I just want to “git bit”

There’s a popular theory among fishermen that BIG baits catch Big fish. Personally, experience has taught me that there’s some truth to that concept. Big fish don’t grow that large eating small meals. There’s also the physical side of that belief, that being that expending a great amount of energy to chasing down a small meal is a losing proposition and instead of getting bigger the fish jeopardizes their long-term health. My bass tackle boxes are full of good size jigs, large bladed spinnerbaits, over sized buzzbaits and jumbo crankbaits BUT I also carry smaller baits in a smaller box. The reason, smaller baits and slower retrieve will catch fish on those days when bites are hard to come by.

This spring during the bluegill spawn we headed over to our home lake Woods Reservoir. Not large by lake standards around 3600 acres but it’s full of fish. On this day I was targeting the bluegill or some late spawning crappie. I did have a baitcasting combo, but three spinning rods were dedicated to casting smaller baits that had proven to fool bluegill, crappie and other members of the “panfish” family. We launched in a spot that received a lot of sun, had gravel and hard bottom banks conducive to the spawning chores of all species. I paddled my Jackson Big Rig into a small cut, stood up and eased my first offering, a small tube rigged on a 1/8th ounce leadhead towards the visible “fanned out” spot indicating a nest. As the bait descended a thump and I had my first fish on! Giving a strong account of itself, this seemed a little too stout to be a bluegill. A deep dive and then a jump, a two-pound smallmouth bass went airborne. Wow a bonus catch! A quick picture and release and I drifted quietly to my next spot, another bed AND another bass. This one another smallmouth was a bit smaller. After releasing the brown fish, another smallmouth pounded the tiny bait. We chuckled at the crazy pattern that was unfolding. No bluegill bites and it dawned on me the generally notorious smallmouth were raiding bluegill beds. I left the area to try to find some more active bluegill and found a secondary point and launched my lure towards the drop-off. While swimming the bait back a huge hit! I began looking for the landing net when I couldn’t turn the fish, no net. After five minutes of a genuine tug of war a 30-inch channel catfish rolled on the surface signaling “I give up.”

Small lures and slow retrieves catch fish! All kinds of fish.

Going into each trip with a game plan, I’ve often resorted to downsizing my baits to get a bite. Most all baits now are offered in magnum to mini versions. While we primarily fish for bass I almost always carry a medium action spinning rod with a lightweight open face spinning reel attached. Tubes are deadly for fish because of their erratic fall, curly tail grubs are equally irresistible for their ability to mimic minnows. There are small safety pin spinner and in-line spinners that catch everything. Another recent success story was while filming an educational piece for long running Wild Side TV we brought live nightcrawlers to try to coax catfish, bluegill or bass to hitting while the cameras rolled. A few fish tugged on the worms and made the floats disappear, but the highlight was casting undersized crankbaits. The Strike King Pond Minnow aka Bitsy Minnow in color #535 chartreuse /black back fooled fish after fish. The diminutive bait also runs true, a concern when looking at smaller baits. The small crankers equipped with tiny trebles are sharp and we lost zero fish, again proving smaller baits coupled with slow retrieves produce. Smaller hooks with less material are normally sharper but must be check to ensure the points aren’t bent or broken.

Another plus of the smaller lures is that they present a less of a chance of being rejected for being fake. Gamefish generally are predominately sight feeders will snub large baits that give off clues to being artificial. There are times when the bigger baits are more desirable and produce. Muddy water is one example, another would be in late fall when fish are on the prowl for big forage in the form of shad, bluegill and other food sources. Larger lures require an almost perfect presentation. Frequently in windy conditions I tie on the bigger baits, especially buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Due to higher wind velocity to the light penetration is affected and larger lures are more likely to noticed. I rarely upsize my jigs staying with 3/8ths ounce models, but windy weather is a time when the smaller baits are harder to cast and present. Certainly, if you’re fishing for food or fun the small lure alternative is one to keep in mind. A well thought out assortment of smaller lures are easy to access and usually one rod is enough for casting and catching almost anything. We do spool our spinning rods with braided line and a fluorocarbon leader and make sure the drag is set properly.

I still start my day casting larger lures trying to fool the bigger bass, but I will quickly resort to undersized lures to save the day. You don’t have to discard your traditional bass gear but when the fishing gets tough keep in mind small lures and slower retrieves will “git you bit.”