How to Find GIANT BASS (Guide)

[@lowlifeangler]

Wanna find a giant bass? Give your rods to Ike for the remainder of the day

[@jaggededgeoutdoors3334]

With the Tokyo rig in super heavy cover: straight braid or braid to fluoro leader?

[@danham3344]

As always, quality info with your clear enthusiastic delivery. I love your “In the Shop” vids. For me the most important takeaway is not just deep but “deeper”, not just thick but “thicker”! My belief is that most casual, weekend or club level anglers that chart fish on a 25-40ft brush pile just say to themselves, “nope, not going to mess with that.” It’s like in hunting mule deer in the west, when you look at a thick tangle of Mt. Mohagany that’s at the top of a 1,500ft 45% slope of shale & rimrock, you just eliminated 99 out of 100 hunters. Most won’t make the effort. But guess where the monsters hang out? Yup, where most hunters won’t go. Thanks Mike. Your 2 common scenario approach really put it into perspective for me.

[@KaseyDarienJohns]

I just moved to Knoxville TN been fishing the Tennessee River and I'm not even catching any fish.. if I Target the side streams I catch small Bass.. today I went to the flea market and bought some huge bass lures the biggest bass I've caught round 4 lb I'm going for a monster..

[@hessticules2913]

Hey Mike! You remind me of my dad(he passed in 2014), he grew up in tuckerton. We used to fish a bunch when I was little, which I never hit that "cool age" where I was too cool to fish. Wanted to thank you for all your great tips and tricks. I've literally watched your videos, throw on that bait and catch bass. No substitute for experience!

[@chaselear5527]

Been watching you since I was a young buck watching city limits fishing definitely my favorite pro of the generation jam up fisherman Mike your bad ass

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Chase!! 💪

[@chaselear5527]

bout to start back in some tournament fishing this year be watching for Kentucky lear on them charts appreciate the tips you give big dawg very inspiring up out of the mud story on Mike's KZbin NEVER GIVE UP!!!

[@josephcolunga894]

Love the education Mike. My PB was caught on a Senko in thick cover. It was ten pounds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@dannyhocutt8490]

Thank you for the side of common science in fishing

[@SpookyRedz]

Your teaching is the best period

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

I appreciate that!

[@SpookyRedz]

@@mikeiaconellifishing your welcome and thank you

[@jerzdev]

Ike, so glad to see that you are fishing the Hobie BOS Winnipesaukee tournament, my son and I look forward to competing against some of the best. Love your videos and enthusiasm, I’m an ex New Jersey guy, your success is awesome. I never fished seriously till a few years ago, but now, with my sons pushing, it’s become a next level hobby, and an addiction, it’s game on! Hope to meet you in June.

[@RobbyBigtime]

So simple but effective! it’s easy for us to fall into the same ole routine! Rip rap boat docks etc! Good to be reminded to think out of the box! Keep the videos coming Ike!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad you liked it!

[@ArkansasBadBoy]

I have to agree here although all my giants came in shallow water with very heavy cover, very deep water is always a stone's throw away. Very delightful video.

[@stevencaldwell838]

Hey Mike. Out here in So Cal we have GIANT bass. Due to over pressure, it’s hard to get those monsters to commit. That said, never give up! I’ll have conventional lures tied on and land some nice fish. But, there’s just something about throwing a 12” Savage Gear trout and seeing double digit bass fallow it that keeps my heart pumping and always having a big bait tied on. Plus, it’s simply fun to throw 6oz baits around!! A follower is successful in my mind’. Love you, and I am definitely looking forward to next Tuesday! Cheers brother 🎣🏄🏼‍♂️💪🏼

[@deline8ed619]

Awesome insight Mike. Driving those points home. Thanks!

[@NolimitracingRC]

Sounds good .. I'm in west coast deep reservoirs and clear lake

[@jason-bz2pt]

Mike your tutorials are awesome!Would love to see a summer night fishing tutorial for giant bass!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad to help Jason! Might just do a shop on that!!

