Is bigger really better??

[Guest bigtex]

Is it fact that bigger baits catch bigger bass?  I have caught a lot of "big" bass but they all came out on a small weighted jig.  I mainly fish 1/16 oz to 1/4 oz jigs and use nothing longer than a 6 inch plastic baits.  I have never thrown anything over a 1/4 oz.  Even though I catch big fish, I have yet to catch one in the double digits.  Now I know for some people they believe that "big fish" is considered to be in the double digits.  My biggest is 8.5 but I can't seem to catch that double digit bass.

I have a mini lake that I fish and I know for a fact there are several bass in there that weigh over 10+ pounds.  I saw a 13.3 come out of there a few weeks ago.  She was released back.    I have TWO questions.1.) What would you tie on and 2.) How would you locate these BIG BASS.  They are in there, trust me.  

[aridog]

Hey TEX ilive on the border and I catch some real good size Bass out of the Rio Grand with just what you use the Six Inch Bass Assasains lizard and worms the kind with the two heads, the hooks that have the weight on em and ten pound test. all my stuff from the sales rack at Wal Mart

[Captain Cali]

It's not that smaller baits don't catch bigger bass. It's that bigger baits don't catch as many smaller bass.

If I was out for just one big bass...I would throw a swimbait of course.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Over a period of time, a big bait will CONSISTANTLY catch bigger bass than a smaller bait. That's not to say that a beetle spin won't catch a big bass every now and then.

I am a firm believer in the big baits = big bass theory.

I would say if your dead set on catching that double digit bass and don't mind catching a few less bass (remember fishing for big bass is a mind set) double the size of your baits you normally use. You mentioned jigs and plastics. Go out and get some 1/2 oz+ Jigs with some nice chunky trailers and some 10" worms.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Our state record was caught on a mealworm.

[Other.]

Our state record was caught on a mealworm.

A SUPER SIZEDMEAL WORM!!! right???

[Brian_Reeves]

You could always double or triple skirt your normal jigs and upsize the trailer.  This will give you a bigger profile and accomplish what you are looking to do without having to learn the characteristics of completely new jigs.  I use the FLW finesse jigs and I double skirt them.  Seems to be working fine for me.  For a trailer, I don't use chunks.  I either use grubs, spidergrubs, or crawdad baits.  I'll race you to 10lbs lol  I'm trying for double digets myself and they gradually get bigger and bigger  

[RoLo]

It's not that smaller baits don't catch bigger bass. It's that bigger baits don't catch as many smaller bass.

I agree with Roger.

There are times I'm sure, when a large bass will pass up a smaller bait,

only to strike a larger bait. But other variables weigh into the equation that aren't as visible

as "size". Which bait do you think a trophy bass would be more likely to seize:

A> 5" shiner traveling slowly and erratically about 30 inches away.

B> 10" shiner traveling steadily about 40 inches away.

As an aside, my wife's biggest Jersey bass was caught on a 1/32 oz shad dart ;D

When I lived in New Jersey I fished a lot for striped bass. During the peak season in June,

I'd run across Sandy Hook Bay before daybreak and meet the netmen at the pound nets.

They would sell me menhaden (moss bunkers) under the table for a buck a piece,

(a lot of money back then). They would winch the net to the surface and shine lights

on the catch. I would point out the largest bunkers in their pound net, which I placed

in my livewell. They ran 12 to 14 inches long and probably weighed 1 to 1.5 pounds.

With those big baits I was usually good for a couple of stripers, but I caught nothing

under 22 lbs. Then I decided to scale down my baits, and began pointing to bunkers

in the pound net that ran 7 to 9" long. Not only did the activity increase, but I caught

stripers as small as 14 lbs and as large as 44 lbs, all on 8-inch menhaden.

It was a lesson that I've never forgotten.

Roger

[Guest bigtex]

Let me give yall a little information on this lake.

1.)  Depth -  deepest part is around 20 to 30 ft deep.

2.)  Forage -  lily pads, submerged grasses, submerged logs, Lay down trees,

     bushes in the water, and it has a lot of shady areas.

3.)  The bottom of the lake is a mixture of sand, gravel, and larger rocks.

What would be some good swim baits to get and how would you fish them??

[FL_fisher]

hey aridog what is that sign tring to tell us lol

[Fish Chris]

I think I want to fish with a lure size, that matches whatever the actual food item that lure imitates.

Now granted, I have been fishing with a relatively small swimbait (The Hud, at only 8", and just under 6 ounces) but I will likely go straight to the 10" or the 11" as soon as Ken Huddleston comes out with them.... hopefully soon. Granted, their are plants of 8" trout sometimes, but more often, they are at least 10" or 11"..... and besides, if I miss a few 5's or 6's because they couldn't get the 11" in their mouth, that's totally okay.

As for "normal" bass, in much of the rest of the country, I think day in and day out, a bigger bait will catch a bigger bass, but their is a time for finnesse too.

Peace,

Fish

[cart7t]

Small baits will catch both large and small fish.

