The Hawg Hunters

[gim]

33 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

 

What would be considered consistent for trophy fish? 3 teeners a year for a couple of years? 

 

Depends where you are.  That feat is impossible if you are fishing in the north.  Northern strain (and smallmouth) simply do not grow that big.  If I am putting a 5 lb/20 inch bass in the boat more than once per season, I consider that to be successful.  In 2020, I landed 13 of them.  Last year it was only 3.  But 2020 was the best season I've ever had too.

 

I have a pretty good understanding of what I consider to be more "ideal" conditions that produce more and bigger fish based on my 26 years of experience fishing around here.  I'm not able to just go fishing whenever I want to because I have other obligations like a full time job, a house, and a family.  However, there are times when I'm able to select one day over the other and if one of those days looks better based on local conditions, that's the day I'm going to select.

 

Night time is often better in midsummer, especially if the water is very clear.

[Mobasser]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Depends where you are.  That feat is impossible if you are fishing in the north.  Northern strain (and smallmouth) simply do not grow that big.  If I am putting a 5 lb/20 inch bass in the boat more than once per season, I consider that to be successful.  In 2020, I landed 13 of them.  Last year it was only 3.  But 2020 was the best season I've ever had too.

 

I have a pretty good understanding of what I consider to be more "ideal" conditions that produce more and bigger fish based on my 26 years of experience fishing around here.  I'm not able to just go fishing whenever I want to because I have other obligations like a full time job, a house, and a family.  However, there are times when I'm able to select one day over the other and if one of those days looks better based on local conditions, that's the day I'm going to select.

Missouri's state record LM was caught in Bull Shoals in 1962 on a spinner bait. But I haven't heard of any fish near that size around here for a very long time. I did hear about one fish that beat the old record by a slight amount, but was not officially weighed or documented. 1962 was a long time ago...

23 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Depends where you are.  That feat is impossible if you are fishing in the north.  Northern strain (and smallmouth) simply do not grow that big.  If I am putting a 5 lb/20 inch bass in the boat more than once per season, I consider that to be successful.  In 2020, I landed 13 of them.  Last year it was only 3.  But 2020 was the best season I've ever had too.

 

I have a pretty good understanding of what I consider to be more "ideal" conditions that produce more and bigger fish based on my 26 years of experience fishing around here.  I'm not able to just go fishing whenever I want to because I have other obligations like a full time job, a house, and a family.  However, there are times when I'm able to select one day over the other and if one of those days looks better based on local conditions, that's the day I'm going to select.

 

Night time is often better in midsummer, especially if the water is very clear.

I plan on night fishing also. The lakes I'm fishing are clear. Jig/pig combos, bigger plastic worms, spinnerbait, and maybe a buzzbait. I may try a Cavitron. I'll need a buzzer I can keep up on top, but still move really slowly.

[Mobasser]

As Catt, WRB and others have said here, I think timing is a huge part of all this. You've got to be there when the big fish is ready to strike. You can find the perfect location, make a great presentation etc. But if the big girl is not ready to bite, it won't happen. My lakes are close to home, so I can get there in 15min. This way I can be there when the time is right. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

[Jigfishn10]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I'm not able to just go fishing whenever I want to because I have other obligations like a full time job, a house, and a family. 

Minor details...  

[roadwarrior]

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

As Catt, WRB and others have said here, I think timing is a huge part of all this. 

Well, I don't know. Prime time for bigger bass, for me, is 10:AM- 2:00 PM.

However,I usually catch a few early, late and whenever I happen  to be fishing.

I don't fish at night, night time is for drinkin'.

 

  

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Mobasser said:

As Catt, WRB and others have said here, I think timing is a huge part of all this. You've got to be there when the big fish is ready to strike. You can find the perfect location, make a great presentation etc. But if the big girl is not ready to bite, it won't happen. My lakes are close to home, so I can get there in 15min. This way I can be there when the time is right. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

For my own quest for plus size bass, "Timing' is Always Paramount.

That's not to say that Location and the getting the Presentation Right are not.

