Biggest Bass of 2023 ~ What Bait ?

[A-Jay]

 Ok, it's not super cold here like it was last week, but I'm still sporting a couple of layers.

My world will remain frozen solid for several more weeks.

However, many members are still fishing and may have already landed a best fish.

But another one could be slurping up that very next cast. 

Either way, thought I'd throw this one out there.

Here's your chance to call your shot.

 

What exact bait or lure do you expect to catch your biggest bass of the year on ?

 

And no coming back and editing your choice after the fact. #fairplay

 

For me, picking a jerkbait would just be plain low hanging fruit.

I'm not going there. 

Vibrating Jig has been a solid contender past few seasons and I kind of leaning that way now.

 

So that's going to be my pick.

But just to add a little spice to it,

I'm going to with the 3/8 Green Pumpkin Z-Man Chatterbait Mini Max with a matching Goby Swimbait Trailer.

Interestingly enough, I've never even casted one of these baits but after bait monkeying a few last week,

and rigging up that trailer, I'm feeling pretty confident. 

Time will tell.

If it works out, you'll see that bait at least once in a video.

If not, then. . . . .

So what's it going be ?

A-Jay

 

 

 

[crypt]

I'll bite.........I'm going with a Culprit Fat Max, 7" Red Shad, Texas rigged 1/8 oz. tungsten weight. and I'll catch it at Headwaters lake in April. hows that?....... My luck I'll catch it in August on a Rattletrap.........LOL....

[WRB]

If I manage to catch a big bass it will be on a jig.

Since my favorite is a Anywhere anytime hair jig with barn red pork trailer that should be highest %.

Tom

[A-Jay]

6 minutes ago, crypt said:

I'll bite.........I'm going with a Culprit Fat Max, 7" Red Shad, Texas rigged 1/8 oz. tungsten weight. and I'll catch it at Headwaters lake in April. hows that?....... My luck I'll catch it in August on a Rattletrap.........LOL....

I Like It !

Good Luck.

No Pressure . . . . 

I'm hoping I can actually fish in April !

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

Tennessee River below Pickwick Dam

Rage Tail Structure Bug, Okeechobee

T-rigged, 3/16 bullet weight, #6 Tatsu

12 lb 1 oz

 

I think it's going to happen this Thursday!

 

 

                                               

[Bird]

I'm a creature of habit and always seem to catch my biggest fish of the year during early pre-spawn....... I'll be throwing swim jigs as usual.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

30 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 Ok, it's not super cold here like it was last week, but I'm still sporting a couple of layers.

My world will remain frozen solid for several more weeks.

However, many members are still fishing and may have already landed a best fish.

But another one could be slurping up that very next cast. 

Either way, thought I'd throw this one out there.

Here's your chance to call your shot.

 

What exact bait or lure do you expect to catch your biggest bass of the year on ?

 

And no coming back and editing your choice after the fact. #fairplay

 

For me, picking a jerkbait would just be plain low hanging fruit.

I'm not going there. 

Vibrating Jig has been a solid contender past few seasons and I kind of leaning that way now.

 

So that's going to be my pick.

But just to add a little spice to it,

I'm going to with the 3/8 Green Pumpkin Z-Man Chatterbait Mini Max with a matching Goby Swimbait Trailer.

Interestingly enough, I've never even casted one of these baits but after bait monkeying a few last week,

and rigging up that trailer, I'm feeling pretty confident. 

Time will tell.

If it works out, you'll see that bait at least once in a video.

If not, then. . . . .

So what's it going be ?

A-Jay

 

 

 

I mean a MiniMax is lowing hanging fruit to those in the know ?

 

18 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Tennessee River below Pickwick Dam

Rage Tail Structure Bug, Okeechobee

T-rigged, 3/16 bullet weight, #6 Tatsu

12 lb 1 oz

 

I think it's going to happen this Thursday!

 

 

                                               

God speed brother....12.1 on #6 is not jumping out of an airplane, you're now wingsuiting ?

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I mean a MiniMax is lowing hanging fruit to those in the know ?

 

I could have gone A-Rig but we both know those things are about useless . . . . 

A-Jay

[gim]

Normally I would select a more aggressive, faster, power fishing technique like a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or crank bait since that is how I prefer to fish, and it’s what I’m more confident with.

