Hey Chris: I have gotten to the point where I am not getting skunked and I have considerably increased my catch this year. My Question is ( I don't want your trade secrets)

 If I wanted to start targeting bigger fish, what route should I take? Books, or videos you might reccomend, or techniques I need to learn?

Muddy, Muddy, Muddy....

Is any book or video going to be better than BR?

IF THERE ARE ANY CHRIS WOULD KNOW!

I guess your right there.

In the meantime, Here's what I know on catching bigger bass:

 Looks like me and senile1 have a little in common. ;D

Since FC has responded yet, allow me to enter my .02

#1.  Fish where the big fish are.

#2.  Fish exclusively for big fish

#3.  Fish big baits

#4.  Fish live baits

#5.  Move to California, find a "sugar momma" who lives in the monster bass region, and fish 14 hours a day.  Just don't forget to "cast" some sugar to momma once in awhile.

Since FC has responded yet, allow me to enter my .02

#1. Fish where the big fish are.

#2. Fish exclusively for big fish

#3. Fish big baits

#4. Fish live baits

#5. Move to California, find a "sugar momma" who lives in the monster bass region, and fish 14 hours a day. Just don't forget to "cast" some sugar to momma once in awhile.

I will foward this to Elaine YOU HAD BETTER GO INTO HIDING

Fish a jig  

seriously though  

I like avid #5......

First off, I like Avid's answers :-) ....probably as good as anything I could tell you :-)

But to answer your question about books;

In Pursuit of Giant Bass, by the late, great Bill Murphy (mostly Cali bass info), Quest for the World Record Bass by Bart Crab, Big Bass Magic, by Doug Hannon (probably best for bass fishing in Florida, or other South Eastern states).

As for videos, I really haven't seen much...... Maybe Big Mouth Forever, by Glen Lau (I think) awesome underwater footage in crystal clear water (good entertainment value anyway) and Bodacious Bass with Bob Crupi and Dan Kadota (low budget, but some decent on the water footage.... all Cali.... and pretty much all live dad stuff).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously though, I've learned SOOOO much more about trophy bass fishing from the Internet, and by studying those individuals that were consistently catching big bass. Asking a TON of questions, like where, how, on what, etc, etc.

And of course, by taking all these bits and pieces and trying it for myself. What works for my big bass might, or might not work for yours, but you won't know until you try.

Hope this helps,

And if you have any more specific questions, just let me know. I'll do the best I can.

Peace,

Fish

Thanks Chris. I have a lot of studying and questioning to do this winter  

I will foward this to Elaine  YOU HAD BETTER GO INTO HIDING Smiley

Once upon a time there was a ex-wife who got so pizzzed off at a certain Italian gent from brooklyn that she deleted his user id from the fourm.

I know where she lives.  

I wasn't married to that nut, Thank Goodness!!!!!!!!!!!

Muddy I would also suggest read every thing you can about finding/understanding structure & memorize what Matt Fly wrote about bait fish. To consistently catch big bass one must understand their basic environmental needs.  

BUILD DISCIPLINE

Put all your gear in the basement, buy a swimbait combo and 3 huds.  Go fishing.

Within 3 yrs, I predict you will have had at least 1 fish, of the largest class, in the body you are religiously throwing in.

Make sure you are in the right body or you just wasted 3 yrs.

It's a matter of what is fishing to you.  For these trophy hunters, like Fish Chris, to be successful they had to forget most of what they learned before and DISCIPLINE themselves to stick with their specific pursuit, big fish.  Don't waiver.

To me, I can totally see the appeal for anyone who lives in a climate where big fish thrive but for me up here in New England, it's not really something that drives me.  There are guys here that do it, religiously and they have more 7's and 8's than me, that's for sure but they had to sacrifice a lot of other catches to attain that.  The question is,...what is fishing to you?

Hey LBH I am not looking for the state record. I have finally been able to locate and catch fish between 1  to 2 1/2lbs, with some kind of consistency. Now I wanna catch their momma's with some confidence

LBH muddy can't even catch a bass on a jig how do you expect him to catch one on a swimbait?  

Muddy,  I'm not a monster catcher like fishchris but for me catching bigger fish is all about location.  What location is that? deeper water typically.  Around here it can be from 15-30 ft deep.  You can almost always catch littler fish shallow but most of the big ones stay that deep most of the year imo.  

Thanks to Chris and all for your answers. i guess it is time to get with the depthfinder and fish deeper. Maybe a Jig ;D

Muddy any time you want a lesson in jig fishing I've got a back seat open  

Since FC has responded yet, allow me to enter my .02

#1. Fish where the big fish are.

#2. Fish exclusively for big fish

#3. Fish big baits

#4. Fish live baits

#5. Move to California, find a "sugar momma" who lives in the monster bass region, and fish 14 hours a day. Just don't forget to "cast" some sugar to momma once in awhile.

I will foward this to Elaine YOU HAD BETTER GO INTO HIDING

Better hide the pans Avid.

there has to be big bass there in order to catch a big fish. FISH CHRIS caught many  big fish because he fishes in an area that has big fish. You might be using all the right bait, but just dont have big bass in that area. FISH CHRIS biggest fish broke many state records, at  18lber. My biggest bass was 13lber, but it takes alot of energy, time, what Low_Budget_Hookers said discipline, and many times luck.

Since FC has responded yet, allow me to enter my .02

#1. Fish where the big fish are.

#2. Fish exclusively for big fish

#3. Fish big baits

#4. Fish live baits

#5. Move to California, find a "sugar momma" who lives in the monster bass region, and fish 14 hours a day. Just don't forget to "cast" some sugar to momma once in awhile.

I will foward this to Elaine YOU HAD BETTER GO INTO HIDING

Better hide the pans Avid.

if avid has a sweetie i think he better get an ugly stik if she hears about that one.    ;D ;D ;D

by the way where are these so called sugar mama's?  :-?