Why can't I catch a big bass?

[Flushdraw]

I've been fishing for over 2 years now. I've got good equipment and pretty decent skills. I generally

 

do pretty well. I went out for about 1 1/2 hours a couple of days ago and landed 5, lost 2. My biggest by far was 2.14 lbs.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy catching ANY size bass and a 2 pounder is a nice sized fish. The biggest I've ever landed has been in the 2.5 pound

 

range. Problem I have is, I know they're giants where I'm fishing. I've seen them, occasionally hooked them, and have had buddies that have landed

 

them. I'm talking 10+ pounders. I'm not fishing with "small fish" plastics either. Am I doing something wrong, or is it mostly luck?

 

[GreenPig]

Increase your fishing by 2 or 3 times. The best equipment and skills won't overcome the time you must invest to cross paths with big girls.

[papajoe222]

Are you fishing from shore, or from a boat? A little more information about the body of water you're fishing, what locations and cover you're targeting, and  what baits you've been using would help here.

When it comes to big bass, location and presentation are of utmost importance.

They don't get big chasing forage, but almost always position themselves at prime ambush spots. The exception would be during the spawn and if you're fishing from shore, the spawn is your best bet for catching a big girl.

[PaulVE64]

Most of my big fish (river smallies) have come because I was throwing something unique or fishing something really slow. Maybe my fish are pressured.

 

[Susky River Rat]

No one ever tells you how much time on the water it takes to consistently catch big bass.  Big bass and big deer do not get that way by being “dumb”. 

[Pat Brown]

I agree that intentional time on the water will increase your odds tremendously.

 

First thing I like to do is find spots I'm confident hold big bass.

 

A firm grasp of bass and their forage and how they relate to seasonal changes and day to day weather and structure on your body of water will serve you better than any piece of Electronics or tackle.

[Catt]

7 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

I've been fishing for over 2 years now.

 

Patience 😉

Some of us have fished a lifetime without a double digit.

[VTFan]

I'm almost 68 years old and been fishing since I was a child. I was in my early 20's when I caught my first big bass..a 6.10, in my mid 50's when I caught my next 6+ lber, and just recently caught my new PB, 8.5 lbs. There is no telling how many cast I made to how many different ponds and lakes over the years. As Catt said, patience is the name of the game. It could happen on your next cast.

[fishhugger]

9 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

I've been fishing for over 2 years now. I've got good equipment and pretty decent skills. I generally

 

do pretty well. I went out for about 1 1/2 hours a couple of days ago and landed 5, lost 2. My biggest by far was 2.14 lbs.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy catching ANY size bass and a 2 pounder is a nice sized fish. The biggest I've ever landed has been in the 2.5 pound

 

 

 

where i fish, if i DON"T catch anything and i only fished for  1 1/2 hours, i consider it 'normal.'  you hooked onto 7 in  1 1/2 hours? yeah,  i guess you simply need to fish longer per trip --- which i assume you do on occasion.   and i assume you'll be catching larger bass in the next couple years, simply due to more experience....

[Swamp Girl]

If you've hooked DDs, you're way, WAY ahead of me and I'm one of the most consistent bass-catchers at Bass Resource. So is @AlabamaSpothunter, who fishes hardcore and doesn't hook and lose DDs. If I ever hooked a DD, I don't think I could land it, because here's where I fish:

 

 

That's a foot of water with weeds and wood everywhere and the bass run to the wood. What's the water like where you hook DDs?

 

Anyway, you're doing nothing wrong and everything right if you're hooking DDs. You just need to land one and that'll take a little luck, while also pumping anglers who land them for fighting tips. Again, I'm not one of those DD anglers, so I have no advice to offer. Ask @WRB, also known as Tom, who has perhaps caught as many massive bass as any man alive. Or ask @Catt and then read their answers about ten times and commit them to memory and imagine yourself applying them in the middle of a battle. 

 

In the meantime, enjoy the hunt! 

[Mike L]

Theres a little bit of luck involved sure, but there are no short cuts. 
 

It takes time on task in your waters.
Learn how changes in water clarity, depth, wind direction, cover and structure effect your fishery. It’s just as important to eliminate water as it is to fit all the pieces together to increase your chances. 

