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October typically signals the beginning of the fall season for
me when it comes to bass fishing. Over the course of the next
two months I have but one thing on my mind, to catch the biggest
bass in the lake. If you are not willing to leave the finesse
gear at home, don’t even bother reading this. If you are
not willing to make sacrifices, this may not be something you
want to embark on. If you are however tired of catching little
bass and you are ready to take it to a new level, read this information
and apply it with an open mind. Let me reiterate….with an
open mind.
The reason I said it twice is because nothing is certain when
it comes to catching big bass. Most of what you have learned thus
far no longer applies when you are after the biggest bass in any
given body of water. There are no rules, and the only limitations
are those you create for yourself. It is imperative that you be
willing to think “outside the box” with an open mind
if you are to slay the giant.
Rule number one: fish where big fish live. Seems like a no brainer
right? Not so, most anglers fish the closest easiest spot they
can find. They fish where the action is. Do your research. Obtain
a copy of the D.G.I.F. citation reports every year. Narrow down
your search to just a few bodies of water that are known to produce
trophy fish on a consistent basis. Those fisheries obviously harbor
bass with good genetics. Stable condition, good depth, and an
ample supply of food are also a must.
Next, you have to accept the fact that if you are after a trophy
bass, you might go home with a big zero on your back. I remember
this past summer I threw swimbaits four weekends in a row without
putting a single fish in the boat. I purposely left all my finesse
gear and little baits at home so I was forced to stay my course
and temp only the biggest bass. That mentality is a bit much for
most anglers to grasp, but you have to think big and take it to
the next level. You must be willing to sacrifice quantity for
quality.
Considering you have eliminated the little fish factories, and
now have a couple of potential big bass lakes on your radar, it’s
time to dissect the lake. Forget chasing the bait and the little
fish to the backs of the coves. Remember, the stuff you read in
Bassmaster is geared toward a five fish limit. Big fish eat when
and what they want. They prefer to expend as few calories as possible,
and get the biggest bang for their buck.
Creek channels, humps, points, and feeding flats will harbor big
bass all year long.
Obviously some of these types of structure will be better that
others or offer something different and appealing to the bass.
One good thing about October and early November is that the fish
will tend to be shallower. Also the big girls are packing on weight
for the winter and for the spawn. In my opinion, spring and fall
are the only two times big bass fall for dumb tricks with any
regularity. When the water temps range from fifty five to sixty
five the majority of the bass (Big bass) I catch in the fall will
come from water depths of four to twelve feet.
Don’t waste your time circling the lake and casting toward
the shore like the rest of the weekend warriors. Instead, concentrate
on spots that provide safety, comfort, and a close proximity to
food. Mark several key areas and present your bait from different
angles. If there are no takers, move to the next spot and repeat.
Often time’s fish feed in cycles and these key spots may
produce on the next go around.
When it comes to lure choices, this may be the most difficult
part to swallow. I use to laugh at the size of the lures I use
now. “Those are designed for saltwater” I use to say.
But when I started boating 6, 7, 8, and 9 pound bass on them,
I was….hooked. I would recommend starting off small and working
your way up when it comes to swimbaits though. Not really considered
a swimbait, but very effective is the Strike King diving King
Shad. I throw this 4” jointed bait and the Sexy Swimmer on
a 7’ ST. Croix crankbait rod with a moderate action and 17
pound test Berkley Trilene. If you don’t catch a fish on
one of these two baits, I will buy it back from you.
Another bait that I have recently come to rely on is the Skinny
Bear SB-5. This is a 5.5” line through soft bait with great
tail action that I love working in the shallows. Even though this
lure also utilizes a treble hook, I step up the rod to a medium
heavy model and 20 lb Berkley 100% fluoro. Next, I recommend the
Castaic Catch -22 series. These baits have some wicked action
and are a lot of fun to use. During the spring and fall I rely
on the 6” shad and the 8” Ghost Rainbow. Yea that’s
right; bass on the east coast don’t care if it looks like
a trout. If it moves, it signals life, and life signals food.
For the Catch -22 I use a Mojo 7’6” pitching rod. I
know that sounds crazy, but this rod is a medium heavy and has
a moderate action that I really like. After using it I went out
and bought two 7’9” Mojo Swimbait rods also.
Before you shoot down or dismiss any of the baits I have mentioned,
allow me to also mention they have been responsible for also catching
little unwanted three pound bass as well. Six and eight inch baits
may seem big to you, but bass are bullies and will attack them
with no problem. We are all so accustomed to throwing little tournament
baits that we quickly shoot down anything out of the ordinary.
Keep an open mind!
Once you catch a few bass on these baits you may want to try
the SPRO BBZ-1 six inch baits, and even the Huddleston Deluxe
8” swimbaits. I still remember the exhilaration I felt when
I stuck my first trophy swimbait fish. It changed my way of thinking
and opened a whole new world for me. I don’t solely rely
on swimbaits all year though. Believe me I tried, but that too
is an exhibition of closed minded fishing and an inability to
adapt. I still crush magnitudes of bass on jigs, spinnerbaits,
soft plastics, and the occasional crankbait.
I do stick to the basic plan however. Fish where big fish live,
fish key areas that are prone to harbor big fish, and present
the biggest meal I can get away with. Also, fish in the moment,
not in the past. Each day is different and some of my best catches
in the fall have been during the worst weather. The baits I have
mentioned will work for you if you remain confident and stave
off the urge to succumb in to little fish.
There will be days when you may make 300 casts before you connect
with a big bass, but trust me, it all worth it. Make a commitment
to say goodbye to little fish and let’s tip the scales with
some fat donkeys.
As usual, I have a lot to say and little space to do it. Please
feel free to email me with questions or comments. sowbelly.hunter@yahoo.com
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