They most certainly are.

So while Location can mean which Lake, which area on the lake, and especially which specific spot on the lake.

And the Right Presentation can mean so much more than just What Bait;  factors such as how I approach an area, my final boat position, determining the best casting angle, and even whether I chose a vertical or horizontal type deal.

Timing can encompass, time of year/season, as well as time of day/night.

  For me that final piece of the puzzle, timing, often seems like The Toughest Nut to Crack.

While I can & often do have some success on bigger bass in areas & spots that are 'similar' to other big fish producers, and there's situations where a particular bait that has triggered bigger bites for me will work in a few different scenarios, the Timing Deal is just So Hard to Replicate at times.

It can be very random depending on the lake.

Clearly early & late in the day (low light conditions) can be somewhat predictable, but not always.

The Biggest/Rarest fish seems to have their own 'schedule' and It's up to me to figure it out.

  Sometimes I do, more often than not I do not.

But that what makes it feel like 'hunting" them down. 

It's also why I will Camp out on a certain deal for days, weeks, months & yes, even seasons. 

If & when I will only get a shot at a bass that is in the top 1 or 2% population wise, 

and she is only going to be at a spot for 5 or 10 minutes a day/night, or a week or a season  . . . .

You tell me how important timing is ?

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

[Catt]

Down here my typical 5 bass sack is 25-30#, when I start catching more 7-9# bass I know I'm getting close just gotta zero in.

 

Certain structure the number of bigger bass will fluctuate, so will an entire lake.

[gim]

6 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Minor details...  

Some of those decisions I regret now but its the path I chose, so its what I have to deal with.  I'm sure others can relate too.

[Jigfishn10]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Some of those decisions I regret now but its the path I chose, so its what I have to deal with.  I'm sure others can relate too.

I get it buddy…was just joking

 

i was out of fishing for at least 5 years due to family commitments 

 

Sorry bud

[Mobasser]

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

For my own quest for plus size bass, "Timing' is Always Paramount.

That's not to say that Location and the getting the Presentation Right are not.

They most certainly are.

So while Location can mean which Lake, which area on the lake, and especially which specific spot on the lake.

And the Right Presentation can mean so much more than just What Bait;  factors such as how I approach an area, my final boat position, determining the best casting angle, and even whether I chose a vertical or horizontal type deal.

Timing can encompass, time of year/season, as well as time of day/night.

  For me that final piece of the puzzle, timing, often seems like The Toughest Nut to Crack.

While I can & often do have some success on bigger bass in areas & spots that are 'similar' to other big fish producers, and there's situations where a particular bait that has triggered bigger bites for me will work in a few different scenarios, the Timing Deal is just So Hard to Replicate at times.

It can be very random depending on the lake.

Clearly early & late in the day (low light conditions) can be somewhat predictable, but not always.

The Biggest/Rarest fish seems to have their own 'schedule' and It's up to me to figure it out.

  Sometimes I do, more often than not I do not.

But that what makes it feel like 'hunting" them down. 

It's also why I will Camp out on a certain deal for days, weeks, months & yes, even seasons. 

If & when I will only get a shot at a bass that is in the top 1 or 2% population wise, 

and she is only going to be at a spot for 5 or 10 minutes a day/night, or a week or a season  . . . .

You tell me how important timing is ?

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

A-Jay, I think timing ranks as high as location, tackle, baits, and everything. Even under perfect conditions, you may get one shot at a truly huge fish. It would be a long shot if you got more than that. It explains why camping out on a spot has payed off for some anglers.                 It may be the only real way to be there at the right time.                  But what is the perfect time, and how long does it last?  I think only the fish know this answer, and I'm trying to figure it out. I read years ago that some huge bass live out they're lives offshore, and rarely if ever see a fisherman's lure. Maybe not so much now, with all the newer electronics, but I tend to think this is still true. If they stake out the best cover spot, which can be hard to find, and have they're food source readily available, why would they move? As you say, timing is very important.

