How do i catch these Largemouths? Experts only please...?

Question

i have fished tournaments and know way more about bass fishing than the average person but i am stumped!!!

i fish a private pond that is 9 acres and it is an average depth of 36 feet. i am in jacksonville, florida. the lake is rectangular but there is a large peninsula going out that parallels the long sides of the pond. this peninsula is big enough for a driveway, house, yards and 2 large auto garages. it's probably 2 acres of land total. there is weed growth everywhere shallow and lots of overhanging trees and bushes. there is also some structure in the water. i catch fish all day but never any big fish. the water is not that hot but i still assume the bigger fish are deeper. i catch most fish on flukes(unweighted) and plastic lizards(with a small weight). what else can i do to catch the big ladies? there are supposed to be bass that are 10+ pounds but i've only caught up to a 6 pounder.

Answer 1

maybe go fishing there at a different time of the day, the bigger fish will do most of their eating a little earlier, also try using some live bait like a nice size minnow or even a crayfish or craw fish ( i think they are the same) i live in nj and we call them crayfish

Answer 2

you want to use a 10 inch powerbait worm with a bullet weight bead shaker and gamakatsu hook in that order rigged texas weedles style in the deepest part o the lake

Answer 3

try a nose hooked nightcrawler or a spring lizard

Answer 4

in a pond that is growing in population it is hard to get baits past the aggressive and younger (selfish) fish down to where the big ones are but, if there are smalls, there are bigs and they are eating something. For these instances I am suggesting large live baits even five or six inch blue gills certainly big crawdads and giant frogs as well. though I have never used a live frog I have used really big artificial floating frogs and 12" fat worms with great success.

Answer 5

I would have to say GO BIG!  A pond that large has a thermocline (a depth where there is a distinct temperature difference) in it I'm sure. If you are fishing from a boat, just drop a thermometer down to a certain depth  (15 ft maybe) and start taking temp readings.When you find the thermocline mark the depth. Get the biggest deep diving crankbait that has a lip big enough to get you down to the thermocline, try to fish it just above that depth. The big bass will be suspending (at times) just under the thermocline and will come up into it to attack prey.. Its a walleye technique used in the Great Lakes but I think it might work for you in this situation. Can't hurt to try. I hope you nail "Mrs. Big". (I also hope you release her.) Good Luck.

Answer 6

wait til fall

throw a swimbait  

Answer 7

Try dragging a 10" worm around the bottom or the biggest soft plastic lizard you can get your hands on topped off with some bass attractant. We have a similar situation here on the delaware river around the old boat docks. The bass just hang on the bottom but a paddle tail worm dragged across the bottom is more then they can stand. Carolina rig your baits. Good luck!

Answer 8

I grew up and fished the Jacksonville area most of my life. (Are you in Baymeadows? Ortega? Arlington? Beaches?)

Here are some clues to the J-ville Bass Blues....

#1. Your Bass are probably not staging in deep water. They are probably under the shady clumps of muck & weeds SURROUNDING the deep hole.

#2. NEVER go fishing between 11AM-7Pm, (most of the year). In my experience, it's just a waste of time to try to "dig out" fish under a sweltering summer sun! Monster Bucket-mouths ussually get "lock-jaw" during the day.  Most 10+ LB Bass only feed during early morning, 3 AM or that "magic hour", (6:30-9PM).  Up your odds by only going fishing when "dinner is served".

#3. Fishing a bigger worm or soft plastic can make a difference, but 95% of the time a 6-8" paddletailed or ribbon-tailed Texas-rigged worm will do the job. And in MOST cases a larger un-natural lure will lower your catch ratio, (esp in a pond that gets any type of fishing pressure!). Fish in ponds see EVERY kinda lure you can imagine! Thats why your ONLY catching the little guys. The "big boys" have already been caught SEVERAL TIMES on the methods you are describing and have "wised up". Thats WHY they won't bite!

I've watched Pro Bass guys get skunked in ponds , while a child fishing a simple cork & nightcrawler SLAY them!

In other words, think "stealth" when fishing your pond.

Stealth "means" (but is not restricted to)- Using lower diameter braided lines like Fireline or Power Pro; approaching your pond slowly without casting a shadow on the surface; NO NOISE; "Downsizing" your lure to make it look more natural; Slowing your retrieve to a "crawl"; Casting "down" the shore instead of "out" into the middle of the pond; ETC.

Most Fla pond-fish feed off of "run-off", sewer, forage. Unless your pond has a resident supply of shad or shiners, your "best bet" lure would be mimicking either:

A. Crawdads

B. Earthworms

C. Lizzards

D. Snakes, (Black, Moccasin & Green-colored snakes being #1)  

E. Bugs, Frogs & Tadpoles.

F. Baby Bluegill.

Investigate the area around this pond and pay attention to anything you SEE swimming in the water! Watching for forage is an important aspect of Bass Fishing ..........

Anywho, here's a few tips. Hope they help ya? Good fishing!

PS: If your REALLY TIRED of only catching dinks, purchase some 6-8" Shiners....(nuff said).  

Answer 9

try crawling frogs over the top of moss mats and other vegetation

Answer 10

I would try a jig or a creature bait near deep cover (if you know where it is) what I do for the big ones is use either a Pumpkin Seed 1/2 oz jig near deepwater structure. Also a good lure would be a like a brush hog in watermelon or pumpkin seed on a texas rig. I use spike-it markers to add a little red to the baits as well as the scent.

another tactic you might try is using a suspending swim bait. Cabelas has a Storm suspending swim bait in a 4'' length that is awsome.  try working these along any dropoffs that the pond might hold. Don't forget that big fish will not waste time and energy eating something that will not fill them up. so think size and speed.... fish low and slow in cover, across ledges, or deep structure