[@hyslopboys9600]

Echo lake I’m going deeper an thicker today! Thanks Mike!

[@TheDragonNee]

You have always been one of my favorites to watch since I was young in the 90s back when we had to watch the BASS tournaments on tv at its allotted time. I have always enjoyed your enthusiasm for all things bass fishing and it shows in these videos. I’d love to meet you when you come down to Fl to visit

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

I appreciate that!

[@e.cabanjr7511]

Once again, that was an outstanding video. I appreciate your passion for the sport.

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!!

[@willeypoboy5607]

My BP. Post spawn on a double bladed prop bait top water with windy chop off the end of a lay down 15' deep. Thanks for the awesome memory of my 8lb12oz. Best that I keep trying to best!

[@OZmeBushnBlade]

Love this series! thanks for the info and topics no one is talking!

[@mattanderson7358]

Learn so much from these videos

[@jerrylanglois7892]

Ike, you're certainly right about the '' deep '' part. Almost all my big ones ( over 6 lbs. ) have come offshore, suspended in 8 -- 12 ft. over deeper water.

[@shake-n-bakebassin]

Great info Mike! My biggest bass was 7.5 pounds at octarara lake deep in a tree on a 4inch trd Texas rigged!! I live rite near the upper bay! I see you from time to time down there!! And o yea... I feel a win coming very soon for you this year brotha!!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Heck yeah!!!

[@iancameron198]

@@mikeiaconellifishing hey Mike your vids are great and filled with tons of info. What month do you and Zona go the head waters of the Detroit River for smallies.i.d like to meet you guys out there.get some pics and autographs. FISH ON

[@seanbernsteinfishing2065]

Mike you are the best fisherman ever

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Just trying to help my fellow angler!

[@seanbernsteinfishing2065]

Thanks mike I'm gonna use the knowledge that you have just givin me and try and break my pb

[@eddieboswell6068]

Good information Mike, when I think of the big bass I have caught they were in thick or deep water! Good luck this year !

[@PastorPeewee20]

Mike your knowledge is awesome...have you ever been to Joe pool lake in Texas? I don't have a boat but I bank fish there mostly on the cedar hill side of said lake if you have any knowledge about fishing there please inform me ty

[@slonefactor]

You just made a video of my secrets here in Norther Indiana for catching more 5 lb'ers than anyone else....like always your video's are always very informative and entertaining Mike...keep it up bud!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Good stuff

[@jamesjustice7679]

Thank you for your wisdom I really enjoy in the shop keep them coming

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks for the support James!!

[@MrLshot]

Yes deep but where deep. Lot of deep water but where locations. What do u look for. Love all the knowledge you share. Thanks

[@throwluckfishing5785]

GIANTS = Thick Cover & Deep Water ........... Thanks Ike!!!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Yes!!!

[@mannyinsane2987]

I just saw you at bluewater lodge preparing for bassmaster classes

[@bobbymason3420]

Great tips and love the way you simplified it to two zone types and three techniques for each One type. As amateurs we have far less time on the water and it’s harder to make intuitive guesses on how to approach water so tactical tips like these allow us to go ok I’m going thick cover so what works or I’m going deep what works for hunting those big bass. Thanks mike

[@edwinross1697]

again Mike you nailed it thanks Ross Jerseystyle

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Edwin!!

[@richardsnyder3902]

Thanks for the video Mike

[@wahivalleys3011]

"Thick Cover and Deep Water" will be the name of my new Norwegian death metal band! Rock on! Wahi' Valley

[@loganvilletiger5076]

Great stuff!! I will give the swimbait on heavy jig head a try. What I WILL NOT do is the DB20…. I have 2 of those that have just “rode” in my boat for the past 20+ years. Too much like work to throw those big billed contraptions…..

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Andy!!

[@LipRippinJunkie]

What we all wanted and needed to hear. 💪🏼

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Heck yeah!!!

