big plastics for big bass in deep water

[Mr. Aquarium]

i have a pond with big bass, i think the stay deeper then the average size bass! both smallies and largmouth. i love plastics jigs and swimbaits! so im thinking about beefing up my texas rigs, getting down deep with larger then average plastics! l like 7 inch senkos and zoom flukes. big craw and creature baits. 
has anyone fished deep with larger then average plastics? i know big worms work great out deep. 

any suggestions what time of year is best?  like i know the habits of bass. but i think theres always one or 2 big big bass that hang out deeper! 

[BassB8Caster]

I have found through experience and reading articles, that big worms will only work on days that end in Y. other than that i would not bother fishing them. 

For me, a 10" Berkley Havoc federale worm is the go to bait when im not getting bit on other lures. I recently caught my PB of 6.01lbs at a pond i have fished a good handful of times. I have caught good fish here, but nothing over 5. I have hooked and lost 2 that jumped out of the water that i knew were over 5. So i knew they were in there. Just didnt know how big they were. Fished for around 2 hours with no bites. Threw the sink at them. Just as it started getting darker, i tied on a worm and targetted pockets inside lillies. Caught that 6lber. I fished this exact area several times before. Right place at the right time. Bass love the worms too.

 

Remember, the bigger bass may have been deep all summer, but this is the time of year they may start coming in shallow. Target shallow in and near vegetation in that first hour of light and last hour of light. The best time of year a big bass wants a big bait is when the bass wants to eat the right big bait. Present it as a good meal that they dont have to expend a lot of energy and you will have an interested bass. High caloric intake with little cost. Be ready for the bite as it may be suttle. Make sure everything is in check from the hook to the reel. Nothing worse than losing a big bass to these things you can control. They are hard enough getting to bite. Good luck. 

[wdp]

Try a t-rigged Zoom Mag II or Ole Monster worm with a 3/8 - 1/2 oz weight. During the hot summer months, fish it slow in deeper water with structure, i.e. a hump, ditch, channel, drop off, etc. If there is some cover present near the structure like stumps, laydowns, grass, even better. 

 

Sometimes, deeper water is relative btw. My best fish this year came in June fishing a creek channel ditch that is only a ft deeper than the surrounding flat of 3-4 ft. But I caught her near the location where the whole flat drops off to 6-8 ft. 

[ClackerBuzz]

first fish deep.. slow and low.  it's not the size that's appealing to big bass as much as another slow easy meal that made them fat. if ur catching too many bass on 5" senkos while deep then by all means upsize till only adults bite.  but keep in mind when ur in the right location (usually deep or w/ deep access), with the right retrieve (usually slow and low), you'll catch plenty of big bass on small baits.

[papajoe222]

8 hours ago, BassB8Caster said:

Remember, the bigger bass may have been deep all summer, but this is the time of year they may start coming in shallow.

Right on the money if what you consider deep 15ft. or more.  You didn't say how large the pond is, or how deep.  Big baits, plastics included, are a great option,deep, in the summer and early in the fall before the water cools considerably. Once the fall bite is on, the larger size is less of a factor IMO, as the big gals will be on the move more now. They just don't move as far from their summer home as the majority do. Matching the size of the main forage and offering it in a way that draws attention is the way to go. Upping the blade size of a spinnerbait slightly, or going a 1/4oz. heavier on a lipless crank can accomplish that, but going from a 6in. to a 10in. worm isn't going to make a noteable difference.  If you know where their summer location is, look for the first break up from that area. If the baitfish pass there, that's where momma's dinner table will be set up.

[WRB]

10 hours ago, swamp hawgs said:

i have a pond with big bass, i think the stay deeper then the average size bass! both smallies and largmouth. i love plastics jigs and swimbaits! so im thinking about beefing up my texas rigs, getting down deep with larger then average plastics! l like 7 inch senkos and zoom flukes. big craw and creature baits. 
has anyone fished deep with larger then average plastics? i know big worms work great out deep. 

any suggestions what time of year is best?  like i know the habits of bass. but i think theres always one or 2 big big bass that hang out deeper! 

Nice swimbait you have in the avatar!

Tom

[Bassin' Brad]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Nice swimbait you have in the avatar!

Tom

Not sure what that has to do with the question. 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Bassin' Brad said:

Not sure what that has to do with the question. 

Probably ya might wanna consider chunking it in deep water!

 

My goto for deep water structure (15' +) is a 3/16-1/4 oz bullet weight, 3/0 straight shank round bend hook, & a 7 1/2" worm. I follow that up with a 3/8-1/2 oz jig with a 6" craw worm.

 

At 4 1/2" a Magnum Rage Bug aint big but it catches big bass.

