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How do I find the big ones?

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 3:22 am
by RookieBassMan
Lately it seems all I am catching are the little 12 & 13" guys. I know the bigger ones are there but how do I find them? I am fishing structure and I have even seen a few but I can't seem to get them to bite. I figured since the little guys are the big boys should be biting the same bait. Is my logic flawed? (I am fishing from the bank.)

Thanks in advance.

How do I find the big ones?

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 4:35 am
by johnnie crain outdoors
Rookie, I would say from your post that since you are seeing some bass and fishing off the bank, the big ones have already seen you and moved out. They don't get big by making too many mistakes.
You didn't mention what you are trying, but try up-sizing your baits. Big bait- big bass-sometimes. Use extreme stealth when bank fishing, take as few steps as possible, keep a low profile even with your rod. Big bass are spooky by nature. You might even try larger size topwater baits, big bass like an easy meal. Good luck, Johnnie

How do I find the big ones?

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:27 pm
by carl
Rookie, when you figure that one out let me know. Was out yesterday and didn't get a bite. Planned on two new presentations today, but after looking for floating worms at WallyWorld and two tackle shops came up with zero. Off to the internet, in the mean time I'm trying to figure out how to float a worm that wasn't designed to float. Good fishing. Carl. By the way, I hadn't been out for awhile so I was a little rusty on my casting. I didn't follow my advice to you and tried to force a few casts and wound up with a half a dozen backlashes.

How do I find the big ones?

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 12:59 pm
by RNE
Sneaky, slow and deliberate, if you’re working from the bank, fix that in your mind.

Keep low, use any available background such as trees or bushes to prevent being outlined against the horizon. Step lightly, and slowly when you do move, plan each move beforehand. If you can see fish, they have seen you a long time ago. Fish ahead of your path, most of the time what’s behind you has been spooked by your passage. (Most of the time, there are exceptions, such as active fish moving in to chase bait. Pay attention to your surroundings, a lot of clues as to what’s going on can been seen by paying close attention.)

Fish deeper for larger fish, or make long casts parallel to the bank. As Johnnie said, big fish don’t get big by being dumb. They’ve avoided getting eaten long enough to achieve their size by being skittish.

One tip, if at all possible when using weedless rigging, cast on the bank and ease your presentation into the water. That doesn’t cause as much disturbance as dropping it into shallow water. A lot of the time a simple texas rigged worm in appropriate color is all you need. Peg the sinker, cast onto the bank and work it back in a manner the fish approve of, by biting it.

If using topwaters. slow down!. I love a Spook for a lot of the topwater bite. I’ll cast it out and let it sit for a really long time, sometimes as long as two minutes. Then twitch it very, very gently before starting a dog walk or half step. If you fish a spook, you might want to get cleared by a Cardiologist. Some of the strikes will be right at your feet, and they will be explosively vicious!, as in throwing water all over you.

I have a large number of local private ponds that I have permission to fish in, many of them are very clear, the fish are spooky, some are large, and all of them can be very hard to catch at times. After many years of stalking small water from the bank I’ve learned a thing or three. I work very hard to keep that hard won permission, make sure I leave no trash, close any gates, even pick up any trash I find. And provide fish (not bass!, usually crappie, white bass or catfish) to those who don’t fish, but like a fish dinner on occasion.

How do I find the big ones?

Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 12:51 am
by RookieBassMan
I am using a Berkley 6" Curly Fry, yellow/brown. I get bites nearly every time a cast the thing. I just can't seem to get the big boys to bite, let alone find them.

Thanks for the help Guys!!