Specifically Targeting Big Bass

[KSanford33]

I apologize if there’s a previous thread that covers this. I searched but couldn’t find one. 
 

I went out this morning caught six bass all between 15-17” within three hours. Definitely a great morning. But then I wanted to transition towards targeting larger bass. How would I go about doing this? To give some additional info, I caught all my fish on a weedless frog in lily pads. The lake I was fishing has a lot of lily pads, some submerged weedbeds, and not much else. There’s a decent population of pike as well. 

[softwateronly]

Maybe extend that pattern to the best lily pads?  An isolated group, with a transition of cover, like where a weed bed meets the pads, closest to deep water would get multiple casts from different angles from me.  Frog, swim jig, and grass jig would be my bait choices.  Otherwise, you probably need to establish a new pattern.

 

scott

 

 

[Captain Phil]

To target larger bass, you need big fish bait.  Many trophy fish are caught on finesse lures, but using larger baits will up your chances.  Pads are prime big bass habitat.  Not all pads are the same.  Slooooow rolling a spinnerbait in pads is a good way to catch big fish.   Start at the outside edge and work back in.  Look for places where you can cast back into the pads and bring the lure back to you.  Be prepared to make multiple casts to the same target.  Direct overhead sun at mid day is the best time.  Bass will position under the pads and attack your bait if you can get close enough.   How close?  You can't get too close.  Obviously, you will need heavy tackle.  You also need patience.  If it was easy, anyone could do it.

[Mike L]

Big girls are opportunistic and lazy. 
Most will not run around all day looking for a small shad to munch on. 
As others have said they want a big meal. 
 

Mid day during the summer they can get pretty predictable in where they hang out. 
Deep, under and in cover. 
 

A big jig, big worm or a creature bait dragged or worked slowly and methodically through the heaviest cover in shallow lakes, along with a big crank in structure filled deep water. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[A-Jay]

@KSanford33

I managed to find some info about targeting Big Bass 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/search/?q="Targeting Big Bass "&quick=1&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy

Seems Big Bass can sort of be a relative term depending on your location and habitat. 

A big bass in NY might be a 6 or 7 lb fish.

While in some of the southern locals, that same size fish might not garnish that much recognition. 

Either way, they have to be there to catch and as noted above, having the right gear & a certain Big Bass mentality can be key.  Much of that is included in the links above.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

 

 

 

[scaleface]

Catching a limit of two lbers in three hours is pretty good     If possible , fish longer. 

[WRB]

1st things 1st is determine what a big bass is for you and eastern NY area you fish.

15” to 17” LMB are the highest population of young adult size bass everywhere and most aggressive, therefore easier to catch. 

Northern strain LMB where you live grow slower do to iced over lakes and colder water. To target 18” to 20” bass for example you trying to catch a population about 1/2 the numbers or few bass that are more wary. The numbers drop as the bass grow larger and older where 24” to 25” bass may not exist in your lake.

Lures are rarely the answer, location, timing then lure selection for the location and depth become a factor.

You need to study your fishery and determine what prey source larger size bass eat where you fish. 

Natural lakes and very different from man made impoundments for example.

Northern Pike are very aggressive predators and will dominate prime locations. For example Pike prefer outside weed edges, bass move to inside weed edges.

Pike react to flashing lures like spinner baits. A black buzz bait with dark color trailer or a chatter type lure with dark blade and trailer fished close the shore or inside weed line will attract more bass then Pike.

Jigs and soft plastic worms are preferred by larger size bass and not by Pike.

Tom

[Deleted account]

"Targeting" larger bass is no different than "targeting" any other species of fish. It's about finding them. If you find 2 lb bass, you are going to catch 2 lb bass, if you find 7 lb bass, you are going to catch 7 lb bass, (did yesterday on a toad, same toad I caught 3 dinks and 2 pickerel with). Big bass don't sit under some cover going "hey you gonna eat that, nah, too small, not worth it, let the kids have at it".  

[BlakeMolone]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

To target larger bass, you need big fish bait.  Many trophy fish are caught on finesse lures, but using larger baits will up your chances.  Pads are prime big bass habitat.  Not all pads are the same.  Slooooow rolling a spinnerbait in pads is a good way to catch big fish.   Start at the outside edge and work back in.  Look for places where you can cast back into the pads and bring the lure back to you.  Be prepared to make multiple casts to the same target.  Direct overhead sun at mid day is the best time.  Bass will position under the pads and attack your bait if you can get close enough.   How close?  You can't get too close.  Obviously, you will need heavy tackle.  You also need patience.  If it was easy, anyone could do it.

Do you ever deal with moss/algae stopping up your spinnerbaits while fishing thick pads? Any solutions?

[Trox]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Either way, they have to be there to catch and as noted above, having the right gear & a certain Big Bass mentality can be key. 

All of this...

 

4 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Big bass don't sit under some cover going "hey you gonna eat that, nah, too small, not worth it, let the kids have at it".  

I don't know. The "too small, not worth it" thing could actually hold some value for bigger fish. Now, I don't in any way think that they actually have that type of thought capacity, but if the smaller and faster prey keep getting eatin by the smaller, more agressive fish, a big bass may become accustomed to waiting on a bigger meal that others may pass up... Of course though, there are no hard rules in bass fishing...

[WRB]

I am not in the big bait big bass crowd. Also not in the big bass are lazy fish thinking. Big bass don’t get big being lazy, they are big because they eat more and get caught less often.

The Big bass hunted caught and ate more prey outgrowing her year class as a small bass.  

Big lures work where bass are feeding on larger bait fish. A 1 lb bass will eat a 10” soft plastic worm and a 10 lb bass will eat a 4” jig and visa versa. You just need to know when and where to use the worm or jig.

