Everyone angler wants to catch a trophy Bass. They dream every time they throw their line in the water about breaking their PB (personal best). Now I understand there may be a little luck involved in catching a Giant Bass. However tournament anglers focus on catching the best five all the time. They are fishing exclusively for the biggest five bass they can catch to weigh in. Here I have collected my ten best strategies for catching big bass. But first, let me tell you my personal best story.
Catching your personal best bass is a memory you will never forget. I still to this day remember every detail about it. My dad and I were fishing Rodman Reservoir in Florida which is part of the St. Johns river. I was 10 years old and we always fished artificial baits and trolled a native shiner out the back of the boat. My dad and I always took turns on the shiner rod. I had just missed one and so my dad had his chance and caught a dink. Now it was my turn again.
The old school bait alarm was going off a little bit and I saw the Bobber go down and I set the hook. At first she did not feel too big but then she jumped. “Dad get the freaking net!” Rodman is filled with stumps everywhere and fortunately for me this bass did not get hung up in any of them. When she got to the boat she went crazy and jumped and my dad stretched his body about as far as he could and netted my 10lb 8oz bass that got me HOOK’D ON BASSIN for life. I still have it mounted at my house. Here is a picture!!
Use BIG Baits
So if you want to have a better chance at catching big bass you have to be willing to get less bites and use bigger baits. It may be tempting to throw a shaky head and a zoom worm and catch a bunch of bass. Or a drop shot and catch numbers but that most likely is not going to catch you the big girls. I am sure everyone has a story where they caught a big bass on those baits mentioned above. What we are talking about here is targeting big bass.
Big Bass are interested in bigger offerings. So baits like a mop jig worked slowly around cover. Make sure to rig them with a trailer to make the profile and action even better. Other things like a Giant worm no less than 10 inches can be a great choice. Big Swim baits are an excellent choice for big bass such as a this one.
Another one of my favorites is the Bull Shad Swim bait. They are expensive but have the best action on the market in my opinion.
Fish for Bedding Bass
When the bass start to move up for the spawn they are filled with eggs and are at their max weights for the year before they lay their eggs. They are a little easier to find when they are spawning because they move up into the shallows and prepare beds.
When you find the bed you will usually find two bass around that bed. The male is going to be the aggressive one. Sometimes you have to catch the male and put him in the live well so the female will move up to protect the bed. Sight fishing can be tricky and there are a ton of different ways to catch these bass. This article I wrote may help get you started: Catching Bedding Bass.
Depending on where you live you need to find out when the bass are moving up to do their thing. In Georgia it is in April, in Florida it is the first full moon in February. You will have to do some of that research on your own. One bedding tip I can give you is to stay as quiet as possible. You also want to stay out of sight. You may even try and kneel down as your are bed fishing. Make sure you always have your polarized sun glasses. I never leave home without my Costa’s
Catching a trophy bass on a bed can be hard and you may have to spend hours on one fish. You may have to leave and come back when she starts to ignore your offerings. You also need to change up what you throw to entice her to bite.
Go to Big Bass Lakes
If I want to catch an absolute Giant Bass I am probably going to leave the smallmouth and spotted bass alone. I am going to going to go lakes that are known for Giant Bass. I am not going to make this hard for you guys I am just going to list out some of the best places to go.
Lake Okeechobee-Florida
Clear Lake-California
Lake Chickamauga-Tennessee
Lake Guntersville-Alabama
Lake Fork-Texas
Toledo Bend-Texas and Louisiana
Falcon Lake-Texas & Mexico
El Salto Lake-Mexico (BEST BIG BASS LAKE)
Pickwick Lake-Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee
These are some great places to start to catch a trophy. These lakes produce big bass year in and year out.
Fish for Largemouth
If you want to catch a 10 plus pound bass you have a lot better chance if you are targeting largemouth bass. Spotted bass and Smallmouth very rarely tip the double digit scales. Your chances are much higher targeting largemouth. All the lakes I mentioned above are lakes that are filled with big largemouth bass. You know where else has a bunch of big largemouth bass? PONDS!
