It's a Matter of Finding a Kicker or Getting Kicked in the Teeth...So To Speak

That pretty much spells the difference between winning or losing a bass tournament...on any level, from local open groups, to bass clubbers, and, of course, the pros.

Read an article recently by Texas pro Todd Faircloth (left), in which he described some of his tournament philosophies that have helped him catch bigger bass and win competitions over the years.

As he explained, "I sometimes hear a tournament fisherman say something like, 'I just go out there and fish hard all day and bring my best five to the scales.' That's fine, but without any way to measure performance throughout the day, you're fishing blind and can't make the kind of adjustments necessary to be successful. You can't afford to wait until you get to the scales to find out if you had a good day or not. I always have a weight in mind before I launch my boat each day.

"That number might be big, or it might be small, depending on the fishery involved, but it's important," continued Faircloth. "It's the number I have to reach to be competitive and to get paid. And while some people will tell you that they only fish to win, or that they never fish for a check, the reality is that checks and tournament points are important. They pay the bills and get you the championship. If you ignore them, you'll have problems."

Faircloth cited an example of what he was talking about.

"Let's say my target number is 12 pounds for a five-bass limit. I have confidence that 12 pounds a day will get me in the money and keep me competitive," he said. "Hopefully, in practice, I've found the bass to do that, and I can catch them pretty quickly. Time is critical in a bass tournament. We're all fishing under the gun, and the guys who manage their time best tend to cash the most checks.

"Once I reach that target weight, my comfort level goes up, and I'm ready to explore and try something different. Until then, I'm doing all I can just to catch the quality fish I need to get there. I want lots of bites from respectable bass until I reach that target.

"My tournament mindset always has been to go for a limit first and to upgrade later. If I know where I can go and catch lots of 2-and-a-half pounders quickly, I'll do that, rather than go to another spot where the bass are bigger but the bites are fewer and farther between."

As noted by Faircloth, "That plan has to be flexible, too, and there are times when I'll go after big fish first and then work on a limit. An obvious time to do this is in the spring, when you've spotted a giant female or two on beds, and you have to go to them right away, before someone else does. Ordinarily, though, I'm focused on a limit first. When I have what I believe to be a respectable limit, I'm ready for some exploring."

Changing things up and getting away from his primary pattern is more than just changing locations. It's also about changing his mindset. Instead of wanting and needing lots of bites to fill a limit, Faircloth now is thinking about getting a couple of bites from the kind of bass that really will help his bottom line. He's not looking to cull up an ounce or two, but by several pounds.

"Over the years, I've caught most of my best bass from isolated cover," he said, "and that's usually where I'll go after I have a solid limit. The cover doesn't have to be big, but it does need to be away from other similar cover.

"I like to target isolated logs, boat docks, brush piles, mats of vegetation, or anything else that might hold a big fish," he continued. "The isolated cover is a big-fish magnet because it's the only holding area around, and other anglers often will overlook it, preferring to fish bigger spots that might hold more bass but which take a lot longer to fish and generally don't hold the biggest bass in the area.

"Once I have a solid limit, I also may consider making a long run to get to an out-of-the-way spot, or making another change that's otherwise too time-consuming or risky. Having a solid limit is freedom...to do other things that have the potential for a big payoff.

"A lot of guys will make those kinds of moves after they've had a bad first day or two in a tournament, but then it's almost always too late. You need to make those moves when you're in a position of strength and have the right mindset, not when you're in a position of weakness and pressing too hard."

Over the years, Faircloth has seen a lot of tournament fishermen really milk one spot.

"Maybe they're catching a bunch of 2 pounders on a main-lake point and have 10 or 11 pounds in the livewell. Instead of leaving those fish and going to look for a kicker that really will help them, they stay on the spot and continue to work it over, adding an ounce here and there but basically adding very little weight to their bag."

Faircloth thinks that is a mistake...for two reasons. First, that time could be used to make a real change in their catch. If they gamble just a little and try targeting some better fish, they could go from merely making a check to winning the tournament.

"You don't often do that by playing it safe with average fish," he explained.

Second, they might need those fish tomorrow. By catching too many today, they could be wrecking that spot or school for the rest of the tournament.

"They should be saving those bass," he said. "By culling all day with more average fish, they think they're gaining ounces, but they're really losing pounds from their catch over the next day or two.

"I'll be the first to admit that my method of upgrading a tournament catch doesn't always work, but neither does anything else," he continued. "What I can tell you is that it's worked for me a lot more often than not, and I'll be using it until I find something better. Of course, a little luck helps, too.

