How to catch a PB?

[TravisVirginiaAngler]

The big momma's from what I can gather... are also the harder one's to reach, IE: under cover (docks, downed trees, brush etc) so try and get your lure in the toughest spots that other fisherman skip in fear of losing their baits. Good luck. PS: Im no expert, and I skip some spots for this very reason as well. 

[the reel ess]

Rule #1: Go where there are a lot of fish over your PB. That's more important than any bait or technique you can employ. You'll never catch one in a body of water that doesn't have one. 

 

Use big fish baits. I agree that big baits catch big fish. But so do spinnerbaits, jigs and worms. It's more important to fish where they are.

 

Fish at night in the summer. That's how a lot of people have caught their PB's. Fish in FL. TX or CA. Take an El Salto vacation.

[WRB]

Do what you always do and you catch what you always catch. Big females cruising the flats are transitioning to spawners, fish the deeper breaks outside the flats or target bed fish.

Tom

[bigbassin']

Nothing is a given, but if you're trying to set a pb I'd strongly recommend live bait. If you're already getting above average fish, big shiners fished in the same areas will likely produce even better fish. Personally I've seen several smaller bodies of water never produce a fish over 5 off artificials, but seen the same bodies of water produce fish up to 8 pounds on live bait.

[Ads7633]

17 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

Nothing is a given, but if you're trying to set a pb I'd strongly recommend live bait. If you're already getting above average fish, big shiners fished in the same areas will likely produce even better fish. Personally I've seen several smaller bodies of water never produce a fish over 5 off artificials, but seen the same bodies of water produce fish up to 8 pounds on live bait.

I hear ya, but I would prefer to catch them on artificials, I almost feel like my PB would need an asterisk by it if I caught it in live bait.

[J Francho]

It's really all about fishing water that holds big fish, and accruing enough time on the water to dial in on the big fish. Once a week trips might be enough, but really you'll just luck into a big one.  My PB largemouth from NY came over decade ago.  If I spent more time on Erie, I could probably up my PB smallmouth, but it's not my focus right now.  In fact, a new PB isn't really on my radar. 

[WRB]

You don't need live bait to catch your PB, you do need to use the highest percentage big bass lures availble that represent the prey the bass you are trying to catch are eating. Keep in mind big female spawners are not feeding, pre spawners are! Once those big girls are done spawning they recuperate during post spawn and leave the shallower areas, having lots of prey sources during the summer, your % of success drops dramatically during day light hours.

Tom

PS, read In Pursuit of Giant Bass-Bill Murphy, understanding big bass habits will improve your chances to catching a PB.

[Catt]

Big momma moves up first!

 

Here in Louisiana we're in mid pre-spawn to early spawn, the OP is in Georgia.

 

Bet y'all he's in pre-spawn

[Raul]

5 hours ago, Ads7633 said:

I don't really have any rods that could be considered swimbait rods, any swimbaits you could suggest that wouldn't require a heavy action rod?

 

 

It's called GYCB Senko, 4" to be more specific, watermelon red flake. 

 

I got swimbaits, several of them, soft and hard, haven't had any luck catching biguns with them, jis and worms are a different history.

[Angry John]

take those keitech's and put a jig on the front of them.  I have not gone over 6 with one yet this spring but I have two over 5 so far and things are rough with all the cold fronts we have been having.  My second recommendation is to fish with a front coming in.  I have always and this season also done well as the pressure is dropping due to a storm.  It sucks to fish in the rain but they seem to have the feed bag on during this transition.  I fish serbert swim jigs but there are tons of good ones out there.

[ArmyBassin']

@Ads7633, where are you in GA? I would recommend coming out to FT Stewart if you had a chance. All you have to do is pay for a permit to fish on base and I would be willing to give some advice on the good ponds on base and what to use. I just caught my PB here and 7lbs 8ounces.  There's also numerous articles on guys coming here for a chance to catch one over 10lbs. There's even a tournament this Saturday on the 52acre trophy pond where last year big bass was 13lbs. 10 of Georgia's recorded 45 biggest bass have been taken here.

[wdp]

3 minutes ago, ArmyBassin' said:

@Ads7633, where are you in GA? I would recommend coming out to FT Stewart if you had a chance. All you have to do is pay for a permit to fish on base and I would be willing to give some advice on the good ponds on base and what to use. I just caught my PB here and 7lbs 8ounces.  There's also numerous articles on guys coming here for a chance to catch one over 10lbs. There's even a tournament this Saturday on the 52acre trophy pond where last year big bass was 13lbs. 10 of Georgia's recorded 45 biggest bass have been taken here.

Uh....... can I come too? ?

 

JK. I'm too far away. Sounds like fun tho!

[lonnie g]

ask around. some lakes have a reputation of holding bigger bass. is it spawn time there? this is probably the easyest time . to catch one.

[scaleface]

Youre in Georgia not Missouri . The bass grow bigger there . I would stick with what I know and just go fishing .

[UPSmallie]

Like others have said, I would just stick with it and keep fishing.  The more you fish particular areas, the more familiar you will become with what will and what won't work.  After a little while of picking up on what to throw and where to throw your presentation, I think you will start seeing results.  With bigger fish usually bigger lures are the standard.  If you're catching decent sized fish on one type of lure, try and upsize it one or two sizes and see if it will produce.  Good luck and keep at it.

