Maybe Small But Big Payoffs?

[J BASS]

Old wise tale

[bigbill]

I fish from shore at a few hot spots for big bass. Some places aren't fished at all. It gives me a chance to try all different things. One is Dr. Loren Hill at OK university about his decade long tests about the basses limitations on seeing colors. The bass under certain light and water conditions are limited on what colors they can see. Other times they can see all the colors. There eyes aren't like ours. Let's say there limited like us in the thick fog.

Now if everyone reads the basic tips on bass fishing it's been posted many times it's here too;

Clear water conditions, sunny blueberry days. It's smaller natural colored lures fished fast so the bass can't get a good look at them.

Slightly stained water conditions; same as above but brighter colored smaller lures.

Stained water conditions, medium sized lures brighter colors fished slower.

Muddy water conditions, larger sized lures in brightest colors fished the slowest.

River bass fishing I find the smaller sized lures natural colors and inline spinners work the best in smaller rivers with shallow depths. We work the deeper pools behind the back washes of rocks.

Ok were fishing the 9am to 5pm Times for bass.

If your looking to find big bass at this time your percentages are very low.

If you want trophy size bass these bigger gals come out of there hiding spots in the dark. My best time to fish is in the dark at 4am till around 9am. Be very quiet and stealthy like your not even there. I use topwater till the sky starts to light up. At this time of twilight I use a rebel BIG CLAW crawfish crankbait in chartreuse. It dives 10' and I make the longest cast I can parallel to the weedlines in the open channel I can.

One it dives I reel slow and steady. This starts off my throwing of my ritual of baits sizes and colors till I get action. The smaller rebel craw lures work awesome in rivers.

Evening fishing from 5pm till dark(9pm). I find a range of bass sizes from 1lb to 6lb.

Nothing really big just average for my state. To get away from some crowded places with people crashing the water using saltwater setups I started fishing in the early morning darkness. I do find these larger bass are tuned into there surroundings and wired for sound. The least little noise we can make spooks them. So no noise at all will pay off. I use spinning reels and close the bail by hand so there is no click. Be very quiet.

Be flexible, with lure sizes.

As it becomes lighter in the early mornings and the bass start to move to deeper cover put on a split shot rigged worm or a light 1/8oz Carolina rigged senko. We need to stay with them in there zone.

There was a competition on a local lake here for a new corvette as the top prize. A guy launched his boat and sitting there he had those little snap peas or snap beans as they call it on his line sitting on the water. A big bass from under the dock grabbed it and he won the corvette it was that simple.

I go out there with a game plan, a starting point, I muster all my knowledge I learned here and stay flexible the bass will tell you what they want. But when the bass bite slows down in the daytime upsize. When it slows down in the evening as it goes from light to twilight from natural colored baits I go with the same size bait only brighter as it becomes twilight.

To me it's a challenge, it's a game were we all can win. When the game changes, change with it. Do not get upset when there is no action stay changing lures and colors till you get action. Remember chartreuse is your friend when nothing else works. This tells me we can have multiple water conditions at different depths.

I'm no pro or will ever be one I love bass fishing. I'm still learning. Do not be afraid to try different places. What you learned at one place will work at different places too.

Sorry for the long winded post. God bless bill

Remember to mentor a kid and take him or her fishing.

The only difference between shore fishing and boat fishing is its backwards.

My PB stands at 10lbs for lmb. I lost bigger bass three different times now. I'm 2lbs 14oz from the state record. My pb was caught 2' from shore as I casted parallel to shore at a drop off made by a man made dam. She was at my feet to the left of me but she never knew I was there.

[bigbill]

This should be a wake up call for all bass fisherman in every state. If we have bigger bass in ct. There was a big bass caught in Maine posted here too. What does that tell us. You guys/gals in all the other states have bigger bass too. There not being caught.

It's these giant gals that are keeping up the bass population numbers.

[Catt]

I think this statement carries a TON of weight, even past the confines of a single day. (Sorry to be nitpicking Bill, but niche )

Catt has dedicated a great portion of his fishing to learning how to fish jigs effectively. It's his comfort zone or niche. He's found success with it so naturally, for him, the best option is likely to be a jig. I fish jigs. I really like fishing jigs. I have not had the success with big fish caught on jigs that Catt and many other guys have.

