Help finding bigger bass

[tightline45]

Hey fellas.  I'm up here in Montana and dontt have a problem finding the bass.  I just cant find the bigger fish.  The body of water I fish is 20 at the deepest.  I can go out and catch 10 - 15 bass a day but cant get anything over a pound and a half.  I know they get much bigger in there because i regularly catch them in the summer time.  I have an underwater cam and use it to find the fish.  There is a ton of structure in the reservoir but the vegetation dies off in the winter time.  We can not use live bait here in Montana.  I was hoping someone might be able to give me some advice in finding some bigger fish.

[big bobber]

live bait...lol.

[monkeyman2269]

U sure helped the guy lol do u see bigger ones on the cam id use biggeer lurez

[tightline45]

Man I wish I could search with tipups one live bait! I've seen one nice fish maybe 3 or 4 pounds. The schools of the smaller ones are 2-6 fish. I know they are there but maybe I'm looking at the wrong kinda structure. Idk maybe the smaller ones are just more active and curious. I'm using big Swedish pimples and bigger rattling spoon and jigging rap. Maybe advice on something else?

[big bobber]

live bait...lol.

what time are you hitting the ice?early morning right before sun up...and late aft noon til 9pm seems to be best for me on a regular basis..try stuff that glows...i really tease them(i use a vex)...sometime active jigging is the only way.sounds like you are using the right gear to me...have you tryed gulp?not a live bait but works for pans/bass just as good as waxies...rubber wigglers?maybe some kind of scent...maybe the bigger ones just dont bite...or maybe you just have to fish more?im awaiting cathing the michigan record rock bass at this point...ive had some big fish on and havnt been able to land them.

[tightline45]

Im a newbie to fishing for bass through the ice.  I have only been out three times.  Maybe a little more exploring will lead me to find some bigger fish.  I usually dont get out there until about an hour after light becuase i have been searching for the fish with the underwater cam.  There are so many perch in this body of water that Im finding it diffcult to locate bass with my vex.  I haven't tried any gulp pruduct and will have to give it a try. I know there are in the body of water.  Does anyone know if dead bait works for bass.  I know its probably not ideal but since i can fish with two rods maybe setting up a tipup might work?  I appreciate all the imput from my fellow fisherman.

[tightline45]

And good luck with the state record!!!! When you get it I hope you share the pic!

[big bobber]

if im not nistaken...dead bait is live bait...live bait is anything other than artificial.

[tightline45]

In Montana we can use cut bait such as smelt, pike minnows, suckers etc as long as the are dead. (Nightcrawler, maggots, mealworm are not considered live bait because they die).  The Flathead Indian Rezervation allow pieces of perch as bait.  We are not allow to you anything that is alive as bait.

[mr.bass]

Big bait all fish can eat small bait but only a big fish can eat big bait.

[Ramp 23]

I`ve had consistant catches of largemouth bass on silver 3/8 or 1/2 ounce kastmasters with a white marabou tail.  I look for long rocky bars on points leading to shallow ( 5' ) coves. Their usally somewhere on that  bar, depending on many things. As you get into late ice they seem to move onto flats with weeds in 10' or so. Being quite on the ice & waiting 30 min. or so after drilling makes a differance with mature fish. They spook easily, but young small males don`t. Tipping with mealworms sometimes helps.

[mr tip up]

Hey fellas.  I'm up here in Montana and dontt have a problem finding the bass.  I just cant find the bigger fish.  The body of water I fish is 20 at the deepest.  I can go out and catch 10 - 15 bass a day but cant get anything over a pound and a half.  I know they get much bigger in there because i regularly catch them in the summer time.  I have an underwater cam and use it to find the fish.  There is a ton of structure in the reservoir but the vegetation dies off in the winter time.  We can not use live bait here in Montana.  I was hoping someone might be able to give me some advice in finding some bigger fish.

                                                                           tightline if theres any spring in that lake try fishing them(make sure the ice is safe)the water is a little warmer there and try to find green weeds   and is there a good population of bigger bass in the lake

[missoulafish]

TL45, keep popping holes and keep moving until you find fish.  Don't worry about the bait, it doesn't matter. Just like any big fish, there are less of them so it's going to take more effort. It takes a long time to make big bass here too.

[stripernut]

Don't be afraid of fishing shallow, my best bass through the ice was in 4ft of water (8.3lbs) and I rarely fish much deeper than 10ft. Also, the past couple years I have been having great luck with Chubby Darters...

[Whopper Stopper]

I have had terrible luck fishing bass with tip ups. I get plenty of flags but they just seem to drop the bait after the initial hit. In retrospect, jigging with Darters, and similar type baits has paid off much better. As far as finding ol bucketmouth goes, that's a time on the water thing. Eventually you will find the combination to put you in the right areas. Just go about your searches with an open mind.

          WS