The Big Bass Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Who Would EAT Their Personal Best?! Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Who would eat their PB?! Personal bests are what big bass fishing is all about. It sets the bar, gives us a goal to eclipse, and establishes bragging rights. What’s your PBB (personal best bass)? Is there a great story behind it? Here are the stories of Terry’s and Ken’s PBBs. Are they as big as yours? Do their stories do justice to the fish weights? And which one of them ate the biggest bass he ever caught?

Mentioned in the show:

https://youtu.be/7g_XHkV9GjM https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNCoqGStp-wfRotbNAI0eJ6lxrNnsFysr https://www.youtube.com/live/KgmeCUM7hyo?si=q_wUoA_j3eP5umOi

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: ⁠https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast⁠

Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast⁠

Mystery, Murder, and a State Record Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

If you look up the Idaho record largemouth bass on that state’s Department of Fish & Game website, you will see that it weighed 10.94 pounds, was caught by Mrs. M.W. Taylor, and came from Anderson Lake — nothing more. No date, not even the name of the angler, just the name of her husband. “The Big Bass Podcast” does some digging, fills some holes, and asks if the record should be vacated.

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: ⁠https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast⁠

Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast⁠

TBBP Live Show: 10/10/2023 Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Another LIVE edition of The Big Bass Podcast where we answer all your questions!

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

Keith Thomas: Black Talon Custom Lures Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of The Big Bass Podcast, we have a special guest, Keith Thomas of Black Talon Custom Lures. Keith is a bait maker from Pennsylvania, but that isn't what makes him special. He's actually a swimbait maker who got into the swimbait scene before there was such a thing. Thomas started venturing into big baits in the mid-1980s when he was 15 years old.

Keith and his buddy were striper fishermen and were familiar with big lures. But they also fished freshwater bass at the local lakes. After seeing big fish eat gizzard shad and ignore their Mann's Jelly Worms, they got the idea to start throwing big saltwater and muskie lures for largemouth. It worked.

With no lures on the market that would mimic a gizzard shad, Keith took to carving his own baits in the early 1990s. This led him to be the first swimbait maker outside of the West. Over his 30-plus years of making baits, Keith has become one of the premier bait makers, especially when it comes to glide baits. We hope you enjoy listening to Keith's story. I know we learned a lot.

To buy Keith's highly realistic baits, you can find him on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/703173099700495

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

Fox in the Henhouse Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

The largemouth bass is the most widespread freshwater fish in the world, but not because of its natural range. The largemouth has been introduced to multiple continents and innumerable countries as an invasive species ... sometimes with dire consequences. This episode covers the impact the largemouth bass had on the giant pied-billed grebe in Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala, ultimately leading to the bird’s extinction.

Mentioned in the show:

https://youtu.be/G_cXIShrvJc

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

The STRANGEST State Fishing Records and Regulations Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

Not every state record was taken on a rod and reel. In fact, there are plenty of state records that are not very sporting at all. Gigging, spearfishing, and more are recognized and approved methods of taking our beloved bass in some states. Check out this episode of The Big Bass Podcast where we take a closer look at some of these bizarre regulations and records!

Mentioned in the show:

https://youtu.be/eItkpvF9Qq8

https://youtu.be/jLbLOP9LYUA

https://youtu.be/KNzmFnd4UFg

https://youtu.be/AYi9Gq_d_Ks

https://youtu.be/twVv8B9z8vk

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

Lake Perris: The Making and Destruction of a Trophy Spot Lake Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

With the success of the Florida Bass experiment conducted in San Diego beginning in the late 1950s and through the early 1970s, California biologists turned to another bass sub-species for one of their new lakes. This new lake, Lake Perris, would be devoid of cover and have drastic water-level changes over the course of a season, not conducive conditions for rearing largemouth. Because of this, the DFG looked to the Alabama spotted bass to fill a niche. Spotted bass were known to spawn in deeper waters than their big-mouthed cousin and didn’t need the cover associated with typical bass waters. They also provided great sport to the angler. In 1973, CADFG started talks with the Alabama Fisheries Department and set up a trade: Florida strain largemouth from California for spotted bass from Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama. By 1974, the lake was stocked with 200 spotted bass from the lake that held the world record. Within five years, this second black bass experiment proved to be on track to set a new world record.

Mentioned in the show:

https://youtu.be/G_cXIShrvJc

https://youtu.be/MxeJKwLHbDg

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

The Mississippi State Record: 18+ POUNDS of Florida Bass! Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of The Big Bass Podcast, Terry and Ken, along with special guest Mike Davis, discuss the Mississippi state record largemouth bass, a record that stands as the fourth largest in the books. The fish, caught by Anthony Denny on Dec. 31, 1992, is another big fish caught from a small lake: the lake at Natchez State Park at just over 200 acres in size.

Denny caught the fish on a Smithwick Rattling Rogue in chrome blue back and broke the record by more than 3 pounds. We talk about this amazing catch as well and about the Mississippi state records from the 1960s.

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

This Man Broke His Own State Record! Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of The Big Bass Podcast, we look at the North Dakota state record largemouth bass: the smallest state record largemouth in all 49 states that have bass.

This story starts in 1953 with the first recognized North Dakota record, a 7-pound, 12-ounce, bass taken from Welk Dam. Nearly 30 years later, an angler by the name of Leon Rixen breaks the record with an 8-pound, 1.5-ounce bass, only to break it again 50 days later! It's a pretty cool story for those of you who are big bass junkies!

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast

Jerry Rago and the BEST Big Bass RATS in the Business Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

Bait designer Jerry Rago joins Ken and Terry once again on this episode of The Big Bass Podcast to dive into the technique of big bass rat fishing from the guy who makes the best rats on the market. Rago has been designing and making his unique baits for more than 30 years.

Mentioned in the show:

https://youtu.be/edcX_TKlKTo

https://ragobaits.com/

For more of The Big Bass Podcast, look for us here:

Website: https://www.thebigbasspodcast.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigbasspodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbasspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbasspodcast

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bigbasspodcast