Tom 

[DaubsNU1]

10-12" worms, jig-n-craw, big swimbaits. Focus your attention to shaded areas in middle of the day. 

[Catt]

I concentrate more on when & where than on what.

 

Structure + cover + food source = bass

 

Put as much time on the water as possible 

[gim]

9 hours ago, KSanford33 said:

I went out this morning caught six bass all between 15-17” within three hours. Definitely a great morning

I went this morning and boated 12 that size, nothing bigger. Plus a handful of slimy aggressive pike. I was not disappointed at all and considered it a great morning.

 

Are there bigger bass there to be caught? Probably. But I was grateful for the success I had too. Perhaps next time.

[WRB]

There are basically 3 groups of bass anglers; those who like to catch numbers of bass, those who like to catch big bass and my group who like to catch numbers of big bass.

Tom

[Captain Phil]

15 hours ago, BlakeMolone said:

Do you ever deal with moss/algae stopping up your spinnerbaits while fishing thick pads? Any solutions?

 

Thankfully no.   This rarely happens where I fish and when it does it's a temporary situation.  If I do, I leave and run to another pad field. 

[Captain Phil]

8 hours ago, WRB said:

There are basically 3 groups of bass anglers; those who like to catch numbers of bass, those who like to catch big bass and my group who like to catch numbers of big bass.

Tom

 

Who doesn't want to catch numbers of big bass?  Unfortunately, not everyone has the same opportunities.  There are forest lakes here in Florida where a 3 pound bass is the largest bass in the lake.  To catch numbers of big bass, you must fish where they are plentiful enough to encounter them. 

 

Your point is well taken.   Big bass act different than yearling bass.  Their food is different too.  That doesn't mean they won't do something you don't expect.  I once saw a 10 pound bass in a bucket that was caught with a crappie jig on a cane pole.  If you want to catch numbers of big bass, you must be dedicated to the task.  It's going to take time.  It's going to take patience and you may go some time between fish.  Not everyone wants to go down that road.  

[garroyo130]

Dont recall where I read it but I once heard big bass eat, small bass react. I'm no big bass expert, but from reading what experts have to say, this appears to be at least partially true.

[Mobasser]

I have been specifically fishing for big bass since this spring. I've made a couple of post on this topic also.                     I have the right baits and tackle, most of us do.  I've caught quite a few fish this season so far, but no really big bass. I'm still trying. I'll just say there are so many factors involved here, expect to put in some time. It's definitely not easy.

[gim]

43 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I have the right baits and tackle, most of us do.  I've caught quite a few fish this season so far, but no really big bass. I'm still trying. I'll just say there are so many factors involved here, expect to put in some time. It's definitely not easy.

I haven’t caught any really big bass for where I fish this season yet either. That’s doesn’t mean my season has been a failure.

 

I fish enough throughout the the season during what I consider to be optimum conditions so that I am almost guaranteed to run into at least a few at some point. The amount of time I fish during a span of 5-6 months will eventually translate into a plus sized bass or two.

[roadwarrior]

My biggest bass this year have come from local public ponds. The GYCB Kreature,

Senko and Fat Ika have been red hot!  At Pickwick the better smallmouth have been

fooled by the Rage Menace, Structure Bug and GYCB Kreature.  

 

A few weeks ago my brother and I fished Bull Shoals. We did not catch monsters,

but well over 100 smallmouth almost exclusively on the Gitzit. We also caught 

spots and largemouth in the mix. The best green fish was ~5 lbs, smalljaw

4 1/2 lbs. Add six keeper walleye for a great trip.

[scaleface]

A big bass to me is not the same for  WRB . When I look back at the 6lb plus bass I have caught , when where and how  is quite diverse , The only common denominator is they were relating to some sort of cover or structure . So I spend a lot of time fishing cover and structure as efficiently as I can .

[Team9nine]

22 hours ago, WRB said:

Lures are rarely the answer, location, timing then lure selection for the location and depth become a factor.

 

22 hours ago, Deleted account said:

"Targeting" larger bass is no different than "targeting" any other species of fish. It's about finding them. If you find 2 lb bass, you are going to catch 2 lb bass, if you find 7 lb bass, you are going to catch 7 lb bass.

 

17 hours ago, WRB said:

I am not in the big bait big bass crowd. Also not in the big bass are lazy fish thinking. Big bass don’t get big being lazy, they are big because they eat more and get caught less often.

I’ve spent an awful lot of time studying this aspect of ‘bigger bass’ fishing over the years, especially more recently, and a lot of the framework, IMO, lies within the above selected responses. 

[WRB]

Keeping the topic focused on the OP’s question “Specifically Targeting Big Bass”, how do I go about doing this?

To repeat what I wrote at the beginning of this thread how I would go about doing this living in upper eastern NY is study the lakes and learn about the prey the bigger bass are likely to target and the lakes structure to focus on very specific areas where big bass are likely to be located.

Doesn’t change if you live in Florida, Texas, California, Minnesota , Indiana or New York. Pursuing big bass, the smallest population in any lake, requires educating yourself the behavior of these special fish and fish for them.

Catching 1 big bass is usually pure luck being in the right place and time with a lure that bass struck. Catching big bass more consistently takes dedication and spending hours on the water grinding it out where you know is a good location until you catch big bass.

In my case I use my sonar to meter big bass and my eyes watching for evidence the big bass are in that area.

Tom      

[LrgmouthShad]

2 minutes ago, WRB said:

Catching 1 big bass is usually pure luck being in the right place and time with a lure that bass struck

That’s how it went for me and I know it! Lol. Still, sometimes… you just get lucky. Never know till ya go fishing