what is your method for catching BIG BASS ?
Not where, no lake to be mentioned,,,,,but
if you think you are a good big bass fisherman and want to share ............
Is it:
big worms, big cranks, slow presentation, scents, line, colors, depth, time of year
what is it that makes you catch BIG BASS ?

Waterdogs and black Saltys

My biggest bass usually come in the winter to early spring, but the summer can produce a big one as well. I concentrate on deeper water with brushpiles or contour lines they hold to. Usually I drag a Carolina rig with a big sized brush hog or magnum fluke for a big one. Big fish live deep so learn how to fish the depth they live in.

Large Gizzard Shad

How do you fish that "LARGE gizzard shad" ???

Good timing for this question!

My answer: Magnum size Beetle Spin

Luck helps!
Also there are about 20-25 days every year that are high risk days- I would be fishing with confidence at the right place on those days.- hard to figure them out sometimes though- lol!

I knew I could count on you to hit the nail on the head with the perfect answer.
My question to you though -- what color; yellow, white or black ?

Oh. White with the red dot of course. Duh.

I caught four over eight last spring. Two were caught on Texas rigged craws and the other two on chatterbaits. I think the time of year is key to big fish and a little luck. Overall I have caught a lot on the old spinnerbait and that's because I throw more than I should.

More time on the water = more opportunities. I catch big fish year round and I would say most my success is based on slower presentations and being methodical on picking areas apart. Big fish do not like to exert lots of energy, so I find areas where I think they are and fish them with confidence and slow. I Catch just as many big fish on a drop shot or wacky worm as I do a Jig or big swimbait.

What's your definition of "BIG BASS"?

big baits = bigger fish but less bites, add some scent and some luck. Might want to try fishing at night too, they more active!

8 and above.

This is getting really close to the norm these days along with adding the right time of the year which is the spawn in a hand full of our Texas lakes.

If you want to catch big bass year round and have the best opportunity each trip, you must learn to fish deep structure and contours. Along with this you must use a bait and present it to be the real deal for a huge bass to take it.

Here are the things I put on my jig, spinner bait, T-rig and C-rig so they fulfill the dinner bell list for big bass. I want the bass to eat it because it is real to them. There is no question that it is alive and a critter that they will not pass up. These baits must have every sense that a big bass is looking for. I also catch more big fish in heavy cover situations because the bait has all the senses that a big bass is looking for.

These baits must carry all of the six senses; sight, sound, smell, taste, vibration, and heat signature. The problem is figuring out the right combinations because there are many variations of each of these senses. This is why some days you are just fishing and not catching.

Here is one example of what my custom jig carries to make it a big bass bait.
- The head is painted Black Perl Shad with Diamond Dust Glitter. This goes very well with all my living rugger skirt material in all the natural forage colors.

- I install 1/2 inch Dome Eyes in many colors for all water clarity and to match the forage in the lake. Each eye carries a BB under the dome for sound which fulfills two of the senses that a big bass is looking for; sight and sound which eliminates the rattle system, so it frees up my other hook keeper for the trailer.

- My skirts are made from living rubber with Night Crawler/or Minnow Powder poured into the rubber rolls. I make skirts in 5 colors to match the Crayfish and Bluegill in the lakes with consideration for the seasonal patterns of these two forages. Each skirt goes into the Oil Extract bath for 24 hours before being banded then hand tied on each jig. The scent mask the human odor very will and the living rubber holds the scent forever. I still spray on scent twice daily when fishing because I want it leaving a trail in the water; therefore smell and taste is covered.

- I use 3 trailers made by Bobby at Whopper Baits that are Night Crawler or Minnow Scented; Boxing Craw, Speed Craw Jr. and Twin Tails. This again covers taste and smell. My biggest chore of the day is switching it up to find what vibration they are wanting for that day. If they are not taking the bait then it is the trailer; so make the switch to one of the others until you get the vibration right.

- I firmly believe that bass feed off a Heat Signature because they are cold blooded. I have developed the spider keeper that slips on behind the skirt and holds two cylinders that will get hot when water activated. This represents a bait fish sunning in the rocks then returning to deep water or any critter falling off a bush that is warmer than the water. This will sew up the deal when a big bass is looking for any forage with a different body temperature than it's own. It only takes one degree difference. This is why you catch lots of fish on the first cast then never get another bite. Your bait was hot laying in the sun and you got bit on the first cast.

In closing, I work very hard to put these same features on my spinner baits, and creature baits that go on the C-rig and T-rig. I even make sure my hand poured creature baits have the through body Double Flange Glass eye with the single big BB. They all seem to produce on deep structure and contours.