smaller baits equal bigger bass?

[avid]

There are a couple of small baits that I often use.  Oddly, these baits can serve up some better than average bass on a pretty regular basis.  The two I have in mind are the lucky craft pointer 78 and the zoom finesse worm.   Anyone else have this experience?

[roadwarrior]

Nope.

I know small baits catch big bass sometimes, but the rest of the time the fish are little. The advantage of big baits is discouraging some of the tournament bass from striking.

Go big or go home!

:

[rondef]

x2 Kent, go big or go home.

[flechero]

Avid,

Regardless of conditions, big fish have to eat.  If a "small meal" is well placed, a big fish will eat it.  The real key is where you are fishing it.  

Most of my "big" fish have come on 6" Zoom lizards...

[Muddy]

Happened twice this year. I was throwing a 1/2 ounce football jig head with a 4.5 *** beaver Craw, got a few smaller fish. I went to a 1/4 ounce shakey head with a Brush Baby and caught better fish with that, in the same area. I do not even have a clue why this worked!

[Matt Fly]

I always like to add the Texas state record was caught on a crappie rig while crappie fishing.   18.18.

Does a smaller bait guarantee bigger fish, nope.     There are no gurantees in fishing that are money back that I know of.

[smallfry]

There are times when bass get "zoned into" a specific prey.  I have experienced that during these times the smartest bass (usually the biggest) will ignore baits if they are too big compared to the natural prey while the smaller dumb ones will attack just about anything...

Other than these times I hardly ever find myself throwing "small" baits any more.

[Megastink]

The key to catching big bass is to present an easy meal. You have to remember that they didn't get that big being stupid, and now that they are that big, they are lazy. They don't want to have to travel far or fast to track down a meal. For this reason, I have caught my biggest jig bass on a 1/4 oz Bitsey Bug, but i have also caught big bass on a 1/2 oz Football jig. You must find the areas with the big fish in it, and then exploit that area by slowly presenting an easy meal.

In conclusion (because I feel like I am writing an essay), Yes, bigger baits have more "big-fish appeal". That is to say that you may stand a better chance of catching a big bass on a bigger lure. But, if you present a smaller lure better (or more realisticly) then you can a bigger lure, then the downsized offering may be a better bet.

Fishing is a confidence game, so like I've said before: "THROW WHAT YOU KNOW!"

[Wayne P.]

I have the same experience as avid, when I go fishing I want to catch fish so I use finesse worms a lot. All the bass I have caught over 8 pounds except one has been with a Zoom finesse worm. That includes three over 10#. So basically I catch bass from a few ounces to double digit size using finesse presentations. I want a presentation to attract small fish whether they are bass or not, that way I know I am in an area that has bass food. On tidal waters, I use a small worm with a bright colored curly tail to attract the small bait fish, that way I know were the food is and can cover the area a little more intensively.

[Sam]

I have caught at least two (if memory serves me) very nice lady bass that were over six (6) pounds each on a one-inch white grub fished on a 1/16 jig head.

I use the Zoom finesse worms and the *** and Slider plastics, too.

I have some Culprits and Gulp!s but mostly the Zoom products.

As for Luck Craft, I use them on lakes, other than for their crankbait line.

So Avid is right.  We can catch them on large and small lures; and Road Warrior is right, you catch more large bass on large lures.

So go figure????  

[Infidel.]

As the package for the skinny bear Elite Jig says "Elephants eat peanuts!"

[MbBass]

Hello every1 . I live in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina .  I am new to forums but have read much of this sights info . I saw this thread and thought i would add my 2 cents worth . During the winter and after spawn i use small 4 inch senkos weightless , for the reason all the fish are eating small in the winter and eating small when the fry are swimming about .

