What To Use For Big Largemouth In 20 Feet

[NEBasser101]

I recently found an offshore spot that the big largemouth like to feed. It is a sand/weed flat in 18-23 feet. My first time there my buddy got an 8 which is a trophy fish in NH. He got it on a texas rigged senko. Whenever I go there I mark scattered fish, but they are giants. My problem is getting them to bite. Once in a while I miss them on a texas rigged stick worm but I don't get much bites at all. What would you throw for scattered largemouth in 20 feet?

[RichF]

3/4 to 1oz Jig with a big trailer or a big crank like a 5xd or 6xd.

[Birdman2136]

I have limited experience with the drop shot technique, but when I have used it I have had good luck in deeper water. In deeper water I like to throw a bigger than usual drop shot worm. Best luck with a 6" Contour worm from NetBait.

[BobP]

I’d try a Carolina rig with a 3/4 oz weight and the bait of your choice.  You can back off the spot so as not to alert the bass and still cover water with it.

[scaleface]

Berkely Dredger 25.5 . Red Eye shad , hopping it like a worm . Worm , t-rig and carolina .

[BassB8Caster]

Is there a drop off near by? Are they setting up looking deep for trout to come by? If so try bringing a big swimbait slowly up that drop off over the flat (deeper to shallow) Try a big worm dragged slowly over the flat. You will have to experiment day to day. Good luck!

[Raul]

How do you know they are bass ?

 

[NEBasser101]

2 hours ago, BassB8Caster said:

Is there a drop off near by? Are they setting up looking deep for trout to come by? If so try bringing a big swimbait slowly up that drop off over the flat (deeper to shallow) Try a big worm dragged slowly over the flat. You will have to experiment day to day. Good luck!

Thank you so much. This makes so much sense now. The 8 pounder my buddy pulled up looked like he had a soccer ball in his stomach. He was telling me how that fish must be munching on trout. What you said makes complete sense. I will definitely try that.

Thank you everyone for the responces

[Bluebasser86]

Heavy football jig, C-rig with a brush hog or big worm, heavy boot tail swimbait or a big swimbait with a fast ROF.

[fishballer06]

My choice would be a 3/8oz. fish head spin with a Keitech of your size choice, or a 1/2-3/4oz swimbait jig head with said Keitech again. If those fail, drop shot, a texas rigged 10" worm, or a wobble head are good choices.

[WRB]

Sand flats with aquatic weed growth indicates to me open areas between rooted vegetation patches. If the marks are bass, can't tell without catching them, that appear to be active feeding on something I would try to determine what the bass are doing there. It's always better to know what the bass are feeding on then guess.

Lets assume for sake of lure selection the bass are feeding on baitfish like perch or emerald shiners. Soft plastic swimbaits in greens 4" to 6" long drop shot rigged or jig w/trailer would be 2 presentations to start with. The drop shot in specific targets, the jig to  fan cast and retrieve. 20' of water you don't need heavy weights unless it's windy or the weed growth in dense.

My favorite weedless swimbait for this type of conditions is 3:16 Mission fish, it slides through this type of cover easily and comes in lots of sizes and colors.

Tom 

[JustinJ]

Swimbait jig 10" worm

[Catt]

Texas Rigged Lobster ?

[Bankbeater]

Heavy jig dragged along the bottom, or throw out a rat-l-trap, or a bladed jig, and let it sink down to the bottom.

[Turkey sandwich]

Conditions dictate presentation!  All of the above can work.  Are they active? Sluggish? Water clarity? Temp? 

 

Dropshots have grown on me for deep fish that I can mark, but as the fall picks up and they're likely targeting bigger prey, a big jig, oversized worm, big swimbait, or big crank are great options.  

[ClackerBuzz]

big bass usually like lures one of two ways:  very slow or very fast.  

 

lots of good recommendations above for slow so i'll add fast.  try long lining deep crankbaits.  drop ur crankbait 250ft pass the strike zone.  disengage the reel and get on the trolling motor heading to the opposite end of ur target.  then start cranking.  you can be on the bottom in the strike zone for hundreds of feet so it's a very effective way to cover lots of deep water with a fast moving lure.  drop a marker buoy to let yourself know where you started and also trying different angles. don't limit yourself to crankbaits bc you can do the same with a carolina rig.  it's a good method to get lots of distance between you and big bass.  good luck!

 

 

[NEBasser101]

15 hours ago, ClackerBuzz said:

big bass usually like lures one of two ways:  very slow or very fast.  

 

lots of good recommendations above for slow so i'll add fast.  try long lining deep crankbaits.  drop ur crankbait 250ft pass the strike zone.  disengage the reel and get on the trolling motor heading to the opposite end of ur target.  then start cranking.  you can be on the bottom in the strike zone for hundreds of feet so it's a very effective way to cover lots of deep water with a fast moving lure.  drop a marker buoy to let yourself know where you started and also trying different angles. don't limit yourself to crankbaits bc you can do the same with a carolina rig.  it's a good method to get lots of distance between you and big bass.  good luck!

 

 

Thank you. Will definitely try it

[papajoe222]

As was mentioned, working your bait up the drop will accomplish two things.  First, it will tip you off to both their location (depth) and their activity level and second (maybe more importantly) your bait is moving up to the fish's known feeding area. It's a natural activity and can turn a fish in a neutral feeding mood into action. Even working the flat from the shallower side  has this benefit. This is the way bass get the bait toward the surface, herding it upward.

As for baits, fish your strength and mix up your retrieve both speed and the action you impart.  It's like a fastball pitcher knowing a curve may get the hitter out, but he has more confidence in his fastball. He'll use a change of location, or add some movement up or down to get the batter out.