Catching Big Bass

[roadwarrior]

My formula for catching big bass:

Fish for big bass only.

Fish water that is known to hold big bass.

Fish structure in deep water.

Fish big lures.

Fish slow, with deliberate presentations.

10:00 AM to 3:00 PM is prime time.

Equipment matters, buy the best you can afford. Focus on quality, not quantity.

If the knot is not perfect, it's not good enough.

If you notice anything questionable about your line, it's NOT "probably all right."

If you're checking your drag, it's probably too late.

Catching big bass consistantly is not about luck, it's about a plan, being prepared and having the right tools for the job. Getting the bite is half the battle, but it's only half.

[RoLo]

Beautiful!

(runts need not apply)

[Vyron]

10:00 AM to 3:00 PM is prime time

Could u explain that a little bit?

[roadwarrior]

I fish deep structure most of the time. All but one of my 10+ lb largemouth have been caught between 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. I tend to catch smaller fish (<5lbs) early and late, but the vast majority of my biggest bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, have been caught midday. The two smallmouth in my avatar were caught 1/15/05, an hour and a half apart, on either side of noon.

Most bass fisherman fish shallow. Bass "visit" shallow feeding areas in low light, early and late, so it appears that this is the best time to catch bass. I fish where bass live most of their lives.

[Matt Fly]

I'm with RW when it comes to offshore areas that are deep.    I think later in the season, big bass will feed at night.   But, as their metabolism increases during post spawn, the mid day snack is a must to get them by till the table is set at night for dining out.    When pursuing big bass, rarely do I beat the banks.   Don't get me wrong, the grass in my state holds quality bass, and the grass beds late in the summer that are found in 20ft of water are better for numbers of quality.     12-4pm have produced my best bass throughout the summers.

Big Bass are fat and lazy, slowing down gets quality bites for me.

Slow rolling big spinners to emulate big gizzard shad, 10 inch or larger worms, big bulky jigs, and big cranks, swimbaits are summer deep staples I employ to catch the big ones.

[djmax22]

RW,

I agree big baits catch big bass with most of my big bass caught around 10 am in deep water, but didnt you catch your personal best using a Norman Fat Boy?I assume you were in shallow water.  

I picked up a few Fat Boys and cant wait to use them. Thanks

[KU_Bassmaster.]

It would be interesting to see what time everybody has caught their PB.  My top 2 were both around 1:00 pm.

I think I will start another thread and pose that question.  

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

All my PBs, 12# plus, were in 2-4 feet of water in Florida around 11 am, caught off the edges of maidencane patches. Back in the 60's I learned NEVER brag on a bass under 9#, but then we had lots of nice bass here when the lake was in its prime. Now we brag over a 6# bass.

Jim

[roadwarrior]

djmaxwell22,

Yep.

That's the one that wasn't caught betweem 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, I caught her in September around sunrise on a Norman Fat Boy (bluegill pattern). That bass was caught in 4 - 5' of water along a ledge that drops into much deeper water. That is the perfect example of what I consider a lucky catch. The bass was feeding in low light in shallow water. That's how a lot of bass fishermen catch their "Bass of a Lifetime" early or late in shallow water.

BTW, Fat Boys are on sale at BPS, I picked up a few myself!

[Rattlinrogue]

I've caught most of my really big bass before anyone has woke up,but in the late winter,early spring I've caught my big bass in the middle of the day.

[CJ]

RW,good post!Those are the main ingredience for big bass.Do you find that there may be a paticular type of structure or cover that big fish relate to?I have found that the biggest of fish I have caught were on one or the other,rockpiles or stumps.Usually isolated or atleast not clustered.

[senko_77]

every one of my fish and freinds fish over 8lbs have also been caught in this time period.  both my fish over 10lbs were caught between 10-12

[SneakySnook]

Wish I could fish from 10:00-3:00 but I go fishing from 3:30-6:30p.m. My 2 biggest fish where caught around 4:30-5:30 and most guys I speak with catch there big fish in this time.

[ball_coach_1]

The old guy that was the "trophy hunter" back home when growing up always told me the same as RW and others have agreed with in their posts...

he swore nearly all of his trophy bass were caught near mid-day and deep.

[BiggerWorm]

I catch a lot of bass between the 4-6 lb weight.  I fish deep structure with jigs and large plastic worms.  Seem to do best when bass have entered their summer patterns.  Can't say what time of the day has produced the best.

[Mattlures]

I agree with al of that but.... Ther is a nother time frame to consider. 10:pm-2:00Am has produced a lot of big bass for me. The rest of RW post is dead on.

[mike bat]

my two biggest bass where caught at 4am i was fishing a lake that has produced alot of 5lb bass these bass where bolth off a small shore line that went deep fast i was casting under a tree on the shoreline and reeling my bait back and yes it was a senko black under the tree im geussing its around 5 ft deep  ;D ;D man wheres summer :'(