuit and life in general. Go for it. We'll still be here when you have time to get back on the water.

[loodkop]

Most of us were born to fish, forced to work. Wishing you well in both pursuits.

[Brian Needham]

A-Jay -

 

just read all 16 pages, and buddy, let me tell ya. You have more patience in your pinky finger than I display over an entire year.

 

Hope you get out and do some fall stitching if you feel the need.

[A-Jay]

Thanks  - This evolution was much shorter lived than I had hoped and anticipated. 

Though the actually fish catching was minimal to say the least, I did learn some things; both about the body of water I chose to fish and about myself.  That particular lake, though it does have a healthy population of some of the largest fish in my area, the weed / low lying debris covered bottom does not lend itself to this technique very well at all.  And as this is The Slowest presentation I've ever fished, doing this for a while changed my perspective when fishing other baits slowly.  So in that sense, I think it helped me.  

 

I didn't like coming up so short in the results department so I'd like to take another shot at it again next season.  I do believe I'll have to select a different lake.  The experience has led me to believe that this is  similar to Big Swim bait fishing in that  it's a method / presentation that an angler must commit to. 

 

Virtually all of my above average size bass caught in this area have come in the spring and fall.  I was looking for a method to perhaps but a few in the boat in between these early and late season runs.  Stitching was taking me to spots I hadn't fished and presenting a bait in completely different manner.  I still believe this can work here, but clearly I was not able to really give it much of a chance.  I also learned that this method is much less taxing physically than some presentations but is quite an exercise in slow movement mental focus and concentration.  Additionally, a lot goes into the details before and while you're on the water. 

 

  Finally as for me having a lot of patience, there may be less truth to that than you think.

(Just ask Jeff    But, I like a good challenge and the opportunity to do something so different was intriguing, still is.  The hardest part of it all is Controlling your mind.  Admittedly there was long, long periods where nothing was going on but the anticipation and possibilities, made it pretty Intense.

 

A-Jay