I've caught 2.5-pounders that pulled just as long and hard as five-pounders. The 2.5-pounders can jump just as high and often too. However, one thing that lighter bass can't do is wallow, which is moving a mass of water at the surface. I think about my "big" northern bass wallowing and then I think about @WRB's 17, 18, and 19-pound bass wallowing. It must have been like dropping this pig in a pool of gravy:

 

 

Or dropping a hippo in a pool of gators. I can only imagine. Heck, we all can only imagine. Only Tom knows. 

I have in the past described how these giant bass fight.

The belief that big fat trout feed FLMB are lazy fish is a misconception. Trout are fast swimming fish and not an easy meal to chase down as prey. The bass have learn to hunt in packs to increase success by pushing the trout against structure or the surface making easier to trap the trout. I believe this activity keeps these giants in good physical condition.

I caught my PB 5 best  using hair just jigs with pork rind trailers replicating crawdads. A jig is small and I use 10lb to 12 mono line, lighter weight then the bass weigh. Using big swimbaits with heavy rods and line is a different situation where you can over power the big bass.

The giant bass I caught were in deep rocky structure with sparse cover mostly wood from old trees or brush.  Little or no aquatic growth during pre spawn period.

It’s more of an open water fight keeping these from getting into whatever it can.

Everyone of those 5 bass jumped a body length out of the water or hard shake on the surface, no wallowing just running pulling drag.

The 19.3 lb bass was hooked after casting over 100’ ate the jig on the fall. After hook setting this bass immediately jump and thought it was maybe a DD size, hard to judge. This bass decided to run straight at my boat then under it and out the opposite side another 100’ or so before fight hard against the rod pressure, probably looking for something to get into to escape. I won the battle and was surprised how big the bass was at 1st sighting near the boat.

Most giant bass take off after hook setting and either jump or hard shake right away then bull dog diving deeper trying to get into something, if they do you lose.

Tom

Never heard them called “wallows” before… I like it.

I was working a topwater once and a huge “wallow” appeared just behind it. Started out as a little disturbance then grew to the water roll was over 3 ft wide. My first thought was my gear is not going to handle this. 
Then I saw the blow, my heddon torpedo had awaken a slumbering manatee, was excited and let down at the same time.

On 5/27/2025 at 11:59 AM, Swamp Girl said:

 

 

 

 

Thanks Katie… Now I’m hungry..BBQ

20 minutes ago, GRiver said:

Never heard them called “wallows” before… I like it.

 

I lived on a pig farm once. I've seen how much slurried mud a pig can move. And I've seen videos of hippos dancing on crocodiles. It's fearsome. The strength of both big beasts, i.e. pigs and hippos, remind me of how much water a big bass can move. 

 

24 minutes ago, GRiver said:

Then I saw the blow, my heddon torpedo had awaken a slumbering manatee, was excited and let down at the same time.

 

Ha!

 

7 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Thanks Katie… Now I’m hungry..BBQ

 

Double ha!

I have caught numerous large smallies early prespawn that wallowed once hooked. Best way to describe it is they are trying to jump but because they are so plump & the water is still so cold they can not get their whole body airborne just their heads. So you see them wallowing on the surface trying to jump but they can't. Later in the season once their metabolism speeds up they can & do jump completely out of the water.