Fish Chris Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Of course I understand that "all" of you fish for bass, while some of you (like myself) will fish for anything that swims..... But does it surprise you that here in Nor Cal, there will be at least 2 hatchery trout fishermen, for each bass fishermen.... and sometimes, even 10 or 20 trout fishermen, for each bass guy ! These guys have some of the biggest "wild" trophy bass swimming all around them, yet they choose to chase fish that were raised in a swimming pool, and dumped in yesterday, to be pulled out today ? To me it's just mind boggling ! And you should see some of these guys equipment, and boats ! I'm telling you, I have seen trout guys in 24ft, 80K boats ! Downriggers, super-duper electronics, and on and on ! I guess this doesn't surprise me anymore, but it still just trips me out..... Now with this next one, I can certainly understand how / why this is.... But it might surprise some of you. You guys see Super Matt, Fourbizzle, myself, and a few other Cali guys posting these big bass shots, and might assume that any serious bass angler out here would have at least caught a few double digit bass. Well, I fished from the time I was old enough to stand up, and hold a pole, until I was 33 years old (9 years ago) and never caught a single double digit bass ! But it wasn't until I just threw everything I ever learned about bass fishing, completely out of the window, and started fishing specifically for big bass, that I started sticking them. Thirty years without a single double digit bass, then 76 of them in the last 9 years. I think this proves that a guy can first "decide to do it" then go out and make it happen. If I had to guess (and its hard to get a real idea, because their are a lot of guys in 40K bass boats out here, even ones who don't normally blow too much smoke, that just can't bring themselves to tell you they have never caught a legit, 10 plus bass) I'd say that maybe 1 in 4 "serious and / or tournament bass anglers" have caught 1 bass over 10 lbs. Curious what SuperMatt would guess ? Now, with all of this said, I do believe that 39 out of 40 guys out here that have never caught a DD bass, could catch 10, 20, or heck, 100 DD bass if they did like I did..... Threw everything out of the window and started from scratch. But I understand that different people have different goals. The thing that always gets me though, is to hear guys out here talk about "how they would love to stick a giant".... Yet they go out using numbers / small fish techniques" ??? If I would love to win a marathon, I wouldn't be filling my pockets with lead..... The biggest secret to my success, has been by stacking all of the odds in my favor. Your thoughts ? Peace, Fish Quote
largemouthslayer Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Would you be kind enough to write us an script on what you threw out and what you started doing. But do it in detail. Example(what you fish with,what line and rig, what  you look for structure, depth of water , ect.) I think you would help some of us that want to start catching BIG BASS. Thanks, Frank Quote
Low_Budget_Hooker Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 In short, it's a matter of discipline. The guy who wishes for a DD but uses smaller fish techniques is doing exactly that....wishin', and there is still a chance his wish could come true but again, the odds are stacked against him Frank- 2 words are all you need to know,......Huddleston Deluxe. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 I think you are being too kind...I doubt 1 in 4 "serious" fisherman have ever caught a 10 lb bass even out there in California. (Very few BASS pros have ever caught a 10 lb bass, KDV has only caught two). I would guess the number at far less than 1/100. BTW, you left out Captain Cali. Quote
Bass Smacker Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Â Fish Is right. there are more people fishing for trout than bass alot more. All the lake are planted with trout some weekly. Until the water is to warm and the trout all die off. Then the lakes are about void of fishermen. The Delta is known here for Stripers and sturgun not so much for bass. When I first started fishing for Bass I'd think about going where the (real) bass fishing was Texas or Florida. It wasent until the first B.A.S.S. turniment that I know it was such good place and even now I'll be talking with people and the'll ask me what I fish for and when I say Bass the think I'm talking about striped bass. Â The closest I'v come to DD is about 8lb but I don't fish for size but # of decent fish in the 2and up range i just don't have the pasonts to fish for the big ones like Fish dose. Only one or two fish a day AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Id be fishing for blue gills in two hours just to feel something on my line. Â Â Â Â Â Â Quote
