Going big! I’ve been bass fishing for over 25 years now. As much as I enjoy catching 1-2-3lb bass, I feel as though that I’ve left something at the lake after a day of fishing. After...

Bass face

I’ve been bass fishing for over 25 years now. As much as I enjoy catching 1-2-3lb bass, I feel as though that I’ve left something at the lake after a day of fishing. After much thought, and as hard as it was, I’ve sold 75% of my conventional bass gear, and, with that money... I’ve gone big! I purchased 2 irod swimbait rods, numerous 8”-10” swim and glide baits, spools of heavy line and a couple of heavy duty reels (Okuma Citrix 364 & a Shimano Cardiff 301A ), I practice my strengths when it’s applicable ( jerkbaits, swimjigs, Spinnerbaits, Tex rigs etc ) but my main focus now is on bass 8lbs or heavier. Is anyone out there going through a mid-bass crisis as I am? Or, is this the next step in a lifetime of fishing 🤔🏄🏼‍♂️🎣

Mauwehu Loc: Norwalk Ct

Hope you break on through. I haven’t but I might...going bass fishing in Florida in a month.

Bass face

Ya, it just seems like a natural progression! I’ve seen guys catching friggin giant bass in Florida lately... mostly on Savage Gear line through Shads and line through baitfish! Plenty on big glide baits too... Baitsanity Antidotes or other giant shad profile baits... Savage Gear has really stepped up in the big bait game over the last few years! Good luck 🏄🏼‍♂️🎣🤙

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Bass face wrote:

I’ve been bass fishing for over 25 years now. As m... (show quote)

It all depends on where you are located. Our state record is only 12lb 14oz, and was caught in 1961. Except in some Reservoirs that you can't fish, I don't think there's too many over 10 here. Where are you Bass face?

Bass face

Southern California! Big bass central... not really though! Ya, we have monster bass out here but it’s hard work! That said, I visit Tennessee for a spell ( tournaments/visit my expat Cali friends ) annually. I’ve seen 6”-10” gizzard shad and, bass eat em! I don’t know of many folks throwing big baits out there but I do know those huge shad get eaten! I’ve pulled a 6” shad out of a 2lb bass. My hypothesis is; there are 8-10-15lb+ bass in almost every lake and pond below the Mason/Dixon line... folks are simply not fishing for em🤔🏄🏼‍♂️🎣

Mauwehu Loc: Norwalk Ct

I follow this kid from Florida on Fishbrain. He catches 4-8 lb bass everyday.
Fred- if I caught a ten pounder in Ct that WOULD be amazing. I guess I have to start fishing on the posted ponds. Like the song says the other side of the sign says nothing.

Bass face

Yep! Ya never know til you find out 🤷🏼‍♂️🎣

Huntm22 Loc: Northern Utah. - West Haven

Go for it. I just received my Savage gear lures(baitfish) that I ordered when the neighbor showed me pics of the bass he caught last year using them. Showed me what he had the best luck with early spring then what he caught them on later on n the year I have done alright with the 2-4 lb but he was catching 5-6 lb consistently . That is big for our waters!

Bass face

For sure! At this point, I’m all in! Threw a Savage Gear 10” line through Trout the other day... got absolutely hammered twice! One only smashed it from the side, the other came off after a short fight and had one boil at my feet as I pulled the lure from the water.... Note to self; stop day dreaming and focus! 🤦🏻‍♂️

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Mauwehu wrote:

I follow this kid from Florida on Fishbrain. He catches 4-8 lb bass everyday.
Fred- if I caught a ten pounder in Ct that WOULD be amazing. I guess I have to start fishing on the posted ponds. Like the song says the other side of the sign says nothing.

I used to do that when I was young. Got chased a few times, popped once. Not worth the hassle now. But you have to figure,we've got about a dozen Bass clubs in the state. In a normal (non covid) year, there's at least 2or3 tournaments going on every weekend. In all this time,NO ONE has broken the record. That tells me that publicly accessible waters don't have any record fish left in them. Reservoirs and maybe farm ponds are the only source. When I move I'm gonna start with Santee Cooper(Lakes Marion and Moultrie) and Lake Murray. After that I want to do a 6 month," Magical Mystery Tour", and visit all my new friends around the middle of the country. Lots of members live at Legendary Lakes, and I'd like to visit as many as possible. That's the plan anyway, we'll see if I can pull it off.

Bass face

Anything is possible! My wife does well financially as a hairstylist and I work part time as a handyman and take care of our daughter. That said, we don’t make all that much! We will be spending 6 weeks in Mexico ( rented a house ) surfing and fishing... we do it every summer! I also get my week of fishing in Tennessee every year! WHERE THERE IS WILL... THERE IS A WAY!!! 🏄🏼‍♂️🎣🙏

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Hi Bass Face
I agree that this is the next phase of bass fishing. I’d rather catch one big one than ten small ones.
Last year after reading all the big bass books, we started the move to big baits and I caught my PB - but in MA a big one is 6.2lbs, not a DD.
But this winter while waiting for the ice to go away, I picked up several new big baits (Slammer, BullShad, Antidote, Arochi, Sneaky Pete) and I’m now more confident that this will be a PB season.
Good Luck on bringing in a DD 🎉

Bass face

Thanks buddy! Ya, at this point I to would rather spend my time fishing for that one or two potentially giant bass than catching a handful of dinks! Also, I find it a bit more fun to throw big baits! The anticipation and the possibilities! I still throw jerkbaits, swimjigs, spinnerbaits, Tex rigs etc... but my focus now is to catch a true monster bass! I’d say at this point, my PB is no bigger than 7-8lbs. I now carry a scale when ever I go fishing 🏄🏼‍♂️🎣👍

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Bass face wrote:

Thanks buddy! Ya, at this point I to would rather spend my time fishing for that one or two potentially giant bass than catching a handful of dinks! Also, I find it a bit more fun to throw big baits! The anticipation and the possibilities! I still throw jerkbaits, swimjigs, spinnerbaits, Tex rigs etc... but my focus now is to catch a true monster bass! I’d say at this point, my PB is no bigger than 7-8lbs. I now carry a scale when ever I go fishing 🏄🏼‍♂️🎣👍

I’d love to see more big bait discussion and sharing on the forum. I’ve asked some big bait questions in the past but
haven’t been able to get a discussion going. My fishing buddies pushed me in to buying my first expensive bait last year - and that BullShad is what I caught my PB on 👍
What big baits are you starting to throw?

Bass face

I really like the Savage Gear line through baits! 8-10”. Incredible action! Swaver 200, 190 Whopper Ploppers, Baitsanity glide baits, and Magabass Magdrafts 8”or bigger! Keitech has some larger swimbaits too! My gear; 8’ & 8’6” irod swimbait rods, Okuma Citrix 364 & a Shimano Cardiff 301A. Line; 15-20lb Izorline clear copolymer.