Hunting Giant Bass

[OroBass]

What advise could you give me regarding 10 plus pound bass. Lures, times etc. I don't care about numbers.

[00 mod]

Location.  There has to be 10lb bass where you are fishing to catch them.

 

Jeff

[geo g]

It all depends what part of the country your fishing.  For Florida with all our shallow, weedy, lakes, pitching and flipping is the way to go, if you are targeting  really big fish. on a regular basis. Find the thick weedy mats and start picking them apart.  Some use jigs, others heavy bullet weights with creature baits and beavers.  It can be tiresome but the tournament guys spend a lot of time doing it. 

[OroBass]

Location LOL thanks captain obvious!!!!!

[00 mod]

I wasn't trying to be a wise guy, but so many people want to catch the ever elusive DD bass, and there has never been one caught where they are fishing.  You are in California, one of the top 3 bass fishing states for DD bass.  Make sure the places you are targeting giant bass, have more than just a lake record of a DD.  Make sure several a year are coming out of it.  If 1 DD came out of the lake in 1990, then yes there is a chance to catch another, but.......  Focus on lakes where there are reports of DD bass monthly.  Your best odds are where the big fish are being caught.

 

Jeff

[flyfisher]

if your largest bass, according your profile, is 11-12lbs shouldn't we be asking you what to do?  lol 

[Ozark_Basser]

BIG baits and lots of time on the water.  Big swimbaits, glide baits, wakebaits, and other big topwater baits seem to be the ticket for people who consistently catch 10 lb + bass.  

[OroBass]

Thanks 00 mod. Much more informative. Several ponds and small lakes in my area hold big fish. Water temps here are still 60 plus. I've caught some big girls out here. Just trying.g to get some perspective on size over quantity.

[OroBass]

I've caught some monsters. Just trying to learn more. I fish jigs as much as possible. I fish early, late and hard, and I'm probably fishing 3 plus days a week. My last big fish was 26 inches, I had no scale! I hear stories of guys like Tom catching hundreds of DD bass. I want more!!!

[Montanaro]

I'm from WV. DD bass are very rare.

If I'm hunting for one I'm going to back off shore and fish where my boat would be especially in spring.

There is no surefire catchall. You gotta understand the water and have a lot of luck.

[WRB]

Start with learning their habits, Bill Murphy's book " In Pursuit of Giant Bass" is a good start. I posted a link to my Cosmic a Clock and Bass Calendar, also a good start for deep structured lakes. If you want to catch big bass over 15 lbs in CA you must target them during pre spawn. You only need a few lures; swimbaits that represent the big bait fish these bass are feeding on, jigs that represent crawdads and big worms. Very few giant bass are caught on anything else, except the same live bait.

Tom

[Sam]

Stealth

Be very, very quiet.

Older bass are smarter than younger bass as they have had more experiences in their lives.

 

Patience

Don't be in a hurry,

Concentrate on each cast, like a baseball pitcher for each throw.

Before the spawn know their travel plans.

After the spawn give the ladies a week to recuperate.

 

Casts

Cast to targets many times, with 10 casts being the least number.

 

Baits

Sometimes big ones; other times smaller ones.

You have to experiment.

 

Know Where You Are

Know what is under the water.

You need good electronics.

 

Know Local Habits and Waters

Know what the bass are doing at different times of the year and their travel lanes for spawning and the post spawn.

 

Keep Fishing One Body of Water

It may take years but you have to continue to fish one body of water and learn it like "the back of your hand."

 

Ponds May Be Best

Fish a pond with no or light fishing pressure that has been in existence for over 20-years.

There should be some big ladies in that pond.

 

Go South or West, Young Man

Hit Florida and Texas.

Hit California, too.

Read all you can about the various waters.

Hire a guide so you can learn about the waters and baits.

Spend a week at one location and fish it for the big ones.

Know where the Florida Strain Bass live and hunt for them.

 

Good luck and all the best for finding that one over 10 pounds.

 

[WRB]

If I lived in NorCal the first thing would be researching what lakes produced giant bass last year. You live near the delta a big area to focus on. The motherload foothill lakes produce giant bass every year, find out which one is on now! Giant bass lakes in CA go through boom and bust cycles, with low water levels the bass are confined in smaller areas. The low water also gives you a view of the type of structure where big bass locate, take photos and way points.

Try contacting Gary Dobyn's to start with, he knows what lakes are "on".

Trophy bass anglers in your area may not be truthful, unless you know them personally.

Tom

[Slade House]

For swimbaits?  try the deps slide swimmer series. the new megabass iGlides (they do a 360 turn if you want them too).  Also the deps bullshooter is insane, but expensive.  Also buzzbaits are good for catching giants, as my friend caught a 12-6  on a white booyah buzzbait in June at casitas.  Besides trout,  Alot of monster bass in Cali like to feed on redear sunfish or crappie, find out where they are and you should always find monster bass.  or just use google, i just searched "monster bass oroville" and came up swith this post . click on the picture, if you recognize where he is on the lake then maybe that will help you. 

