Targeting?

[Topwaterdude]

When you go fishing are you targeting big fish or just trying to catch any size fish?Reason I ask I been catching alot of fish 20+fish per trip but they are between 1-2lb fish,so I've decided to change my approach using aka big fish baits big worms,jig and pig,big senkos and swimbaits.Now I do realize my numbers are gonna reduce drastically just wondering if I can accept that. Curious what your guys approach is?Thanks!!

[Mobasser]

I've fished both ways. If you want to target big fish mainly, expect your numbers to go down. Bigger bass will hit smaller baits too. Targeting big bass is really knowing where to fish. Location is the key

[Dirtyeggroll]

Lately, I have had new PB-it is.

 

Been exclusively throwing big swimbaits.

 

Went out yesterday and threw my big baits to get only one short strike and watch one fish just miss the hooks because I tried to set the hook to soon.

 

On my way back to the ramp I made a couple casts on a brushpile on a jig and caught one 2-lber to keep the skunk away.

 

My heart still races a little replaying watching the big one touch it’s nose to a Hinkle Shad. 

[Russ E]

17 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Targeting big bass is really knowing where to fish. Location is the key

-I agree. targeting bigger fish is not always about using bigger baits.

 

I target bigger fish most of the time.

Some of my largest fish have come off of shakyheads and ned rigs. 

[Mobasser]

3 minutes ago, Russ E said:

-I agree. targeting bigger fish is not always about using bigger baits.

 

I target bigger fish most of the time.

Some of my largest fish have come off of shakyheads and ned rigs. 

Russ E , I've always felt that it's the location. Bigger fish have been caught on baits big and small, but you have to be throwing them in the right areas for success. Of course, that's probably the hardest part of bass fishing

[papajoe222]

Early in the season, I'm a numbers guy.  The long dry spell from Oct.-March has me chomping at the bit once my season opens and the addiction for catching becomes paramount.  The same situation happens the last few weeks of the season. I'm looking to carry a high into the off season.

The remainder of the season, I'm targeting big fish. Most days it's only two or three bites, some only one. I may get an occasional dink. Big baits/small baits are determined by the fish. Yea, I know what you're thinking: "If he's only getting two or three bites a day, how can he determine what the fish want?" I fish areas known to hold big fish and I start off with bigger baits, but before I move on to another area, I'll go small. (My bait of choice then is a hair jig and a 4in. straight tail that I also use with a drop shot} If I get bit on the big bait, I stick with it. If not, I switch to a smaller presentation before moving on.  I landed two fish on my last outing. One on a 6in. paddle tail swim bait, the other on a hair jig. Four hours apart.

 

[Dirtyeggroll]

17 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

Early in the season, I'm a numbers guy. 

Early in the season is the time of year that a lot of times a person can do both!

[scaleface]

I strive for both .  

[Bankbeater]

It's nice when you go out and catch a 4, or 5 pounder, but when you fish all day and that's the only one you catch it starts to get old.

 

[Deleted account]

10 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Targeting big bass is really knowing where to fish. Location is the key

This ^.  Fishing for larger fish isn't about different baits, It's about finding the big fish, and altering presentation. Larger lures do not as much appeal to larger fish as much as they deter smaller ones. Of course there are times and places where larger lures make sense for various other reasons.

[tander]

I bass fish to catch bass. If I catch a bunch of small ones I am happy or if I catch a big one I am happy. Really I am just happy to be out on the water.

[Mobasser]

I used to fish some club tournaments with an older friend, "Frank" who is gone now. He rarely won these events, but would usually bring in the biggest bass- sometimes only one fish. His lure of choice- a 7.5 inch Culprit worm, Texas rigged. His secret: he studied fish location! Mainly Buck Perry. He helped a lot when I started out. Once I started reading Buck Perry's stuff, I didn't look at fishing the same way again. Targeting big fish is a different ball game. Once I started thinking that it's not about the hot new bait, but WHERE your fishing, it changed everything! Can't preach it enough! Location is where it's at!