Taking that time then you can fine tune your presentations and bait selection in the most likely areas to fit all the pieces together to increase your opportunities 

 

 

Mike

[Swamp Girl]

11 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

The biggest I've ever landed has been in the 2.5 pound

 

range.

 

From 2.5 pounds to a DD is quantum leap. That's like driving a kiddy car and then wanting to drive a 300 mph dragster next. Don't you aspire to some intermediate steps?

[Zcoker]

Try fishing at night. Big bass love to hunt at night. Darkness also masks your mistakes, something big bass are very aware of.

 

Try fishing with bigger baits. You won’t always get a ton of hits using them but when you do they’re usually big hits.

 

Time on the water is well and good but being in the right place at the right time under the right conditions is much better! In other words, you can isolate and narrow things down to be in those ripe windows.

 

Think big bass in order to catch big bass. Without that mindset, it will be very difficult to beat luck. 

 

Be ready for anything! Have all the right tools ready. This gal missed my top water bait so I immediately grabbed my jig rod and fired it over. Had I not been ready to do that, I would’ve missed her. 

 

[The Budget Angler]

It takes a lot of time.  I moved to the South from Montana a couple years ago and had to become reacquainted with bass, which I hadn't targeted much since I had lived in CA.  I rarely caught a bass that first year.  I think I literally caught less then a dozen fish that year.  This year was different.  Starting in March, I started figuring the bass out a little better.  April brought me a fish that was a high 4 or low 5.  It took me hundreds of skunks to get that fish.

 

So, keep trying.  Try new lures, new techniques, new spots, and really develop your fisherman's brain.  Seeing as you're in Texas, you'll be landing DD bass before you know it.

 

Tight Lines!

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

I've been fishing for over 2 years now. I've got good equipment and pretty decent skills. I generally

 

do pretty well. I went out for about 1 1/2 hours a couple of days ago and landed 5, lost 2. My biggest by far was 2.14 lbs.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy catching ANY size bass and a 2 pounder is a nice sized fish. The biggest I've ever landed has been in the 2.5 pound

 

range. Problem I have is, I know they're giants where I'm fishing. I've seen them, occasionally hooked them, and have had buddies that have landed

 

them. I'm talking 10+ pounders. I'm not fishing with "small fish" plastics either. Am I doing something wrong, or is it mostly luck?

 

Here's a couple of previous topic specific threads . . . 

Plenty of hard earned & experienced responders in both of there.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/245608-the-hawg-hunters/

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/246580-the-hawg-hunters/

 

Good Luck

A-Jay

[WRB]

You said you have good equipment what do you have?

Shore angler or boat?

How do you lose hooked bass?

The above ?’s helps to give appropriate advice.

Tom

[Flushdraw]

15 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Are you fishing from shore, or from a boat? A little more information about the body of water you're fishing, what locations and cover you're targeting, and  what baits you've been using would help here.

When it comes to big bass, location and presentation are of utmost importance.

They don't get big chasing forage, but almost always position themselves at prime ambush spots. The exception would be during the spawn and if you're fishing from shore, the spawn is your best bet for catching a big girl.

I fish from shore only. I don't have a boat. I'm fishing small ponds with grass. Lots of grass.

I just found a new neighborhood pond which has been money. Almost nobody fishes it and it's LOADED with bass!

 

I generally fish the Fat Ika, sometimes Senkos, and with a fluke (Caffeine Shad is my fav).

I recently discovered the Berkley Pit Boss and it instantly has become my new favorite confidence bait. I fish that with a pegged weight and a Gammy Finesse heavy Cover hook in 3/0.

 

I generally throw in areas on the edge of grass. I look for ambush points.

5 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

From 2.5 pounds to a DD is quantum leap. That's like driving a kiddy car and then wanting to drive a 300 mph dragster next. Don't you aspire to some intermediate steps?

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My post was poorly written. I'm not looking to hook into a DD, although that would be nice. I'd like to get something in the 4-5 lb range.

3 hours ago, WRB said:

You said you have good equipment what do you have?

Shore angler or boat?

