This months article will be on big baits verses little baits. Many articles and old stories all revolve around big worms, big crank baits, and big everything. Many tournament anglers will only throw big baits all the time. The big bait theory will work sometimes. But there are exceptions. The big bait big fish is the rule everyone is talking about. The winter time we will fish the A C plugs and the Castaic trout and shad. This is because the gizzard shad have shown up and the big fish are chasing them.

After the morning hours most guides switch to smaller baits. At night we use larger baits and when the water is muddy. The reason is the fish have a harder time locating the bait. So more flash and vibration is better. But the winter is a good time to break out the big stuff. I have fished the Carolina for many years and under most times the biggest bait I have used is the seven inch worm. Most of the time a smaller bait poses no threat is an easy victim and is the bait of choice. The winter fish will sometimes not exert any energy to chase down a meal. Their metabolism is a lot slower in the winter.

I feel that the French fry is a perfect bait for all needs. I fish them on Carolina rigs and Texas gigs. I have fished them weightless over the grass. I have followed other fishermen along a bank in the spring and watch them fish and not draw a strike, and follow them with a light weight Carolina rig and caught several fish. The same being true with spinner baits and crank baits. When cold fronts pass through and area you will need to scale down lure size and slow down your presentation. Ask any crappie fisherman if he has had on a monster bass while fish with a one thirty second jig. Think about that. The next time you go to a marina or tackle store look at a one thirty second jig and then tell me you have to have a big bait. There have been many of thirteen plus pound bass caught with the crappie tackle. Look at the state record and there you have a two inch minnow which got the attention of the state record. The next time you start your quest for large mouth bass think first, what time of year and what size the bait fish or the food supply that is currently available .

I wish everyone a very” MERRY CHRISTMAS.”