Bigger Bait Bigger Fish

Check This Out

                               
                                           Don Moorman With Double Digit Bass #62

 I have a friend who has 63 double digit largemouth (six of which are teeners) to his credit. 63! That's insane; most folks would be happy with one or two in their lifetime but 63. Just an insanely awesome accomplishment. Now this isn't about just pumping up Don and what he has accomplished (although the accolades are deserved) this is about you and I doing some things differently to have better results on the water.

 For this discussion better results isn't about more fish in the boat but better quality fish i.e. bigger fish. Now let me say this before I say anything else catching big fish isn't an accident and it doesn't happen by chance or luck. Guys like Don do specific things that others don't or won't do.

 First they fish where big fish live. Now that doesn't mean you have to pack your bags and move to Texas, Florida or California but it does mean you need to fish the waters in your area that are either known to hold bigger fish or you suspect hold bigger fish. It's all relative. It also means having realistic goals and expectations when you set out. Even in California it doesn't rain ten pounders.

 Second they put time on the water. You can not catch fish and gain an intimate knowledge of your fishery watching tv. You MUST put the time in there is no way around it.

 Third they throw proven big fish baits now that's not saying don't throw traditional baits if that's what's working but when specifically targeting big fish larger profiled baits rule. Some folks that know me think that when I say big baits I'm talking about swimbaits but that's not completely true, I refer to all above average baits as big baits. Swimbaits just happen to be something I enjoy fishing with. Swimbaits are a tool just like jigs or soft plastics.

 Forth and quite possibly the most important is you have to be willing to fail and fail a lot especially if you plan on throwing swimbaits exclusively (which I don't do or necessarily recommend). Your willingness to fail repeatedly will separate you from the crowd. I'm not talking about blind ambition and not learning as you go along. I'm talking about learning from your failures while on this path. The most important lesson is perseverance.

  Both fish in the pictures above were caught on larger profiled baits. The fish in the top photo was caught on a 7' swimbait while the one in the lower picture was caught on a 7'' stick bait (Big Senko) two completely different style baits but similar results. (Side note: they were caught in completely different parts of the country too). Another thing these fish have in common is I put in several hours each of the respective days before landing either fish and they were both the last fish of the day and not because I quit fishing after catching them.

 Swinging for the fences isn't for everyone and to do it even kind of right is going to take a financial commitment too. For most of it you can get by with standard rods and reels but once you cross over to the Dark Side and start chunking Big Baits (I mean 4oz + baits) you're going to need some heavier job specific gear. There is too much info to cover on that subject to get into here just be prepared to drop a little cash on rods and reels if you choose to go down this path.

 As for baits everybody has their confidence baits so I'm not going to get into specifics just too much to cover but I will touch on a few general types.
1. Jigs
2. Big Worms
3. Big Stick Baits (jumbo Senkos)
4. Swimbaits
5. Big Crankbaits

 Fish the right waters. Fish!. Fish the proper baits and above all be willing to go home smelling like skunk.

Tight Lines

Dress For Success

Dressing For The Conditions

 Can make all the difference in having a great day on the water or a not so great day. Being prepared for at least some of what Mother Nature will throw at you will not only help you have an enjoyable day but it may well save your life.

 I'm not just talking about wearing your PFD what I'm talking about is the best quality clothing you can afford for the conditions of the day and time of year.

 We're coming into summer and there are a lot folks out there that take sun exposure with a grain of salt but I'm here to tell you for first hand experience you do not want to be a heat related casualty. I've had two severe sunburn in my and suffered from heat exhaustion a couple times too. I'm not sure which was worse not being able to sleep or the nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Not to be graphic but just to explain just a little of what can happen with too much sun and heat.

 So this summer try to stay covered up while on the water with at least a hat, sunglasses neck gaiter, long sleeved shirt and pants. You can work on your tan at the beach or pool. Don't let overexposure ruin your weekend.