[WRB]

A quick look at LMB Missouri State record is 13 lb 14 oz from Bull Shoals in 1961. The past 10 years a few 10 lb to 11 lb LMB have been recorded, mostly from Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock. It  looks like 1 DD very 5 years.

The problem is trot line, set lines etc. Can’t catch bass that aren’t in the lake or so few your odds are very remote.

Good luck, 

Tom

[Mobasser]

29 minutes ago, WRB said:

A quick look at LMB Missouri State record is 13 lb 14 oz from Bull Shoals in 1961. The past 10 years a few 10 lb to 11 lb LMB have been recorded, mostly from Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock. It  looks like 1 DD very 5 years.

The problem is trot line, set lines etc. Can’t catch bass that aren’t in the lake or so few your odds are very remote.

Good luck, 

Tom

Thanks Tom. I think my realistic goal is an 8 to 9 pound fish in my area. More than one in a season would of course be fantastic. It would be unrealistic to expect a ten lb or bigger fish around here.

One guy we all know about is Bill Murphy, with his stitching style. He camped out on spots and had incredible patience also, probably more patience than most anglers would ever have. I think many of the big bass hunters train themselves to have patience, and really work a spot over before they move on. It's like" I know there's a big bass down there, and I'm going to catch her. Maybe not today, but at some point, I'll catch this fish."

It can't ever work for a guy who gives up easily.

[Darth-Baiter]

Live scope is helping as well?

[Mobasser]

Just now, Darth-Baiter said:

Live scope is helping as well?

No live scope here.

[Darth-Baiter]

Just now, Mobasser said:

No live scope here.

Just asking.  I think that Tyler kid used it to find whoppers to cast at. 
 

I rely on luck and prayers personally. 

[WRB]

Back in the days of stitching SD lakes the presentation was from anchored boat near the bank or wading flats with stick ups during the spawn. 

Murphy stitched both big soft plastic worms and nose hooked live crawdads using a Cardinal 6 on a custom spinning rod. Stealth is key when stitching as your presence alerts wary big bass. Camp clothing and boat that blends into the shoreline is essential. Few anglers today have the skills needed to present the stitching presentation.

Murphy was very skilled at deep swimbait trolling during the cold water seasons, something he didn’t include in his book.

Murphy modified a Rapala CD18 with a hand poured soft plastic trout body catching a 72 lb 5 bass limit from San Vicente. Bill passed away before disclosing his lures and technique.

Live crawdads fly lined nose hooked work. I stopped using live bait in the 70’s and looking back only handicapped myself.

Horizontal jigging was my skill set that worked for me.

Tom

[WRB]

The hot giant bass lake today is Texas Lake O.H. Ivie right now.

Before you can catch these rare fish you should have a good idea where they are located. To saturate a small area it’s good know the bass are located there at times. These big bass tend to swim away out into a sanctuary zone and suspend, then move back into the area they feed. Timing is being there during the feeding or active period.

How do you know the big bass are there? You see them either visually chasing prey or following a lure or hooked bass. Today anglers have forward looking scanning live scope sonar. 

Location, location, location never changes.

I spent decades locating big bass. If you think making a lucky cast is going to consistently catch big bass your odds are very low.

Tom

[soflabasser]

I have caught a lot of big bass in my life and have learned that I much rather catch big bass with my Wife than catch big bass by myself. 

On 2/27/2022 at 9:52 PM, Catt said:

@Mobasser Couple things to keep in mind.

 

Conditions & timing, both are something we do not control...the bass does!

 

We act like we know when conditions are right by looking at the environment we live in. The bass doesn't live in our environment.

 

Same with timing, even though we think we know, we have no idea when big momma wants eat.

 

How do we overcome this?

 

Time on the water!

 

Instead of trying figure out the right conditions or time, I simply go fishing everytime I can. I ain't saying I don't try to go when the conditions should be right. But I understand everytime I think I have them figured out they prove me I don't!

 

Time on the water is by far the best teacher there is. I go fishing when ever I am able to and do my best to figure out what the fish want on a particular day. 