[@tylerfinney1819]

I can honestly say I'm a better angler because of these in the shop videos!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thank you Tyler!!

[@travisbruno1988]

thanks Mike great info here for sure, love the will smith low blow at the end 😂

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

👋 👋

[@bigmikefishingchonicles9950]

Thank you so much for the insight

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rodcashman4793]

Great information thank you for sharing 👍

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davehaag8175]

Don’t usual comment much on videos like these,I just take it all in…but I have to say after watching your videos over the past year, I have to truely thank you for sharing this kinda insider secrets… as a jersey freshwater fisherman any kinda extra knowledge really helps… thank you!!!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Anytime Dave!! Thank you!!

[@anthonykozar9172]

Where at in NJ? I live just about ON mirror lake in browns mills/Pemberton

[@jeremybreed7523]

Great info!! Love in the shop!!!

[@jdean1851]

AWESOME" THANKS from IDAHO!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks J!!!

[@freeagentangler5159]

Buck Perry and Don Dickson have preached this deep water fishing. “Deep water is the home of the fish”. Buck Perry

[@coeymccollum9465]

Hey Mike I completely agree with your theory that outside the spawn that big fish never leave deep water. It reminded of some of John Hopes theorys on giant bass. If you have the time it's well worth the read Tracking Trophies by John Hope.

[@grantboatwright5974]

I know I’m late to comment on this video but was sized line/rod do you use for the weightless stick bait in thick cover? Because I can’t seem to get the fish out of the cover with rigs I’ve been using.

[@jeffgrier8488]

Thanks for the great tips Mike!!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Anytime Jeff!! Thanks for watching!!

[@LunkerQuest67]

Great advice from one of the Best!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thank you Lunker!!

[@leehubbell9636]

Love you tutorials and the information is great !!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thank you Lee! Glad to Help!!

[@neilbonefishing]

That is a really good-looking hand. I can definitely tell you where a hand model

[@kerrypitt9789]

Mike i think Joey Cifuentes won his first Elite, fishing finesse in 24 feet of water. He presented to larger Bass who were sitting in ghe logs that had fallen!

[@mrd9720]

When is Berkley going to send gilly stock? All retailers are out.

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Check back soon! If I get a date I will post it

[@mrd9720]

@@mikeiaconellifishing thanks hog farmer just got fresh stock today 130mm if anyone reads this.

[@michaelnadeau3238]

Great stuff Mike!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Michael!!

[@beloskhanania5645]

Great tips Mike.

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sick13oyramone62]

Jiki rig works is great ,looks bout da same🤘🤓

[@hoopsheavenpa]

Please tell me a video exists of you landing that 14 pounder! Love to have seen your reaction 🎣

[@chrisaljian3266]

I knew you'd say swimbaits. LOL Still haven't quite figured those out, but I'm working on it. Thanks, Mike. Incredible tutorial as usual!

[@Boren2Fish]

You are the man Mike!!!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Ricky!!

[@houndhog4886]

Ike how’d you do in the tourney at nock last week? I was there fishing in my yak. Pulled a 3.5 and a few 2s

[@SpookyRedz]

Loved it mr Mike

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Spooky! Thank you!

[@Cornelius798]

Mike, do a few bank fishing video's. There's a lot of us out here show us some love.

[@Mark-dj5qf]

Love it man!!! Spot on!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Appreciate it!

[@allenlukas5315]

What about rivers, especially the Susquehanna?

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Big tube!!

[@allenlukas5315]

@@mikeiaconellifishing Thanks!

[@Stormbasscatching]

*thicker and deeper then any other dude* has me dieing on the floor laughing😂 but this is some great advice thank you.

[@mikebourke2498]

This is awesome stuff

[@bryceslavik6730]

OK, I’ll do it!

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Heck yeah!!!!

[@shanebelding5776]

This holds true to large mouth but does it hold true to small mouth? My experience is the deep water holds true but not heavy cover for big small mouth.

