What adjustments do you make to catch bigger Bass?

[j19]

Lately I have been catching a lot of fish but for the most part they have been relatively small. When you find a pattern that is producing lots of small ones, what adjustments do you make (if any) to try and find the bigger Bass?

[Scarborough817]

the first adjustment i would make is up size the second would be find a bait with similar profile but maybe a different tone like if it was a regular lipless crank maybe go to a one knocker in a similar colour 

[sully420]

If you are on a school of bass they generally school by size. So look for new schools with bigger fish. Some lakes only the smaller bass school and you should look for bigger individuals in cover rocks,docks,mats ect. If your are power fishing and getting rats then go to bigger more agressive baits.

[Russ E]

this time of year, if I am catching small fish, my first move is to fish a little deeper.

the 4 fish in my profile picture are a classic example. I was catching a lot of small fish in 5-10 foot on weedy main lake points, with a 1/8 ounce Shakyhead. i moved out to 20 foot on the same points and caught these, with the same bait but on a 1/4 ounce head.

hope this helps. 

[roadwarrior]

My suggestion would also be deeper water.

 

[N Florida Mike]

Soft  plastics and frogs fished as slow as you can stand it.If youre already fishing those and catching dinks, then go to a bigger size bait.

You could also try the solunar feeding times specifically for bigger fish with these baits/ speed.I only rarely check them but its good if you only have a couple hours to fish and cant decide when to go.

If you have been fishing the same baits/ speeds/ times of day ,switch it up and try something different.

I know this wont go over well with some,but live bait is a great big fish producer for me in summer.The reason I dont do it as much is that its 2-3 times the work to catch the bait ,keep it alive ,and make the presentation. No better bait than live wild shiners!!!?

[Catt]

8 hours ago, j19 said:

Lately I have been catching a lot of fish but for the most part they have been relatively small. When you find a pattern that is producing lots of small ones, what adjustments do you make (if any) to try and find the bigger Bass?

 

Change locations

[NHBull]

The larger fish on my lake are coming from OLD docks and deeper rock and tree cover.  Jigs are bring in the bigger ones.  Night fishing top waters has also been successful 

[j19]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

8 hours ago, Scarborough817 said:

the first adjustment i would make is up size the second would be find a bait with similar profile but maybe a different tone like if it was a regular lipless crank maybe go to a one knocker in a similar colour 

I generally try to keep multiple sized baits tied on my rods, I will try to utilize the larger baits a little more.

 

 

8 hours ago, Weedwhacker said:

this time of year, if I am catching small fish, my first move is to fish a little deeper.

the 4 fish in my profile picture are a classic example. I was catching a lot of small fish in 5-10 foot on weedy main lake points, with a 1/8 ounce Shakyhead. i moved out to 20 foot on the same points and caught these, with the same bait but on a 1/4 ounce head.

hope this helps. 

The lake I live on is pretty much shaped like a frying pan and averages 6-8 feet deep with the deepest spot at 13. I do have a tendency to move deeper when I look for the bigger fish but I have rarely caught anything deeper than 8 feet in my lake. The lake itself is fairly weedy throughout and my go-to strategy is to find the thickest weeds I can and pitch into them. The fish I catch aren't terribly small (1-2 lbs.) but I would like to start landing the 3+ lbs. more consistently. 

[scaleface]

If I'm on a pattern and catching a lot of small bass and want something bigger , Then I'll stick with what I'm doing and make minor changes. A little deeper , slightly larger , deeper on cover...  I found though , that if I catch enough dinks , I'll stumble on larger fish in the process .

[lonnie g]

I agree with the up size on bait. try heavier cover as well as deeper water, be more accurate with your cast. sometimes the big ones don't like to move far to catch there prey.  

[scaleface]

If I'm fishing cover like brush or a downed tree . I dont make a couple of hops and then reel in . I keep hopping that lure until I no  longer feel anything , then a couple more hops  to be safe  . Those big fish are often on the deep part away from what is visible . They often will hit that lure away from cover .  I've had a lot of big bass hit right under the boat for some reason .