 

For 2023 I am going with a tube. I’ll have to revisit this one in November when the season is over.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I can see your fish also coming off a topwater.   That place in some of your videos that produced big ones on topwaters IIrc.     Looks like a nowhere place.   

 

I hope everyone's big fish of the year comes off topwater including my own, what a thrill that would be.  

 

Since starting back I haven't caught a fish 5 or better on topwater.   I'm dying for the topwater bite to turn on again so I can learn how to do it.   

[BrianMDTX]

Man, tough choice between a T-rigged Senko or a Zoom Trick. My last big bass (over 5 lbs.) was on a Zoom Trick, so that’s my pick. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

Normally I would select a more aggressive, faster, power fishing technique like a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or crank bait since that is how I prefer to fish, and it’s what I’m more confident with.

 

For 2023 I am going with tube. I’ll have to revisit this one in November when the season is over.

That's like walking into a garage with a Ferrari, Lambo, 911, and a Prius.....and you drive away in the Prius ?

[gim]

1 minute ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That's like walking into a garage with a Ferrari, Lambo, 911, and a Prius.....and you drive away in the Prius ?

Maybe it will provide a little motivation and force me to finesse fish and slow down this season.

[A-Jay]

If nothing else, there's a decent chance that responders to this one

we'll all be fishing at least one bait, Pretty Hard !

I know I will. 

A-Jay

[MN Fisher]

19 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I could have gone A-Rig but we both know those things are about useless . . . . 

A-Jay

 

Ya - one hook among all those arms...silly rigging up all those dummy baits, getting them ripped off continually, and they never go after the one with the hook (MN regulations on A-Rigs - one hook no matter how many arms)

 

11 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Normally I would select a more aggressive, faster, power fishing technique like a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or crank bait since that is how I prefer to fish, and it’s what I’m more confident with.

 

Ya - those and a swim jig been my mainstays the last couple years.

 

6 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Maybe it will provide a little motivation and force me to finesse fish and slow down this season.

 

Same here - more finesse, less wearing my arm out...though I am gonna open the season with jerkbaits...they work for @A-Jay - gotta be something to them.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Finally found some local lakes with decent water clarity and really figuring out this live imaging thing.

 

Biggest last year was 8.35 on a glide bait. 
 

if I can get some time to get out. I think I can continue to do that.

[roadwarrior]

Big Bass on topwater:  PopMax

[DitchPanda]

my biggest bass of the year will come on a: 5\16oz BOSS finesse flip jig, green pumpkin skirt and a trimmed green pumpkin missile baits D bomb trailer.

[Way north bass guy]

If I get the chance to get up to my parents place about 3-1/2 hours north of me this spring, where the bass season is open year round, I’m gonna hit a few lakes in the pre spawn that I absolutely know I will have the best chance of the year to get the largest smallmouths, when they first slide shallow to feed heavily for several weeks before they spawn. There’s a real legitimate chance I can get into multiple fish over 6lbs, it’s that good!

Judging by the areas I’ll likely be fishing, I’d have to say it’ll be a 1/2oz jackhammer with a Zako on the back. 50/50 on the colour, either all white, or green pumpkin. 

[scaleface]

Like last year , Zara Spook .

[12poundbass]

I’m bouncing back and forth between three….

 

But, I’m going with a @Siebert Outdoors swim jig in sunfish color with a Rage craw trailer (rigged vertical of course).

[Catt]

Uhh! Texas Rigged piece of plastic or a Jig-n-Craw 

[Aaron_H]

I'm hoping I can pull out another great year anchored by the jerkbait, so I'll go with that. 1/2 oz H2O Ultimate Jerk Shad in Crackle is what I'm hoping to get my biggest this year on (and fingers crossed for some more DDs this year, too). Bite really picked up around this time last year so we'll see.

 

Lipless and chatterbait are also strong contenders for big fish of the year.

[KSanford33]

2 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I’m bouncing back and forth between three….

 

But, I’m going with a @Siebert Outdoors swim jig in sunfish color with a Rage craw trailer (rigged vertical of course).

Since this one is already taken, I’m going to say an A-Rig with Keitech swimbaits on it. 
 

And I’m calling it right now, I’m in upstate NY and my biggest will be 8+lbs. 

[a1712]

6" Perch Magdraft. Brian.