[@elizabethsumpter9129]

Interesting to know that the bigger bass stay deeper in the water. 👍💖

[@wesleyvannoy2536]

Me to mike a 17lb a 15lb and a 12lber all on a weightless senko.👍

[@lanceydenis3878]

You're the one 👍👍👍👍👍👍👏👏

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

💪 💪 💪 💪

[@popafunk9876]

That’s riiight!

[@dustinwright4601]

Love this

[@kylekovacofsky792]

My son is just getting hooked to fish nj lakes I’m stoked I got a fishing partner maybe we will run into you

[@howsbubbs]

Thanks Mike your the shit 👊👊

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Thanks Howard for the support!!

[@alone1again]

Will Smith style! You need to put that on an Ike hat. Lmafo

[@thomashall1726]

Killed me with the will smith 🤣

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Gotta let them bass know!!

[@Set_That_Hook]

🔥🔥🔥

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

💪 💪 💪

[@secretbassrigs]

If you can get thicker and deeper, you truly have a chance at tapping that big bass.

[@nelsonchiro]

"That's what she said!". Sorry, too easy... :)

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

😂

[@robadkins9468]

^Ya, fihing the slop

[@ajbertschy8427]

Deeper or thicker than the average dude 🤣🤣🤣

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

lol

[@dahutful]

You are starting to sound like Buck Perry. "Deep water is the home of the fish." - Buck Perry

[@x--LeethaL--x]

N.G.U!

[@britanierodriguez163]

Will Smith style 🤣

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Boom! 👋

[@academicmailbox7798]

Michael, two things.

[@academicmailbox7798]

I think some bait and lure designers understanding in explicitly. But most of them do. Implicitly. Fish see things differently from human beings. In two major ways. Firstly, what we perceive to be 'fast' or 'quick'. In our reality. Only starts to approximate normal type speeds. For a creature that lives in water. And can accelerate sometimes faster. Than the human eyesight is able to keep up with. It's just that. That these creatures that we know as fish. They are just built different. Than ourselves. It's kind of like that film with Vin Diesel. Where he's from this planet. Where the people there, just operate to slightly different specifications. Than what we are used to. I often think though. This is often why slow or almost static baits. Catch large fish (rather than fast baits do). Because a lot of things in the world of the fish. Either moves at 'zero' speed a lot of the time. Or then in an instance. Blink. And it's gone out of sight. It's extremes. I think that sometimes. Even small motion-less objects. Cause problems to fish. Decent sized fish. They don't know quite how to respond to it (fish just aren't good at bluffing, or playing poker). They're not good. At picking up the cigar and putting it back down again. And then thinking about what to do ('how do I want to play this hand').

[@academicmailbox7798]

Although, that is exactly what some of the great fish caught over the years. Were like. It's where the anglers cast up to two dozen times. With zero response. And then one more cast. Breaks a deadlock for some reason. The fish takes. There is a debate at the moment. About that in relation to electronic equipment (the point where anglers can now 'see' fish, and think this will result in being able to 'cast' to fish and then catch them). Sometimes anglers who can't even 'see' a fish. But know it's there. And cast enough times. With the right presentation. Catch fish that no one else can.

[@academicmailbox7798]

That is the first thing about fish. That every good lure or bait designer. Has to realize. The fish can 'watch a movie' in 'fast forward' speed (where human beings can watch the move that '1X' speed for comfort). The fish can understand things. That happen at 20X speed. No problem (and when we think as human beings, we're winding our bait fast or moving it quickly). The reality is, that's only like a casual 'walking' pace. For most fish. It's pedestrian. That is the first thing about fish 'vision' (including that of larger fish). The other thing is. Fish have vision. That is much more like that of magnification levels. We have with special glass and optics. What starts to become so small. As to move out of the range of our ability to see. To see shape. To see form and color. Is no problem for fish. Fish start life in water. As these tiny finger-lings. And it happens in all water environments. Juvenille fish operate more or less like bait fish (and compete in the same space as bait fish do). Eating very small morsels indeed. A human 'baby' for example, is quite large by comparison. A human child for example eats from a plastic spoon. Or a baby bottle. We don't go through that finger-ling stage. Whereas the six or seven pound bass. Has experienced life. Living in water as a finger-ling (and has witnessed large chunks of his closest family). Getting consumed by all kinds of other larger fish too. It's a weird upbringing from that point of view. When a large fish is large enough. To fend and feed for itself. It retains that ability to 'see'. At a really detailed scale of magnification. That human beings don't understand either.

