For a long time people have asked me, "What can I do to catch a giant bass" ? I think many people mistakenly believe that there must be one thing which will make all the difference........ A magic pill, a silver bullet, some tight lipped secret which the anglers who are consistently catching trophy bass must know about, but won't tell them. Well friends, if there is such a secret, I certainly have not discovered it, in all of my years on the water.

The fact of the matter is, there are hundreds of little things which all add up to eventual success. The following is a list of the 10 most important things in my mind, for catching trophy bass. Now I understand that many of you will not be able (or willing) to practice some of these things. And of course there will be anglers who follow none of these things, and still catch big bass ! Congratulations to them ! This is simply a list of things which I feel have helped me personally, the most.

10) Doing things differently than the crowd. If they zig, I zag. Fish definitely become conditioned to different baits and presentations. In most cases, by the time you here about a technique which has been hot, most of the fish are already catching on, and the technique is starting to lose it's punch.

9) Live bait. While it is not a giveaway (see my article: "Live Bait fishing: Dispelling the Myths") it can be a very strong tool in many situations.

Agreeably, collecting (or buying), keeping, and transporting livebait, can be a pain, but my answer to this is, "How bad do you want to catch a trophy bass" ? Sure there are many other ways to catch a big bass, but I truly believe, that by eliminating live bait from your list of options, you will significantly reduce your chances of catching that fish of a lifetime.

8) Using the right gear. I can't tell you how many times I have heard of "The big one that got away" ! Usually due to a broken line, a straightened hook, etc. Of course it is a well known fact that anytime a fish gets away, it's weight immediately doubles ! LOL However, there is no doubt in my mind that countless big bass do in fact get away. The main reason being improper or poor quality gear. Use the best line available (I prefer Tuff-Line Plus) Use a premium hook, and always make sure it's razor sharp. If it becomes dull, it's usually better to just replace it, rather than to try and sharpen it. A reel with a quality drag system is a must. Fortunately, now days you don't have to spend a ton of money for a reel with an awesome drag. I use Okuma Epix reels which cost about $65.

7) Anchoring or beaching your boat. This is something which so many anglers overlook. I feel that by parking the boat in an optimum spot, and just waiting it out, sometimes for several hours, the trophy bass which you have previously sighted (or for whatever reason, you believe frequent that area) will eventually come up to feed. The trick is being there when that fish is ready to eat. Obviously the more time you spend on that spot, the greater your chances are of being there when it happens ! This is a tough one for many people to practice. Patience, patience, patience. Relax and enjoy the surroundings, but always be ready, and keep in mind that the first time you let your attention drift, is when that giant bass is going to hit !

Also, and this is very important to remember, it is much easier to sneak up on a bass by land, than by water. Note that I have caught many of my biggest bass from shore, although I have usually used my boat to get to that section of shoreline.

6) Subtleness. Be as quiet as possible, being very careful not to bump or bang around in the boat. Use your trolling motor as little as possible. This is one of the main reasons I believe that anchoring or beaching the boat, as mentioned above, is so helpful. I really believe that after many years of conditioning, big bass do learn to associate the zzzzzz zzz zzzz of a trolling motor, with danger.

While we are on the subject, I do not believe that splashes in the water will usually scare bass. Remember, fish jump and create splashes all the time. So do not be afraid of throwing that big ol' mega lure around, and spooking the fish. If anything, I think that type of commotion will tend to attract them.

5) Find the big fish first. I do a lot of fish hunting or scouting with a pair of polarized glasses. Obviously there are times, such as the Spring, when this is more effective, but the fact is, once you know what areas the big fish prefer, you can rest assured that they won't usually be too far away, even at other times of the year. Big bass are especially territorial, and in many cases will still be within a long casts distance of where you sighted them in the Spring. Usually they just move down a little deeper. Same thing in the hottest times during the Summer. The nice thing about this bit of advice, is that once you have found an area which big bass like, that area will almost always be good, with big bass frequenting it year after year.

4) Avoiding the crowds. This is one of those things which, because of Monday through Friday jobs, or other obligations, might be hard for many anglers to follow. Yet it one of my strongest keys to success. I "only" fish on weekdays. During the times of the year with the most boat traffic, I will fish at night if I have to. Just whatever I have to do, to have the lake basically to myself.

3) Fishing the mega trout lures. No doubt the giant lures (in most cases, trout patterned) have been catching a lot of huge bass for a long time. My best advice with these lures is to always have one rigged on a heavy duty rod, and ready to throw at a split seconds notice. If the water suddenly bust wide open with a huge bass hot on the tail of a trout or a large bait fish, get that lure out there right now ! It won't hurt to throw it a few times when you arrive at your big fish spot, or a few times before you leave it. In fact, of all the ways I know of finding big fish, the mega-lures are definitely high on the list ! You will be amazed at how many big fish will follow these lures up to the boat, giving themselves away, whether they hit it or not.

And finally, keep these lures in mind, even if your lake does not have trout. Big bass will eat a big bait anywhere ! Even in small ponds with fewer food choices, a trophy bass will eat a smaller bass, if it is hungry, and that small bass gets too close to its mouth !

On this note, there are several specific times you might here about which will supposedly be better times to fish. Shortly before or after a full moon or new moon. Just before a front. During the prespawn. Granted, all these things can make a difference, but if you sit at home waiting for just the right conditions to occur, during the times you have available, you won't get out on the water very much, and will definitely lower your chances of catching a hog. And keep in mind, many of my biggest catches have come during conditions which would not be considered to be optimum.

1) Choosing the right lake to fish on. Obviously if you want to catch a big bass, you need to fish where big bass live ! For me, the best choices are lakes which hold Florida strain bass, and which are stocked with hatchery trout. Also I have to say, there are lakes in which numbers of "good bass" are much easier to catch (read: Clear Lk. Ca.) But at some point I finally had to decide....... Did I want to catch a bunch of nice bass ? Or one monster ???

I believe that the most effective way to accomplish this feat, is to do whatever it takes to put all of the odds in your favor. Again, the above list is of just ten of those things, but there are countless little things which also add to eventual success.

	Top 10 Ways to Catch a Trophy Bass
	by "Fish Chris"