 Lastly drink plenty of water. I try to down a gallon a day and it makes a difference. I can't comment on limiting caffeine intake since I'm drinking coffee while I write this. Sports drinks are good in small doses but don't over do it. Water is your friend.

Tight Lines

Back To The Basics

 I can't catch a cold let alone a fish.

 Then I get people asking me, "what do you recommend I use to get started fishing"? I don't know! A crank phone? Maybe dynamite? We all go through slumps or dry spells but there are ways out of it. You probably won't see an instant turn around but what if you could put two fish in the boat vs none?

  I was listening to a former NFL cornerback speak one day and he was talking about getting out played in one particular game and the way he portrayed it it was ugly. On their way home from the game the coach pulled him to the side (he was thinking he was in trouble) and the coach told him something to the effect, "When the game is getting away from you go back to the fundamentals". 

 So what are the fundamentals of bass fishing? If you want to get real basic, a piece of string, a hook and some sort of bait. What do I consider the basics? Well, I'm glad you asked. I'm going to skip over rod selection and knots and all of that stuff and talk about the things I think are the basics for breaking a slump or just putting fish in the boat. I can't speak for anyone else so take this for what it is, just one dude's point of view.

 First off I do a "check up from the neck up". What am I thinking about? Am I focused on the task at hand or am I thinking about whatever else is going on in my life real or imagined? What is your self talk like? Is it positive and focused on catching fish or are you in a negative spin cycle not controlling your thoughts? Another thing that I think is one of the most important aspects for me personally is expectations. Do I really expect to catch fish? Am I tuned in to what is going on in the here and now? Am I feeling confident? Here's one for you; Have you ever had the feeling a fish was going to be in a certain spot and pulled one out of there? That has happened to me numerous times. The only way I can explain it is like this. There is knowing an area should or does hold fish and then there is have a gut feeling and knowing there is a fish in a certain spot. That brings me to my next point.

I had "that feeling" a fish was against this short stretch of bank and pulled this girl out from her spot.

 Time on the water. You didn't get good at your job by not showing up and not working while you are there. The only way to truly get good at anything is to practice at it. Period. End of discussion. Contrary to what most people think fishing is not luck. I understand there are lucky catches where the newbie angler lands a giant but I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the folks that put in their  time that's not luck. When you see guys that have multiple Double Digit Bass to their names or your friends that just seem to have a knack to catch fish, that's not luck. That is skill, knowledge of the waters they fish and confidence in their abilities and the tools at their disposal. And you don't get any of that watching The Real Housewives.
 Go where the fish are. Yep I said it and it's true. For me I have to know I have a shot at a decent fish but I also need to be able to shake the skunk off at the same time. So I fish just a handful of places consistently. I look at it like this; I would rather have an intimate knowledge of two or three places and know how to fish them well then to "butterfly" from spot to hoping I get lucky. By learning to fish a few places well you build a foundation on which to (re)build your confidence. Let me make one point here though. There is a huge difference between fishing a pond in somebody's back yard and fishing a public lake or river that gets some pressure. A pond will trick you into thinking you actually know how to fish. Don't get sucked into that trap, get on public waters and you'll be a better angler for it.
 Last and probably least is the tackle. The basics are the basics and there are a few lures/techniques I think everyone should learn.
1. A Texas Rigged Worm- When all else fails this is my #1 confidence technique more fish have fallen to this than any other technique. When I'm in a slump this is the first place I go.
2. Spinnerbaits- Although I've gotten away from them in the last few years I can't tell you how many fish I've caught on a spinnerbait and it is still one of my favorite night time baits and a killer river bait.
3. Wakebaits and Poppers- Something to dead stick or creep along on the surface.
4. Toads- Not hollow bodied frogs but toads. Something I can rip across the top that is a little subtler than a buzzbait but is weedless that I can fish just like a buzzbait.
 Those are my confidence/rebuilding baits or techniques. The reason I saved it for the last and say it is probably the least important it because they are what I use for my confidence. If you ask somebody else they are probably going to give you a different answer. So what are your confidence baits? What are you going to do to drag yourself out of the got another skunk blues?