Biggest Bass of 2023 ~ What Bait ?

[gim]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

There are dozens of similar videos out there

I can only imagine the response from a walleye angler here if they saw this.  Most of them already think of bass as an inferior species that anyone can catch whenever they want.  A bass caught in a sewer would only fuel that skepticism.

[Bluebasser86]

Hopefully I didn't already catch my biggest of the year last weekend. It does typically happen in January-March for me though and the big fish juat haven't been happening this year so far. 

 

I haven't caught a big one on a swimbait in a few years, so lets go a bone Clutch glide bait. It was hot last fall, just never got a big one. Has to happen eventually if it keeps getting bit right?

[WIGuide]

This one is a tough pick for me since I was bouncing around a few possible options, but I'm going to go with a Texas rigged D-Bomb in Super Bug. We'll see if that ends up being the case or not. 

[Rockytop]

Homemade black long arm spinnerbait with a big Colorado blade at night in April or May.

[Drew03cmc]

Man, this is a tough one. I will be fishing the same lake on 6 or so occasions for kayak tourneys, should be on Kentucky Lake in early October and will hit the other local waters that I've caught some fish on. I am guessing it will be on a squarebill. I'm also devoting a lot of time to jerkbaits, jigs and the mini max this year.

[Swamp Girl]

49 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Hopefully I didn't already catch my biggest of the year last weekend. It does typically happen in January-March for me though and the big fish juat haven't been happening this year so far. 

 

I haven't caught a big one on a swimbait in a few years, so lets go a bone Clutch glide bait. It was hot last fall, just never got a big one. Has to happen eventually if it keeps getting bit right?

 

You catch so many FAT bass that might have already caught everyone's big one. Plus, you fish in the howling mist, which means you're allowed to double the weights of all your fish. 

[Swamp Girl]

11 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

You catch so many FAT bass that might have already caught everyone's big one. Plus, you fish in the howling, winter mist, which due to level of difficulty, means you're allowed to double the weights of all your fish. 

 

[Aaron_H]

16 hours ago, GreenPig said:

That fish was out of my little pond, so I'm talking public water big fish baits. Pond fish don't really count, right??

 

This is terrible news for me!

 

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Please send me whatever you were feeding it !

A-Jay

 

Toddlers, probably ?

[river-rat]

 

I'm going to say a flipping tube since that's what I used to catch a 7lb. 13 oz. largemouth this past Thursday.

 

[evilcatfish]

My best so far this year came on a brown finesse jig. I'm guessing the biggest will come on a jig, tube, or walking topwater-but who knows

[ABrugs]

My confidence lure for smallies on LSC is the NetBait STH Finesse Series Tube in the 2.5" size and the 'Green Pumpkin' color. I'd like to break my PB of 4.60 and catch one north of 5 on this in 2023.

[Tennessee Boy]

If it’s over 6 lbs it’ll be on a jig.  If it under 6 it will be on a trick worm or Senko.

[Friggs]

My prediction is a Zoom Ol' Monster in Junebug.

[PhishLI]

I'm thinking this one will get it done, which means it'll probably come on a crappie magnet.?

 

Side Hustle Garage Bully Cat

[T-Billy]

The mighty Sweet Craw has got it done two years running. I'm expecting more of the same this year, but the chatterbait has a legit chance, it puts quality fish in the boat year after year. 

22 hours ago, A-Jay said:

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

A-Jay

Mmm Hmm..............

[Bankbeater]

I'm going to play the odds and say a 3/8 black and blue jig with a craw trailer.

[Swamp Girl]

Again, this is a great thread. The variety of our most reliable lures continues to amaze me. Thanks, A-Jay!

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, T-Billy said:

the chatterbait has a legit chance, it puts quality fish in the boat year after year. 

Yeah. Wouldn't be surprised. My 3 best came on some type of weedless chatterbait, and most of my better fish came on the Project Z Weedless last season. Don't fear the weed guard! #StraightBraidBrigade!

[Jerryj33]

Anecdotal evidence from the past few years would make me want to guess a lucky craft LC 1.5 square bill

[Log Catcher]

For LMB I think it will be either a Zoom Ol Monster or a 6th Sense Crush 50X square bill. If I get to fish any where I can catch SMB it will be on a Mepps spinner.

[A-Jay]

Got to admit it ~

I'm sort of surprised no one has doubled down

and gone with the 3/8 oz 6th Sense Devine braid swim jg with no trailer . . . . 

#joshjones

A-Jay

 

[Cbump]

My biggest of 2022 came on 12/31/22. 7.34 with a Vision 110 jerkbait. 
 

Second biggest was 6.5 on 8/27/22 with a Carolina Rig with brush hog. 
 

I rarely use either though and predict my 2023 big will be on a Texas rig creature or Texas rig 10” Worm. 

[Drawdown]

Free Rig Baby!!! Never thrown it a day in my life. ?

[Fishlegs]

18 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Got to admit it ~

I'm sort of surprised no one has doubled down

and gone with the 3/8 oz 6th Sense Devine braid swim jg with no trailer . . . . 

#joshjones

A-Jay

 

Do you get kickbacks from the bait monkey @A-Jay? Now I need to get some of those. Wow! ?

[A-Jay]

47 minutes ago, Fishlegs said:

Do you get kickbacks from the bait monkey @A-Jay? Now I need to get some of those. Wow! ?

Don't blame me !

It's all Josh's fault . . . . 

A-Jay