logger Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 The Michigan state record is 11 lbs 15 oz. That was set in 1934. I have seen lots of 7's and 8's  but 10lb are almost unheard of up here, we just don't grow them that big up here very often. At least that's my excuse. Quote
Super User Raul Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 Not really surprised, I know few anglers that have landed a DD, I know a lot less anglers that have landed more than 1 DD and I 've got too many fingers in my hand to count those ones that have caught DDs on a regular basis ..... in big bass country . For 10 years in a row I landed at least one 10+ pounder per year, right now I 'm in a slump and I attribute it more to the fact that during the past 2 years I haven 't fished much, it 's the middle of April and so far I 've only fished 4 days  :-/. Quote
Super User senile1 Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 Great thread! Â I needed this. I have been slowly coming to the conclusion that I am one of those bass fishermen who uses smaller fish lures but wishes for bigger bass. Â Double-digit bass are rare here in Northwest Missouri but they do exist. Â If I would change my tactics I do believe an angler in my neck of the woods should be able to stick a few 7 - 9 lb'ers every year. Â I catch a lot of 1 - 4 lb'ers with an occasional fish over 5 lbs but as the weights go up the numbers diminish drastically, so I'm definitely not using the right tactics to attract big bass on a regular basis. Â I've started using jigs more in the last three years, but I'm thinking I need to have a bulky jig and a swimbait tied on at all times. Â Quote
BucketmouthAngler13 Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I agree 100%. This year I've thrown a swimbait probaly twice as much as standered tackle. (aka: alot) The state record here is 10lbs 14oz. Â The list of anglers who cought DD's in NJ is quite small. (I guess not over 5) Hopfuly someday I'll be on that list. Quote
llPa1nll Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Well I have caught a handful of LM bass in the 5-7lb range. I have landed one that was 7lbs 11oz, check out my avatar. I however diminish my odds by the geographical area of the country I fish. NH isnt known as a monster bass state. The NH state record is only 10lbs 8oz caught in 1967. Now Im not saying that there aren't any +10lbs LM bass here, just saying they are rare. I would be very interested to hear some of the techniques that have produced your large numbers of +10lb LM bass. Quote
Ozarkie Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 IT DON'T TAKE A BIG BOAT TO CATCH FISH. I have a 14ft jon, had a 4hp Mariner on it. No fish finder or any of the big electronics. I went to Lake Fork and everybody LOL, no make that ROTFL. Anywho in less that 2 hours I had caught four 10lb bass and one over the slot limit at 15lb 9oz. I also chase the trout in this same boat, I have caught 11 Brown trout over 5lbs with the largest at 21 lbs. Same boat same motor. Recently I have upgraded the 14ft Jon. to a 9.8 Merc with Elct. start, my shoulders sure don't hurt no after a day of fishing. Plus for lake fishing a 17' Lowe with a 90 HP Johnson, yea I have caught more fish from the bigger boat, but its is because I can get on the lakes more in windy weather and at night. Many years ago a friend and I fished with a 9.8 Merc and a 14ft Richline aluminum boat and won a tournement, man were all the big boys poed. So bad in fact they disqualified us because tournement rules called for a min of 25hp motor. Yep this still burns my butt!! First you must learn to fish, then its a matter of spending time on the water. I am stuck at work this week  so will not get on the water but darn sure need to be. as everything is on beds in my area. Or at lest hit the river for your swimming pool fish, its not all that easy either!! I have guides darn near run over me, because I catch fish and they don't thier clients don't and heck they spend more on corn to chum with than I do on boat gas. Ozarkie Quote
