How To Fish For Big Fish

[woodnut]

I was reading the thread " catching big fish" and it reminded me of a conversation I had with an older gentleman the other day. He was showing me a photo album of the fish he has caught. I made the remark that he had caught some nice fish , he said " if you want to catch big fish you have to fish for big fish, there is a differnce." he did not explain as to what the difference was. So to my question. Do you go out fishing for the big fish? Do you just go fishing and hope to catch fish and if you get a nice one thats just icing on the cake?. How do you fish for the big one? Do you throw a 6' 7' worm instead of a 4"? Do you throw a heavier jig with a bigger trailer? Do you use a bigger crank bait that dives deeper? I don't know if this has been asked before, but thought it would be fun and educational to see the different ways we fish. Thanks for reading.

[Bluebasser86]

For the most part the people that catch big fish are fishing for big fish or at least in an area where big fish may be. You can go out and fish a standard sized bait, beating the banks with the crowds, and still catch a big fish once in awhile. The guys that catch the big fish study the lake, study the fish, and know the perfect storm of all the variables that equal success, and prove it time and time again. Bigger baits can help, but it doesn't take a footlong worm to catch a 10 pound fish. It's a different mindset too. You may not get as many bites if you decide to go fish for big fish but when you do get bit it's usually worth the effort!

[Packard]

When I go fishing I will fish fast with 4" Senkos, Paddletails, Spinnerbaits, and Square-bills trying to find fish. If I'm catching a lot of decent size I will bring out the big guns, swimbaits, 7" Wave worm anacondas, and huge tubes. I would rather catch one hog than a buch of dinks but that's just me.

[dhami013]

Seasonal patterns. Studying the water. And time on the water. Like Packard said, locate fish then once you do bring out some bigger, slower baits, it'll keep the littluns away. It's just like everything, you gotta practice.

[Fat-G]

I think location and timing is very important, more so than what bait you are using. If you're in the right place at the exact right time, you'll most likely catch the big fish that is in the area.

Another thing is reaction bites. If the fish isn't really hungry, but the weather is good, and you drop your bait RIGHT on her head, she'll most likely bite.

Edit: switched to a real computer and not my iphone, so I'll go more in-depth about what I've learned this year and post some picture examples as well.

My primary focus this year has been catching bigger fish. I have read a lot on Resource about how to target specifically the big ones, and have learned a lot from various members on here as well. Here are some of the things I have learned. I hope Catt, roadwarrior, and some of the others give their input as well.

Like I said before, location and timing are two very important factors. It's kind of a luck of the draw thing, being there in the heat of the moment. If you are at the right spot with a hungry fish, I think bait choice (as long as it's something that the pattern calls for) is not nearly as important as other times, when you are "searching" for a big fish. For example, you pull up to a spot with a laydown tree. If you want to catch the biggest fish that is around the tree, you don't want to rush into your first cast. Take your time, figure out where you think she would most likely be, and make a perfect cast. In a tournament, you want to catch your limit first, and then cull the smaller ones, so you would hypothetically be fishing a reaction bait like a crank or spinnerbait. That is the difference in "trophy bass fishing" and "trying to catch some fish". Here are some fish that are prime examples of being in the right place at the right time, and dropping it right on their head.

There will also be times when you will randomly catch a big one, whether it's on a flat or just mindlessly fun fishing, not specifically targeting a big fish. Here are some examples, first one was swimming a Rage Craw down a slope and the other was on a spinnerbait fishing a spring flat.

As far as baits go, I have developed a general rule for myself.

No clouds in the sky: Finesse. Wacky rigged Trick Worms, small t-rigged plastics, such as the Rage Baby Craw, and shakey heads/drop-shots (though I still need to fish those more to develop a whole lot of confidence in them).

Cloudy with sunlight: Ragetail anything works extremely well, as do big worms, big jigs, etc.

Overcast: I’m fishing faster, pitching jigs and swimming Rage Tails, Rage Shads are also stellar.

Hope this helps, I'll add more if I think of something.

[deep]

I was reading the thread " catching big fish" and it reminded me of a conversation I had with an older gentleman the other day. He was showing me a photo album of the fish he has caught. I made the remark that he had caught some nice fish , he said " if you want to catch big fish you have to fish for big fish, there is a differnce." he did not explain as to what the difference was. So to my question. Do you go out fishing for the big fish? Do you just go fishing and hope to catch fish and if you get a nice one thats just icing on the cake?. How do you fish for the big one? Do you throw a 6' 7' worm instead of a 4"? Do you throw a heavier jig with a bigger trailer? Do you use a bigger crank bait that dives deeper? I don't know if this has been asked before, but thought it would be fun and educational to see the different ways we fish. Thanks for reading.

Read Bill Siemantel's "The Big Bass Zone". It's all about the psyche.

And no, big baits doesn't always equal a big fish. Read Bill Murphy's book too (I forget what it's called). He talks about "stitching worms", and basically a ton of other things. In the west coast, people like Bob Crupi would soak crawdads to catch lunkers (he caught a 23+ once, IIRC). Fish Chris catches them with nightcrawlers I believe. Dottie was caught the last time on a jig, that was while bed-fishing though.

Even if you don't want to throw 12" baits, try and read the two books. Trophy fishing is a totally different pursuit from the sort of bass articles you (and I and everyone else) usually read, almost all of which are geared towards tournament anglers (which isn't a bad thing of course).

[deep]

When I go fishing I will fish fast with 4" Senkos, Paddletails, Spinnerbaits, and Square-bills trying to find fish. If I'm catching a lot of decent size I will bring out the big guns, swimbaits, 7" Wave worm anacondas, and huge tubes. I would rather catch one hog than a buch of dinks but that's just me.

That's the tournament philosophy. What you're talking about, IMO of course, is not catching a big fish, but a "kicker" fish. Unless you're fishing with a live bait, your best chance of catching a trophy fish is with the first cast. Bungle up that cast, or not get a bite, you might as well move to a different spot to try and catch another trophy fish. Big fish are intensely attuned to their environment. She knows that you bait is there. It depends on your presentation, and of course her mood, whether she'll bite it.

EDIT: Fat-G pretty much nailed it.

[quanjig]

Where is shimmy?? I know that boy specifically fishes for big fish only, targeting areas that hold or are likely to hold big fish. He would rather throw big baits slowly all day long without a bite than mess around with smaller fish. Common Troy!, I've some input!

[woodnut]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. I enjoyed reading all the responses and I will read the book " The big bass zone" .

[Brand0n]

my only input is that ive caught more consistently bigger fish using any sort of 10" worm red shad colored and lately black with red flake t-rigged with the lightest weight possible fished slow and occasional a nice one or two on a 5" senko weightless t-rigged. fished the 10" worm in deeper water and the senko shallower around weed beds. caught these two yesterday...one on a senko and the other on a yum 10" worm

[South FLA]

Target bodies of water with big fish potential and put your time in.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Presentation, bait and luck will all be hard pressed to provide a big fish in a puddle with a low likely hood of having big fish.

[fishinkeebs]

Seems everyone has some good input. FAT-G can fish!! If you want to target big fish get to know the bodies of water you are fishing.. and to piggy back it is a different mindset! look for those spots that are holding fish and make good cast and a good presentation of your bait. Jigs and a carolina rigged plastic or a deep diving crankbait are good producers. Whether a crank or plastic if fishing structure in deeper water try to always make contact with the structure.. You really got to tune in to what your bait is doing!