Targeting?

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, Topwaterdude said:

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 

Florida!! I should have guessed. The land of bass 

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

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 .  

Shoot! I would be elated with 20 1-2 lb bass. Might even write a letter to momma 

[WRB]

The bigger the bass the fewer of them. You want catch bigger bass fish for them.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I target larger fish by fishing bodies of water known to have them and fishing baits that produce larger fish in areas that they're likely to be. 

 

I've caught plenty of big fish on small baits and I know they even prefer them at times, but a majority of the time a bigger bait will get a bigger bite. I use to chase numbers of fish, but now I'd much rather catch fewer quality fish instead of 50-100 little ones with a just a couple decent fish mixed in. 

[Topwaterdude]

11 hours ago, WRB said:

The bigger the bass the fewer of them. You want catch bigger bass fish for them.

Tom

You are right the type of baits,techniques and spots I'm targeting are producing big numbers and small bass so maybe I should do like George Costanza and do that total opposite

[LionHeart]

15 hours ago, scaleface said:

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 .  

'That much' can be relative.  If I caught 20 bass in a day, it'd be my best day by about 10 bass.  

 

Don't know if I could handle it.

[Dens228]

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I target larger fish by fishing bodies of water known to have them and fishing baits that produce larger fish in areas that they're likely to be. 

 

I've caught plenty of big fish on small baits and I know they even prefer them at times, but a majority of the time a bigger bait will get a bigger bite. I use to chase numbers of fish, but now I'd much rather catch fewer quality fish instead of 50-100 little ones with a just a couple decent fish mixed in. 

Very true, I caught my PB largemouth on a 5 inch Senko, I also caught the only musky I've ever caught, which was 48", on a 5 inch Senko while fishing for bass. Imagine my surprise on that one.  I figured it was a big bass with A LOT of weeds caught with it.  LOL

[the reel ess]

On 10/21/2018 at 9:08 PM, Mobasser said:

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

Bingo! A big bass can't be caught where there are none. But a big bass can be caught on anything where there are some. You'll catch plenty of dinks on those big baits too. But if you're in FL, there are probably biguns there too. 

[WRB]

It's location and timing then the right lure at the right depth. It's a rare day that dinks or small bass and big bass share the same water at the same time.

Tom

[N Florida Mike]

I fish enough that I do both. Im usually more of a numbers guy, but if Ive had a few numbers - emphasis outings, then I'll do one for big fish. I probably catch as many or more bigger fish during numbers trips than when I target big fish. Either way, its all good !!! ☺

[geo g]

I'm happy catching bass, not happy catching nothing.  I will throw where big fish should be, but not just after big fish.  The tug on the line, and bass to the boat makes me happy.  The occasional big girl finds her way to the boat.  I'm much more happy catching 25,  then just one big fish.  Not a tournament fisherman.

[Topwaterdude]

1 hour ago, geo g said:

I'm happy catching bass, not happy catching nothing.  I will throw where big fish should be, but not just after big fish.  The tug on the line, and bass to the boat makes me happy.  The occasional big girl finds her way to the boat.  I'm much happy catching 25  then just one big fish.  Not a tournament fisherman.

I hear ya,it's definitely fun catching those numbers I read on here guys going months without a bite I couldn't do that.

[scaleface]

I guess I dont know  where big fish should be . I've caught them on steep banks , flat banks , points , humps , channels , wood , rock , weeds, , in coves , points of coves   ...  they are liable to be anywhere .

[ohboyitsrobby]

I'm a numbers guy except on tournament day and even then sometimes. Pretty simple theory in it. If I catch 100ish fish a day then 4 to 5 have to be quality fish. Is this always the case? No not at all but it's how I fish.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Like to catch numbers off the bat, then slow down and pick apart bank/structure for the bigger bite.

 

I like KVD's approach, power fish for a limit, then sloooow down 

[Catt]

First off define "big bass"!

 

Your at a 1-2# average, where ya wanna go?

 

Do you wanna go to 3-5# average?

 

Do you wanna go to double digits?

 

[Sam]

Topwater, it depends.

 

For fun fishing I will go with smaller baits to catch lots of fish. In it for the fun and excitement of the fight and a lot of action.