Large baits will catch primarily large fish, the trade-off is you'll be catching fewer fish but of better quality.

If you don't mind the long lulls between larger fish then use larger baits by all means.

[Guest bigtex]

After reading all the information above, that leads me to one more question. Why use bigger baits when you can still catch larger fish on the smaller baits? If you just slow down your presentation and speed retrieve you will still catch larger bass on the smaller baits that you use. I also gather that it isn't so much the size of the bait but the location of the "bigger bass."

I hear that C-rigging is also good when fishing for bigger bass. Is there any truth to that as well?

I have no problem catching quanity of fish, but I just can't seem to break that double digit.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

After reading all the information above, that leads me to one more question. Why use bigger baits when you can still catch larger fish on the smaller baits?

I kind of look at it this way ..... suppose you are a big fat old LAZY bass.  You want to use the least amount of energy for the most amount of food.    Are you more likely to use energy to get a jelly bean or a big fat double cheeseburger?

[ww2farmer]

In the spring of the year before most  species start spawning, the waters clear, and the forage base is dwindled down from 10 months or so of consuming, I downsize. As the water warms, and stains I begin upsizing my baits. By Summer I am using bigger baits, with a few exceptions.

[Guest bigtex]

I kind of look at it this way ..... suppose you are a big fat old LAZY bass. You want to use the least amount of energy for the most amount of food. Are you more likely to use energy to get a jelly bean or a big fat double cheeseburger?

I see your point. What if the "jelly bean" is moving at the same speed as the "big fat double cheeseburger." Now if they were still moving at the same speed then I guess I would go for both. LOL Your making me hungry. ;D

Would it also be safe to say that it would take more energy to eat and digest the larger amounts of food? Just food for thought. Get it. Food for thought.LOL I just couldn't resist.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Food for thought ..... ;D.  I would say it probably would take more enrgy to digest that chesseburger vs. one jelly bean ........ but consider how much energy you would use to chase down the amount of jelly beans to equal that one cheeseburger.

The biggest factor to consider is that big bass are LAZY (yes that's right, all caps).  They want to get the most out of each meal for the least amount of work/energy.

[Guest bigtex]

KU_Bassmaster--Sounds great to me. You have answered all my questions and obviously you believe in bigger baits. So I will go bigger and see what happens. I have no problem catching numbers of bass so I just want to concentrate on catching that 10+ pounder!

By the way,  you now have made me fat and lazy.  LOL

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Good luck!!!!!  We will be awaiting the results.

[directlink]

I caught my PB (8lbs 4oz) on a 3" cotton candy Kalin's grub with a 1/8oz jighead.  I think its just got to be that right time/place.  I've caught plenty of big bass on small lures.

[K_Mac]

I hear that C-rigging is also good when fishing for bigger bass. Is there any truth to that as well?

I have no problem catching quanity of fish, but I just can't seem to break that double digit.

The answer to your question about C-rigging is yes. I have caught many nice fish using one. As far as double digit bass, I wish I could say....

[RoLo]

There is an old axiom in the Real Estate profession that also applies to fishing; it goes like this:

"The 3 most vital factors that determine the price of land are

Location, Location and Location, but not necessarily in that order."

Fishermen routinely give credit to size and color, that really belongs to location.

A bass is as dumb as a "Box-Of-Rocks".

Bass know nothing at all about caloric efficiency, in fact, I doubt that a bass even knows how big he is!

Naturally, the fatter and older the bass, the "lazier" the bass, but laziness has no effect on food size.

Laziness translates to the distance that a bass is willing to chase, and the speed that he's willing to use.

For laziness to have any bearing on food size, would require intelligence and that clearly excludes bass.

To protect all low forms of life, Mother Nature supplies them with a complex set of "instincts".

Every bass instinctively knows the size of his mouth (what will fit, what will not fit).

The life mission of a fish is not finding food that comes the closest to filling up its mouth.

On the contrary, everything that will fit is 'acceptable', and everything that won't fit is 'unacceptable'.

An oversized bait can become lodged in the fish's throat, which all fish instinctively understand.

Although a small bass may be forced to reject a large bait, a large bass has a choice.

A belly-sagging lunker that swallows a small tidbit has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

There are 3 factors that might cause a trophy bass to eat a small morsel (it's done all the time):

1. It was served at his doorstep

2. It appeared defenseless and vulnerable.

3. It was not "Too Big" for his mouth.

Roger

[Brian_Reeves]

A bass is as dumb as a "Box-Of-Rocks".

That's not very nice. :-/  lol  I agree though.  Location>anything.

[RatONaStick]

Roger

I have to say that was an excellent explanation, thanks.

I'm fairly new here, and I've been reading and searching and have noticed that you go out of your way to provide excellent info. It's evident that you are an experienced fisherman who has been at it for a good number of years. I notice that many fisherman are pretty tight lipped with their experiences/knowledge and I just wanted to say I appreciate you sharing it with us.

[RoLo]

Thanks a million, your response is much appreciated.

Roger