[@academicmailbox7798]

The perception of speed. And the perception of scale and detail. Of things they encounter in the world. Is totally different. For cold-blooded creatures such as fish. Than it is for humans. Because we come into contact more. With deers, canine species, cats, livestock or bloodstock like horses. And we think those are wild beasts. We tend to apply the rules that applies to full-sized mamals. To everything in the wild. And fish are just different. How different, is something that most people. Don't get. The third thing of note. Is probably that fish 'see' differently. Along another dimension too. We are familiar with the idea of 'five' senses in human beings. And other mamals (where in other mamals, the sense of hearing or smell, or tactile senses even). Can be much more well developed in other animals. With fish, they can 'see'. In the way that we can sense vibrations, or sound waves. There is no analogue to it. In our world. The fish has a complicated mixture of vision, hearing sense and tactile sense. Using it's eyes, lateral line and it's mouth to pick up objects (like we use 'hand-to-eye' coordination to do the same). And because as human beings. Just walk into any Walmart store. It's full of visual signs and signals. That grab our attention (only a very few basic audible cues). Like the public speaker announcements. Telling you about the price of bread this week. Which is going up because of Ukraine. Or whatever. And things like floor finishes, to alert us to different risks etc. When you get close to an entrance or exit location.

[@academicmailbox7798]

Most of the time. We navigate in a world. That is much more slowed down. Than that of the fish. Is much less focused on details and magnification of small items. And our world is primarily a world. Of visual signs and signals. That we follow and obey. That we impose all of those biases. On what we think the fish should sense or see, or react to. And that is what leads us to go down. Pretty much all of the cul-de-sac avenues and roads. We tend to go down. In terms of angling, and in terms of attempt. To try and understand fish. And that has to be underlined. At least three or four times. For larger fish. Because they are larger. We are less likely. To realize how differently. The large fish sees and senses it's world. Compared to ourselves. In the large fish. They still want to operate. Like they did as fingerlings sometimes. And move around. With the same speed and acceleration. As they could. At a smaller size (even though it defies the laws of physics). The guys who study how large migratory species like salmon. Have realized it. They realize, that this giant fish sometimes. Still think they're fingerling size (yes, physically they grow into these giants, but mentally speaking they operate a lot like small fish). And that makes us uncomfortable as human beings too. To believe that a fish. That might even grow to the size of a human being. Still thinks and operates. In the way a tadpole or gold fish. In your fish tank might operate. That's uncomfortable as well. For human beings to think it could be so.

[@BrainClaud]

Don't know why but everytime you repeated "deeper or thicker" my girlfriend was smiling. Thanks for the advice I guess 🤷

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

💪

[@lecrafteurfrancais637]

Thick or deep 👍🏻 My gf says the same

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

🤫

[@johnm2617]

Shop looks a little rough their fella ! Lmfao ! The counter TOP looks like a Russian missile hit it ! YOUR THE BEST MAN ! ONLY 1 ike 🚀🚀🚀! Maybe your buddy bower will come and help you straight n it up ?🚔🚔🚔?

[@jasondaniels209]

I like thicker and deeper. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂. Sorry someone had to say it

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Lol 🤫

[@glxbe]

oh mike, i can get thicker and deeper than the average dude

[@Etm2187]

Deeper or thicker deeper or thicker deeper or thicker..sounds like were reading womens minds.

[@mikeiaconellifishing]

Lmao!!