In bass fishing, anglers are usually grouped into different categories. Some are tournament anglers, and others are fans of the big baits and more along the lines of a trophy hunter, but it's possible to belong to multiple groups and throw big baits in tournament situations. That's Phillip Dutra, a California "Delta Rat" turned pro angler on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit who now lives in Guntersville, Alabama.
Dutra is a big bait fanatic and throws everything from large wake baits to glide baits and has weighed in fish on them during his rookie year in the pro ranks. One of the most important things to him is to have the correct rod for the job while selecting the right line and reel settings to land more fish.
Photo: Jody White
Big Baits on Tour
While just about every professional level tournament is won on bass fishing staples, swimbaits play a role in many big tournaments as more and more pro anglers are using them. But, in most scenarios, even at the local tournament level, many do not associate big baits with tournament wins.
"I think it's a big misconception that big baits are not tournament baits," said Dutra. "They really help me when pre-fishing for tournaments because they show you what lives there, especially in clear water; just getting followers will tell you where the fish are. But, they also account for fish during tournaments, and I've weighed fish during my rookie year with them."
Dutra says big baits are a tool, just like everything else in your boat and that's how he uses them. "It's no different than a frog or a drop-shot; there are times when that's what you need to be throwing," he said. "It's all about the conditions and the mood of the fish. I use swimbaits in many situations, not just when looking for one more big bite."
Swimbaits of All Sizes
As swimbait fishing has evolved, there have become more and more options for using them. Everything from a 2.8-inch bait on a small ball head jig to a monster trout imitator could be considered "swimbait fishing," but Dutra tends to rely on the midsize to large wake baits and glide baits.
"I'll use some of the small Keitech-style swimbaits, but mainly it's hard wake baits like the Toxic Baits Whippersnapper, Wade Hoggs, and rat," said Dutra. "I also use glide baits like the River2Sea S-Waver. I fish all of the Toxic stuff with a straight retrieve back to me over ambush points like logs or over grass. The glide baits are more like a spook or rip bait to me and fish will come farther to get them."
Photo: Jody White
Dutra's Gear Choices
With big heavy baits, the common thought is that it takes a stout rod, big reel and line to fish them effectively. This is partially true, but Dutra's rods of choice are big crankbait rods designed to fish magnum crankbaits.
"One of the most important things for me is having a rod with a parabolic action," he said. "That's the biggest thing for me to ensure that I lose less fish. You also want a longer rod for casting distance and my thoughts are to never go below a 7-foot, 6-inch rod. One reason I love St. Croix rods is that they have a lot of different rod lines and many of them have a parabolic action, which is really important to me."
His all-around big bait rod would be the St. Croix Legend Tournament "Big Cranker," a 7-foot, 10-inch heavy crankbait rod. "It's a solid rod that can do it all," he said. "This is the rod I use for my smaller wake baits and glide baits," shared Dutra. "The parabolic action of the rod is great for big fish on treble hooks. You won't lose nearly as many fish as you would with a fast action rod."
Dutra likes the St. Croix Legend Tournament "Mag Cranker," a 7-foot, 10-inch extra-heavy crankbait rod for the beefy wake baits. "It's stouter and handles those heavy baits very well," he said. "It loads up very nicely and while it has some glass in it, it's not underpowered."
When fishing big baits, Dutra prefers a little stretch in his line and loosens his drag much more than some anglers would consider doing.
"I learned that striper fishing on the Delta that loosening your drag helps land fish," he said. "It takes a little longer to get them in, but you don't lose nearly as many. I fish my wake baits with 20 or 25-pound P-Line PF Original because it has a little stretch; I'll only use braid if I'm casting way back into the tules on the Delta. For baits that I crank below the surface, like glide baits, it's 20-pound P-Line Tactical fluorocarbon."
Fishing big baits is a great way to catch a fish of a lifetime, but they also have a place in the tournament world. Using one when money is on the line can add a crucial fish or kicker and mean the difference between an average finish and a win. Phillip Dutra has learned this while climbing the ranks in tournament fishing and keeps them in his arsenal to this day as a professional angler.
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