Looking back the 1st thing to do is define a Giant LMB? For sake of argument a Giant bass is the top 1 % in size in the State where you fish or close to record size LMB. My personal bar was 15 lbs where I fish in SoCal. 13 lbs is a good bar for every where else Florida LMB are in the population, and around 2 lbs under the state record NLMB. In other words Giant bass!

Every State has a LMB record except Alaska. So Giants live where you fish.

How do you go about catching a Giant bass where you fish?

Tom

6 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

How do you go about catching a Giant bass where you fish?

 

I never have.  I just keep trying.

I start by finding a spot that has giant bass.

 

I don’t look at fishing pages or ask people if there are giant bass - I walk the banks at sunrise and sunset and look with my eyes for the giant bass and if I see them - I might devote some time to that fishery.  I have found that lots of giant bass live in places where people catch dinks or are “fished out” around here.

 

Once my spot with giant bass is selected - I like to start by fishing mid day/sunset and on weekdays.  I usually skip weekends and early mornings until I have a sense of where fish live and what they eat.  Fish tend to get tight lipped on weekends when they are being fished for constantly.

 

Early morning has been very good to me but only during certain seasons and conditions so I am a lot more selective about my mornings these days and feel it is for the best.

 

The odds of catching a giant bass tend to be the best at mid day so that’s when I really like to go.

 

The next order of business is figuring out where the big forage is.  What is the food that can sustain these bass and where is this forage reproducing and where does it feed.

 

My experience is that with giant bass - location is everything with timing being a close second place everything.  Location is  MOSTLY around food EVEN during times where they are spawning.

 

Really big girls will make a nest next to 300 sunfish beds for the easy pickings during a taxing time.  They also take full advantage of the predatory nest raiding golden shiner and gizzard shad populations they make their nests near - I believe even enjoying guarding their nests and the calories it provides at certain times.

 

Really big girls typically require patience and close attention to detail and persistence.  You have to be in the right place at the right time often and those locations and windows change seasonally as conditions move plankton and baitfish around.  
 

I am a strong advocate for cracking the giant bass code one fishery at a time - meaning - once you’ve established you’re in a place with giant bass - you don’t go try other spots for fun every other day - you commit to these big fish until you figure out how to catch one and then you try to catch a bigger one using what you learned from the first big one.  
 

My experience is - dancing around from spot to spot casually you can get lucky occasionally but to get out of the 6-8 lb range and into the true giant range around here - you really have to learn those fish and commit to one body of water to do so.

 

You know you’re dialed in when you can put yourself around them every single day even if you’re not hooking or catching them. There’s nothing more exciting than figuring out where and when they feed and being in the thick of it with your heart racing and the clock ticking and the sun going down and you just got bit but she shook it and you think maybe if I real quick tie on a little smaller bait - they’ll fully commit….the thrill of it when you’re really fishing one cast at a time for big ones and you KNOW it is very very hard to top and I’d take it over casual opportunistic chucking and winding any day.

 

The feeling you get when you are this dialed in and SUCCEED is impossible to quantify and it’s what makes trophy bass fishing unique.  These are smart smart fish.

 

 

 

The state record LMB here is 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

 

I’ve never come remotely close to that. I’ve got a few fish reaching the 6 pound mark.

 

Next spring the state is allowing C & R bass fishing before the traditional opener in mid May, so that may increase my odds to latch into a prespawn giant. If the conditions cooperate.

Just now, gim said:

The state record LMB here is 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

And caught down here in the Metro - lake it was pulled out of is in Carver Park Reserve....spitting distance from me.

2 minutes ago, gim said:

If the conditions cooperate.

We can hope for an early ice-out....but our luck it'll be middle of May.

I don't target big bass specifically.......but being from Florida they are always here.Sometimes I get lucky. If I were to target big bass specifically I would use bigger baits.......I don't like using live bait ........

I just fish in and around bass holding cover or structure. I dont know any better.

I targeted big bass in 2024 by fishing bogs. Bog bass in Maine are built differently than the pond bass I focused on in 2025. I hope to have enough ambition to open 2026 with some bog fishing again. I focus on the deep water near shallow. Here's a bog bass from last spring so you can see how thick they grow. She wasn't long (19 inches), but she represents the build of bog bass and I've caught them over 22 inches and just as bulgy:

 

11 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

My personal bar+was 15 lbs wherewithal fish in SoCal.

 

What an angler Tom is. I wonder if anyone else at Bass Resource has caught one bass over 15 pounds.