[CroakHunter]

23 minutes ago, Catt said:

A 4 1/2" a Magnum Rage Bug aint big but it catches big bass.

Heck yeah it does.

[WRB]

Deep water is relative to water you are fishing and seasonal period. Late summer to fall transition that could be 8' to 10' in shallower water eccosystems. Where I fish it would be 25' to 35' do to the thermocline, our lakes haven't turned over yet.

The deeper you fish the more difficult strike detection becomes using jigs and worms.

Unless you are skilled or are willing to put the time, I don't think fishing deeper will result in catching bigger bass.

Tom

PS, I fish trout swimbaits that look a lot like your avatar.

[Mr. Aquarium]

The pond is 50 feet 292 acres with 3 basins! Structure consists of weeds, mussel beds, rocks,trees, humps, flats, points ledges.

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

the pond is a big pond! thank god theres no powerboats allowed. 292 acre pond,3  basins, its a big round pond, the basins are separated by a flat the runs the whole lake.  the flat is about 10 feet deep with grass on it. one basin is 30 feet deep, the smaller one,  the middle size basin is 40, the big main lake basin is 50 feet. 
the 40 and 30 foot basins are separated by  an island with a very shallow point. at the end of the point is 20 foot drop into a small channel that connects the 2 small basins.  

[BassB8Caster]

sounds like you know the pond very well. I dont think you need to necessarily fish the deep spots. Knowing vegetation, channels, flats etc adjacent to those deep spots may be the key to the big girls. They will roam to feed. they have their specific areas of restaraunts they frequent. you just need to be there at the right place at the right time and present a bait they want that given instance. Ask any big fish fisherman and they will all tell you the same thing. you can go days without a bite. But when you get bit....hold on. So start picking apart that pond hitting the high percentage areas! 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. find them. then catch them. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Deep water is relative to water you are fishing and seasonal period. Late summer to fall transition that could be 8' to 10' in shallower water eccosystems. Where I fish it would be 25' to 35' do to the thermocline, our lakes haven't turned over yet.

The deeper you fish the more difficult strike detection becomes using jigs and worms.

Unless you are skilled or are willing to put the time, I don't think fishing deeper will result in catching bigger bass.

Tom

PS, I fish trout swimbaits that look a lot like your avatar.

ive caught many bass, i love bass fishing and fish alot of big swimbaits!  i do alot of flipping and pitching. shallow ponds heavy cover is what im used to! im trying to work on my deeper  water skills like dragging football jigs, c-rigs and big cranks.  i love love love fishing slow on bottom with plastics and jigs or up top with big baits, so im trying to beef it up a bit and try a bit deeper for larger bass. this one particular pond i cant break 5lbs in, but i know theres big bass here, ive seen em, ive hooked them,  i think the big bass hang out deeper then the rest of the  bass.  rather its on a 10 foot flat or the humps. 

3 minutes ago, BassB8Caster said:

sounds like you know the pond very well. I dont think you need to necessarily fish the deep spots. Knowing vegetation, channels, flats etc adjacent to those deep spots may be the key to the big girls. They will roam to feed. they have their specific areas of restaraunts they frequent. you just need to be there at the right place at the right time and present a bait they want that given instance. Ask any big fish fisherman and they will all tell you the same thing. you can go days without a bite. But when you get bit....hold on. So start picking apart that pond hitting the high percentage areas! 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. find them. then catch them. 

yea man ive fished here a few times!  the only problem is its a car top boats only, i fish in a yak most of the time so getting my big john boat out there is a hassle. we have to go through another pond down a canal then drag it over a hill to get to it. so its a real pain to get to.  its ALWAYS windy out there!  so staying on a spot for a while to thoroughly fish it is a Challenge. ive been told by a few people where they have seen big bass and have caught them! so i  will target those areas more. 

[Primus]

I've got 2 worms for you to try , a 10" XCite Maximus on a magnum jighead and a Texas Rig 10" Big Bite baits Kriet Tail worm have performed very well for me . As others have mentioned the Rage Structure Bug has a knack for attracting bigger fish . 

[WRB]

You gotta put the lure in front of a active big bass and ain't going to happen unless you know where they feed. Some lake the biggest bass prefer 3" crawdads, other lakes they eat 12" trout and you need to know why. Big isn't always the answer, location and timing is. Right lure at the right time in the right place = success.

I have fish the same lakes for decades and know nearly every rock, stump, tree, bush and places the big bass prefer to hang out and I don't know what they want to eat and when without keeping in touch with those bass.  If presenting a big swimbait and they want a 3" crawdad, my chances of success are low. You just got to try and spend the time and effort, no panacea lure exists. If the big bass is reacting to lures going up hill and you are working it down hill, the bass may not strike it. So many variables it's impossible to claim a 10" widget is the answer.

