Sometimes Bigger is Better!

For years and years I only carried bullets weights up to 1/2oz and almost never had a weight rigged over 1/4oz. I never saw the need. Well my eyes have been opened and I am here to share the wealth.

Almost by accident I discovered fishing with the big weights. When I refer to big weights I am discussing weights over and including 3/4oz. I have in my box several in the 3/4, 1, and 1 1/2oz sizes. I prefer the Tru-Tungsten brand but admit that I have never really played with the others. The biggest thing that drew me to the Tru-Tungsten brand was the fact that they are black. The Bass Pro private label is almost chrome and I feel that might scare a fish or two away.

The big weight deal requires, and I do mean requires a heavy rod and heavy line. I personally fish with a Falcon CC-7-176H and use 65lb Sunline Braid. I have settled on these brands because at one time I was the sales person for them both and grew closely attached to these brands. As far as the rod goes it is fantastic for my use but you can sub your favorite brand as long as it is heavy. The same goes for the line.

The question that I get asked most from buddies about the use of this technique is where and why. That is what I hope to answer here today. The best answer to the where, is to say, almost everywhere. I started like most working the big weights in super heavy cover that required a "punching" style. Milfoil is the easiest to give as an example. What I quickly discovered is that the big weight gives your plastics a totally different look when it hits the bottom. Watch a plastic craw hit the bottom with a 1/4oz then watch it hit with a 1 oz. On the big weight the claws JUMP up into the fish's face. Requiring aggressive hits from bass. The 1/4 oz (which I still use a lot) falls even and flat. There is a place for both in your tackle box.

By using a big weight in normal cover you can trigger a bite that might otherwise leave a 1/4oz weight alone. This came into perfect focus last fall during a tournament that a friend and I fished on Pool 4 of the Mississippi River. On day two of the tournament I switched to the big weight to try to punch through a small patch of slop close to some wood. While working the weight out towards the end of the tree I was met with a VICIOUS strike that turned out to be a nice healthy 3lb fish. Quickly my partner also put on a big weight and two trees later he was met with the same aggressive type of hit. We had worked through the same area with lighter weights and no luck. On our second pass we took three fish. Two that went 3lbs a piece and one what turned out to be the big fish of the tournament weighting 4.25lbs. Not the biggest fish in the world but certainly the biggest fish of the day. That fish answered the "why" question!

The bites tend to be hard and vicious. Be prepared for quick bites on the fall and the second it hits the bottom. The biggest adjustment that you need to make is make sure you don't drop your rod tip!!!!! I'll say that again, don't drop your rod tip! Reason is simple, if you let that fish fell that heavy weight in his mouth he will spit it out very quickly. Lift up and if their is weight set the hook!

The plastics choice is simple, what ever you prefer. I have caught fish using the YUM Vibra King Mega Tube and also the Gander Mountain Yomama in their private label brand. Other favorites are the Lake Fork Craw Tube and the Net Bait Paca Craw.

Use this technique in the heavy cover along with the light cover. It can work either way!

Ross