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

We can hope for an early ice-out....but our luck it'll be middle of May.

 

It's not necessarily "just" the ice out either.  It needs to warm up at least a little bit after that.  Even if the ice is gone the first week of April, if the water remains super cold for a month, that won't do much good.

 

Mid May for ice would break an all time record if that occurred.  I believe the latest ice out for a lake around here (Tonka) is around May 5 which wasn't that long ago, actually.

State record largemouth here is 10lb 12oz, by your criteria I've only ever caught one bass that qualifies, my PB 8lb 12oz that I caught on a crappie jig. That said outside of 1 rogue 7lber I caught mid summer all my other biggest bass , lets say 6-7lb range have all come from spring cold water...Late March to Early May. I've caught them on all manner of baits....Jigs, spinner bait, bladed jig, lipless. Guess my only advice is fish early in the year and don't be afraid of crappy weather...that's the only common theme in most of my catches .

3 minutes ago, gim said:

Mid May for ice would break an all time record if that occurred.  I believe the latest ice out for a lake around here (Tonka) is around May 5 which wasn't that long ago, actually.

2018 actually

 

Normal use to be 1st or 2nd week of April....but it's been backing up the last few years to end of March.

 

But Mother Gaia might just want to mess with us....it IS a La Nina year, which means colder weather up here this winter.

I once caught a 17 lb. bass. And then I woke up and was reeling my pillow. 
 

I'll be honest and say this is not for me personally. Guys and gals that specifically target giant bass are like the bowhunters I know who only target giant, trophy bucks. Willingly go day/weeks/months without anything in order to get the opportunity to tag that one huge buck or eat the tag. A little different in bass fishing as you’re going to catch something on trips, but the dedication is the same.  I don’t have what it takes for that absolute dedication. But that’s ok. I’m happy with the catches I get and if I get a big gal every once in a while, yay! 
 

But I do admire those who set a goal and pursue it with 100% dedication to achieve that goal. You have my deepest respect. 

The prime seasonal periods to catch giant bass is pre spawn and spawn.

The big girls are eating more getting ready to fast during the egg laying phase of the spawn. Pre spawn giant bass are still wary and aware of danger but they want to eat prey making them vulnerable to being caught then any other seasonal period.
When on or near a bed the big girls are in a protect mode and will attack and kill egg eating predators. They don’t eat at this time so hook setting needs to be very fast.

I caught all my giant bass during pre spawn  and unknowingly a possible bed fish not targeted. I make a long cast using jigs and if the jig landed in or near a bed the big bass would strike  and it’s possible I got a hook set. I have targeted bed bass in the past but never found a Giant on a bed.

caught several DD bass under 15 lbs during summer period day and night but no giants. Very few DD size during fall or winter with the exception of trout  swimbait bass that are targeting planted trout at time period. Catch lots of jig bass during fall and winter but no DD size. No idea why, could be they are focused on trout not crawdads.

Put odds in your favor by knowing when, where and what the primary prey source is at that time.

Good luck,

Tom

12 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

How do you go about catching a Giant bass where you fish?

Tom

How to catch big bass is, IMO, a fairly massive topic and undertaking.

Accomplished bass anglers/authors have and will no doubt continue to write entire books about it. 

One of my favorites by Bill Murphy talks about "the fascination and mystery" of catching giant bass.

He also talks about how hard work, self-discipline, and a proven fishing system can be the most consistent game plan.  His book, "In Pursuit of Giant Bass," convinced me to change my deal quite a bit.  Adopting what I can has helped me in my quest for plus-sized smallmouth bass.  

With that in mind, here is my summarized version. 

 At its very core, I break this down into three parts or aspects. 

 

Motivation - makes up  50 %

Before beginning, I must recognize and understand that this task is similar to searching for hidden treasure. I must expect countless fishless days, weeks, and even entire seasons without progress.  Therefore, I need to mentally prepare myself to endure this challenge ahead of time.  Not doing so usually decreases my chances of success.  In this context, motivation resembles an endurance event.  This has always been the case and will continue to be so.  This is just one aspect of my approach.  Any shaky or wavering commitment here will be exposed in short order. #givingup

Preparation -Makes up 25 %

This includes 'everything' I need to do well before I get on the water.  The preparation process can vary significantly for each basshead. I believe that I am only as strong as my weakest point.  However, having confidence in this deal can serve as a powerful motivator and is preferable to worrying about my lack of preparation. Properly maintaining everything is the only way I roll here. 

Execution - Makes up the final 25%.