 

For tournaments, after getting my limit, I will go after the big ones, knowing that fishing for the larger ladies will take time and patience and the understanding that I may not get a bite.

 

So what do I throw? Actually, it is a 1/2 ounce jig with a six-inch Senko or Zoom crawfish chunks. I like the Senkos more and more as I believe it attracts more bites, even those from smaller bass and bluegills which can drive you crazy.

 

If you want to catch the ladies, upsize your swimbaits, jigs, Whooper Ploppers, and plastic on heavy line (17 pound test or more on a heavy baitcaster rod - check the bait and line test parameters) and just be patient. You may or may not score but you can add the adventure to your memory for future reference.

 

Have fun!

[Mobasser]

30 minutes ago, Catt said:

First off define "big bass"!

 

Your at a 1-2# average, where ya wanna go?

 

Do you wanna go to 3-5# average?

 

Do you wanna go to double digits?

 

Catt, we've had several threads on catching big bass. In 35 yrs I've caught one 9lb bass, and several that would be considered decent for my area. Yourself, WRB,and many others have caught far more than I have. This is why I keep harping on location. Every article I've ever read about catching large bass- with consistency talks about location, and where your fishing first.I don't know if a lot of anglers really understand how hard it is.

[JustJames]

I don't care much about quality VS quantity as long as I catch something on lures or plastics those I intended to use. There are times that I only target DINKS with my small tackles and times that I would expected skunked for hours and hours or for months with my big swimbait.

[813basstard]

I’ve seen the jig as the best bait to cover both. We all fish for “lots of big ones” no matter what we say. 

[WRB]

A blind squirrel can find the acorn, it helps if he is under the oak tree. Location and timing, location we can determine by studing maps and surveying those areas using sonar and visually looking at what is there to locate the oak tree. Timing isn't something we can predict without actually being on the water. High percentage times are usually low light with mild light rain for me, not always because bass feed when they want not when I want them to be active.

There is a old saying "90% of the bass live in 10% of the water", you want to fish in the 10% where the bass are located.

Tom

[Catt]

5 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Catt, we've had several threads on catching big bass. In 35 yrs I've caught one 9lb bass, and several that would be considered decent for my area. Yourself, WRB,and many others have caught far more than I have. This is why I keep harping on location. Every article I've ever read about catching large bass- with consistency talks about location, and where your fishing first.I don't know if a lot of anglers really understand how hard it is.

 

Let's say I'm heading to Toledo Bend & my plans are to target double digit bass. I'm not gonna run wide open throttle to Big Momma's house!

 

I'm gonna fish my way there because in Big Momma's neighborhood my average goes up exponentially.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Catt
Operator Error

[WRB]

The population density of the biggest bass in any lake is less then 1% of the overall bass population, we are targeting very few bass.

From reading bass fishing forums over the past 10 years it has become clear to me that the majority of bass anglers believe 1 big bass lives in small isolated area and stays there, like under a dock.

This may come from watching TV fishing programs or reading articles that support big bass are loners and ambush feeders. Where I fish big bass rarely are loners living in a small ambush piece of structure or cover. Big bass usually hunt in a small groups and may stay seperated when not hunting. I have no idea how or why the gather in a group, it may be follow the leader? Hunting in a small group of 2 to 5 bass they are more successful. I am always thinking there is more then 1 bass. These big bass hunt an area anywhere from a few hundred feet or several hundred yards in size depending on the prey type.

For example a island or a underwater island (hump) may be 1/8 to 1/2 mile in size, where are the big bass located at the time you arrive to fish there? Wind direction helps to give you a starting end of the area, I like to face into the wind and you want to approach it quietly. If I know big bass use this area to feed, I fish every square foot at the depth the bass should be at based on seasonal periods and surveying the depth bass and bait are in at the marina before starting out to fish. 

My normal outing is checking areas and setting up a milk run from area to area eliminating areas and presentations until finding the bass and it may take a few outings to discover where they are at and more time to figure out when to fish productive areas.

I am usually catching a few bass each outing but not always. If I can't find any big bass I will find some bass and try to catch them because I like to catch bass.

Tom