How to catch the bigger bass amoung the smaller ones

plenty big bass along the shore east of cork harbour,,

In my opinion it has more to do with location, there are areas l can fish locally where I can catch lots of smaller school bass with the best fish usually max 3lb. This area although quite prolific , I would consider a nursery for juvenile bass due to the optimum conditions there, and believe this should be conserved accordingly . To catch large bass I find its usually the remote rocky/sandy smaller storm beaches where solitary big bass hunt in strong tidal and surf conditions , here my smallest bass has been 4 lb , in fact on Saturday I landed a 5lb 10 oz fish here , this was my first this year after 3 blanks with all same conditions/bait etc.
My best Bass here was just under 9lb and I have lost another which appeared as though it would have been my first specimen.
As has been said already if you you fish estuary and backwater you will get smaller bass , where as larger bass tend to be more solitary, looking for bigger prey... location,location location ...you'll catch less but they will be bigger!

the last four specimen bass that i know of in this area have all been caught in a estuary .the biggest bass in ireland last year was caught in this area in a estuary .the info give here is a great read and donnyboy dose knows his stuff alright but there is a huge huge element of luck to it getting a big one i think

the last four specimen Bass that i know of in this area have all been caught in a estuary .the biggest Bass in ireland last year was caught in this area in a estuary .the info give here is a great read and donnyboy dose knows his stuff alright but there is a huge huge element of luck to it getting a big one i think

I agree ,Donnyboy does know his stuff ... quote"Big Bass patrol the coast, and small Bass stay mostly to estuaries... mostly.... there are always exceptions As most of the Bass fishing (in Cork anyway) has been on the coastal beaches for the last few months (where the big Bass live) urprise that recent changes to lure's are resulting in more catches (as its more reflective of their normal diet)."
I was just reiterating his point from my own experiences.

....Compare that to schoolies that search for lug, rag, razor, peeler etc. 100% of the time and you can see how it is statically more likely to catch a big fish 1 out of ten times you land a Bass.
Furthermore given that a shoal may consist of 80% schoolies and 20% large Bass your odds have decreased about 4 fold so 1 in 40 fish landed will be large and the rest will be schoolies…
If you lay out schoolie bait you will 'mostly' catch schoolies.

Don't rule out big crab baits. Here's one I had last year just under the 10lb mark (76cm) on crab.....

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...here's one also from last year, also on bait, but over the 10lb mark at 79cm....

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....don't rule out the lures either, here's one from last year at 9.5lb (74cm)....

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...always remember the rules about big bass fishing.....there are no rules!!!

Those are excellent fish Pat ... my hat off to you

...always remember the rules about big Bass fishing.....there are no rules!!!

whoppers no luck needed there pat

the last four specimen Bass that i know of in this area have all been caught in a estuary .the biggest Bass in ireland last year was caught in this area in a estuary .the info give here is a great read and donnyboy dose knows his stuff alright but there is a huge huge element of luck to it getting a big one i think

I agree ,Donnyboy does know his stuff ... quote"Big Bass patrol the coast, and small Bass stay mostly to estuaries... mostly.... there are always exceptions As most of the Bass fishing (in Cork anyway) has been on the coastal beaches for the last few months (wheas its re the big Bass live) urprise that recent changes to lure's are resulting in more catches (more reflective of their normal diet)."
I was just reiterating his point from my own experiences.

Fair point..... surprise that recent changes to lure's are resulting in more catches (more reflective of their normal diet)."

the last four specimen Bass that i know of in this area have all been caught in a estuary .the biggest Bass in ireland last year was caught in this area in a estuary .the info give here is a great read and donnyboy dose knows his stuff alright but there is a huge huge element of luck to it getting a big one i think

I agree ,Donnyboy does know his stuff ... quote"Big Bass patrol the coast, and small Bass stay mostly to estuaries... mostly.... there are always exceptions As most of the Bass fishing (in Cork anyway) has been on the coastal beaches for the last few months (wheas its re the big Bass live) urprise that recent changes to lure's are resulting in more catches (more reflective of their normal diet)."
I was just reiterating his point from my own experiences.

Fair point..... surprise that recent changes to lure's are resulting in more catches (more reflective of their normal diet)."

Here's another good point .... the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain

never knew it rained in spain would that be near estuarys or rock marks

I think is just an analogy.

Fair play lads

There are certain guidelines and behavioural analysis that can be applied, but unfortunately the bass cannot read so maybe are not aware of these

We all have primitive and subconscious instincts, but when something is right there for us....we usually take it!
Knowledge is seldom enough, understanding and application and a big degree of luck and experience helps

Fine Fish Pat, in this case I would wager human experience has the better of bass behaviour

rain is a great time for bass fishing brings the fish close to shore

I was in with Gary today in Rods n Reels Dungarvan, he was telling me of a report of a 16lb Bass caught in Bunmahon on a plug a week or two ago. Earlier in the year there was also report of a 14lb and 12lb Bass caught on bait in Bunmahon, like some of the lads are saying theres certain places the bigger fish seem to be.