Super User Raul Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 I think the discussion is going in the wrong direction, I certainly think that FC used the magical 10 lb mark to exemplify a point, to me it 's pretty obvious that for you guyz up north the chances of landing a 10+ pound fish are pretty narrow if your state record barely scratches the 10 pound mark, 11 pounds is barely above the 10 pound mark. I 'm shure what FC is trying to make you understand is that in order to catch bigger than average fish you have to change your mentality about which baits you are going to fish with to acomplish the task. I caught my first 10 pounder with a Rapala Minnow, I caught my PB ( 13.86 ) with a Rapala Shad Rap, but it was out of luck and I can 't think of it in any other way that those fish were caught with those baits just because the fish happened to be there when the bait passed right before their very eyes, it was an ordinary fishing day when the fish were caught, I was there just to fish and nothing else. Ask me how many times I 've caught a 10 pounder on a jerkbait after catching my first 10 pounder ----> ZERO, NADA, NONE, after lucking out with that one I 've never caught anything barely close to that weight with a jerkbait so for me jerkbaits are hardly what I could call a BIG BASS BAIT. Ask me how many times I 've caught a teen pounder with a crankbait after catching that one, the answer is the same, yeah I 've caught several fish over 10 pounds with a crankbait but crankbaits can also barely qualify as a big bass bait for me. With what I catch my big bass ? with the old reliable jig/pig combination, Muskie size Jitterbugs and with swimbaits lately, those really are big bass baits to my eyes because most of the big fish I 've caught have been caught with them in that order. And most of them were caught from the bank. Quote
llPa1nll Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I think the discussion is going in the wrong direction, I certainly think that FC used the magical 10 lb mark to exemplify a point, to me it 's pretty obvious that for you guyz up north the chances of landing a 10+ pound fish are pretty narrow if your state record barely scratches the 10 pound mark, 11 pounds is barely above the 10 pound mark. I 'm shure what FC is trying to make you understand is that in order to catch bigger than average fish you have to change your mentality about which baits you are going to fish with to acomplish the task. I caught my first 10 pounder with a Rapala Minnow, I caught my PB ( 13.86 ) with a Rapala Shad Rap, but it was out of luck and I can 't think of it in any other way that those fish were caught with those baits just because the fish happened to be there when the bait passed right before their very eyes, it was an ordinary fishing day when the fish were caught, I was there just to fish and nothing else. Ask me how many times I 've caught a 10 pounder on a jerkbait after catching my first 10 pounder ----> ZERO, NADA, NONE, after lucking out with that one I 've never caught anything barely close to that weight with a jerkbait so for me jerkbaits are hardly what I could call a BIG BASS BAIT. Ask me how many times I 've caught a teen pounder with a crankbait after catching that one, the answer is the same, yeah I 've caught several fish over 10 pounds with a crankbait but crankbaits can also barely qualify as a big bass bait for me. With what I catch my big bass ? with the old reliable jig/pig combination, Muskie size Jitterbugs and with swimbaits lately, those really are big bass baits to my eyes because most of the big fish I 've caught have been caught with them in that order. And most of them were caught from the bank. I understand where FC was going with his thread I was just also stating that for some waters where some members of the board fish they dont hold that kind of size. I agree with you again Raul that a Jig/Pig is a great big fish bait. I have easily caught all of my PBs on a Jig/Pig. I have ordered some Mattlure swimbaits and plan to try them out this year. I would just like to hear the "alternative" thinking to catching  +10lb bass. What mindset do you use? Big Baits big fish? Anyway interesting topic. Quote
Guest the_muddy_man Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Ive never even caught one in the higher single digits  Quote
