At our most recent Bassmaster Elite Series event, I was fortunate enough to bring in the Phoenix Boats Big Bass, a 7.2-pound largemouth. It helped me to a good finish at the event, and I got a $1,500 bonus check for having the largest bass of the four-day event on Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, Miss. Catching larger fish was part of my plan that week because catching numbers of fish didn’t happen for me. I knew if I stuck to the game plan, the bigger bites would happen. Here’s that plan for the next time you go out and want to catch bigger fish.
1. Target The Thickest Cover:
Many times big fish like to hang out in the thickest cover a fishery has to offer. This is relative to whatever part of the country you are in, but for the most part, big fish do not roam around as much and tend to be pretty lazy. In shallow weed-choked reservoirs, like they have in Florida, the biggest fish tend to hide in the thickest grass vegetation. In open rivers, they like to bury up in thick logjams.
2. Target Isolated Cover:
Look for one single boat dock sitting off to itself or one big treetop down a bare mud bank. In my experience, big fish get territorial. I think they will set up on these places and claim them as their home, sort of. This is especially true if the place offers plenty of food for them.
3. Use Bigger Baits:
This one is obvious and effective. Many times as fishermen we get way too caught up in getting bites and don’t think enough about the size of the fish we are catching. I’ve been guilty of it time and again in tournaments, but the truth is you only need five bites on tournament day. So use baits that appeal to big fish. Remember, you’re not likely to see big fish schooling on 2- to 3-inch shad. Throw 6-inch and bigger swimbaits or a big jig that resembles a big crawfish or bluegill.
These three tips should help you catch more big fish. Keep in mind that to actually present those bigger baits effectively and land the fish, you will need to have the right gear. A big fish will break your heart and keep you up at night.
Custom-built rods with Winn Grips from Mud Hole Custom Tackle, sturdy hooks from Mustad, and a strong line from Vicious are all a must. For all the gear I recommend, visit my website www.brandonlesterfishing.com. If you have any questions, hit me up on Facebook or Instagram – @blesterfishing.