Catching a really big bass.

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Are you allowed to fish at all before bass season opens?

Sunnies, crappie, rough fish...sure

Bass, walleye, northern - they catch you and it's at least a fine if not loss of your fishing license for the year.

Accidental catches are alright, but if they think you're targeting bass because of the lures you're using or the frequency you're hauling them in...you better just not do it.

And yes, the water patrol is out in force, and there's DNR Officers at all the major boat launches.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

 

2 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Around my area, most bigger bass are caught in the spring, within a 2 month time frame. I think this is because there are so many more fisherman out there. Once it gets really hot, there are way less guys going fishing. I'm planning on targeting bigger fish this year at night, when it gets really hot.

I think the biggest reason for that spring produces the largest fish because there bulking up so they can stay on a nest.  The bigger fish dont seem to be as spooky in the prespawn to me. 

42 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Sunnies, crappie, rough fish...sure

Bass, walleye, northern - they catch you and it's at least a fine if not loss of your fishing license for the year.

Accidental catches are alright, but if they think you're targeting bass because of the lures you're using or the frequency you're hauling them in...you better just not do it.

And yes, the water patrol is out in force, and there's DNR Officers at all the major boat launches.

Thats what I figured, its like that here in Jersey with the stocked trout.  When I was a kid they would stock trout in early march and you weren't aloud to fish at all in the stocked lakes until the trout season opened.

 

[Bluebasser86]

Go as often as you can and fish where they live.

I have a lot of lakes closer to me where the fishing is easier, but I choose to drive further to where the fishing is a grind because the big ones live in those lakes.

 

Bait selection isn't nearly as important as those 2 things I mentioned. I've caught so many fish that fit your desired range on so many different types of baits, all because I was out there fishing where they live. I fish big swimbaits pretty often too, but my biggest one I've caught on them barely makes the mark of what you're looking for. I've caught several that would qualify on a small shakyhead worm though.

[Catt]

12 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Dean Rojas with 45 pound five fish bag in Toho.

 

 

 

Sam Rayburn 2-22-2020 the team had five fish for 49.31 pounds by 10:15 in the morning!

 

 

[Captain Phil]

I'm conflicted on the "time of year" thing. MY PB was caught in January, but I've caught big fish at all times of the year.  Here's a 10 pounder I caught in August.  Check out the width of this fish, it's almost square!  I had more hair then.    The best time to go fishing is any time you can.  ?  

 

 

[The Budget Angler]

My pb of about 10 lbs. was taken under a bobber by a small mosquitofish.  It was post-spawn.  My bait was in 3 feet of water.  I tend to throw these fishing stereotypes to the wind when fishing.  My experience has told me that you could have all the knowledge in the world, do everything right, and get skunked.  Or go out, when conditions are horrible for catching fish, and catch a 10 pounder.  My advice is try everything!

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, TheLastBestFish said:

My pb of about 10 lbs. was taken under a bobber by a small mosquitofish. 

What was the length and girth of this bass? Most 10 pound or larger bass are over 25 inches long. I spoke with a man who caught a 13 pound bass from land while crappie fishing on a crappie jig so any one can get lucky once in a while. I have also caught big bass on small lures but the vast majority of big bass I have caught have been on techniques more suited for big bass. 

[Frezzy]

Identify a lake that 1) is known to hold big fish and 2) you enjoy fishing.  Fish only that lake and nowhere else for the entire year or even two.  Get to know it and the fish that live in it like the back of your hand.  Learn the spots where the bigger fish hold.  Throw big fish baits.  Pay attention to moon phase and focus your time around the full and new moon.    If you can fish at night do it and do it often.  Good luck!

[TnRiver46]

22 hours ago, ajschn06 said:

Wow I remember religiously taping “Go Fish” as a youngster 25 years ago....

I met him at a fishing show once and a guy I went to college with is friends with him. He’s hilarious 

[Mr. Aquarium]

Up here in Massachusetts we get some really big fish. Yea not as many as down south. But they are out there.  Just need to know where to look.   Find a place with good forage,  perch, Shiners, trout our herring.  Find a good place, study it. Keep fishing it. Learn their habits. During the herring run the bass school up and ambush the herring when they come in. We learned when they show up, what they want to hit, and when they hit. My buddy has 5 8lbs bass in the last 4 years. He’s pattern these fish to the hour but only during  certain time of year.   I’m still learning these fish. I’ll fish the spot during the afternoon and evening get a few 4s and 5s, he fished it at sun up and get an 8 and 6s.   
 

another buddy. Different spot, slayes big fish, he’s on this spot daily. Hasn’t Broken 8 here but a 9.15 was caught  at this spot in November.  He’s learned this lake very well. Knows where theyll be during each season. 
2 completely different fisheries.  the first spot is small super super shallow, with herring. The 2nd spot is very big and deep. 
 

Most of the time it’s about experience and time on the water. You already do well by getting 6s. Lot of people who fish up north don’t have 6s. 

[ajschn06]

On 2/11/2021 at 9:46 PM, MN Fisher said:

Sunnies, crappie, rough fish...sure

Bass, walleye, northern - they catch you and it's at least a fine if not loss of your fishing license for the year.

Accidental catches are alright, but if they think you're targeting bass because of the lures you're using or the frequency you're hauling them in...you better just not do it.

And yes, the water patrol is out in force, and there's DNR Officers at all the major boat launches.

 

If you fish on the river, as I do, it's legal to fish for bass as soon as you can find open water...

[MN Fisher]

40 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

 

If you fish on the river, as I do, it's legal to fish for bass as soon as you can find open water...