But when late spring into summer i throw 10 to 12 inch ribbon tail worm and have been catching bigger LMB . I will only put a 1/16 th or a 1/8th bullet head and a 4/0 hook . Hope this helps , and good fishing to ya.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

8-)

[fretfishman]

as megastrike said, the key to landing big bass is to present an easy meal. it takes just as much energy for them to inhale a small meal as it does a large one. they obviously like to get the best bang for their buck and that's why big swimbaits work so well. they see the large trout, gill or whatever swimming by ever so slowly (or twitched with deadsticking) and it's so easy for them to get a large meal. you get the added bonus of taking some dinks out of the equation, but I have seen 1 pounders eat 8 inch swimbaits. (sigh)

having said all that, I've caught some lunker bass on small roadrunners. it's entirely circumstancial, though. it's all about putting the odds in your favor and taking advantage of those circumstances, whether you choose to "go big or small". welcome back, avid.

[ThomasL]

I have always used smaller lures probably because i knew i would at least catch some fish on smaller offerings,but after a cold front and winter time the little baits come into there own.The largest bass i ever caught came in mid november 40 degrees wind 15-20mph out of the east on a #2 mepps dressed aglia!In this same body of water i have probably caught 30-40 over 5 lbs on that bait!

[Grey Wolf]

Small baits definately have their place but my choice is bigger baits for bigger fish.

[djmax22]

Small baits will get bit more, but produce smaller fish. The results from using big swimbaits speak for themselves.

[George Welcome]

Big baits catch more big fish: sales pitch

Little baits catch more fish: sales pitch

Reality: bait placed in the proper place in a proper manner catch fish - big and small.

[Catt]

Big baits catch more big fish: sales pitch

Little baits catch more fish: sales pitch

Reality: bait placed in the proper place in a proper manner catch fish - big and small.

There it is  

[BassBandit35]

Landed 2 of 8 lbers this year and 2 of 7# and an 8 last year all on Zoom finesse with 1/8 oz War Eagle jighead.

[Eddie Munster]

I agree with the guys saying 'it's how you present it' but one disadvantage for using a smaller bait would be the size of the hook. Wouldn't it be easier to get a better hook set thus better chance of landing the fish with a bigger hook? In most cases that is. Say I'm using a small jig vs using a 10" worm with a 4/0 hook; wouldn't it be alot easier to get a solid hookset on the 4/0 hook than a 1/8 oz jig?

[avid]

I think most of us would agree that on any given day, any bass might eat any bait presented to them.  this goes for huge bass on crappie jigs and fingerlings hitting baits twice as big as they are.

But I was pointing out a personal observation.  The pointer 78, and the zoom finesse worm seem to have qualities that are so attractive to my local bass that they will catch 2.5 pounders and larger on a regular basis.  I often fish with 10" worms and get alot of bites from 12 inchers.  So it's clear to me that George's presentation theory has merit.  My point was though that some diminutive baits have a real knack for attracting larger fish.    "Go big or go home" has a catchy ring to it, and for sure we all want to catch large bass, but why ignore smaller baits that you have confidence in for catching the bigger fish?  After "enjoying the outdoor experience" for a couple of hours, why wouldn't you try some smaller baits that have big bass potential?

[Fishing Doug]

Big baits catch more big fish: sales pitch

Little baits catch more fish: sales pitch

Reality: bait placed in the proper place in a proper manner catch fish - big and small.

There it is

Agreed. I have caught a few hawgs on a 1.5" curly tail grub while crappie fishing.

[MARSH MASTER]

Yea what George said.

[Johnnythunderbass]

A zoom finnes worm is definatly one of the small baits that catches big fish.  Most of the time big bait, big fish.  Good size crankbaits jigs and spinners win most profesinal bass tournaments when largemouth are present.  However smallmouth and spots are a hole other topic small baits consistantly catch huge smallmoth and spots.

think of it like people.  Sure sometiimes fat people go eat a little hot dog at a gas station, but if you want to see a lot of porkers go to old country buffet and watch the roast beef.

bass are the same way. small baits good.  bigger meal usally bigger fish.