So this month has been full of firsts for me!

My first senko fish! {now I believe I have mastered senkos, as I have caught tons on them already.}  

My first  crankbait fish! {I know it's sad but I never really tried them out until now.}

My first swimbait fish!  

I know all this makes me sound like a newb, but I have had so much success with jigs over the years that I haven't tried many new things.  

Also I found a new secret spot.  My friend got me permission to fish in a quarry with him.  The place hasn't been touched for a good 4 years.  We went yesterday and absolutely smoked 'em! I caught 23 and my buddy caught the same.  Many of the bass were on beds and others were just cruising.  All the fish were very healthy and strong fighters, and most of them were around 13" and 14".  I know that sounds small but these fish were all fat weighing around 2-3lbs.  

Now here is my problem.  Here is this beautiful huge quarry.  With tons of nice fat healthy bass, but yet I didn't see or catch one hog.  Do you think they are all deep?  The quarry is probably over 50 ft. deep right off shore.  What is the best way to catch them from shore?  With a live bait rig on a slip bober? I have no idea.

Good catchin'!

Sometimes a lake that hasn't been fished in a while gets overpopulated and the bass become stunted (all small, all about the same size). Another sign of a stunted bass population is a good population of big bluegill (too big for the little bass to eat).  

That said, if the bass are as fat as you're saying, then they're getting plenty to eat and there are probably big ones in there. Just keep plugging away. Big worms, texas rigged around the weedlines always seem to produce something.

And don't forget about the night bight. Big fish will often come shallow to feed at night.

Good luck!

Dan

Thanks alot for the info Dan.  There are some big gills in there but I know that there has to be big bass too!  The quarry is too big to not have some giants in it.  Should I start harvesting the big gills?  

I suggest you talk with the owner and get his ideas about taking out either. Best way to get your invitation cancelled is to start culling out his fish whether it is good for it or not. Also, don't go around talking to everyone about it. If the owner starts getting inunadated with request he might change his mind. JMO.

Yes just use abnormally large baits.  12'' inch worms, big swimbaits, any lunker lures you have

I suggest you talk with the owner and get his ideas about taking out either. Best way to get your invitation cancelled is to start culling out his fish whether it is good for it or not. Also, don't go around talking to everyone about it. If the owner starts getting inunadated with request he might change his mind. JMO.

This is good advice.  Is there an owner to ask, or is the pond still owned by the company that mined it?

Thanks alot for the info Dan. There are some big gills in there but I know that there has to be big bass too! The quarry is too big to not have some giants in it. Should I start harvesting the big gills?

It's a lot easier to spot a population of stunted bass than it is to fix the problem. If I were you I would start with a call to the owners of the lake, then follow up with a call to the IDNR.

There are a lot of good articles on the subject here at Bass Resource...

Here's just one

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/forage_bass_balance.html

I have never gone around blabbing about my spots!  If I did the next thing I would know, there would be a bunch of worm chuckers out there keeping everything they caught no matter how big or small.  Culling this lake would be way to hard with only me and my friend doing it.  I don't want to let the word out to everyone.  The company sold it to the owner and he doesnt allow any fishing there exept for us.  I'll just stick with catching the fat hard fighting 14".  And I was using swimbaits without any luck.  I need something that can get down to 30+ ft. fast.  

Tried a carolina rig? I know you said you're fishing from the shore, and I know some quarries have rules about getting in the water, especially privately owned ones, but would the owner let you use a motorless boat (canoe, raft, something like that) or a tube? Might help you get out to that deeper area