MLF lure size???

[shootermcbob]

have you folks noticed how small most of the lures used by nearly all of the pros are? Evers stated he was using lures that were 2 inches or smaller? 

What gives? I thought big lures caught big bass? Even Hackney was throwing a swim jig with the skirt trimmed way short and he bit off two segments of the rage craw for a smaller profile. 

I would appreciate any thoughts, ideas, and responses. 

Do you guys use smaller size lures for the most part? 

[Angry John]

Depending on the bite time of year and water downsized lures are the answer

[riverbasser]

What all lures did you see? I like some baits smaller and others larger. I cut all my jig skirts even with the hook and if I'm fishing the river I pretty much use 1/4 ounce exclusively. In the lake I up the weight for wind or in deeper water but that doesn't really apply to size that much. I also like war eagle screamin eagle spinner bait which is a 1/2 ounce but the size of a 1/4 ounce. At the same time I prefer larger plastic worms.

[shootermcbob]

Nearly all baits were small...jigs, chatterbaits, swimbaits, etc.

[frosty]

I would think in a tournament situation I'd want as consistent of a bite as I can get. id rather catch average size fish all day than catch one big bass. 

[Montanaro]

Mlf is all about numbers

Catching three four pounders will get you eliminated

[tje0705]

20 minutes ago, Montanaro said:

Mlf is all about numbers

Catching three four pounders will get you eliminated

This. They are not looking or 5 3lb fish in a day, they are looking for as many fish as they can in the limited time they have. 

[WRB]

They mix it up and use "normal" size lures early looking a larger fish then if needed they down size to stay alive trying to catch numbers of  "keepers" over 12" to add weight.

Tom

[Jeff H]

Heck, that was in Florida right?  I thought that whole deal was crazy.  What a grind, day after day after day....just grinding out dinks.

[shootermcbob]

Not just florida...I have seen several and was just shocked at the size...or lack thereof...of the baits most were using. Makes me wonder if the lures I am throwing up here in Ohio are too big? 

[the reel ess]

They have to get numbers and continuously. I remember one Shaw Grigsby caught an 8 pounder and nearly missed the top 3.

13 minutes ago, shootermcbob said:

Not just florida...I have seen several and was just shocked at the size...or lack thereof...of the baits most were using. Makes me wonder if the lures I am throwing up here in Ohio are too big? 

You'll see more bites with smaller baits-maybe a lot more. But they'll be smaller bites. Your average fisherman is looking for somewhere in the middle of numbers and size.

[Frogfather]

4 hours ago, shootermcbob said:

have you folks noticed how small most of the lures used by nearly all of the pros are? Evers stated he was using lures that were 2 inches or smaller? 

What gives? I thought big lures caught big bass? Even Hackney was throwing a swim jig with the skirt trimmed way short and he bit off two segments of the rage craw for a smaller profile. 

I would appreciate any thoughts, ideas, and responses. 

Do you guys use smaller size lures for the most part? 

As said before, it's a numbers deal in MLF. I've fished with friends to see who catches the most fish over a few day period and it does change the way one fishes. Also, we see and hear these anglers With such greater detail on MLF than elite or FLW tournament I think this is how many of them do fish in the fall given the situation they are in (seasonal, location, confidence).  

[Logan S]

MLF is a dink-fest, so they use smaller baits in order to potentially get more bites.  

Before I get blasted, I watch and enjoy every episode of MLF...But it's a numbers-only game in that format.  When a 15oz. bass is a 'game changer', it's a dink-fest .  

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Logan S said:

MLF is a dink-fest, so they use smaller baits in order to potentially get more bites.  

Before I get blasted, I watch and enjoy every episode of MLF...But it's a numbers-only game in that format.  When a 15oz. bass is a 'game changer', it's a dink-fest .  

I enjoy it as well and happen to agree totally. 

Perhaps an increase on the length requirement for a "Score able Bass" would ratchet things up a bit.

Or maybe an angler would need a two pounder at the start of each period before any smaller fish would count.  That would be incentive to fish for something other than 13 ounce fish.

A-Jay

[thirtysixit]

I've recently been throwing finesse jigs.  I'm really starting to gain a lot of confidence in them.  If they aren't biting my regular jig with a full sized rage craw as a trailer I switch to a finesse jig and a baby craw.  Its been getting great results for me now they are in the post spawn and summer patterns on the James and Chickahominy Rivers. 

[Brian-S]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

Perhaps an increase on the length requirement for a "Score able Bass" would ratchet things up a bit.

A-Jay

I seem to agree as well, I think the "every fish counts" idea is good but maybe raising the standard of what a scoreable bass is will change things up a bit. So yes its not a 5 bass limit but it must be 14" to score would change it a lot i feel 

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, Logan S said:

MLF is a dink-fest, so they use smaller baits in order to potentially get more bites.  

Before I get blasted, I watch and enjoy every episode of MLF...But it's a numbers-only game in that format.  When a 15oz. bass is a 'game changer', it's a dink-fest .  

It's funny when they say "BIG FISH!" and swing a 1lb 14 oz over the side. I do enjoy the rules about handling the fish and the fact they put the right back, not drag them all over the lake all day.

[RyneB]

Bobby lane won the MLF cup throwing a frog. So it's just not a small bait dink frst.

[Rhino68W]

I'm surprised we haven't seen the Ned Rig more on MLF. It's all about getting as many pounds in the boat as possible. It's my favorite format of Pro fishing! 

[shootermcbob]

I too like the MLF format, and especially enjoy the "lessons learned" part of the programming. One lesson is to downsize my lures...starting this weekend! 

[RichF]

I'm starting to get kinda sick of watching those guys toss shaky heads and catch 12 inchers off docks.  I feel like they're not really showcasing much skill.  It's practically the same episode over and over. 

Don't downsize! Go for the bigguns!

[Tanner English]

I like the biggest 1/4 or 3/8 oz jig with the bulkiest skirt I can possibly find for flipping... If I flip a creature bait or craw dad I like the biggest I can find or the longest worm like a 10 inch ribbon tail except when the water really starts to heat up and the bass go deep, then I like a baby brush hog. Shakey heads are pretty much a zoom trick worm in junebug or black unless I'm on a school of spots and need bigger fish, then I'll up the worm size. Texas rigs are either a 6 inch lizard or 6 inch worm with ribbon tail. I like a 1/2 oz spinnerbait or 3/8 oz and about a 3 inch crankbait. 2 or 3 hook jerkbaits are fine. And a heddon spook jr. Is what I go with at daylight. A Carolina rig I only throw with a 4 inch pumpkin lizard and dye the tail chartreuse.

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, RichF said:

I'm starting to get kinda sick of watching those guys toss shaky heads and catch 12 inchers off docks.  I feel like they're not really showcasing much skill.  It's practically the same episode over and over. 

Don't downsize! Go for the bigguns!

I was feeling the same way to an extent today. Watching Mark Rose catch dink after dink and slowly creeping away. Then Bobby Lane picked up his frog rod and reminded everyone that you can still fish for bigger fish, you just have to get bit while you're doing it.

I think EE would have walked away with it if he wasn't missing and losing so many fish, but that's fishing. Shaw could have been right there if the couple fish he lost were actually as big as they looked like they might be.