T H E R E C IP E F O R
Hall , Reese , Cox share the ingredients for finding and catching your biggest bass ever
By Tyler Brinks
Everybody who enjoys cooking and grilling knows how important it is to follow the recipe for the best results . Sure , mixing things up on the fly can work like magic sometimes – that ’ s how Caesar salad was created , after all – but following some time-tested guidelines and adhering to a plan frequently eliminates errors in the kitchen .
The same can be said for bass fishing , specifically when it comes to targeting bigger bass . Following the recipe outlined here will increase your chances of catching a fish of a lifetime .
Let ’ s all just admit that we ’ re all fishing for the biggest bass we can find . Largemouth , smallmouth , spotted bass – whatever swims in your local lake , you ’ re out there every day looking for the biggest fish you can find . And , some anglers find the biggest fish consistently , whether in a tournament situation or when strictly trophy hunting . Three anglers who have blended this approach ( whether competing in professional tournaments or at home in three of the biggest big bass meccas in the country ) are Californian Skeet Reese , Floridian John Cox and Texan Kyle Hall .
Each has preferred methods for targeting giants , but there are common themes among all of them .
RECIPE FOR BIG BASS
Measure and mix :
• A hunter ’ s mindset
• The right conditions
• A trophy bass lure
Stir in :
• Stealthy boat positioning
• One body of water capable of trophy fish
Directions :
• Combine all ingredients . Do not overmix and continue baking until a big bass has been landed .
INGREDIENT # 1 – A hunter ’ s mindset
Trophy bass anglers are often compared to hunters as they stalk their prey , a comparison that has become even more prevalent with the popularity of forward-facing sonar and the greatly enhanced ability to target individual fish . This is how Hall approaches targeting big fish when he ’ s guiding or fun fishing , but also applies to targeting better-than-average fish in a tournament situation .
Hall has scored three big wins with Major League Fishing thanks to his mastery of the technology and leans on it heavily when fishing in Texas during the off-season . His January 2023 catch of a 13.58-pound Toyota ShareLunker from O . H . Ivie Reservoir – an honor that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department bestows on bass over 13 pounds – is a prime example of this hunter ’ s mindset .
In 2022 , Hall also landed a 16.10- pound fish from the same lake that was
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