[GRiver]

I’ve been spending more time Hawg Hunting here lately.  Watch the weather, look for a rain shower at the right time of the day to let the barometric pressure work me, wind, temperature, sun position, etc… I kinda pick my time and place for Hawg Hunting. Other days I just fish.

[Catt]

On 2/27/2022 at 9:39 AM, roadwarrior said:

I think the most important variable is where you fish. A more realistic goal is targeting the

biggest bass in a particular lake. If the biggest bass taken in your lake is 8 lbs, that would

be a great bass for you, so you probably don't need a giant swimbait.  

 

For whatever reason when this discussion comes up some believe that if you're not catching double digits you ain't really a trophy hunter.

 

If your body of water's record is 8# & you consistently catch 6-7# you are a trophy angler.

 

I've caught 35 double digit bass but I've never caught a "teener", does that mean I'm not as good of an angler as someone who has caught a teener?

 

Keep it real @Mobasser ?

 

 

[Mobasser]

3 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

For whatever reason when this discussion comes up some believe that if you're not catching double digits you ain't really a trophy hunter.

 

If your body of water's record is 8# & you consistently catch 6-7# you are a trophy angler.

 

I've catch 35 double digit bass but I've never catch a "teener", does that mean I'm not as good of an angler than someone who has caught a teener?

 

Keep it real @Mobasser ?

 

For whatever reason when this discussion comes up some believe that if you're not catching double digits you ain't really a trophy hunter.

 

If your body of water's record is 8# & you consistently catch 6-7# you are a trophy angler.

 

I've catch 35 double digit bass but I've never catch a "teener", does that mean I'm not as good of an angler than someone who has caught a teener?

 

Keep it real @Mobasser ?

Catt, that's my plan. It I set my expectations too high, I'll never get there.

[Dwight Hottle]

12 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Thanks Tom. I think my realistic goal is an 8 to 9 pound fish in my area. More than one in a season would of course be fantastic. It would be unrealistic to expect a ten lb or bigger fish around here.

One guy we all know about is Bill Murphy, with his stitching style. He camped out on spots and had incredible patience also, probably more patience than most anglers would ever have. I think many of the big bass hunters train themselves to have patience, and really work a spot over before they move on. It's like" I know there's a big bass down there, and I'm going to catch her. Maybe not today, but at some point, I'll catch this fish."

It can't ever work for a guy who gives up easily.

 

Sean patience is king, I agree but don't paint yourself into a corner believing that if you are more patient than all other anglers you will be rewarded. It takes a multi-approach effort to be successful. You need to combine your superior patience with all other skills like locating, presentation, timing & not choking your chicken when you finally hook up with the fish of your dreams. All the patience in the world will not help you if your not in the right spot. 

My biggest weakness in chasing trophy smallmouth on Lake Erie was continuing to rely on methods that were always successful in the past at the expense of spending more time locating or relocating where the fish were at any given time. Time on the water grants us a history of finding good fish structure but fish location evolves with changing conditions which we must adjust to in order to be successful.  

[scaleface]

The big bass seem to be rarer in the waters I fish . Those 6 lb plus bass that use to be fairly common are now a once a year catch for me . One  lake I fish is trolling motor only , so the further away   from take-off the less fishing pressure it receives . Ive been spending a lot of  time in the far reaches trying  to hook an 8 lber .  I dont know , there might not be any 8's left  there . 

[Zcoker]

There has been a lot said on here about time on the water, having a ton of patience, and fishing in places where big bass live, all very valid points for the hawg hunter. But what about these hawgs? What about all those times when these hawgs were actually hooked only to rip clean away like nothing ever happened? I didn't think so much about that myself. I mean, I was only focused on all those important points mentioned, like being on the water all the time, patience, etc. But I never thought for one minute about what happens when I do hook into that monster. Total oblivion! I've lost a number of them before I even realized I had them hooked. They are that wise, so very slick, and can put a hurting on ya like no other! So it's not all about finding them. It's also about being ready when you do find them.