Trophy bass are one of the best types of fish to angle all year round, but a true trophy largemouth bass is a rare creature and if you are out fishing for it, then you’ll need to do more work and apply useful strategies. For many, catching a trophy largemouth bass takes on an almost mythical aura. However, that is not to say that it’s not possible. With the right tricks and tips, you can surprise yourself with a significant catch of trophy bass. Keep reading to find out how.

What is Trophy Bass Fishing?

The most popular fish in North America is the largemouth, smallmouth, and the spotted bass. In South Africa largemouth is often found in lakes, rivers, creeks, and dams. When fishing for this type of fish, one will need lures or live baits. In fact, the best lures for trophy bass are those that mimic crayfish, frogs, and mice. In simple terms, trophy bass fishing entails angling for largemouth bass.
The largemouth which goes by the botanic name Micropterus salmoides is a type of fish that belongs to the sunfish family, a specie of the black bass native that is mostly found in North America. The fish also is known by a variety of names such as widemouth, bigmouth bass, bucketmouth, and some people call it Potter’s bass to name but a few.

Best World Locations for Largemouth Fishing

According to history, the largest catch of this type of fish was caught in Montgomery Lake in Georgia. This record was set more than 80 years ago. Bigger largemouth catches can happen, especially in Southern California. Places which experience consistent warm temperatures make suitable habitats for largemouth bass. Such locations include Lake Dixon which is a prime Largemouth trophy hunting ground in California. In fact, statistics say that 8 out of the last 10 world record contenders were caught in Southern California lakes.
Other places which have also been successful grounds for this kind of fishing are Japan where Largemouth has become invasive species. Florida also offers a reasonably large population of bigmouth bass where fishers can find prime watery real estate to hunt them down.

Time for Trophy Fishing

Experts anglers say that the best time to hunt for largemouth bass is during the spring season and during pre-spawn and spawning activities. During the spawning season, the big bass comes much closer to the shore to cover themselves in reeds, brushes and other water foliage. Spring can be the best time to angle for bass, but it’s not the only time. Trophy lunkers can also try their luck during colder winter water since although this season slows bass activity, largemouth can be motivated to feed with a well-placed live minnow or slow vertical jig.

Strategy When Fishing for Trophy Bass

If you’ve watched River Monsters, you’ve probably seen the impressive footage of angling for some of the largest and strangest fish in the world. However, what they don’t show us is the countless hours spent while waiting for one of this bass to come to bite.
If you tried to use the techniques applied in this footage regardless of whether you are an average or experienced angler, you could easily be depressed. Fishing, no matter what type, requires patience. The waiting is difficult, but it’s the only sure way to have a good catch. Here are some tips to help you out when trophy fishing.

1. Have the Correct Trophy Bass Baits

It goes without saying that without a fishing bait or net, it’s impossible to catch any fish. But when it comes to trophy bass fishing, not all baits can be suitable. Remember that the species you are targeting are large in size and are most likely heavyweight. It’s therefore essential that you choose a strong and long bait for your fishing to be seamless. Always use live baits when angling for trophy bass. However, you can also use soft plastic lures as well since they work well for trickling trophy bass.

2. Identify a Trophy Bass Location

When searching for Largemouth bass during late fall, always target for the deep structure. During this time of the year, it’s likely that there’ll be trophy bass on deep structure anywhere from 12 to 25 feet deep. We’ve already discussed the best times for trophy bass angling. Remember, location is essential as anything when angling for trophy bass. In other words, knowing where to hunt can make your work much easier.

3. Focus on the Quality rather than Quantity

It doesn’t matter how many fish you catch, if they aren’t the type you were targeting, you’ll feel discouraged. But remember that trophy bass are not easy to angle therefore, even after hours of fishing and you only manage to catch one largemouth that is something to be proud of.

4. Create a Written or a Mental Log of Sightings you Notice Trophy Largemouth

A fisher will throw his bait in a particular area when he notices movements. If there is any specific place, you suspect a trophy largemouth is present, you should mark the area either by writing it down or if you can have it in your memory. That makes targeting easier for you.

Final Thoughts
Fishing for trophy bass is exciting, and so many anglers find it hard to have a catch since they don’t have an understanding of what goes into this type of fishing. Use this guide the next time you want to fish for largemouth and turn your trophy fishing experience into a memorable one.