Think that 6-inch Magdraft is too big for you local bass? Think there’s no way you’d ever throw a 8-inch glide bait? Think again…
Casual and professional fishermen alike are always happy to reel in a sizable bass. They’re found in pretty much every state in America, and you can find them living in just about every body of freshwater out there. Lakes, rivers, streams, ponds…. you name it. Bass of all shapes and sizes are most likely there.
Fully grown bass are usually between one and five pounds. However, in certain, ideal situations (like in Texas or Florida), they can easily grow into the double digits… it’s relatively common to reel in 12, 13, even 15 pound bass on some Texas lakes. The largest bass to ever be caught was over 20 pounds. How do some bass get to that kind of weight? That’d be the fact that they are opportunistic feeders.
As you might imagine, they are called largemouth bass for a reason. They utilize their mouths to swallow up everything from frogs, bluegill, and yes… other bass. They’re so opportunistic when it comes to feeding that they’re cannibals. And that’s on full display in this video posted by Iowa angler Devon Dvorak. He was out on the water when he saw something flopping around on the surface, and went to investigate:
“Oh my gosh, look at this. Look at this crap. Oh my gosh, no way.”
Once Devon guided his boat close enough, he got his net out and scooped up a 2-for-1 prize.
A big ol’ bass had tried to eat a smaller bass, but it’s eyes were a little bit bigger than it’s stomach (and mouth… and body for that matter). Bass are territorial, so it’s not out of the norm for the larger ones to try to and clear out the juveniles in the area. But in this case, both of the fish were sizable, and the angler couldn’t believe it:
“No way. Holy crap, it tried to eat another bass. Look at this!”
It’s certainly a sight to see.
Devon got both of the live bass into his boat, and then started to separate them. He got the smaller one dislodged, and then lost his grip on it. That wasn’t a big deal, since he ended up tossing that one back in the water anyways. Dvorak then got his digital scale out to confirm the weight of the more impressive bass:
“He tried to eat this other bass. There was no way he was going to do it… what does this one weigh? Is it like a six-pounder? It’s a five-pounder, but he was trying to eat a two-pounder. That’s insane.”
@devon_dvorak He had a big appetite! #fishing #bass #bassfishing #fyp #boat ♬ original sound – Devon_Dvorak
Incredible, right?
But it just goes to show you that some of those big swimbaits and big glide baits aren’t too big for your local bass. In this case, we saw a 5 pounder take a run at a bass well over half its length. You want to catch big bass… throw big baits.
Here’s a few of our favorites here at Whiskey Riff:
Big Swimbaits & Glide Baits
For glide baits, I suggest starting out with these two rather unique, soft body offerings from Berkley…. if a toothy critter like a northern pike breaks you off, you won’t feel like you want to walk to the bottom of the lake after you lost a $75 bait.
1. Berkley Nessie Soft Glide Bait 7″ – $12.99
Colors: Burnt Bone, Perch, Shad
2. Berkley Chop Block Glide Bait 6″,8″ – $15.99-$24.99
Colors: Burnt Bone, MF Blue Gill, Shad
And the big swim bait gold standard…
Megabass Magdraft Swimbait 6″ – $17.99
Colors: Albino Pearl Shad, Pro Blue Chart, Borealis Shad
Glide Bait Gear
I think the two big fears about fishing big swimbaits are 1) average bass won’t bite it, but as we saw from the video, that’s just not true, and 2) I need a big special rod to throw it… but that’s not the case. Most of these entry level swimbaits and glide baits, especially the ones in the 5-6 inch range, can be fished on your standard worm rod. If you have a 7’3″ – 7’5″ heavy rod… you’re probably in decent shape.
But if you want a dedicated swimbait/glide bait rod that can handle anything and everything you’re gonna throw at it… we got you covered. The new Abu Garcia Beast combo is a great option. I have both the 7’5″ rod and the 7’9″ rod, and whether I’m throwing a 5-inch Magdraft, an Alabama rig, or an 8-inch glide bait, I’m covering the bases with a powerful reel to match.
Abu Garcia Beast Casting Rod 7’9″ Heavy Fast – 179.95
Abu Garcia Beast Casting 300 Reel – $299.95
And for a more detailed bait recommendation, specific to your exact location and waterbody, check out the Bass Forecast Bait Advisor.
Just input your ZIP code or share your location, and Bass Forecast will give you 5 bait recommendations, a bite rating, and suggestions for peak feeding times.
Bass Forecast Bait Advisor
What is Bass Bait AI – Powered by Bass Forecast
Our advanced bass fishing algorithms analyze over 11,000 factors, including weather shifts and bass behavior, to predict what baits will give you the best chance at success for any GPS location. Just enter your location, and it does the calculating for you.
Giving you the complete bait breakdown for major and minor Bass feeding times in any bass fishing location. Click HERE to learn more.
