Do you guys fish big swimbaits as if you were fishing for musky? By this I mean do you not expect to get bit at all or make a ton of casts before even getting a bite? I have had more luck with the smaller huddleston baits than I have the big ones and I feel location plays a factor but I also think mentality does as well. I have a few small ponds that I have caught 6+ lb bass in and I want to see if they will key in on these big baits.

Do you guys fish big swimbaits as if you were fishing for musky? By this I mean do you not expect to get bit at all or make a ton of casts before even getting a bite? I have had more luck with the smaller huddleston baits than I have the big ones and I feel location plays a factor but I also think mentality does as well. I have a few small ponds that I have caught 6+ lb bass in and I want to see if they will key in on these big baits.

The last year or so I have found that the bigger baits get less play with the huge over-abundance of young of the year shad here in IL waters, been a bit of a pain actually.  I have also got bit better recently with the smaller huds simply because that even the bigger shad have only been getting to the size of the 6" max, and they just seem keyed on smaller prey.  Been having better luck with relatively more compact bluegill swimbaits for size actually. 

Biggest bass I have caught in recent years was on a 10inch bait fishing for musky, and biggest musky I have caught in recent was on a 5 inch jerk bait fishing for walleye...so what the hell do I really know...

The last year or so I have found that the bigger baits get less play with the huge over-abundance of young of the year shad here in IL waters, been a bit of a pain actually.  I have also got bit better recently with the smaller huds simply because that even the bigger shad have only been getting to the size of the 6" max, and they just seem keyed on smaller prey.  Been having better luck with relatively more compact bluegill swimbaits for size actually. 

Biggest bass I have caught in recent years was on a 10inch bait fishing for musky, and biggest musky I have caught in recent was on a 5 inch jerk bait fishing for walleye...so what the hell do I really know...

Most of the big lakes I fish the shad dont get to big at all and Ive had better luck downsizing my lures as well. In a few small ponds we have had golden roaches growing to absurd sizes and there are a few bass that are thriving on them.

Ive got a local lake where the shad sometimes will make the bass look small. I was fishing a cove last spring and I kid you not there had to be 10,000-100,000 shad in that cove. I didnt see a bass bust that ball once and I couldnt get a bite either. I tried every bait I had, they were so thick they were busting away from a jerkbait.

Two factors involved with big swimbaits; 1. Bass don't know their size verses the swimbait and sometimes strike it to check it out as something to eat. 2, Bass recognize the swimbait as prey they have successfully eaten several times and strike it to kill and eat it.

Your highest success rate is #2.

Tom

I love a bait 6-8"

mostly glide baits.you get a lot of follows but they seem to catch bigger fish.

also post spawn a big wake bait or floater will draw massive strikes also

When I am throwing 5-8in swimbaits I expect to catch fish just about every where I am fishing. I am very confident that I will. When I throw 10-12 baits it depends a lot on where I am fishing. I think I have a good chance but I am not shocked if I don't get bit. I am shocked if I don't get several follows. I use  them in some what specific situations Huge baits over 12 in are very specific for me and I could throw them all day with no bites and it would be almost expected. However I don't throw them all day. I throw them when I think that size is the best tool so my odds go up a little

When I throw musky 80lb braid and steel or 160# FC leaders I catch bass on big baits. When I throw bass, I catch musky. It happens. If in throwing big baits I go out with just being happy seeing a fish

The last year or so I have found that the bigger baits get less play with the huge over-abundance of young of the year shad here in IL waters, been a bit of a pain actually. I have also got bit better recently with the smaller huds simply because that even the bigger shad have only been getting to the size of the 6" max, and they just seem keyed on smaller prey. Been having better luck with relatively more compact bluegill swimbaits for size actually.

Biggest bass I have caught in recent years was on a 10inch bait fishing for musky, and biggest musky I have caught in recent was on a 5 inch jerk bait fishing for walleye...so what the hell do I really know...

That is a common occurrence. Typically musky fisherman catch their biggest bass & walleye while fishing for musky with musky baits & tackle. Most bass & walleye guys catch their biggest ski while fishing for bass & walleye on said gear.

This advice is spot specific or location specific. When fishing large baits & getting bit continue until the bite stops. Then it is time to switch to smaller baits. If you start getting bit continue until the bite quits. Then switch back to the big baits & see if you get bit again. My observation is that the fish will respond to one then the other. The trigger is the change in bait size when the bite declines. Try it and see.