I've dedicated the better part of the last 8 years or so to fishing swimbaits. It has become my niche, my comfort zone. I feel confident with a swimbait in my hand and I believe that lends itself to fishing intently in high percentage areas for big fish. In my personal fishing, bigger baits have equated to bigger bass. The way I fish a lot of swimbaits, a jig is just not a viable tool for the job.

Fish your comfort zone. YOURS, not someone else's. A jig, swimbait, spinnerbait, drop shot....none are a magic bullet that work 100% of the time and they surely all require time and patience to master. In the right hands, I do believe bigger baits equal bigger fish. I also believe that in the right hands, MANY different baits can equal bigger fish.

Exactly

I recall Fish Chris Wolfgram's 18.4 was caught on a Huddle Bug...length 2 3/4"!

[bigbill]

Either way your presentations have to be Oscar winning perfect. On a slow day I settle down and take each bait and practice different presentations with it. Of course I'm watching my perfect presentation and a fish interrupts me.

Wash your hands before going fishing. Do not touch gas or oil before going fishing. If you do wash again.

Use a bass scent on your lures.

Your lure having a rattle, a scent is a plus.

Sorry to unload so much but it's all like a tooth on a gear. Skip one tooth and it's like we missed the boat.

[rippin-lips]

Bass are predators and will eat anything. Big to small,it doesn't matter. Often what anglers might consider big really isn't all that 'big' to a fish. That being said my two biggest fish were on 'small' baits. 5" senko and a 4" dream shot.

[gulfcaptain]

Having faith and fishing consitantly and knowing the conditions and where to fish the higher percentage areas with what the fish want produce bigger fish. Big or small, swimbait or jig, dropshot or 12" worm. Unless you are fishing high percentage areas where you may encounter the larger models it doesn't matter what you throw big or small. And with that said.....still like swimbaits.

[iceintheveins]

It can mean bigger bass in lakes where large bass eat BIG forage, like stocker trout. Big baits can work better and be easier to find in stained or murky water by nice bass too though. That being said, a 4" senko can catch a big one.

[Mattlures]

One of the biggest reasons guys don't think big baits equal big bass is because......THE BAITS ARE NOT BIG. A long worm is not a big bait to the fish. Most baits that guys think are big, are not big to the fish. Small bass will eat anything they can chase down and fit in their mouths. Big bass preffer to eat big easy meals, but will still eat a small meal if it doesn't take a lot of energy to catch it. The size of the bait is not always what makes it attractive to big bass. Some baits consistently catch big bass and some don't. A Jig is not a really big bait but its not tiny either. It looks  slow moving and easy to eat. If you want to target bigger bass, use baits that are know for consistently catching bigger bass. It means nothing when you hear somebody say "I caught this big bass on this little bait". Its the law of averages. There are millions of bass fisherman. There are millions of guys throwing small worms, and other small baits. There are going to be a few big bass caught on them. For ever big bass caught on a tiny bait there are thousands of dinks caught on them. I would say that probably close to half the fish caught on swimbaits (real swimbaits) are big or at least over 4lbs. Probably at least 1 out of every 10 fish caught on a jig are good quality fish. If you look at the guys who are consistantly catching big bass, they aren't using small baits. They are using swimbaits, jigs, live bait etc.

[Raul]

I think this statement carries a TON of weight, even past the confines of a single day. (Sorry to be nitpicking Bill, but niche )

 

Catt has dedicated a great portion of his fishing to learning how to fish jigs effectively. It's his comfort zone or niche. He's found success with it so naturally, for him, the best option is likely to be a jig. I fish jigs. I really like fishing jigs. I have not had the success with big fish caught on jigs that Catt and many other guys have.

 

I've dedicated the better part of the last 8 years or so to fishing swimbaits. It has become my niche, my comfort zone. I feel confident with a swimbait in my hand and I believe that lends itself to fishing intently in high percentage areas for big fish. In my personal fishing, bigger baits have equated to bigger bass. The way I fish a lot of swimbaits, a jig is just not a viable tool for the job.

 

Fish your comfort zone. YOURS, not someone else's. A jig, swimbait, spinnerbait, drop shot....none are a magic bullet that work 100% of the time and they surely all require time and patience to master. In the right hands, I do believe bigger baits equal bigger fish. I also believe that in the right hands, MANY different baits can equal bigger fish.

 

Now that was a good read.