Your location shows SE MN - if you're fishing Iowa border waters or the Mississippi after it's joined by the St. Croix (including Lake Pepin) - you are correct. Any other waters...um...no it's not. There is a closed season even on the rivers, even if fishing the Minnesota side of the St. Croix upstream of the confluence.

[ajschn06]

21 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Your location shows SE MN - if you're fishing Iowa border waters or the Mississippi after it's joined by the St. Croix (including Lake Pepin) - you are correct. Any other waters...um...no it's not. There is a closed season even on the rivers, even if fishing the Minnesota side of the St. Croix upstream of the confluence.

Mississippi River right on the Wi/Mn border south of pepin 

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

Mississippi River right on the Wi/Mn border.

Yep - no closed season there - but it's a 1&1/2 hour drive for me...and I can only get away 4 hours a trip...not worth it.

5 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

Edit; bass season may technically have a closed season, not even sure about that. But you can fish for Pike, and Bass bite the same lures.  I’ve seen pictures all winter of guys up in the red wing/Monticello area still casting for smallies in an area that’s still open water 

Pike and Bass season ARE still open right now - but both close on the 28th (just under 2 weeks from now) and don't open again until the middle of May.

[ajschn06]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Yep - no closed season there - but it's a 1&1/2 hour drive for me...and I can only get away 4 hours a trip...not worth it.

Pike and Bass season ARE still open right now - but both close on the 28th (1&1/2 weeks from now) and don't open again until the middle of May.

Makes sense- not familiar with all the statewide laws- just ones that are relevant to me.

 

Point I was going for is there ARE ways to get a line wet as soon as the ice thaws!

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

Point I was going for is there ARE ways to get a line wet as soon as the ice thaws!

Well ya - like I said earlier - panfish.

 

Stream fishing for trout doesn't open around here until the middle of April - season is currently closed

Lake fishing for trout opens around here middle of May as well - though if I deigned to ice-fish, season is open until end of March.

 

Between ice-out and season opener in May - it's panfish or roughfish around here...that's it.

[roadwarrior]

You all need a vacation.

 

 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, roadwarrior said:

You all need a vacation.

I'd love one - just two things stopping me

1: Money to afford a trip

2: Someone to take care of the wife while I'm gone - I'm her PCA

[gim]

31 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

Point I was going for is there ARE ways to get a line wet as soon as the ice thaws!

 

I hear ya, but I assume this isn't trophy largemouth country which is what I'm after for when I initially posted.  Not that largemouth don't inhabit rivers because they do quite well in a lot of large southern river locations but where you speak of is really not what I'm looking for.  I'm guessing its actually probably better suited for smallmouth there.

 

I've received a lot of great advice on how to come across a potential new PB largie this season in this thread.  A lake that has been proven to have them, time of year, quality forage, bigger lures, and fishing when there's minimal pressure from others are all strategies I plan to implement.

[WRB]

You can’t compare Florida strain LMB to Northern strain let alone Northern strain living in Minnesota.

Up north LMB spend most of their time in and around heavy cover. Outside humps and islands are dominate by Pike and Musky.

Pre Spawn changes big bass behavior, they need to get ready to spawn and leave their sanctuary areas to stage and feed up before moving shallower wind protected spawning areas. The big females become more catchable then any other seasonal period. Spend all your time targeting staging areas.

Highest percentage lure isn’t a big swimbait, it’s a Crawdad imitating jig or 5” slow sink crappie or bluegill imitating swimbait.

In-Fisherman has the very good articles on catching NLMB. I have a early I-F article on fish the slope that is detailed how big bass use weeds and what types they prefer up north.

Tom

PS, PM email and will send a copy.

 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

In-Fisherman has the very good articles on catching NLMB.

Which is a reason I have an I-F subscription.

[gim]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Which is a reason I have an I-F subscription.

I've got it too.  Its pretty good.  I like it because it doesn't just solely focus on bass fishing and its based in Brainerd, MN so a lot of articles from places in the area.

[Cdn Angler]

My biggest LMB have been on:

a) a white tube -fish was busting bait

b) spinnerbait - dropped it on its head

c) tiny jerkbait - during spawn so super shallow

 

The main thing was luck + the lake having big bass. No big bass = not catching big bass.

[WRB]

My PB NLMB is12.3 lbs caught 1971 at Lake Casitas on a black hair jig w/pork trailer in Feb. 40lb 5 NLMB limit in May 1973 at Lake Sherwood. 62 lb 5 FLMB iin 1991 at lake Castaic on hair jigs w/pork rind trailers. My 5 PB FLMB listed were caught at lakes Castaic and Casitas on hair jigs w/pork rind trailers...all pre spawn in 15’-20’ of water. 

None of these bass could be caught in Minnesota...ever!

Minnesota lakes are natural created during the Canadian Shield ice age. These are not reservoirs created by river dams. The NLMB are more dormensal or shore cover fish in lieu of pelagic prey bass. These LMB bass relate to weedline breaks and cover. 

Using jigs w/pork rind trailers work everywhere including a Minnesota.

Tom

[Big Swimbait]

Totally agree with Tom on the hair jigs. My PB came on a white bucktail jig with a 6" grub trailer in about 7' of water on Lake Fork. I caught it where an old road bed crossed a tree line along a creek channel.  As you can see from my name, I love throwing big baits and they have produced big fish. But a hair jig is something that most anglers don't throw today - could be the difference that gets that big bite. You also need to determine the predominant forage in your lake. If there are a lot of bluegill, then a bluegill swimbait might be the trick. And don't forget a carp colored swimbait. I've caught big bass on the 6" Dream Smasher carp all over the US. Good luck!