Catching big fish: Luck or Skill?

[WRB]

There’s is always the exception to the rule!
Most PB big bass are broken off by angler error.The big bass get hooked and comes towards the boat before it knows what’s going on, see’s the boat and panics about the same time the anger see’s bass and panics! The combination of confusions ends up loosing the bass!
My practiced reaction is tell myself to slow down pull on the line to check the drag and remind me this could be the fish.

At this point  it has taken a life time to hook this bass and everything goes into slow motion no mistakes, the only thing that matters is put the bass into the boat…follow the fish keep in control  I put a lot of giant bass in boat  following this advice.

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

10 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

Best topwater fishing of my life during these events some years!

 

So exciting. I cast a clear Heddon Torpedo to smallies sucking mayflies off the surface and would get three/four/five hits before one managed to hook itself. It took several attempts each time because the mayflies were sticking out of their mouths. 

[J Francho]

13 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Best topwater fishing of my life during these events some years!

I 100% agree.  For some reason, especially smallmouth, fish seem activated during these hatches, not turned off at all.  My guess is there is also a ton of baitfish activity and they are focused on eating anything within striking distance while the buffet is open.

[Columbia Craw]

You have to fish where they live.

Fish the time of year they are accessible.

Fish baits and techniques that are proven.

Fish high percentage locations.

Fish gear that won’t fail.

Fish often.

 

[Pumpkin Lizard]

18 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

Best topwater fishing of my life during these events some years!

and then it’s sucks afterwards for a week or so. That’s my experience.

On 2/12/2025 at 8:21 PM, Swamp Girl said:

 

I fished through those hatches and caught a lot of fish. Their mouths would be stuffed with mayflies, but they'd still hit a lure.

Yeah I am talking about after.

[Pumpkin Lizard]

Not my picture but I have seen it like this.  Places close the river were using snowblowers to clear them out. 

[Swamp Girl]

58 minutes ago, Pumpkin Lizard said:

Yeah I am talking about after.

 

That makes sense.

[rboat]

I agree the answer is both. The big girls are kind of different. They have become larger/older because they learned how to stay hidden and away from predators and anglers. They normally do not school, and are kind of loaners. They shy away from noise and movement. 

When I think of big bass, I can't help but think of Doug Hannon. He caught over 800 double digit bass. He did not have a giant bassboat, no powerpoles, no FFS, no depthfinder, and rarely used a trolling motor. He used a paddle or a push pole for stealth in a padded tin john boat most of the time. He got back into places most would not try to fish.

RIP. Doug

 

[KSanford33]

2 hours ago, rboat said:

When I think of big bass, I can't help but think of Doug Hannon.

I still watch his videos on YouTube. He’s like the Bob Ross of fishing. 

[J Francho]

[Swamp Girl]

5 hours ago, rboat said:

He did not have a giant bassboat, no powerpoles, no FFS, no depthfinder, and rarely used a trolling motor. He used a paddle or a push pole for stealth in a padded tin john boat most of the time. He got back into places most would not try to fish.

 

[Bankbeater]

A lot of times in pressured water, catching any bass at all comes down to figuring out what they will bite that is different from what everyone else is fishing with.  Usually it comes down to being more about presentation than the actual bait.

[BrianMDTX]

Anyone can catch a big bass, just as any deer hunter can kill a huge trophy buck. Right place at the right time. But consistently is not luck, it’s skill. And knowledge. 

[geo g]

I agree with most,  there is knowledge involved with catching big bass on a frequent level.  But many big bass are caught using live baits which I refuse to do. I have caught a large number of 8 to 11 pound bass over the last 50 years on artificial baits.  But  I attribute my catches to being on the water often and keeping my lures wet all the time.  If you want to catch big fish:

1). Go to bodies of water that hold big fish.

2).Throw big fish baits, and slow down and don’t over work the bait.

3) Throw baits you have confidence in, not the new item from the catalog.

4).Slow down, and pause often, can’t recommend this enough.  Real big bass are not out chasing, trying to run down targets.   they are ambushing from an hidden position anything that can fit in their mouth.

5).Target thick rich green vegetation’s close to major break points.  Big bass will move up and down ledges depending on weather conditions, and bait fish patterns.

6)..More time on the water, and lure in the water,  will improve your odds at a Kodak moment!

7).We often give big bass credit for being smart.  They are not smart but incredibly reactive to their environment.  They are not sitting around thinking what will I do today, but changing behaviors  by sensing changes that surround them in their hood.  They don’t control anything, but are controlled by the environment!

[TriStateBassin106]

Imo it's a bit of both, I've caught giants on ned rigs and dinks on glidebaits. I do feel that big baits will usually get you bigger fish. 

[Swamp Girl]

5 hours ago, geo g said:

Slow down, and pause often, can’t recommend this enough.  Real big bass are not out chasing, trying to run down targets.   they are ambushing from an hidden position anything that can fit in their mouth.

 

Great advice. Thank you.