Joe Ahrens of San Diego, California claimed the latest in his double-digit bass catches with a 14.80 largemouth caught at Mirimar Lake last week. Photos: Courtesy of Ahrens
On Monday, February 27th, Joe Ahrens caught a 14.80 largemouth on Lake Miramar. The fish was weighed on the lake’s official scale and fell for a 10-inch, trout-imitation, soft swimbait.
This is not the first teener Ahrens has landed. He has two 13-pound, 6-ounce fish to his credit. Both came from Miramar – one in 2015 and one in 2016.
One of the strategies that Ahrens uses to target giant largemouth is to fish on the days with the worst weather conditions.
MIRAMAR LAKE CONDITIONS
Working in construction, rainy days mean no work and this was the case on February 27th. “I had a work meeting in the morning and then went to the lake and it was raining sideways,” he said. “The rain was loud as it hit the water.”
He described the wind blowing sideways. “I was the only boat on the lake,” he recalled and added that this is crucial for a clear lake like Miramar. “The water is crystal clear and those big bass have giant eyes and great senses. You need some wind, rain or muddy water to get them to bite. When it is calm they will just follow the bait”
Even with the windy and rainy conditions, stealth was key in landing this monster bass. “I eased in and let the wind blow my boat into the tules and made the cast right where I wanted it. It bit on my second cast,” he said.
This was his first large fish for the year after already logging over 100 hours this season.
FISHING GEAR FOR TROPHY BASS | DOBYNS/DAIWA COMBO
His gear selection for successfully landing large bass is developed through trial and error, with stories of lost fish. His setup is a Dobyns 908 swimbait rod, Daiwa Lexa 400 and 30-pound Izorline CXX.
“I know I would get more bites with lighter line or with fluorocarbon; but I have failed at landing them many times with lighter line,” said Ahrens.
Ahrens is not a dedicated swimbait angler throughout the year. He specifically times his swimbait outings when he believes the bait will be most productive.
“I only throw the swimbait when they are stocking trout and then I put my swimbait gear up,” he said. “The winter up until around the Fred Hall Show (early March) is the window.”
Throughout the seasons, Ahrens will use everything from a dropshot rig to swimbaits. “I have caught more 10-pounders on worms than swimbaits and just fish with what is working that time of year.”
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