By Mike Frisch and the Fishing the Midwest Team
Most anglers, this one included, dream of catching trophy-sized fish. Some believe that big fish are the result of luck. Good fortune can play a part in fishing successes at times. Anglers can, however, do several things to tilt the odds of landing big fish in our favor. Here are some of those things.
The first thing we can do when seeking trophies is to fish waters where big fish live. Some lakes, rivers, and reservoirs produce big fish frequently, or at least more regularly than others. Therefore, your odds for landing a big fish go up just by choosing waters where more big fish swim. Finding lakes that consistently produce big fish is easy in today’s world. I use the onX Fish mobile app which has a trophy potential feature which helps me easily find lakes where big fish of various species swim.
Fishing “big fish waters” is a good start. The next step becomes fishing prime destinations at the best times. Early summer fish that are fully recovered from the spawn can provide trophy fishing action as big females go on the feed now to replenish weight lost during the spawn. This might be a good time to catch a big female, but she might weigh less than later in the year because her body weight is somewhat depleted by the rigors of the spawn. With that in mind, another top time to target a trophy is during fall when fish of most species are feeding heavily and adding weight as they prepare for winter. I have caught some big fish during June but even more of my biggest fish have come during late September and October.
Fishing where the big ones live and going there at the right times are important. Another thing to consider is bait choice, particularly bait size. “Big baits catch big fish” is a mantra that often holds true. When targeting big walleyes, for example, I often choose a big redtail chub or creek chub of at least 6 inches in length fished on a slip-sinker live bait rig.
Big minnows catch big walleyes. When trophy-sized largemouth bass are the target, I usually fish big soft plastic “creature” baits on Texas rigs. For example, the 5” Rage Hawg is a go to big fish creature bait I rely on. It fishes well through heavy cover and has the reliable Rage action that attracts and triggers big fish. Two of my biggest three largemouth to date have, in fact, come on creature baits fished in dense weeds. When trophy-sized walleyes, bass, or another fish species are on your target, big baits and big fish often go hand in hand.
If your fishing bucket list includes catching a trophy or two, fishing waters where trophies swim during prime times and targeting those fish with big baits can be a recipe for success. Good luck in your hunt for a biggun’ and, as always, enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure!
Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series on the Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and several other networks as well. Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com to see all things Fishing the Midwest.
Photo – Mike Frisch releases a big walleye. Though not quite a trophy, this fish was caught on a big minnow. Big baits often produce the biggest fish!