[Ads7633]

Thanks for all the advice!

[Simp]

Honestly as previously said a ton of it is TIME ON THE WATER! I'm not saying it can't happen but the prespawn deserves your full attention. Get up at dawn and even if it's just for two hours at day break fish it. I live by Carbondale IL just 90 minutes away from your original location. I've caught three fish over 7'lbs and two of them from a Pond on the SAME DAY! I spent all summer catching 5 pound bass after 5 pound bass from the same pond trying to get a 7lbr. Then mid September on a overcast evening the pond went into a feeding frenzy! It took dedication of going out day after day to learn where I needed to be to catch those sevens and I'm more proud of those two fish then I am my actual PB. I don't know what your ponds look like but if the they look like this photo get a frog, some braid and big heavy rod!

 

My actual PB  that almost went 8 was caught in a tournament in 50 degree water on a spinnerbait. The big girl was looking to feed up for the spawn and I somehow got her in on 8lb line in standing timber. I consider this a lucky fish. The only thing I feel I did was put time on the water in prespawn conditions. I shouldn't have been able to get a hawg like her threw all those tress but the water was to clear to get bites on anything but light line. 

 

So if your looking for the key to catching a PB the only two things I can tell you that will surely increase your odds is time on the water and proper equipment. Don't go fish a pond like the one in the photo on a light set up. Don't fish a supper clear lake with 20lb mono ect, Some people will tell you use a swimbait, others a frog but none of it matters if the lures never see the water. Oh and of course the biggest thing is you have to be on some water with BIG FISH! You can't catch a PB if it's not in the pond or lake.
 

[jr231]

[WRB]

On March 13, 2017 at 7:00 AM, Catt said:

#1 most productive technique for both quality & quantity is Texas Rigged plastic

 

#2 is a jig-n-craw

 

What ya catching your 4-5# on?

 

@WRB he's wanting to go from 5 lb fish to 6 lb fish

 

Going from 5 lb fish to double D's is huge...going from 5 lb fish to 6+ not so much!

Agree, when you are catching 4 lber's it's an adult bass, the cast could easily be a 7 lber.

Tom

[bigbill]

If your catching 4lbers upsize your baits.

 

i found out that too many fisherman fish in the evenings. I started fishing early in the mornings. I was catching bass in the evenings but they were 5lbs and under many 2-3lbers from shore. Now early morning fishing decreased the number of bass caught but they were bigger on average.

Get up at 3:30/4:00am go fishing in the dark. I like fishing smaller bodies of water that most fisherman pass by. Look for ponds that are runoff from big lakes. I like topwater first, inline spinners, rapalas, spinnerbaits, plastic  c rigged creaturebaits, split shot rigged worms. Etc.

stay going and focused.

[iiTzChunky]

Now, my personal best isn't very big. Around 3 lbs. But I can offer this advice... You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. 

 

If you're not out getting some lures wet you'll never catch a new pb. It's all about getting out there and not giving up. 

[ILikeToFish]

My PB is only 3.7 pounds i caught that about a year ago and i have been trying to catch something bigger but cant and i feel like i am doing something wrong, anything would help.

[jr231]

56 minutes ago, ILikeToFish said:

My PB is only 3.7 pounds i caught that about a year ago and i have been trying to catch something bigger but cant and i feel like i am doing something wrong, anything would help.

 

Well read this thread....

 

Fish where big fish are known to live

 

 

Jigs, worms, and swimbaits are the most common reply to this question.

 

 

[Captain Phil]

I have been bass fishing in Florida waters for over 50 years.   I retired from tournament fishing some years ago, but I do still fish as often as I can.  As you would expect, my PB is pretty large when compared to an angler from the north.  Right now it's 12 pounds with 2 over 11 and dozens over 10.  You definitely need to fish waters known for large fish. There are some big fish in every lake, but fishing trophy lakes gives you a better chance at catching one yourself.   Larger bass do not hang out with a bunch of small bass.  They are solitary fish and much more difficult to catch, especially on artificial baits.  Bigger bass normally have a much smaller strike zone, which means you need to get closer to trigger a strike or draw them in with big natural baits.  Traditionally, Florida guides use large native shiners to target trophy bass.  I never used shiners even when I was guiding.   It's an easy thing for a guide to hang a shiner on a hook so a client can reel up a big bass, but it kills too many fish.  I also don't sight fish bedding bass as I believe it hurts the fishery.

 

The vast majority of my biggest bass came from flipping heavy cover.   I realize this may not be the best technique to use in a clear northern lake, but you did say you are in Georgia.   Learn to flip from someone who is good at it.   Find the deepest heaviest cover you can find.  Use a large plastic worm or craw and stick with it.  In our local tournaments, all the biggest bass are caught with this technique.    It works!  http://www.LakeCountyBass.com

[the reel ess]

I'd like to add that going to a pond known to have big bass will get your lure in front of big bass on a regular basis. Whereas going to a large impoundment might mean a lot fewer, or no big bass or see your lure. All the bass in a pond are within reach in one visit.