Fish Ponds for Giant Bass
Guys there is no shame in pond fishing. Whether you do this from the bank, a kayak or a little jon boat your chances of catching a giant in a farm pond or neighborhood pond are very high. In fact this tip may be your very best chance at catching your personal best bass. Ponds produce Big Bass just like your big lakes do. The difference is that in a pond they are a lot easier to find and get to bite. If I pond fish in Florida for an entire day I can almost guarantee I will catch one over 5lbs every single time. Neighborhoods are a great place to start. Golf courses can be great as well. Are you going to get yelled at….ABSOLUTELY. But stay discrete and don’t draw attention to your self and hopefully you will get a day of fishing in and catch your personal best. This blog may help you better understand how to break down a pond.
Have the Right Equipment
If you want to catch a big bass you have to be prepared for it. You have to use a heavier rod, heavier line, stronger hooks and good reel. I know a lot of people love using spinning reels (me included) but when it comes to big bass a bait caster is the way to go. The drag is generally stronger on your bait casters and the rods that come with them are stronger as well. If you want to be ready for the big bass then here is what you need. Let’s say I am fishing lake Okeechobee in Florida and I am flipping and pitching the grass, reeds, or lily pads. I am going to use 65lb braid with no leader. I am going to use a size 5 Trokar hook.
I also need a a rod that is 7’2” all the way to an 8 foot or more that is medium heavy. You want to use a big strong rod to be able to pull those big bass at of the cover they are going to dig into. Big bass are smart and know how to get away. Fishing for them is going to involve a little bit of heart ache. The above equipment can be altered a little based on where you are fishing. Do some research and see what others are doing. The internet is a beautiful thing so use it!!
Timing is Everything
If you are fishing for bedding bass you want to fish when the sun is over head and you have your best visibility for those Giant Bedding Bass. Generally with bass that are feeding they bite great in the morning and in the late afternoon before dark. But I like to target bass when they are filled with eggs because that is the way I am going to catch my biggest bass. So you have to fish the lakes that are in the spawn and pre spawn mode. You will have to do some of your own research for that. For instance all lakes are a little different based on where they are in the country. Weather can push things back a little also. If you are in Georgia you want to fish for these giants in April.
If in Florida I am going to be fishing for them in early February. If I go up north in Michigan I want to fish for them in late May and early June. Use youtube and look for lakes that are hot at certain times and maybe plan a trip accordingly. Or you can look at the tournament weights also and see what time of year that is. But the timing is everything when it comes to having chances at trophy bass. You have to pick the right time for where you are at in the country.
Fish Tough Spots
Big bass are smart. They hide in tough places. So if you are flipping a tree or matts then flip back as far as you can in those areas. This is where having the right equipment is crucial. You have to have a heavy rod and line to get those fish out of there. Big bass aren’t going to be in the front of the lily pads, the front of docks, are on the outer edges of the cover. They are going to be in the very back of the docks, in the heart of the tree and way back in the grass. Fish the places that other anglers won’t throw to. If it looks like you may get hung up then that is the place you want to fish for the big girls.
Fish Topwater
Top water baits are an excellent way to catch big bass. I cannot tell you why but they just work. Try and match the forage in your area. I am most likely not going to throw a top water frog on Georgia’s Lake Lanier. I would use a spook since they target herring. But if I am fishing Lake Guntersville I am most likely going to throw a Top Water Frog for some big bass.
A big Whopper Plopper is something I would throw in Florida. They love the prop baits there and they love the color black. I found that out through research and watching videos. DO YOUR RESEARCH like reading this blog:). I have also fished Florida lakes several times and found this to be true.
Commit to the Process
If you want to catch BIG BASS and are serious about it then leave the spinning reels at home. Have four rods with you and make sure they all have big baits on them. Do not be tempted to go catch numbers. Fish all day for that BIG BASS of a Lifetime.
So now you have an idea of what to do to catch a trophy!! You have to be committed to catch that fish of a lifetime…..and a little bit lucky!!! Tight lines!!!