GatorBK Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I have caught 2 bass over 10 pounds  both came from ponds/lakes under 10 acres and both were caught fishing from the bank. The first was an 11 pound 1 ounce bass caught in a 4 acre pond in the mountains of NC caught off a number 10 hook and a 1/2 nightcrawler . And I hooked it 2 times in less than 20 minutes . I was bream fishing and saw it spawning. I threw a nightcrawler in its bed and watched it eat. I set the hook and it fought for a minute and I thought the line broke but it was the hook that broke right at the bend. Well about 10 minutes later it was back so I cast back in the bed and it bit again . that time it just shook its head a couple times and give up . No real fight. The next was a 10 1/2 pounder off a culprit worm near Tampa Fl . No real fight to it either it couldnt jump out of the water it shook its head on top a few times and give up. Quote
Super User Raul Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 Big baits = big fish, not really, but big baits = better chances of catching a bigun most certainly. Bass have bigger mouths than brains, the catch is, since they have bigger mouths than brains let 's give them something big to chew on so the little ones can 't eat it. Not politically correct to discriminate but when it comes to trying to catch bigger than average fish then screw political correctness, size discrimination is ok in my book. Â You seldomly see me casting a jig with a small trailer. Heavy jigs with lots of long rubber strands and big trailers ( baby brush hogs ) that 's the kind of jig/trailer I cast, don 't catch many fish on it but when I catch one it 's usually a goodun. Quote
Pa Angler Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I think you are being too kind...I doubt 1 in 4 "serious" fisherman have ever caught a 10 lb bass even out there in California. (Very few BASS pros have ever caught a 10 lb bass, KDV has only caught two). I would guess the number at far less than 1/100. BTW, you left out Captain Cali. Tournament Pros's fish for the limit first then cull for the bigger bite so that doesn't surprise me that KVD has only two. The serious big bite angler may go all day without a bite, the bigger the bite the less you are going to get as compared to smaller more plentiful bites. Quote
Brian_Reeves Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I'm not a big bass fisherman really. Â I'm a tournament guy. Â I'd rather get a boatload of 3 and 4lb fish instead of one 10lb bass. Â It's just rare that a monster bass wins a tournament. Â Now once I have a good limit sitting around 15-20lbs, I'm looking for a bigger bite by throwing larger jigs, crankbaits, and soon adding swimbaits to my ammunition. Â Throughout a normal fishing day, I'm looking for fish between 3-8lbs by throwing jigs and searchbaits. Â More often than not (like most tourney guys) I'm pulling out more 1 and 2 pound fish than anything else. Â Hopefully that will change and I can rake in that $$$. I'd love to catch a monster bass though and when I get my own boat, I'm going to be spending some serious time on offshore structure with large baits trying to do just that. Â I'm also planning on saving up some dinero and heading down to Old Mexico for some of that hot tamale action. Â There are more reasons that just personal satisfaction though. Â For one, I need pictures like that to promote myself and my affiliates/sponsors and I need to catch fish like that for the experience when I have to turn to a big bite during a tournament. Â Right now, I'm pretty consistant of pulling fish out of highland reservoirs as well as natural, swampy lakes...but those fish are tournament fish...not wall-hanging lunkers. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 All but one of my biggest largemouth bass have been caught from the bank; all but two on a 6" Senko. In this part of the country fishing for 10 lb bass is a realistic proposition. Fishing for 15 lb bass is not. I am a firm believer in "big baits" that most smaller fish shy away from. In this part of the country, a big bait is a 1/2 oz jig, 3/4 oz Ledgebuster and 6" Senko. I haven't jumped on the swimbait bandwagon because #1 I'm not convinced I would catch more big bass; #2 I tried it a couple of years ago and didn't like throwing those big baits. I suspect most of the bass I would catch around here would still be 7 or 8 lbs and maybe a big bass once in a while. Heavy gear takes a lot of the fun out of catching bass that size. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing. Quote
Peter E. Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Not in the least bit. My cousin from El Dorado Hills Ca, came down this summer and I took him bass fishing for the first time in his life. He seemed to enjoy it though I doubt that he will pursue it. He oddly seemed more interested in the trout. I could only shake my head. Quote