"'Hero or zero' is a popular phrase for the guys who gamble with their tournament strategy." According to Faircloth, though, "It doesn't have to be that way. I much prefer 'hero or still-in-the-money.'"

During my research for the aforementioned, I also ran across a piece by the late Ed Harp of Georgetown, OH, detailing some top kicker bass baits used by three of the pros for tournament success. Those pros included Bobby Gentry, Ish Monroe, and Bill Lowen. Following are their suggestions.

The list of choices for longtime professional guide and seasoned tournament angler Bobby Gentry (left) starts with the Norman DD22 Crankbait. "I nearly always throw a shad pattern that'll match the local forage. There's nothing better for deep largemouths. It gets down quick, forces reaction bites from neutral bass, and is big enough to get the attention of heavyweights." Gentry's approach is simple enough. He locates drops, ledges, stumps, rocks, or shell beds in 15-25 feet of water and then cranks them from every angle imaginable and with every technique imaginable. Basically, he circles his spot and brings his bait back slow and fast, steady and with jerks, bouncing off everything in the area until he finds what they want.

Gentry's second choice is the 10-and-one-half-inch Zoom Old Monster Worm, which he uses whenever largemouths are shallow. "I fish it on a Carolina rig with a half-ounce sinker, a couple of beads, and a 3-to-4-foot leader," he said. "The idea is to get something that'll attract big fish and that can be worked through stumps, rocks or weeds. This bait is perfect for that style of fishing. Any color will do, so long as it's plum." His favorite technique is to pull the worm along, while allowing it to float up a bit and then slowly settle back to the bottom. Most of the strikes come while the bait is lying motionless on the bottom. He cautions anglers not to be in a hurry, regardless of what the clock says.

Gentry's last choice is a Texas-rigged Zoom Brush Hog or Baby Brush Hog for big smallmouth. "I can't tell you how many smallmouths between 3-and-a-half and 5 pounds I've caught just dragging or hopping one in green pumpkin or watermelon on the end of a main-lake point. Use a heavy enough weight to keep the bait on the bottom and move it along until you get a bite. The idea is to show lethargic smallmouths something different...something they've never seen before. Few giant smallies ever have seen one of these before, especially one that's Texas-rigged. If they aren't in the mood for a Brush Hog, go back to the DD22."

California native Ish Monroe (right) has two favorite choices, starting with his Snag Proof Ish's Phat Frog. "This is my go-to bait when I need a big bass, and it's reasonably shallow. This frog has a lot of bulk and can be worked through the nastiest stuff in a body of water where giants live. I try to keep it in the strike zone as long as possible and change my retrieve from quiet to noisy, as necessary," said Monroe. "Color is optional. Pick one you like, and then change if necessary."

Monroe's second choice is Jerry Rago Swimbaits. "If the bass are a little deeper, and there's no topwater bite, I'll almost always go with this swimbait," he said. "There's nothing on the planet that's as natural-looking or as versatile for big fish. You can fish them shallow or deep, fast or slow, and around almost any kind of structure or cover." In the spring and fall, or anytime they're releasing trout, Monroe throws a rainbow trout pattern in the same size as the fish they're releasing. Beyond that, his primary goal is to match the prevailing forage. Swimbaits are not reaction baits...they mimic natural forage.

If the bass you fish for aren't super-sized, you might be interested to know the choices of Bill Lowen (left), starting with the D&L Jig, with Tightline UV Beaver Trailer. "If I need a largemouth kicker at the end of the day on a Midwest or Northern lake or river, I'll be pitching and flipping," he said. "My lure choice will be a one-quarter- or three-eighth's-ounce D&L Jig in black and blue, with a matching Tightline UV Beaver as a trailer. I'll toss it into the heaviest stuff I can find, no matter if it's grass, wood, rock, or a combination of some or all of them. My goal is to get inside places where other anglers can't or won't go and find the bass they missed." That combination allows his presentation to work its way down fast enough to get a reaction bite but slow enough to give the fish a good chance to get it in the heavy cover he's fishing.

Lowen's second choice is a Brass 'n' Blades Double Willow-Leaf Spinnerbait. "When I want to catch a big smallie, I go with this bait. The blades should be at least Nos. 4 and 5, but a 4-and-one-half and 5-and-one-half size is even better. My colors are standard: chartreuse or white." This lure allows Lowen to fish almost anywhere. It will handle weeds and grass, as well as rock and wood, and will withstand the abuse monster bass routinely dish out.