Tips for me to get my PB this summer?

[WRB]

44 minutes ago, ElijahH said:

There has been a 8 pounder this month and I was on a boat with a friend who landed a 5 1/2 right in front of me, throwing the same worm I was..... 

Good luck, the bass are where you are fishing it's up to you to catch them. Use the rig, line and fish the same pace/technique your freind used. What did you do after your freind caught his bass?

I use the old school brass n glass T-rig for worms 7 1/2" to 13", tungsten bullet weights over 1/4 oz and believe the clicks make a difference. Slow down and shake the rod tip every few feet, pace and action triggers strikes.

Tom

[the reel ess]

Full disclosure, my PB is nowhere near as big as the guys who live in the deep south or CA. But it's near the ceiling in the place I fish most.

 

In addition to what I've seen in this thread, fish around the new moon and full moon. Stats show that's the best time of month for big'uns. I'm not necessarily saying to fish at night, though that is a good tactic. Low light periods are better for big bass. Overcast or even rain can be killer too.

 

It's better to have the wrong lure where there are big bass than a monster swimbait where they're mostly dinks.

 

If you know someone who catches bigger bass than you, try to go along with them and study their techniques. Ask them questions. 

 

Go in winter. The bites  you get, though few, will be better average. If the water is not hard. If it's hard, start fishing as soon as ice is gone. When the water warms all the way to spawn is about the best time for fishing shallow.

 

If I had to choose only two lures that catch better than average fish for me, it would be a full-size double willow spinnerbait and a 1/2 oz. black/blue Arky jig with craw trailer. Don't downsize. I catch dinks on this bait too.

As mentioned before, shallow wood is killer. 

 

 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Time on the water cannot be replaced.

 

The longer you spend on the water, the better your chances are. Get out there and sling some bait

[rod snapper]

19 hours ago, ElijahH said:

So I mainly fish a very heavily pressured lake and just want some tips and tricks to catch a nice fish on a pressured area. It won't take much, my PB is only

3 3/4 Which is really embarrassing considering how much I fish.... Thanks!!  

I recommend that you read High Percentage Fishing because it will help outline ten different things that will help you catch bigger fish. Interestingly, 80% of all fish 5lbs+ are caught on worms, so personally, i would go with a Senko or Ribbon tail however you like rigging it, and fish as much as possible In high percentage areas, and at high percentage times. Plus, if your fishing with a worm, your going to catch big fish and small fish, and everything in between. If you fish a 36 inch swim bait (sarcasm) like some have suggested, your not going to be catching nearly as many fish. So statistically its a no brainer, you can have fun catching lots of fish, and still have a great chance of catching a PB if you fish a worm.

[EGbassing]

Zoom lizards, jigs, and big spinnerbaits (all fished slowly) seem to produce the most good sized bass for me. If you give the zoom lizards a try you won't be disappointed.

[The Bassman]

I recently started a topic in the tackle forum about Yamamoto's Fat Ika. @roadwarriorlinked it to an old thread he wrote. This bait rigged backwards is something bass haven't seen. Very bulky and appealing to larger fish. Try it.

[N Florida Mike]

Use shiners .?

[Black Hawk Basser]

My best tip would just be to fish your heart out.  Whenever you can, even if just for 15 minutes, get some casts in.  I caught my PB last year, and that day I only planned to make a few drops around a few docks with a jig/craw.  It only took one dock next to a pontoon, and bam, had a monster.  If I had just said "screw it" that day, I would have not had an awesome fish and a great story to tell.

[ElijahH]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Use the rig, line and fish the same pace/technique your freind used. What did you do after your freind caught his bass?

Congratulated him of course, no point in being a sore loser and then channeled that big fish into my fishing energy and got right back in the water. 

Shortly after I caught my only fish of the day. 

Believe it or not he was using a rig said a lot in this thread! (Thanks everyone!)  A T-Rigged ribbon tail. 

[roadwarrior]

Fat Ika

 

  https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/lake-guntersville-2012.html

[CrankFate]

23 hours ago, WRB said:

For what it's worth I have never caught big bass at night (darkness) on top water lures or swimbaits, dusk and dawn yes dark no. If the lakes are shallow and off color noisy top water lures may work in darkness, they don't where fish.

Tom

Throw them a half smoked Marlboro Red after Midnight. Especially if there are lights near the water.

[WRB]

I haven't spent a lot of time night fishing, dusk and dawn all my life but not total darkness.

My 1st night tournament was in 1988, our local public lakes close 1/2 hr before sundown and open a 1/2 hr before sun up. Charity night events stated around 1988 so I enetered those with my son, about 2 to 4 derbies each year. 

My early lure choices were musky size wooden Jitter Bugs, buzz baits, big Colorado blade single spin spinner baits the traditional night lures with little success. What worked was Berkley 10" black w/blue flake Power worms, jigs and deep diving crankbaits.