[shovelmouth83]

some days i do target big fish some days i catch what i can. depends on the weather and things. 

[TnRiver46]

12 hours ago, Topwaterdude said:

When you go fishing are you targeting big fish or just trying to catch any size fish?Reason I ask I been catching alot of fish 20+fish per trip but they are between 1-2lb fish,so I've decided to change my approach using aka big fish baits big worms,jig and pig,big senkos and swimbaits.Now I do realize my numbers are gonna reduce drastically just wondering if I can accept that. Curious what your guys approach is?Thanks!!

Can I come fishing where you catch 20+ 1-2 pounders every trip???

[Dens228]

Last year was my first in a kayak and I just wanted to catch bass.  I did that and had a blast.  This year I entered online tournaments and wanted to catch bigger bass, which I was able to do and did result in less fish.  But there have been times where I just wanted to catch fish.  

 

The funny part is I tend to catch my smallest fish right around the time and spot I catch the bigger ones. This summer I caught a 21" largemouth on a swimjig/Keitech and on the very next cast to the same spot caught a bass that had to be all of 8"!  

[J Francho]

General advice for anyone looking for bigger fish: look deeper, and fish slower.

[Topwaterdude]

I'm thinking if I'm getting 20 fish a trip and they are1-2lb, big ones must be in that area?

[Mobasser]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

General advice for anyone looking for bigger fish: look deeper, and fish slower.

Very true. It really takes patience and time. Never easy for sure

1 minute ago, Topwaterdude said:

I'm thinking if I'm getting 20 fish a trip and they are1-2lb, big ones must be in that area?

Maybe? Not always. Big fish pick out the best spots for cover, feeding, etc. Dinks take what's available to them.If you do find a group of 1-2lb fish, it would always pay to fish the area like J Franco says. Deeper and slower.

[Dens228]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

General advice for anyone looking for bigger fish: look deeper, and fish slower.

My biggest bass was in two feet of water, my second biggest was at 22 feet......

[CroakHunter]

I am always trying to catch what i think is a "big" bass for whatever body of water I'm fishing. That ranges from 3-10lbs. 

[J Francho]

49 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

My biggest bass was in two feet of water, my second biggest was at 22 feet......

Similar, just flip the fish.

[Koz]

This year I've fished only lagoons that I know are holding bigger bass (5-10+ pounds). The smaller fish we catch in these lagoons are 2.5 - 3.5 pounds and these make up most of what we catch.

 

I also know a handful of lagoons that hold mass quantities of dinks and there are days where you get strikes on just about every single cast. I know that some folks like that type of fishing, but for me it gets boring pretty quick. When my son was a few years younger he'd love to fish those lagoons and catch 30 bass. But once he landed his first 5+ pounder he hasn't wanted to go back to those lagoons.

 

I love hunting for the bigger bass, although I'll admit that some days when you just can't find them it can get both boring and frustrating. I actually had that happen yesterday so I put on a small beetlespin just to catch something and landed a few bluegill and a small bass. Definitely not what I was hoping for but better then going home skunked.

[scaleface]

8 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Can I come fishing where you catch 20+ 1-2 pounders every trip???

20 1 to 2 lb fish in a day of fishing isnt that much .  I  usually go for 8 hours and I   consider that a poor day on a local lake . Thats less than three fish an hour .  

[Topwaterdude]

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Can I come fishing where you catch 20+ 1-2 pounders every trip???

Anytime you want let me know I'm in Florida.Ive spent alot of time on this spot got the small ones figured out,best I pulled out of there recently was just a little over 4lbs,but im fishing fast and obviously by my forum name throwing alot of topwater,gonna have to slow it down and go deeper I think 

[Boomstick]

I usually don't target larger fish simply because I largely end up shore fishing and can't get to the right spots for larger fish. If I rent a boat however, I'll change that up.