I'm fishing a watershed lake -known for big bass( many caught over 10 lbs) and believed to contain the next state record. Give me some ideas on zeroing in on big bass. Bigger baits? Slower presentation?

OR just percentage of cast,patience, and persistance?

high quality structure

big baits

fish slow

fish in the dark

As a new member, you might not know about fourbizz.

Pay attention to his advice, he has caught a few bigger

than we can grow in Tennessee!

Most of my biggest largemouth have been caught on

a 6" Senko. My PB was caught on a Norman Fat Boy,

bluegill pattern.

8-)

lake closes 30 minutes after sundown and reopens at 6am

Where I fish the only thing that I have chance reeling in thats 10lb or better is the pound test of the line that is on my reel  ;D

If you can't tell, I'm jealous.

Good luck!

RW. whats your PB?

right. technically i cant get anything 5LB+ in Michigan. so i can use 5LB test all day without any worries. technically...

Does the lake completely close, or are boats not allowed after sundown?

One of my favorite night lakes does not allow boats after dark, so we fish from the bank.

Some big bass guys will argue that midday is the best time for the absolute top end fish. I like night time fishin though. It has given me my two biggest fish.

right. technically i cant get anything 5LB+ in Michigan. so i can use 5LB test all day without any worries. technically...

What? :-?

sorry, you're right--Just the gate closes for entrance to ramp.  You can fish from the bank.

First off, I'd be happy with the fish in your avatar ;D

Second, Bizz knows a thing or two about hawgz.

Third, use anything that starts with j and ends in ig. Tipped with a brush hog.

high quality structure

big baits

fish slow

fish in the dark

X2  

guess it depends where ya are every double digit fish ive caught has been mid day

What were the double digit fish caught on??   : And don't say a Hook!

All the largemouth I have caught over 9# have been during the mid-day period.

last one was on a zoom super fluke with a hook to me alot of it is knowing your waters the food sources and being there at the right time which useally isnt sunrise or sundown biggins seem to eat at odd hours ive got a few spots where there are a couple 10 + fish i see almost every trip problem is if they had hands theyed give ya the bird for a lil tiny brain there preety smart but if your there at the right time on the right day

If you want to catch the really bigones use the biggest lures. There are some articles out there that talk about fishing musky lures for bass.

http://www.mepps.com/fishing_articles/article.php?id=256

http://www.mepps.com/fishing_articles/article.php?id=257

I think that a big swim bait or spinner would be best, but it may be getting to cold in tennessee to use fast baits. Good luck.

If you want to catch big bass consistently you must fish for them. I know this sounds ridiculous, but it's true.

Take the time to learn what big bass in the lakes you fish are using as primary prey, then use lures that replicate that prey or the live prey, where the bass feed.

Swimbaits are an excellent artificial lures and made in nearly every prey type across the country. Jig replicate crawdads primarily and crawdads are in every bass lake that has big bass populations.

Low light or night when the lake is quite is a good time to target big bass.

WRB

Well, I'm with Fish Chris and a few other Big Fish, fishermen.

10:00AM to 2:00 PM is Prime Time.

8-)

Probably the easiest and fastest way;

7.6' heavy rod

Calcutta 300

20 Yozuri mono

3/0 - 4/0 circle hook

8-10" wild shiner or bluegill

No weight and no bobber.

I have thought a swim bait would work---but, this lake has so much structure. They topped trees down 2 creeks that have 4 to 8 foot stumps in 10 to 12 foot of water. Some of the creeks are 15-18 foot deep. Very liitle dozer work took place on this lake except building a 600 yd. levee. Swim baits with the exposed hooks--won't you be hung up all the time. I fish a DD22 alot---Hang it alot-but have got good with the pocket rocket. Catching fish isn't a big problem----I'm greedy---I want PIGGS 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

I have thought a swim bait would work---but, this lake has so much structure. They topped trees down 2 creeks that have 4 to 8 foot stumps in 10 to 12 foot of water. Some of the creeks are 15-18 foot deep. Very liitle dozer work took place on this lake except building a 600 yd. levee. Swim baits with the exposed hooks--won't you be hung up all the time. I fish a DD22 alot---Hang it alot-but have got good with the pocket rocket. Catching fish isn't a big problem----I'm greedy---I want PIGGS 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Throw a 6" weedless Hudd or for something bigger, an 8" 3:16 mission fish.

You could also throw big wake baits, no worries there about getting hung.

Just to be different. If I had to pick one rig to catch a 10 lber on any lake in the country it would be a split shot rig on eight pound flurocarbon line. As far as bait I would take a seven or eight inch straight tail worm. This has been the bait and set up that has produced the most big bass for me.

It works if you know where the bass are at or where they feed and just stay on those spots fishing it slow. But the big key is knowing where they are which is not only fishing the best structure but often the right spot or spots on that structure.  

If you are not exactly sure the big fish are there or are using a spot to feed I would chose a swimbait to cover more water and find those big fish.

Over 90% of my big bass are caught on plastics & between the hours of 10 pm-2 am

I caught my first dd lmb this past Sunday on a mattlures hardgill. It was 11.2 lbs according to my berkly scale. Then I proceeded to throw a 4year old temper tantrum because I left my camera at the house. But it was caught around 12:20pm.  I then left and went to walmart to purchase a camera to keep in my tackle bag.