How often do you catch a big bass?

[Catt]

@Milos your tackle is what it is

 

You're gonna have to adjust your style of fishing to fit your tackle. It's called finesse fishing & is highly productive for those who learn its limitations.

 

You will have to avoid big heavy bulky lures & heavy cover opting for smaller lures & waters that have sparse cover.

 

@scaleface & @soflabasser offer some excellent lure choices!

 

Google Bobby Murray, Charlie Brewer, or Roger Moore. Bobby Murray qualified for eight consecutive Classics and won two using lighter tackle. Roger Moore started a streak in 1974 on the St. Johns River," Moore recalls. "I never got skunked my first four years of fishing B.A.S.S., including four BASS Master Classics. Charlie Brewer's Do-Nothing Slider Fishing is legendary.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Catt
Operator error

[DogBone_384]

... not often enough ....

[BaitMonkey1984]

Not as often as I hook a big bass. Happened to me today, a 5lber which is a great fish here in MA hit my flipping set up. I rolled and kept her down for as long as I could, then she jumped and did what she needed to do to survive. Seems like the bigger they are, the easier they come off. 

[Bucky205]

11 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Milos your tackle is what it is

 

You're gonna have to adjust your style of fishing to fit your tackle. It's called finesse fishing & is highly productive for those who learn its limitations.

 

You will have to avoid big heavy bulky lures & heavy cover opting for smaller lures & waters that have sparse cover.

 

@scaleface & @soflabasser offer some excellent lure choices!

 

Google Bobby Murray, Charlie Brewer, or Roger Moore. Bobby Murray qualified for eight consecutive Classics and won two using lighter tackle. Roger Moore started a streak in 1974 on the St. Johns River," Moore recalls. "I never got skunked my first four years of fishing B.A.S.S., including four BASS Masters Classics. Charlie Brewer's Do-Nothing Finesse Slider Worm is legendary!

@Milos your tackle is what it is

 

You're gonna have to adjust your style of fishing to fit your tackle. It's called finesse fishing & is highly productive for those who learn its limitations.

 

You will have to avoid big heavy bulky lures & heavy cover opting for smaller lures & waters that have sparse cover.

 

@scaleface & @soflabasser offer some excellent lure choices!

 

Google Bobby Murray, Charlie Brewer, or Roger Moore. Bobby Murray qualified for eight consecutive Classics and won two using lighter tackle. Roger Moore started a streak in 1974 on the St. Johns River," Moore recalls. "I never got skunked my first four years of fishing B.A.S.S., including four BASS Masters Classics. Charlie Brewer's Do-Nothing Finesse Slider Worm is legendary!

@Milos your tackle is what it is

 

You're gonna have to adjust your style of fishing to fit your tackle. It's called finesse fishing & is highly productive for those who learn its limitations.

 

You will have to avoid big heavy bulky lures & heavy cover opting for smaller lures & waters that have sparse cover.

 

@scaleface & @soflabasser offer some excellent lure choices!

 

Google Bobby Murray, Charlie Brewer, or Roger Moore. Bobby Murray qualified for eight consecutive Classics and won two using lighter tackle. Roger Moore started a streak in 1974 on the St. Johns River," Moore recalls. "I never got skunked my first four years of fishing B.A.S.S., including four BASS Masters Classics. Charlie Brewer's Do-Nothing Finesse Slider Worm is legendary!

Their talking tournaments, not practice days.

[Falkus]

On 7/28/2017 at 2:02 PM, Turtle135 said:

question: How often do you catch a big bass?

answer: Not nearly often enough!

 

I fish frequently (at least 2-3 times per week in season) and I seem to get one to two "big" bass per month. Big in my area (Maryland) would be a largemouth bass 20" and larger.

 

@Turtle135

 

What a HAWG !  I would love to kidnap that !   

[El Cheapo]

Caught my personal best fish on a buzzbait tonight! I was fishing a small local private pond and noticed the fish feeding on top. Went with a white buzzer and caught a few. Then I missed a couple and switched to a spook. Nothing. Went back to the buzzbait and within a few casts had a fish on. He didn't really nail it, just sort of sucked it under but I felt the weight and set the hook. The smaller fish are usually pulled toward me when I do this. This fish didn't move. He made a couple beautiful jumps and ran around a bit, but eventually he tired and I was able to land him. Nice, thick fish 20 inches long and I'm gonna say 5 pounds. Could easily put my whole fist in his mouth. Quite a hog for the little pond! Main hook was in the jaw and the trailer was in the gills. I was real careful getting the hooks out, but still there was some blood. Not too bad though. I carefully revived him and after a few seconds he took off. Fished for another 45 minutes and no sign of him so I think we're good. Just bummed I didn't have my phone with me so no pic. Gotta start carrying my scale too! 

[Montanaro]

Big bass monkey is riding my back.

 

Caught a couple nice ones early in the year...but every week since I cant land any over 3 pounds which are not common fish in the places i fish in wv.