 

"Guys, the Big Man upstairs was smiling at me today. I went fishing for a few hours this afternoon, and stuck a 15.48# Hawg on a 6" Senko. I was fishing in 8-10' when the big girl hit. I took her to a local market and had her weighted then released her back unharmed. 

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/riggscvt/15.jpg?t=1176091147 " 

[Basswhippa]

For swimbaits?  try the deps slide swimmer series. the new megabass iGlides (they do a 360 turn if you want them too).  Also

 

 

Clarificatino please.  Is that Iglides or iSlides

[Slade House]

Deps slide swimmer and megabass iSlide. 

[PersicoTrotaVA]

There were a lot of DD bass lakes in San Diego when I lived there.  Never got a chance to catch one.  Now that I am on the east coast not as many DD lakes but the numbers are nice.  I fish one spot where I could possibly likely maybe catch a DD fish.  Right now if I get a 8lber I will be very happy.

 

It really depends on where you are fishing.  I have heard a lot of pros say the same thing.  The biggest fish will be in the deepest cover.  They will have the prime spots.  Pitch a jig right into the middle of it all, the darkest spot.  That's where big mamma lives...

[WRB]

For swimbaits? try the deps slide swimmer series. the new megabass iGlides (they do a 360 turn if you want them too). Also the deps bullshooter is insane, but expensive. Also buzzbaits are good for catching giants, as my friend caught a 12-6 on a white booyah buzzbait in June at casitas. Besides trout, Alot of monster bass in Cali like to feed on redear sunfish or crappie, find out where they are and you should always find monster bass. or just use google, i just searched "monster bass oroville" and came up swith this post . click on the picture, if you recognize where he is on the lake then maybe that will help you.

"Guys, the Big Man upstairs was smiling at me today. I went fishing for a few hours this afternoon, and stuck a 15.48# Hawg on a 6" Senko. I was fishing in 8-10' when the big girl hit. I took her to a local market and had her weighted then released her back unharmed.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/riggscvt/15.jpg?t=1176091147 "

Oroville is a good bass but not known as a trophy bass lake, the lake record LMB is listed 14.15 lbs/1998. I believe Oroville is down over 120' this time.

Lakes like Berryessa, Don Perdo, New Melones, Pardee, Camanche, Clear Lake and the delta, etc all produce giant bass.

Tom

[OroBass]

All my big fish... several over 7 have been from ponds and the thermalito afterbay.

[Catt]

Can't help ya!

 

I was told on this web site I don't know how

[Senko lover]

I wish I could help you out. That dream still eludes me.
I can't share from personal experience, but what I've learned from others may help you:

• Don't take an ultralight w/ 4 lb. test!
• Big baits = Big fish (generally true)
• Fish the pre-spawn, your best chance to catch giant females. They're hungry and they're fat.
• Go to trophy waters. Mexico, Florida, Texas, and California are your best bets here.
• Don't fish for a week just for one bite. Enjoy fishing!

Most of this I learned from Better Bass Fishing, a book by Robert Montgomery. Best resource (in print format) I can guide you to.

Good luck and tight lines!

 

[BassmanDan]

I can't add much more than what has already been posted, but I have noticed one thing in the lakes I fish....during early pre-spawn there is a brief period of time when that first wave of the biggest females move shallow to feed. It may only last a few days and then they retreat back or start getting cautious from the angling pressure...but if you can hit it right I feel it is the best time of the whole year to get a DD. I've experienced it many years and on different lakes in my neck of the woods.

 

I know certain baits definitely are big fish lures...jigs, swimbaits, etc. but my last DD ate up a shakey-head with a trick worm on it. A big front rolled in and the lake went from dead calm to rolling waves in a matter of minutes. I saw the wind coming down the lake and hunkered down on my best spot...it seemed the timing was the key element that day because I had been fishing that spot hard for a couple hours already. She took advantage of a sudden change in the environment...or else I just hit her on the head with it LOL.

[WRB]

Can't help ya!

 

I was told on this web site I don't know how

Say what!!! You have several DD's, defiantly qualified!

Tom

[Brian6428]

Can't help ya!

 

I was told on this web site I don't know how

 

Say what!!! You have several DD's, defiantly qualified!

Tom

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/143622-misconceptions-about-catching-big-bass/  

This thread is what Catt was referencing (I think). Lots of good info, quite a bit of it from you, WRB, but the thread took a personal turn for some.

 

By the way, if that argument starts again I'm on team Catt! (The Barneys)   

[desmobob]

One helpful tip might be to pick up a copy of Doug Hannon,'s "Big Bass Magic."    The book is very interesting and full of information The Bass Professor picked up after a lifetime of studying the habits of lunker largemouths.  His specialty was B-I-G bass, and he loves to share what he's learned.  I really enjoyed this book.

 

Tight lines,

Bob