Bigger Baits, Bigger Fish....

[J33wolf]

I didn't really believe in this theory until recently.  I fish a small local, public pond in Blacksburg, VA.  I didn't even believe there were Bass in there until I grabbed a Senko and gave it a go.  (I primarily fished for catfish here).  Well that day i ended up catching about 15 Bass in just under 2 hrs.  I was using a 4" Senko on a 2/0 EWG offset hook.  Since this was working i kept using it for a while and kept pulling out 1.5 - 2lbers.  A friend of mine sent me some 8" Zoom Lizards and I decided to throw one (junebug) on a 4/0 EWG and fish it weightless.  Well low and behold I ended up hitting a few bigger ones.  This pattern has continued and I have pulled out a couple 3 and 4lbers.  I now believe in this theory and always keep one of my rods tied with a "Bigger" Bait.

 

Cheers,

JW

 

[KG_BASS]

Nice catch!  That wouldn't be Pandapas Pond would it?  Always have thought about giving that a go when I only had a few hours to spare

[AK-Jax86]

Nice fish. I only fish by that rule bigger equals bigger better fish. When it come to worms I use 6" senkos and 10" Mightee worms big fish love the Mightee worms

[Catt]

So if bigger baits catch bigger bass we should be throwing 6 foot worms right?

One of the best big bass lures is a jig & craw which has an overall lenght of maybe 4".

[AK-Jax86]

So if bigger baits catch bigger bass we should be throwing 6 foot worms right?

One of the best big bass lures is a jig & craw which has an overall lenght of maybe 4".

Yea Catt 6 foot worms will work

[roadwarrior]

I'm having some great luck right now on a NorthStar Original Swim Jig (New Gill)/ Rage Tail Menace or Shellcracker.

 

 

 

 

[Grizzn N Bassin]

all depend I caught a few fish over 6 last year I baby brush hogs.. and beetle spins

[Grizzn N Bassin]

So if bigger baits catch bigger bass we should be throwing 6 foot worms right?

One of the best big bass lures is a jig & craw which has an overall lenght of maybe 4".

 

IF you can get my some 6 footers im in need.. I ran out of my 5's looking for something a little bigger

[Mccallister25]

So if bigger baits catch bigger bass we should be throwing 6 foot worms right?

One of the best big bass lures is a jig & craw which has an overall lenght of maybe 4".

 

Exactly.. I absolutely love jigs, and theres no doubt they catch big fish.

 

Iv seen monsters caught on DS rigs too. Those things arent big at all.

[Brian6428]

So if bigger baits catch bigger bass we should be throwing 6 foot worms right?

One of the best big bass lures is a jig & craw which has an overall lenght of maybe 4".

I think that the jig, while it isn't long, actually has a very large profile underwater, especially when the skirt flares up. Either way I agree the Jig catches big bass, after all thats what I caught my pb on!

 

Brian

[Catt]

J33wolf, no disrespect meant but the "bigger the bait the bigger the bass" sounds good in thoery but it is simply that...a thoery.

Given the choice of a 4" shad 10 feet away and a 8" shad 20 yards away the bass will choose the closest

Why?

The biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

[bigbill]

I been saying that for years now big baits means big bass. I do notice the larger fish won't hit the same lures that the smaller fish are hitting. When your on a smaller fish bite when it slows down switch to a larger lure same color.

Example, I'm throwing a mepps Anglia inline #3 silver blade with a gray tail. The bass bite is on. As it slows down to a hault I put on a mepps Anglia #4 or mepps #5 silver blade w/Gray tail and the bigger fish will hit it.

In low light conditions as day turns to dust at this time switch to a brighter color lure of the same type. You will land a few more fish.

I switch from a joesfly in blackgnat in evening as it gets darker to a joesfly in firetiger apache. And fish till dark catching fish.

I'm also thinking this will work in reverse from early morning while the sky starts to light up use the brighter colors and as it becomes satellite switch to darker natural colors it should work.

[Bluebasser86]

It's a good theory and it does play out at times but not always.

[gobig]

nice slammer

[SirSnookalot]

J33wolf, no disrespect meant but the "bigger the bait the bigger the bass" sounds good in thoery but it is simply that...a thoery.

Given the choice of a 4" shad 10 feet away and a 8" shad 20 yards away the bass will choose the closest

Why?

The biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

 

It's nice to see Catt posting.  

I've caught all kinds of bigger bass on small baits all kinds of smaller bass on bigger baits.  IMO a fish goes after the easiest target, but there are times when fish are feeding on certain sized baits, too big or too small and you might be out of luck.

I fish a lot of bucktail jigs, simply put a bucktail is nothing but a fly with weight, can't tell ya how many 30 -40# fish are caught on 1/4 oz ones, when I see the fly fishermen catching fish I'm putting on a bucktail.