Sounds like this small lake has good potential and at 292 acres it should take you too long to figure it out.

Tom

[BassB8Caster]

17 hours ago, swamp hawgs said:

 

yea man ive fished here a few times!  the only problem is its a car top boats only, i fish in a yak most of the time so getting my big john boat out there is a hassle. we have to go through another pond down a canal then drag it over a hill to get to it. so its a real pain to get to.  its ALWAYS windy out there!  so staying on a spot for a while to thoroughly fish it is a Challenge. ive been told by a few people where they have seen big bass and have caught them! so i  will target those areas more. 

I fish out of a kayak too. Its a luxury being able to get where the boats cant. I was stuck below the 5lb mark as well (i lost a few i knew were over, just couldnt land them). Then i landed a 6lber on a 10" worm just before dark in the shallows near pads. They are starting to roam.

To touch on what wrb said regarding down hill vs uphill. I too like throwing swimbaits. I havent gotten into the real big ones as i need a swimbait set up. But i fish the 5.8 keitech. I try to read as much as i can on swimbait fishing for big bass. When targeting those big bass that are looking for trout for example, articles say the fish will set up looking out to deep water, where the trout come from. So if you cast from deep to shallow you may bri g it right by them and they wont see it until it passes. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

1 hour ago, BassB8Caster said:

I fish out of a kayak too. Its a luxury being able to get where the boats cant. I was stuck below the 5lb mark as well (i lost a few i knew were over, just couldnt land them). Then i landed a 6lber on a 10" worm just before dark in the shallows near pads. They are starting to roam.

To touch on what wrb said regarding down hill vs uphill. I too like throwing swimbaits. I havent gotten into the real big ones as i need a swimbait set up. But i fish the 5.8 keitech. I try to read as much as i can on swimbait fishing for big bass. When targeting those big bass that are looking for trout for example, articles say the fish will set up looking out to deep water, where the trout come from. So if you cast from deep to shallow you may bri g it right by them and they wont see it until it passes. 

thats really smart about that trout! so doing what the prominent bait fish is doing.  LOTS AND LOTS of perch.  both whites and yellows! 

[roadwarrior]

Rage Rail Thumper

 

http://www.ragetail.com/news/color-charts/rage-thumper-color-selection/

[Catt]

34 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Rage Rail Thumper

 

http://www.ragetail.com/news/color-charts/rage-thumper-color-selection/

 

 

[Turkey sandwich]

8 hours ago, BassB8Caster said:

 

To touch on what wrb said regarding down hill vs uphill. I too like throwing swimbaits. I havent gotten into the real big ones as i need a swimbait set up. But i fish the 5.8 keitech. I try to read as much as i can on swimbait fishing for big bass. When targeting those big bass that are looking for trout for example, articles say the fish will set up looking out to deep water, where the trout come from. So if you cast from deep to shallow you may bri g it right by them and they wont see it until it passes. 

 

This is something to mind, though, I think another part of it has to do with keeping your bait in the strike zone longer.  Casting to deep and reeling to shallow will keep your bait closer to the bottom and in front of the fish longer than the opposite.  Pay attention to where along that path strikes are occurring, as it'll give you clues as to where the fish are sitting along the structure.  

[Mr. Aquarium]

makes perfect sense! thank man!  i love this site, so much useful info

[LxVE Bassin]

That's interesting, never been to a pond with both smallies and largemouth. That would be interesting.

[Mr. Aquarium]

On 9/23/2017 at 12:39 PM, LxVE Bassin said:

That's interesting, never been to a pond with both smallies and largemouth. That would be interesting.

its awesome, few different patterns to fish.  if largemouth aint bitting then switch to smallies.  lots of place around are like that 

[Michaelangelo]

On 9/20/2017 at 1:46 PM, WRB said:

You gotta put the lure in front of a active big bass and ain't going to happen unless you know where they feed. Some lake the biggest bass prefer 3" crawdads, other lakes they eat 12" trout and you need to know why. Big isn't always the answer, location and timing is. Right lure at the right time in the right place = success.

I have fish the same lakes for decades and know nearly every rock, stump, tree, bush and places the big bass prefer to hang out and I don't know what they want to eat and when without keeping in touch with those bass.  If presenting a big swimbait and they want a 3" crawdad, my chances of success are low. You just got to try and spend the time and effort, no panacea lure exists. If the big bass is reacting to lures going up hill and you are working it down hill, the bass may not strike it. So many variables it's impossible to claim a 10" widget is the answer.

Sounds like this small lake has good potential and at 292 acres it should take you too long to figure it out.

Tom

Very true. It's all about either knowledge or dumb luck to get something huge. So either do your homework or get drunk and grab random lures and fish like a beginner haha