Are smaller baits better to use for this?

[Milos]

I don't mind catching small fish, since I fish for fun. But I hear that small baits will help catch bigger fish also if the fish wasn't that hungry. Would this be true?

 

What advantages would I have if I were to use larger baits?

[riverbasser]

The saying goes big bait= big fish

 

I don't disagree but the right bait in the right place at the right time matters more.

[Dorado]

Personally, I am more of a firm believer that matching the hatch catches bigger fish. If the pigs are eating 8" stocked trout, then throw your large swimbaits. In AZ, you do this in the winter and fall when they are only stocked in those seasons. Spring and Summer, If the pigs are eating 2" Threadfin Shad throw your white grubs. You have to identify the scenario you are in and be equipped for that ecosystem. 

 

Bass are opportunitic too so they'll swipe at random stuff but then you're playing with lower odds. Fly fishing has taught me how to be observant and particular with lures and presentations. In New Mexico, we catch 25" rainbows fishing with size #26 Midge emergers.  Experience is starting to get me to hone in on details and I have a lot more to learn. It's why fishing is a lifetime hobby. 

[Bluebasser86]

Location is more important than presentation IMO. You put a Ned rig or Dropshot Roboworm on a big fish's nose, there's a good chance it will eat it because it's a low risk, easy meal to catch. If you pull a Strike King 1.0 past the same fish, it might not be the same results because it has to chase down that small meal that is going to be very minimal calories gained towards the calories burned chasing it. 

I've seen fish come a long ways to eat a big topwater, spinnerbait, or swimbait, because the reward of chasing down a big meal is worth the extra exertion and calories burned. 

[scaleface]

First , do you have the  equipment to handle large baits  ?   

[smalljaw67]

Smaller baits are often referred to as finesse baits and they will get you bites when the fishing is tough. Don't think of it in terms of the fish being hungry, bass are predators and if they aren't feeding they will often strike out of reaction which is why sometimes fast moving baits work better than slower ones. Small baits can, and will catch large fish, I've caught numerous smallmouth in the 5lb class on 1/16oz hair jigs with small size #2 hook but most of the time they are going to catch you numbers of fish more than large fish. Big baits do catch big fish and sometimes small fish, but my biggest smallmouth came on a regular size Zara Spook, and that bait is 5" and weighs 3/4oz.  The point I'm trying to make is don't limit yourself, yes small bait genrally will catch higher numbers of fish because they appeal to more sizes but I've had more than a few days when going bigger got me more bites, it doesn't happen all the time but it happens enough to have some larger baits in the same styles as the smaller baits that work for you. If you are using 4" and 5" worms that work, try having some 6", 7" and 8" worms in the same style or if you do well with small 1/8oz and 1/4oz square bills, try have similar ones in 3/8oz and 1/2oz models as well, it will pay off for you in the long run.

[Catt]

When a bass attacks a school of shad, minnows, perch, ect, it does not try to run down the healthiest, fastest, the one out front.

 

Given the choice of a 4" shad 10 feet away and a 8" shad 20 yards away the bass will choose the closest

 

Why?

 

The biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

[NHBull]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Location is more important than presentation IMO. You put a Ned rig or Dropshot Roboworm on a big fish's nose, there's a good chance it will eat it because it's a low risk, easy meal to catch. If you pull a Strike King 1.0 past the same fish, it might not be the same results because it has to chase down that small meal that is going to be very minimal calories gained towards the calories burned chasing it. 

I've seen fish come a long ways to eat a big topwater, spinnerbait, or swimbait, because the reward of chasing down a big meal is worth the extra exertion and calories burned. 

I have become a big believer in this ^. And it explains my success this summer with the WP 110, wackyrig and CB/JB.  Makes perfect sense.  I plan to approach the Fall this way

[Milos]

The equipment I have is a plussino telescopic rod, this was my 2nd rod and it didn't have any helpful specs. From looking at it I can assume its a medium at the very least and its made of fiber glass. The thing says 180 GR 30-60g that's all.

 

My other rod is a ultra light spinning rod that can take a maximum of 8 pound braid, and 1/32 - 3/16 oz lures. 

[deep]

10 hours ago, Milos said:

The equipment I have is a plussino telescopic rod, this was my 2nd rod and it didn't have any helpful specs. From looking at it I can assume its a medium at the very least and its made of fiber glass. The thing says 180 GR 30-60g that's all.

 

 

1 oz = about 28.3 grams.

Not sure what the GR part means... but there seems to be plenty of these rods @ 1.8 meters length on ebay.

Any chance yours is ~6 ft?

[RPreeb]

On 8/4/2017 at 10:24 PM, Dorado said:

Personally, I am more of a firm believer that matching the hatch catches bigger fish. If the pigs are eating 8" stocked trout, then throw your large swimbaits. In AZ, you do this in the winter and fall when they are only stocked in those seasons. Spring and Summer, If the pigs are eating 2" Threadfin Shad throw your white grubs. You have to identify the scenario you are in and be equipped for that ecosystem. 

 

Bass are opportunitic too so they'll swipe at random stuff but then you're playing with lower odds. Fly fishing has taught me how to be observant and particular with lures and presentations. In New Mexico, we catch 25" rainbows fishing with size #26 Midge emergers.  Experience is starting to get me to hone in on details and I have a lot more to learn. It's why fishing is a lifetime hobby. 

 

Yep.  I've seen a 5 pound brown trout landed on a #28 mosquito dry fly.  Trout do tend to feed a bit differently from bass though.

[Dorado]

7 minutes ago, RPreeb said:

 

Yep.  I've seen a 5 pound brown trout landed on a #28 mosquito dry fly.  Trout do tend to feed a bit differently from bass though.

Absolutely agree and it was probably a apple to orange comparison now that I look back on it.  However, I fish highly pressured Ponds so it's all about natural looking presentations and matching profiles to get any love

[Milos]

Not sure if I remember, the rod seems to be 6-7ft. Definitely over 5ft. 

[scaleface]

Its hard to use lures that weigh more than your equipment can handle  .  If your telescopic  rod handles medium sized  1/4 to 1/2 ounce lures well then you will be able to find just about every lure category  in that weight range . Just stay within your limits and catch as many bass as you can . Catch enough and you will get some big ones . Sounds like your are serious about bass fishing so stay with it . The harder you work at it the more success you will have . 

[deep]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

If your telescopic  rod handles medium sized  1/4 to 1/2 ounce lures well 

 

I think it's rated for 1 to 2 oz baits.

 

P.S. Based on my ebay/ amazon/ www digging yesterday