Use Big Topwater Baits To Catch Big Fish

In fishing, there’s an old adage – big bait equals big fish.What it means, is that since big fish consume bigger prey, you can increase your chances of catching a lunker by upsizing your bait. This shouldn’t be a surprise to most bass anglers, as we’ve all seen the damage gargantuan swimbaits have been doing in recent years to giant bass from coast to coast. Whether topwaters, shallow divers, or any bait hovering near the surface, it is worth going big if you are trophy hunting.

This isn't always the case, as many lunkers can be caught on just a nightcrawler or a downsized lure. This biggest fish still eat small snacks just like the biggest humans. NFL lineman didn't get as big as they are by only eating an entire pizza at a time.More recently, we’re seeing that adage applied to crankbaits, as several companies have debuted oversized models of their most popular shapes – designed to trigger strikes from bass feeding on large shad, trout, and even bluegills.So why not apply that theory to topwaters? And why not apply it to bass, musky, saltwater, and EVERY target an angler could ever chase?

Show your average angler a 5 inch swimbait, and he’s unlikely to bat an eye – but show him a 5 inch walking plug, and many will quickly lose confidence.It may still be in the early stages, but the big bait revolution has finally moved up to the surface. In the last 2 years, big topwaters like the Strike Pro Jointed Sea Monster, River2Sea Whopper Plopper, and Evergreen Shower blows have been making their presence felt on the water and in the check line.Big topwaters create big disturbances, which draw bass in from farther away. They also cast a mile, which makes you able to cover more water in a day – and actually hit those schoolies when they come up 50 yards from the boat.There is also the added function of you not ONLY catching bass, but hooking into the occasional musky and other gamefish. When predators are hunting for a big bite, they're all hunting for a big bite, not JUST the bass.Historically, one of the downsides of large topwaters was that anglers felt they lost too many fish because they weigh so much, giving shaking bass more leverage to free the hooks. Modern rods and braided line have effectively solved that problem, as you can now bury the hooks just as easily from 50 yards as you can boatside.

So, next time you’re out looking for a big bite – don’t be afraid to pull out an oversized topwater, you just might hook into an oversized bass.