[Mike L]

Know your waters...

Down here in the summer when the water temp is in the high 80's low 90's fishing in open, or scattered cover more times than not will get you the smaller fish in any given area. 

The big girls undoubtedly will be in the heaviest, thickest cover within a short burst to more open areas.

 

You gotta go where they live and that means buried up.

You won't be catching 10 8+ lb'ers in any given outing, but knowing where they have a better chance to be, is where you need to be.

 

When making any given flip or punch you better be ready because you can hook up with a few that will make you learn real quick that knowing where to go, is more important than what you're doing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

If all ya catching is tighteyes it's cause big momma ain't there!

 

Up sizing lures is just gonna catch ya tighteyes on bigger lures!

 

Ya gonna have to change locations to where big momma is, be it deeper water or thicker cover.

[RichF]

Throw a big jig....all day.

[A-Jay]

57 minutes ago, RichF said:

Throw a big jig....all day.

 X2 ~

And throw it like you're Trying to lose it.

A-Jay

[WRB]

Location, location, location, adult size bass are located where they can feed on a predominate food source. Juevnile size bass and big bass don't share the same locations, it's a pecking order.

Tom

[scaleface]

23 minutes ago, WRB said:

Location, location, location, adult size bass are located where they can feed on a predominate food source. Juevnile size bass and big bass don't share the same locations, it's a pecking order.

Tom

 

What if the predominate food source is so available that they can set up anywhere ? The lakes I fish are so full of shad that at times it seems like the entire surface is covered and the depth finder is black because of them .

[Hez]

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

 Juevnile size bass and big bass don't share the same locations, it's a pecking order.

 

I struggle with this concept and sometimes wonder how well it holds true....

 

I am sure like every other "rule" in bass fishing...it is not a guaranteed rule all of the time...

 

But I have a hard time picking up and moving just because I caught a little fish. 

 

 

[scaleface]

1 minute ago, Hez said:

 

I struggle with this concept and sometimes wonder how well it holds true....

 

I am sure like every other "rule" in bass fishing...it is not a guaranteed rule all of the time...

 

But I have a hard time picking up and moving just because I caught a little fish. 

 

 

 

Me too . If I'm on a random school of small bass holding on a featureless bottom then I hardly ever catch a big bass . If I'm on a school of dinks on great structure , then I have caught a lot of big bass mixed in with them .

[Catt]

29 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 X2 ~

And throw it like you're Trying to lose it.

A-Jay

 

Two of my favorite quotes!

 

The second is, "set hook like you're trying to break something!".

 

1 minute ago, Hez said:

 

I struggle with this concept and sometimes wonder how well it holds true....

 

I am sure like every other "rule" in bass fishing...it is not a guaranteed rule all of the time...

 

But I have a hard time picking up and moving just because I caught a little fish. 

 

 

Ever watch Glen Lau's Bigmouth & Bigmouth Forever?

 

What you will notice when there's more than one bass they are the same size.

[Hez]

Just now, Catt said:

Ever watch Glen Lau's Bigmouth & Bigmouth Forever?

 

What you will notice when there's more than one bass they are the same size.

 

Yes sir, I have actually watched that on YouTube recently...and I did notice that, but I will watch it again and pay close attention to that detail.  

 

[WRB]

Every lake with bass populations the density is more smaller size bass and fewer larger size bass. Baby bass are prey for larger bass including juevnile size bass. Young juevnile size bass are prey for larger adult size bass. The only time big and small bass coexist is during the spawn, after that it's bass eat bass underwater world. If there is lots of small bass actively feeding it's because they feel safe to do it. 

Big bass locate at the best feeding zones.

Tom

[scaleface]

You have to take in consideration that big bass in some spots are not even worth mentioning in others .

[WRB]

What you should consider is females make up high % of the population over 4 lbs. I consider adult bass 4 lbs or larger are big bass that can eat and do whatever they choose. The giant bass in any population are so rare you waste time trying to determine their specific location. Find the 4 lber's and you found the location of bigger bass , then it's a matter of timing and lure selection/presentation.

Tom