 

I do everything right but random luck of where/how they are hooked or getting stuck against lilypads comes in the way.

[scaleface]

58 minutes ago, Montanaro said:

Big bass monkey is riding my back.

 

Caught a couple nice ones early in the year...but every week since I cant land any over 3 pounds which are not common fish in the places i fish in wv.

 

I do everything right but random luck of where/how they are hooked or getting stuck against lilypads comes in the way.

 

I had a period of about two years where every big bass I hooked came off . I was trying to horse them in like the pros do . Now unless i have to pressure them out of heavy cover , I let them tire themselves out . Since I been landing most of my big  fish .The only decent one I can recall losing in the last several years came at night on  a plastic worm . I dont think I got the hook penetration on that one .

[Montanaro]

All i fish is heavy cover lol.

 

Yesterday had a 5 or 6 which would have helped me back into BBWC contention.  She kept diving for the thick submerged grass and got her head turned and popped hook.  Turns out I let rod load up on my big ez and didnt get a good hook in as I was in more open water.  When I get a hit in the spatterdock fields I whack on em and rarely lose them. 

 

The main pond I fish has a few over 6 if not over 8...but it gets a lot of pressure and isnt big so when they do decide to bite I need to land them.

[GreenGhostMan]

On 7/28/2017 at 6:24 PM, WRB said:

Now I know you have a light spinning outfit and use 6 lb monofilament line. Telescoping rods seem like a good idea but they don't do anything well except easy to store.

it is what it is as the saying goes.

Bass like to be around objects or under them, they are not out in open water very often.

Places they prefer are docks, weed beds, trees in the water, rocks or boulders etc. We call things that make up the lake bottom from the edge where the water starts to the deepest areas structure. Things that grow in the water or float on top we call cover.

Lures that work well for bass need to be able to be retreived in cover or around structure without snagging. The 2 lures you are using are ok for open water areas with very little cover. The closer you retrieve your lure to both structure and cover the more likely you are going to catch bass.

You rod isn't very good for fishing bass lures, the reel is ok. Until you can change the rod to  a medium fast action 1 piece bass spinning rod, your rod should be able to work for a few other lures. You may need to change the line to a premium 8 lb test mono like Berkley Trilene XL, 6 lb is ok you will lose more lures.

Soft plastics can be fished using what you now have. I would start with 6.5" Zoom Trick worms and 5" GYCB Senko in green pumpkin color. You will need size 2/0 and 3/0 off set worm hooks,  Mustad Ultra point are inexpensive hooks and good quality. The 2/0 for worms, 3/0 for  Senko. The worms I suggest using a split shot rig, the Senko unweighted. The split shot is round type without ears (ears snag weeds) in size #4 or 1/8 oz. 

Tie on your hook using a good knot like a Uni or Trilene knot. The split shot is clamped on the line about 14" above the hook. The worm and Senko are hooked weedless..see Texas rig worm, vedio on this site.

Since you are new and shore fishing try to find an area with a point of land going out underwater or start at the dam. I want you to make a fan casting pattern, that means cast paralell to the shore about 3' to 5' out from the bank about 25 yards in front of you. Let the  worm or Senko hit bottom, then lift the rod tip up about 2' and let the worm or Senko fall down to the bottom. Repeat this retrieve moving the work or Senko about 2' each time. 

Repeat the cast out about 10' from the bank and retrieve. Continue casting until you make a full fan pattern all the around to your back side. Walk down the bank about 30 to 40 yards and repeat the fan casting pattern. This is slow but very effective method to cover water. Bites feel like something is pecking, tapping or tugging lightly in your worm or Senko or you see the line moving. Set the hook by reeling fast and sweeping your rod back hard.

Good luck and catch lots of bass.

Tom

 

 

This is why I love this forum... Experienced anglers willing to help us less experienced beginners and willing to simplify it for us.  I've been fishing for about 2 years and I've learned so much from this site.

[Bankbeater]

For me it's all about location, type of bait, and fishing pressure.  Locally, I have been catching one or two bass over four pounds each year, and that's because I use baits that the bass don't see very often.  On a fishing trip to a large reservoir, I might catch a four of five pounder once a day.

[kiteman]

i feel like the place i fish i used to catch 3+lbs all the time.  years later and 3+ is rare, once every 10 fishing outings.  it has gotten a little pressure but i don't think it's that bad.  there used to be so many perch there you could throw out beef jerky and catch them (no joke, i did this), but now i don't ever see perch, so i suppose something is going on.

 

i live in the city and the fact that i can fish a clean pond and catch anything at ALL is amazing, much less 3+lb.  i'd say if you are in a city and found a place that has fish you can catch, size does not matter.  if you live on lake fork or something and you only catch a 3+lb every month and you're fishing daily, you probably need to find a fishing buddy who can give you tips lol.  as others have said, size is so incredibly relative.