Super User Raul Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 I'm not a big bass fisherman really. I'm a tournament guy. I'd rather get a boatload of 3 and 4lb fish instead of one 10lb bass. It's just rare that a monster bass wins a tournament. Now once I have a good limit sitting around 15-20lbs, I'm looking for a bigger bite by throwing larger jigs, crankbaits, and soon adding swimbaits to my ammunition. Throughout a normal fishing day, I'm looking for fish between 3-8lbs by throwing jigs and searchbaits. More often than not (like most tourney guys) I'm pulling out more 1 and 2 pound fish than anything else. Hopefully that will change and I can rake in that $$$. I'd love to catch a monster bass though and when I get my own boat, I'm going to be spending some serious time on offshore structure with large baits trying to do just that. I'm also planning on saving up some dinero and heading down to Old Mexico for some of that hot tamale action. There are more reasons that just personal satisfaction though. For one, I need pictures like that to promote myself and my affiliates/sponsors and I need to catch fish like that for the experience when I have to turn to a big bite during a tournament. Right now, I'm pretty consistant of pulling fish out of highland reservoirs as well as natural, swampy lakes...but those fish are tournament fish...not wall-hanging lunkers. The tournament thingy ... oh well, that really depends where the tourney is taking place, in Lake Zimapán a 20 lbs bag will win a tourny, in Sugar Lake same 20 lbs won 't put you in the first 30 places. Now on where would you catch them big basses down in Mexico, coming from someone living down here, if I were to go loonker huntin only 2 lakes in my mind are worth taken in consideration: Lake Baccarac in Sinaloa and Sugar Lake in Tamaulipas ( not far from Laredo ). "El Salto" ? ....I don 't see what 's all the fuzz about El Salto. Quote
bob101 Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 I'd say it's a LOT less than 1 in 4 serious fisherman have caught a 10+. I live in Texas and even guys who fish Fork every weekend many have never caught a 10+ fish even if you see them on the beds... I've caught one fish over 10+ pounds and it wasn't on a lake known for 10+ pound fish, caught it  on a 3/8 oz. black/blue jig under a cypress tree at Caddo Lake. I caught another one just shy of 10 pounds and it was on a 3" craw soft plastic bait off the bed with 1/8oz. jighead. I've been lucky enough to be in the back of the boat with 2 different people who caught bass that would qualify for our state's share a lunker program (13+ pounds) both were returned to the lake in a matter of minutes and not donated. Before I moved to Texas people where I fished mounted fish over 3+ pounds. Now if I go out and don't catch one fish over 5+ pounds it's been a subpar day. It's all in perspective of where you fish. Quote
Super User .ghoti. Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 I've never caught one. A couple of 8's are my biggest. I've caught a lot of 5+ bass, which is pretty good for my area, but no DD's. I'm not a "big fish" fisherman. A typical trip for me is three or four hours after work. A half a dozen two pounders makes me a very happy camper. A 5, and I'm hootin "n hollerin. I haven't made the commitment to that totally different game. I could see myself doing that if I lived in an area that grew big bass. Central Illinois ain't the place. An 8 is a true giant here. I admire you guys who do play that game, and I love to see your pictures, so keep putting up. Cheers, GK RW, I'd guess the number around here at 1/1000, if you could get the truth out of "em. Quote
Super User fourbizz Posted April 24, 2007 Super User Posted April 24, 2007 I'd say one in four out here is probably reasonable. I do agree that it seems like alot of people go "Oh your in CA? Well of course you have some DD's" It aint THAT easy people!!!! Least ways not for me! Quote
Guest avid Posted April 24, 2007 Posted April 24, 2007 Great question FC.  And I like what you said about throwing out all you have  learned about bass fishing and relearning how to fish so you catch big bass. I'm trying dude, I really am. Today I got my okuma broomstick.  I've got a hud, mattlures, mission fish, that King Kong monster and other proven big bass lures. I'm going out tomorrow and give it another shot. I KNOW I have hooked into 10 lb plus bass on several occassions.  I know you remember some of my posts about landing these really bigguns because you graciously pm'd me some advice. So all I can say is that there should be a third choice on your poll. >Not Yet<  Quote
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