[bigbill]

We have to understand the whole thing to bass fishing. And consider what worked today might not work tomorrow when there mood changes.

Small or Big lure frenzy. Now factor in the moon phases along with the weather fronts.

Temperature changes.

Confused now, just fish and give everything in your arsenal a swim.

[JigMaster]

One of the biggest reasons guys don't think big baits equal big bass is because......THE BAITS ARE NOT BIG. A long worm is not a big bait to the fish. Most baits that guys think are big, are not big to the fish. Small bass will eat anything they can chase down and fit in their mouths. Big bass preffer to eat big easy meals, but will still eat a small meal if it doesn't take a lot of energy to catch it. The size of the bait is not always what makes it attractive to big bass. Some baits consistently catch big bass and some don't. A Jig is not a really big bait but its not tiny either. It looks slow moving and easy to eat. If you want to target bigger bass, use baits that are know for consistently catching bigger bass. It means nothing when you hear somebody say "I caught this big bass on this little bait". Its the law of averages. There are millions of bass fisherman. There are millions of guys throwing small worms, and other small baits. There are going to be a few big bass caught on them. For ever big bass caught on a tiny bait there are thousands of dinks caught on them. I would say that probably close to half the fish caught on swimbaits (real swimbaits) are big or at least over 4lbs. Probably at least 1 out of every 10 fish caught on a jig are good quality fish. If you look at the guys who are consistantly catching big bass, they aren't using small baits. They are using swimbaits, jigs, live bait etc.

Well said man totally agree.

[JigMaster]

Yes small worms and jigs have caught big bass but it's not something you expect every trip out and I'm a big time jig fisherman,When I take a big trout swim bait and chunk it all day I know the chances of me catching a 10+ lb bass has GREATLY increased simple as that it's not uncommon at all.So yes clearly larger baits = larger fish majority of the time because fish do not waste energy if they don't have to.

[greentrout]

Guido Hibdon used a Guido Bug to catch a few big bass...I remember those days...with spinning gear, too...

 

 

Old school basser...

[missouribigbass]

http://www.bassmaster.com/node/98650

havent tried out my 12" worms very much yet,I cant honestly say. Here is a cool article on fishing monster worms, the reason I even tried any.

The link is from bassmaster.com

Love the link. And obviously I agree with it. I fish yum 10inch ribbon tails religiously and have great success with them.

[Catt]

Yes small worms and jigs have caught big bass but it's not something you expect every trip out and I'm a big time jig fisherman,When I take a big trout swim bait and chunk it all day I know the chances of me catching a 10+ lb bass has GREATLY increased simple as that it's not uncommon at all.So yes clearly larger baits = larger fish majority of the time because fish do not waste energy if they don't have to.

The chances of me catching a 10# plus is GREATLY increased by simply choosing the right lake not the lure!

[JigMaster]

The chances of me catching a 10# plus is GREATLY increased by simply choosing the right lake not the lure!

Well I guess there's many variables to the original question,Certain lakes like Toledo and a couple in Mexico it's hard NOT to catch a 10+ lol, But average/more common lakes where it takes more skill to get the biggins to bite anything, lakes that aren't plumb full of 10 plus bass, Bigger baits give you a better chance no doubt.

[Catt]

Yelp just tie on a 4' worm & go catch a world record!

[Bankbeater]

I can't tell if bigger baits mean bigger bass or not.  The green sunfish won't leave the lure alone.

[Jmann17]

Well, obviously bigger bait will catch bigger bass at times because a larger bass has a larger mouth to eat their "meal". But this doesn't necessarily mean you will catch big bass at all times. Even little bass will go for big baits a lot of times. I've experienced that little bass will go for larger crankbaits on good days.

[Jmann17]

I've caught a good 6lb bass on a little swimbait with tiny treble hooks.

[Squirmin Wormin]

i started a topic a while ago,does bigger baits mean bigger fish ? well i'm curious to find out in your op if you think small lures do just as well producing big fish as well as big lures do ? or is it just the same? or depends on certain factors as well . your thought's on this.

[Catch and Grease]

This has been asked multiple times, search alittle you should find some good threads on it.

[Munkin]

4" senko

3.5" Smallie beaver

5/16oz finesse jig

 

These have caught a few on my top ten big bass over the years.

 

Allen

[Maxximus Redneckus]

2 inch curly grub will catch anything anysize on this planet