Follow the right recipe and you ’ ll be catching trophy bass in no time .
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SHANGLE in cold water for prespawn bass , but you can catch them with it in warmer months , too . No matter the bait , a larger profile will appeal to the biggest bass in the lake .”
INGREDIENT # 4 – Stealthy boat positioning
Big bass get big for a reason : they ’ ve likely seen every bait in the catalog . They ’ re especially wary of sound , and Hall , Cox and Reese all strive to minimize noise and work efficiently with each cast . For sight fishing , especially for larger bass , Cox is painfully certain that he stays stealthy and efficient . He ’ s meticulous about boat positioning , which he asserts gives him the best chance of landing the fish he spots .
“ The first thing I ’ ll do when I see a big one on a bed is to look around me , all 360 degrees around the boat ,” Cox said . “ I ’ m looking for a place to position so I have the best view of the fish with the glare from the sun . This is the most critical thing and can make all the difference in catching a fish or not . Big bass on beds don ’ t give you much time before they swim away and are gone for good , so you have to set yourself up to have the best chance to get them to bite , which means seeing them the best .”
Hall also carefully positions his boat to decrease noise when using his forward-facing sonar , especially as the water warms .
“ And , while the recipe to catch a big bass can be mastered in several ways , the ingredients are the same no matter where you fish .”
“ I think as the water gets warmer , the fish become a little smarter ,” he said . “ You have to be more careful about easing up on them and if you see one , stop your trolling motor immediately because if not , they ’ ll be gone . It ’ s a little easier in the winter when they ’ re more lethargic , but you generally need to stay way off the fish and bomb a cast to avoid being detected .”
Reese also tries to stay as stealthy as possible but adjusts his boat positioning when fishing swimbaits . He casts from shallow to deep by positioning himself closer to the bank and casting out to deeper water .
“ This is speculation , but I believe the fish are conditioned to seeing lures coming at them a certain way and you can fool more fish by working your bait from deep to shallow water ,” Reese said . “ Besides that , the bait stays in the prime zone longer when you do that .
With the way that the bait pendulums down , you also get a better feel for what your bait is doing because your line is tight . Those reasons make it the better way to catch bigger bass .”
INGREDIENT # 5 – Fishing the right lake
Catching a fish of a lifetime is only possible if they live in the waters you ’ re fishing . That ’ s what makes this trio of anglers fortunate ; they live in areas teeming with double-digit fish .
For Reese , Clear Lake , California , is where he ’ ll go if he wants a chance at a monster bass , and Hall will be on O . H . Ivie in Texas . Cox is blessed to have many great fisheries , both large and small , near his home in DeBary , Florida .
Even if you don ’ t live near one of these regions , the tips garnered from fishing them will up your odds of catching your next big bass .
Catching big bass is what we all strive for . We vividly remember critical details about our biggest fish , no matter the species . Everything from the lure used , the exact weight , the time of day , our fishing companions that day , etc . And , while the recipe to catch a big bass can be mastered in several ways , the ingredients are the same no matter where you fish ( at least , according to three of the most accomplished bigbass hunters in the world ).
Happy cooking … er , hunting !
54 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | APRIL-MAY 2023