How do you lose hooked bass?

The above ?’s helps to give appropriate advice.

Tom

Tom, thanks to this forum I now have a 7'2" heavy Expride mated with a 6.3 Diawa SV TW. I'm running 50# braid to 15# flouro leader (which I believe has a breaking strength over 20#). I love the set-up!

 

I lose fish probably from bad technique...maybe too much slack. I'm still new to this and learn more every time I go on the water.

 

[Swamp Girl]

7 minutes ago, Flushdraw said:

I'd like to get something in the 4-5 lb range.

 

I love those four-to-five pounders. They're my specialty. And hauling them out of grass is how I do it. Fishing from shore gives you an advantage over me in that you're rooted on solid ground, whereas even two-pound bass can pull my canoe. However, for every 50 two-to-three pounders I catch, I might catch one or two four to five-pounders. A five-pounder in Maine can be 20 years old, which is why they're relatively rare. However, since you're a Texan, I think they could achieve five pounds in two years. I think you'll catch one pretty soon and when you do, be sure to photograph it and share the photo so we can all cyber-slap your back!

 

And listen to whatever Tom tells you!

[Pumpkin Lizard]

18 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

I've been fishing for over 2 years now. I've got good equipment and pretty decent skills. I generally

 

do pretty well. I went out for about 1 1/2 hours a couple of days ago and landed 5, lost 2. My biggest by far was 2.14 lbs.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy catching ANY size bass and a 2 pounder is a nice sized fish. The biggest I've ever landed has been in the 2.5 pound

 

range. Problem I have is, I know they're giants where I'm fishing. I've seen them, occasionally hooked them, and have had buddies that have landed

 

them. I'm talking 10+ pounders. I'm not fishing with "small fish" plastics either. Am I doing something wrong, or is it mostly luck?

 

 

Best way to catch big bass is to fish where there are big bass. I fish lots of ponds too and some ponds just don't have many of them. So don't beat yourself up. The odds might be against you.

 

Also fishing from the bank, I get too focused on fishing shallower water. I think big bass are efficient. They go somewhere after spawning and they don't move until it's time to eat or the season changes.

 

I seem to run into my big fish outside of spring  when I find sweet spot in deeper water or in the evening when they move from deeper water to shallower water to smash bluegills.

[Woody B]

I'm certainly not an expert, but there's many factors go into catching big Bass.   Also, big is a relative term depending on what waters you're fishing.   There's plenty of good advice in this thread by people who I believe consistently catch the biggest Bass in the waters they're fishing.  

 

It's my belief that one of the most important things (assuming there's a big Bass there) is accurate casting......but it goes beyond just accuracy.   A big splash when the lure lands is going to scare a big Bass off.  An inaccurate cast will do the same thing.  IE, it's my belief that if there's a big Bass next to a stump, or under a lay down your first cast better be a good one.  If you're trying to hit a 6 inch target, and your cast lands a couple feet away I suspect you've spooked the big Bass.  

 

 

How are you losing the bigger Bass you're losing?  Are they breaking off, or just coming unhooked?   I'm hesitate to offer any advice.  Every time I talk about successfully landing Bass I lose a bunch.   Boat control is a big part of my fish fighting.  I'll use my (foot controlled) trolling motor to keep the line tight or even help drag fish from cover.   As long as it's safe to do so, move around on the bank when fighting a big Bass to keep your line tight, and "steer" it out of cover.  

 

Last, and IMHO very important,  sharp hooks.   

 

 

I need to add.  In the past year I've been doing better at catching bigger Bass (that I was catching in the past)   It's my belief that for the most part 5 pound Bass don't hang around with small Bass.  Conventional wisdom says "don't leave Bass to find Bass".   If I catch a couple 10 to 12 inch Bass I'm going somewhere else.   

 

 

[Eric 26]

@Flushdraw If your “buddies” are catching them, why are you asking here instead of asking and more importantly mimicking what your friends are doing 🤔 I should add I am most definitely not a big bass expert.