[GoneFishi'n]

J33wolf, no disrespect meant but the "bigger the bait the bigger the bass" sounds good in thoery but it is simply that...a thoery.

Given the choice of a 4" shad 10 feet away and a 8" shad 20 yards away the bass will choose the closest

Why?

The biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

I don't know about that. I've been fishing swimbaits in the 6-9" range and I have been catching some bigguns. Not one bass has been under 2lbs for me for the past couple of months. It's also the way they displace in the water. They are a lot more bulky and move more water then say a worm.

[Catt]

So GoneFish'n if you thoery works & you went from 6" swim baits to 18" swim baits you wouldn't catch any umder 6# correct?

[GoneFishi'n]

So GoneFish'n if you thoery works & you went from 6" swim baits to 18" swim baits you wouldn't catch any umder 6# correct?

I did not say that. You would catch more bigger ones... I'm not saying that, I'm just stating that I believe in the big bait= big fish theory. It's just a fact that the bigger the bait you have a bigger chance of getting a bigger fish. Think about how mike Gilbert caught a 17.4 out in Cali. He was fishing a swimbait. Probably something over 6-8"s knowing he's a trophy hunter. I can almost garuntee you that bass would not of hit a worm or jig. It was keying in on trout. Fish some swimbaits and you'll see how you catch a lot more bigger ones. Fishing these big swimbaits you cut out the middle man basically. You're going after those big ones. Yes I agree small bass will hit big swimbaits but in my own opinion you will ultimately catch more bigger ones. Yes I've caught small ones on them too. A 10" worm and a 10" swimbait even though the same size attract Completley different size bass/fish. So you're saying if you fish say a MattLures Deadtwitch you will catch a small one on it? It's about 14" long I beleive.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

So GoneFish'n if you thoery works & you went from 6" swim baits to 18" swim baits you wouldn't catch any umder 6# correct?

 

There are days where a swimbait will smoke a jig and vice versa.

 

That's not a theory, jack. That's a fact. 

 

Your statement also involves a point of diminishing returns. Honestly, if you were fishing an 18" swimbait I wouldnt expect that you would catch anything under 6# so in that case you are correct. I wouldn't expect to catch many at all but if I did, they would have some size to them.

 

Baits up to around 8" or so, you can reasonably expect to catch fish of all sizes with the majority falling in the "above average" class. Baits above that size range and you are targeting one thing: the biggest fish in your waters.

[Catt]

Ok lets throw out names

Our own Fish Chris Wolfgram, 18.4 Huddleston Huddle Bug

Mac Weakley's "Dotty", 25.01 Jig-N-Craw

Texas Share-A-Lunker, 548 documented 13# plus, 248 worm, 112 Jig-N-Craw, 5 on a Crappie Jig.

[GoneFishi'n]

Ok lets throw out names

Our own Fish Chris Wolfgram, 18.4 Huddleston Huddle Bug

Mac Weakley's "Dotty", 25.01 Jig-N-Craw

Texas Share-A-Lunker, 548 documented 13# plus, 248 worm, 112 Jig-N-Craw, 5 on a Crappie Jig.

Wasnt dotty snagged in the face? He thought she picked it up but she didn't? Correct me if I'm wrong. I think swimbaits are acquainting more 10+ now adays. How long ago were these too? I think in the past year there have been multiple 15+ bass caught on swimbaits.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

LOL, Fish Chris?

 

Going by your numbers there and using him as an example, why doesn't he throw the Hudd Bug exclusively then?

 

 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Different baits for different times.

 

 

"The amazing jig" ring a bell?

[Catt]

Yes Dotty was foil hooked but she was going to eat that jig Mac pulled the trigger to soon.

Explain the Texas bass caught on a Crappie jig?

All these bass hit what was in front of them, meaning the size of the lure didn't matter.

[GoneFishi'n]

Different baits for different times.

"The amazing jig" ring a bell?

The reason I'm not saying anything about jigs is because I've been catching small ones on them. Plus, my lakes are not that deep for it. From all of the articles and threads I have read I agree that the jig can beat other baits on a certain day. I just haven't experienced it first hand. I've caught some big ones on jigs but most of my big ones have been on swimbaits. I just started fishing them I think about 2 if not less months ago and I've caught and fought some well over 3-8lbs. I've had two of my biggest come off in the past month. Ie experience the big bait equals big fish theory first hand. Just last Saturday I had a possible 10lber come off. There was no way I could keep its head down. Jumped about 5 times then shook loose in front of me. I've almost broken my PB maybe twice so far. That's what makes me think that swimbaits are the best big bass catchers. But I believe when I get older and experience fishing on bigger lakes more I will understand you're and everyone else's thought about jigs. It's just not smart say that big baits don't catch bigger bass. It just doesn't make sense(to me).