This is where the rubber meets the road and if I'm fortunate, it all comes together. 

Extended drives, early mornings, long days on the water, precise boat positioning, and enduring frequent periods of inclement weather all contribute to being at the right place, at the right time, and doing the right thing.  Hooking, playing, and landing plus-sized fish is rarely an accident.

Although I understand that I can't land them all, I certainly do my best to do so.  Preparation comes into play here again.  Knowing how I plan on being successful in advance of doing it cannot be underestimated. Self-discipline and self-control with the fish of a lifetime doing everything possible to go free can at least even the playing field. 

I feel like I have a lot to learn.  

The positive aspect of this situation is that spending time on the water serves as the most effective teacher.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent most of a season trying to catch a huge bass. My PB was 8 lbs caught many years ago. I haven't beat my PB yet, but I'll never fully give up on my goal. A bunch of the guys here on BR were supportive and gave me good tips on the subject.                                                Anyone who would tell you it's easy to catch a true trophy is full of bunk. It's not easy, and I don't think it ever was.  I'll keep trying for a huge one, as well as just enjoying fishing period. One of these these days, I'll cast, and everything will fall into place. I'll beat my PB and catch a big bass. I.think.it will happen. I haven't given up hope.

I disagree with the sentiment of needing to “find a place that holds giant bass”. In my humble opinion, any water that has bass in it could possibly have giant bass in it.
 

I’ve caught absolute monsters out of tiny ponds no more than an acre or two. I’ve also caught monsters out of giant lakes that are several hundred acres with miles and miles of shoreline. 

32 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

I disagree with the sentiment of needing to “find a place that holds giant bass”. In my humble opinion, any water that has bass in it could possibly have giant bass in it.

I’ve caught absolute monsters out of tiny ponds no more than an acre or two. I’ve also caught monsters out of giant lakes that are several hundred acres with miles and miles of shoreline. 

The OP posed the question of what we do to catch giant bass.

So would "go fish any place that has bass in it" be your answer ?

In my experience, this approach would be minimally effective.

A-Jay

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

The OP posed the question of what we do to catch giant bass.

So would "go fish any place that has bass in it" be your answer ?

In my experience, this approach would be minimally effective.

A-Jay

A-Jay, I agree. And we have to remember that in many lakes there's so many small bass compared to huge ones it only makes it tougher to catch one. Its not like there's a giant hawg hanging around on every point.

Giant LMB/State records are rare fish everywhere so few and far between.

Consider the Florida State record is 17.27 lbs with unofficial bass 20.13 lbs.

Texas State record is 18.18 lbs.in 1991 caught by a Crappie fisherman. 

California State record LMB is 21 lbs 12 oz. caught 1991. Unofficial bass 22.01 and 25.01 lbs. ( Dottie)

Florida, Texas and California have hundreds of bass lakes but only a few can produce Giant LMB. As noted every lake with bass population can produce a big bass, just not a giant bass.

Tom

 

 

Where I fish I consider a 10 pound bass a giant.  I know there are bigger bass, but I have yet to break the 11 pound mark. 

 

I think the most important factor for catching giant bass is to fish where the giant bass are located.  This sounds obvious, but I have spent and continue to spend way too much time fishing the wrong places.

 

When I first started fishing my favorite lake I fished the shoreline where a friend that told me about the lake had landed a bass that looked to be around 12 pounds.  I would catch an occasional 3 pound bass and lots of baby bass weighing less than a pound.  Spinnerbaits worked best, but almost any lure would catch the smaller bass.  I was desperate to catch a new PB which only had to be over 5.5 pounds.

 

I assumed I was fishing in the right location, I only needed to fish different lures, moon phases, speed, time of day, or a combination of many different factors.  I assumed because I was catching bass that I was fishing in the right place.

 

I asked for advice and was always recommended trying jigs, slowing down, fishing at night, using bigger lures, and many other suggestions, that people had used for success catching giant bass on their favorite waters.

 

I was ready to make the Bait Monkey jump for joy and buy every lure recommended for big bass.  I am lucky I live in Mexico, and wasn't able to simply order a fortune in new tackle.  I was in the process of making plans to get a large order of gear down to me, when I went to the lake for the fourth time.

