Looking For Some Bigger Guys!

[jazzy0017]

Just wondering on some opinions of what you guys would do...I have a tourney this wkd on a lake that doesn't have muuch to it. I haven't fished it too much but its not very big and have explored the whole lake. Anyway, I prefished there yesterday and caught quite a few and ENOUGH 14 and 15 inchers. I've looked at past tourneys and basically 11-12lbs and your definitely in the hunt. The lake is 60 percent 5 ft flats and then like three deeper bowls in the middle. I fished weed edges with a jig, plastics. I fished in the weedbeds with a swimbait. I fished the lilly pads with a frog. Ive tried swim jigs, spinnerbaits, and my buddy tried cranks. I'm just wondering what you guys would do to try to catch a few bigger guys! I already have my plan what I would do, but just wondering what you would do!?? Maybe it'll switch my plan up... Thanks Guys!!

[deep]

Big baits, fished slowly. Maybe try some tournament grade swimbaits like the 6" and 7" Talons, 6" Hudds, or Mattlures. These will catch your average 3-4 pounders and give you a shot at 5+ fish too.

Here's a little video.

Good luck.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I'd probably throw a senko on the grass edges or a weighted fluke on those same edges. Catch the 5 then go to the drop offs and throw a jig or t rig.

[David301]

8 to 10 foot of water using big slow moving baits. My big bass go to bait is a 1/2 ounce Booyah Boogee chatterbait with a 4.5" Lake Fork live magic shad as a trailer.

[WRB]

Are you fishing a natural small lake that may have toothy predators like pike? Smallmouth or largemouth bass?

Tom

[jazzy0017]

Are you fishing a natural small lake that may have toothy predators like pike? Smallmouth or largemouth bass?

Tom

Yes it's a small natural lake with largemouth and toothy creatures. Where I fished was on the drop offs and weed edges. The weeds go out till about 8 ft and then its a steep drop. I've fished in them and outside them on the drop off and nothing but 15 inchers!

[WRB]

Yes it's a small natural lake with largemouth and toothy creatures. Where I fished was on the drop offs and weed edges. The weeds go out till about 8 ft and then its a steep drop. I've fished in them and outside them on the drop off and nothing but 15 inchers!

When a small natural lake is shared with 2 top end predators, the biggest more aggressive predator owns the best feeding areas. Unfortunitly largemouth bass are not the number 1 predator in your lake, the pike are. The largemouth may not be on the outside deep breaks very often, they may be using the inside weedline breaks and living in the weed tunnels that lead in and out of the grass mats and any isolated rocks or deeper water surrounded by weeds.

Try making longer casts along the inside weed line and any weed breaks that lead from outside to inside areas. Also try pitching into holes and pockets in the weed beds. 5 to 6" paddle tail swimbaits are quite and work well along inside weed edges and pegged Teaxs rigged 7" paddle or stright tail worms can be worked effectively along weed edges and in holes or pockets.

Weedless frog and spoons; Johnson Silver Minnow spoons worked over mats and stopped to sink into small pockets and often work well in these conditions.

Good luck.

Tom

[jazzy0017]

Well thanks for the info! I like your ideas...this lake is very very clear so the weeds that are there arnt much. There are no mats and very little weeds in the lake. What I was fishing were the pockets of weeds on the break. The pockets of weeds aren't all along the break so there are no definitive inside weed edges. It's hard to explain...but thanks for the info I appreciate it! ...Hopefully I can get a big bite or two!!

[WRB]

Well thanks for the info! I like your ideas...this lake is very very clear so the weeds that are there arnt much. There are no mats and very little weeds in the lake. What I was fishing were the pockets of weeds on the break. The pockets of weeds aren't all along the break so there are no definitive inside weed edges. It's hard to explain...but thanks for the info I appreciate it! ...Hopefully I can get a big bite or two!!

If you don't have well established weed beds, then look for anything that creates dark shaddow areas; boulders, sharp breaks with rocks, trees, etc.

Crawdads are bass food, not pike food, so a 3/8 oz football head jig with 4" double tail Yamamoto Hula grub # 297 or 301 should work in clear water.

Tom

[Sam]

First, get your limit.

Then go for the big ladies as stated above.

Be patient as it is hard and s-l-o-w fishing.

You may luck out and then again.......

[jazzy0017]

First, get your limit.

Then go for the big ladies as stated above.

Be patient as it is hard and s-l-o-w fishing.

You may luck out and then again.......

haha up here in Michigan there a lot of slow fishing so Im used to it! but thanks guys I was just wondering on your opinions! I have my weapons of choice! ...wish me luck!

[WRB]

haha up here in Michigan there a lot of slow fishing so Im used to it! but thanks guys I was just wondering on your opinions! I have my weapons of choice! ...wish me luck!

Consistantly catching large (female) adult bass is all about details, being at the right place at the right time. Unfortunitly tournament fishing doesn't always allow you to pick and choose when and where to fish.

My advice is; fish for big bass when they are active, regardless of how many other bass you may or may not have in the livewell. You have about a 20 to 30 minute window every 3 to 4 hours each/night to target the bigger bass.

Good luck!

Tom

[ArkieHawg]

I'd probably throw a senko on the grass edges or a weighted fluke on those same edges. Catch the 5 then go to the drop offs and throw a jig or t rig.

Also might try a Carolina Rig on the slopes/drops. creature baits, lizards and worms all produce good fish. Size in the summer is a non-factor in my opinion. Saturday my best fish (5.5lb) came on a carolina rigged baby brush hog.

My partners biggest bass this year came in at a hair under 7lbs and took a carolina rigged zoom super fluke on a 4' leader.