Edited September 7, 2024 by Eric 26
Content

[Flushdraw]

3 hours ago, Woody B said:

I'm certainly not an expert, but there's many factors go into catching big Bass.   Also, big is a relative term depending on what waters you're fishing.   There's plenty of good advice in this thread by people who I believe consistently catch the biggest Bass in the waters they're fishing.  

 

It's my belief that one of the most important things (assuming there's a big Bass there) is accurate casting......but it goes beyond just accuracy.   A big splash when the lure lands is going to scare a big Bass off.  An inaccurate cast will do the same thing.  IE, it's my belief that if there's a big Bass next to a stump, or under a lay down your first cast better be a good one.  If you're trying to hit a 6 inch target, and your cast lands a couple feet away I suspect you've spooked the big Bass.  

 

 

How are you losing the bigger Bass you're losing?  Are they breaking off, or just coming unhooked?   I'm hesitate to offer any advice.  Every time I talk about successfully landing Bass I lose a bunch.   Boat control is a big part of my fish fighting.  I'll use my (foot controlled) trolling motor to keep the line tight or even help drag fish from cover.   As long as it's safe to do so, move around on the bank when fighting a big Bass to keep your line tight, and "steer" it out of cover.  

 

Last, and IMHO very important,  sharp hooks.   

 

 

I need to add.  In the past year I've been doing better at catching bigger Bass (that I was catching in the past)   It's my belief that for the most part 5 pound Bass don't hang around with small Bass.  Conventional wisdom says "don't leave Bass to find Bass".   If I catch a couple 10 to 12 inch Bass I'm going somewhere else.   

 

 

This is my belief as well. Accurate casting is at least 30% of successful bass fishing. I absolutely suck at casting. It's my biggest weakness. I recently got a baitcaster and that's been a total game-changer for me. After an hour of practice I was already more accurate.

 

I haven't had a break-off in well over a year. I just got back from fishing today and caught 2, lost 2.

I think it's just bad technique on hook set. Most times I'm fishing those Gammy flippin hooks. It's d**n near impossible to lose one if it's properly hooked. Hell, I have to use pliers most times to remove them. They're razor sharp and I keep a sharpener with me always.

[JayMac89]

Iv only been fishing slightly longer than you. I am still learning myself. But I have been lucky enough to catch a few big ones. For my area at least. For reference, in my opinion a 2.5 pounder is a normal sized bass. Anything under is small. Anything over up to 3.5 or so is a really good one. And 4-5+ is a giant. Iv caught 3 in that 3.5-4 pound range and my PB is 5 pounds even. 

 

Most of what I've learned cane from the guys here. But with my limited experience iv been able to confirm a few things. 

 

First, as already mentioned, is time and consistency. I fish alot. Hell my 5 pounder I caught this year in early spring. Still cold up here. It was a day that I wasn't really expecting much action but just wanted to get into the routine with warmer weather on is way. 

 

Second is that big bass don't move. The first big guy I caught was a crazy story. The short version is I hooked up with it but it threw my crankbait in the morning. Went back in the evening that very same day and caught the same bass exactly in the same spot.

 

And third is big bass get the best hiding spots. Every big bass iv caught was deeeeep in some sort of cover. If I come up on a lay down or over hanging trees, my first cast is going to be the risky (but high reward) cast. Deep in there. Might get hung up but might get a big guy. If no takers then I'll start to cast around the cover. You mention throwing at the edge of grass. And that's all good. But for me at least, that's not getting the big ones. If I see cover and my first thought is hesitation due to getting hung up, my follow up thought will be big bass. 

 

Again. These are all thoughts and advice iv read. But as iv caught a handful of bigger bass, they started making more sense to me and I understood what they meant better. The pieces have start coming together surely but slowly

[PaulVE64]

The spot on the spot.

 

[Mobasser]

21 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Here's a couple of previous topic specific threads . . . 

Plenty of hard earned & experienced responders in both of there.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/245608-the-hawg-hunters/

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/246580-the-hawg-hunters/

 

Good Luck

A-Jay

A- Jay, I chuckled  a little at this post. Here I am still trying to beat my PB. And, it hasn't happened yet. Catching the huge bass is simply not an easy thing to do. I've caught a bunch of bass since I made these post, but the big one has eluded me. She's always on my mind though.