 

On this trip the water had dropped low enough to expose a couple of trees in the middle of the lake.  First cast with a spinnerbait I hooked and lost a bass that was bigger than anything I had ever seen.  The next week I went back planning on only fishing newly exposed trees.  When I got there at daylight I was surprised to see a dozen tree tops all over the middle of the lake.  I went to the one I had hooked the big bass the week before and landed a bass over ten pounds on the first cast with a Rebel jumpin minnow.  After making a few cast at the same tree with a variety of lures with zero luck, I pedaled over to another tree and landed the bass in my Avatar on the first cast with a spinnerbait.  At another tree I hooked another bass of the same size on a crankbait, but it came off when it jumped.

 

I did fished the trees for most of the day and only hooked a few baby bass.  I didn't catch anymore giant bass, but I did lose a couple that may have been giants, but I never saw them to confirm their size.  Later in the day I did try the shoreline and landed a dozen or more baby bass on a variety of lures, without a sing strike from a bass over one pound.

 

I have fished that lake now vor 5 years, and have been fortunate enough to catch my share of giant bass there.  I have caught some of DD bass along the shoreline, but all during the high water time of year.  When the water is low I don't go near the shore.  When the water is high I don't fish offshore at all.  

 

I have caught DD bass on a variety of lures, and they all are the same baits that I have used and caught smaller bass on my whole life.  Topwater works well in the morning, Spinnerbaits work well in the afternoon wind, plastic worms work well before the wind picks up, and crankbaits work well anytime I can keep from losing them.  Some days a number 3 inline spinner works the best, and I would never think of that as a big bass lure.  

 

Once I realized the giant bass will bite the lures I have, I started concentrating on becoming better at fishing those lures and only fishing them where I think the big bass live.  I prefer spinnerbaits, but I'm sure an expert jig fisherman could catch as many or more giant bass at my lake, or someone who can work a glide bait would do well too.  It's all about being able to effectively work the bait I have tied on.  I'm not a great jig fisherman, but I can finesse a square bill through cover that many would only fish a T rig in.  If I catch a few small bass, and don't get any giants to bite, I don't assume I am in the right place, and need to change my baits. I know I'm in the wrong place and need to move.  A giant bass needs to eat, and will bite a variety of lures that are presented properly.  Sometime I get bored chasing the bigger bass and go beat up on small bass for awhile, but it doesn't take long for me to leave the small bass alone, and chase the big ones.  Fishing for giant bass is an addiction for me and I am lucky enough to live in a place that has big unpressured bass.

 

     

It's hard to catch them with any consistency here. When I look back at my best catches though, I realize none of them were random. I can see why the fish were in those particular spots at those particular times. However I am still far from having them figured out. Plenty of times I think I'm in the right place at the right time and nothing happens. I prefer to fish in the nastiest weather when most people would stay indoors. On windy days I always seek out the windblown side of the lake as the fish seem to be much more aggressive in those conditions, so any big ones I cross will be more likely to bite. 

 

All the biggest fish I've caught with one exception were on various swimbaits. 

The Missouri state record was caught in 1961, 13lbs 14 oz at bull Shoals in soutthern Mo..  I'll wager it will never be broken unless its from a private pond.  I fish mostly in northern Mo. I use to catch several six and seven  lb bass a year,now those are a rarity. I caught them everywhere. Ditches, culverts, weeds , timber, beaver lodges and every cover available. Thats what I focus on. I try to make a quiet approach , make a quiet presentation and hope for a big bite. I fish off shore structure like points, humps and dropoffs near flats. Those spots are not as productive as they once were because every bass fisherman know where they are.

The Catch: On New Year’s Eve in 1992, Anthony Denny of Washington, Mississippi, was fishing from a jon boat in Natchez State Park Lake, a public lake near Natchez. He was casting into shallow water — about 3 feet deep — when he hooked the massive bass. The fish weighed 18.15 pounds, setting a new state record that still stands today.

Source: Micro Soft Co-Pilot

It is such a gift to access the wisdom of DD-bassers like @WRB-2.0, @Pat Brown and @king fisher. I'll never catch a DD bass. They're too far from me, but I can still learn from big bassers like these guys. 

A while back I got curious and asked our state if they kept some of the yearly record data for biggest fish and they actually sent it to me. I was looking for repeat water bodies or common themes between them. 

 

In reality it was mostly what you'd expect, larger bodies of water or waterways (major river systems), usually ones with limited access. One theory I had was some of the bodies of water in the southern part of our state have a longer warm weather period and sometimes don't freeze in the weather, that combined with some of them having direct connections to the ocean via small streams meant herring could run into them in the spring, a unique food source for those lakes. And while those lakes have definitely spit out big fish it wasn't exactly the magic bullet I'd hoped it was of going there and imitating that forage and striking gold.