I tried swimbaits a lot as did everyone else with little to no success after 10 pm. I know of 1 DD bass caught on a swimbait in 20 years in total darkness.

Worms, my best night limit was 58 lbs for 5 bass on big worms and jigs, that is why I suggested them because they are high % night lures. Wake baits at dusk like rats work well and DD 22 crankbaits in crawdad colors are very effective.

Tom 

PS, Catt is a expert night bass angler with far more experience then I have, listen to ole Catt.

Tom.      

[Ty Watson]

I would recomend to get your going to humps that the top is 20-30 feet and throw a big worm with a heavy weight and just drag it

[The Bassman]

10 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Fat Ika

 

  https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/lake-guntersville-2012.html

Wrong link?

[roadwarrior]

#7.49 caught on a Fat Ika. Might be just the ticket for a PB.

[The Maestro]

Pay very close attention to your bait. A bite from a big bass is usually very subtle. If you are going to set the hook, ALWAYS set with authority. Never just a half hearted attempt. Better to take an extra second or two to get yourself into a proper position than to try doing it with your body at a bad angle.

[kenmitch]

As long as the lakes you fish can produce your new PB's then it's really just a matter of time before your in the right place, right time, using the correct bait for such a fish to bite. Figuring out all three is the tricky part as sometimes just pure luck rewards you with a new PB. The term luck can be subjective as if your throwing a particular bait while trying to catch a bass then is it luck or is it just the game plan in the end that gets the bass.

 

Just like you I set out this season with the hopes of catching my new PB bass. I'd imagine that all anglers set out with the goal at least in the back of their minds. I'd imagine even WRB sets out with at least a dream of topping his PB.

 

I caught my 1st bass of the season on Feb 26th and she was a new PB of 7.02 lbs! I knew I had a shot at a new PB, but I had no idea it would be the very 1st catch of the year. Funny thing about it was after countless hours and bait offerings I'd more or less given up any hope of catching anything on this day. I fish for fun so whenever I'm faced with outings that don't look so promising I'll just putt around in my kayak and explore the lake for areas that look like they'll be promising for future outings. Whenever I kick into this mode I'll only throw a lipless offering as it allows me to keep on the move. Whenever I see a fishy looking spot I'll cast to it and pretend there's a fish waiting to ambush my lure. It was during one of these practice scenarios that she slammed my Trap! I was shocked when she 1st broke the surface as I instantly knew she was PB worthy! I guess in the end I accomplished what I was simulating, but now instead of later....If that makes any sense.

 

Sadly there were no other boaters around when I caught my new PB, but I did get her to pose for me on my measuring board at least. I'm surprised she even raised her dorsal fins for me.

 

 

Get out on the water, keep your goal in mind, try different offerings, and when you least expect it it'll happen. 

 

Good luck on your quest for a new PB! 

 

 

 

[Squarebill79]

I've been lucky enough to catch 5 bass over 6lbs since I started fishing heavily in 2014. Here are what i caught them on and the scenario.

 

1. Live bluegill under a bobber while fishing for catfish

 

2. BPS popper(those same ones that are $1.99 in the bargain bin at BPS), caught it while it was raining working right along the outside of the weedline.

 

3. 5 inch senko wacky rigged, caught in morning along an old roadbed

 

4. 5 inch senko wacky rigged, tossed it up into some rocks off a rock jetty

 

5. Luckycraft squarebill, working a weedline from my boat

 

My biggest was caught by accident in a deep rock quarry, my 2nd best was caught out of a pond only 6 feet deep. My 3rd, 4th, and 5th biggest were all caught in the same lake, one that is known for big bass in the area and has a slot limit. 

[ZbestBassman]

Night fishing plus bass attractant ( use the gel) stick to BIG baits in black or blue with lots of vibration. Maybe even a saltwater version swimbait something they haven't seen yet !???

[Basseditor]

Follow up. Plan for big fish by using good equipment and big fish baits (seasonally).

 

I think catching big fish every time I go out. I moved to Texas about 15 years ago. Before then, I only caught a handful of 7 pounders (all smallmouth). Now I “expect” to catch one 6-7 lbs. + every time I go out. I caught a 6+ the last two weekends (6.95 yesterday) between rain storms and minor tornadoes. In other words, pretty poor weather. But nasty weather is a good time for big fish.

 

Having said that, some of my largest bass have come in summer when temperatures were 100 degrees plus. Many, at mid-day when it was sweltering hot with no breeze. 

 

I don’t like to fish in either of those conditions, but I can’t argue with the results. Big fish act differently!

 

(My biggest bass almost each of the last 10 years has been at least 8 pounds.)

[Harold Scoggins]

Don't be afraid to fish deep, especially mid day.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Don't be afraid to throw topwater midday either.

[soflabasser]

Another tip...find someone who is very good at big bass fishing in your area and become their friend. Go fishing with your friend and learn from them while actually fishing not just reading about it. That will help you improve much faster than reading about bass fishing on the internet.