![<p>Whenever the Elite Series pros venture to a tournament at a place known for growing giant largemouths, they break out their favorite big bass baits. Some of their lure choices are obviously geared toward the fatties, but others might not be what youâd expect. </p>](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/4m2z1069_1.jpg)
![J. Todd Tucker slams big largemouths with swimbaits in clear water and a chattering jig in stained water.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/1_4.jpg)
![When big, prespawn bass suspend 15 feet deep over submerged grass or trees, Tucker picks them off by slow rolling a 6-inch Osprey swimbait on 25-pound Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2_5.jpg)
![When big bass hug bottom, Tucker gets down to them with a swimbait that sports a large exposed hook and a 1 1/2-ounce internal weight. He lets the swimbait sink to the bottom, reels it up 4 to 5 feet and lets is swim back down on a tight line.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/3_3.jpg)
![In dirty water, Tucker dupes big bass with a chattering jig he claims is made by Custom Bait & Tackle. He dresses the hook with a Berkley Havoc Pit boss trailer and fishes the bait over heavy vegetation with a long, stout rod and 65-pound Spiderwire braid.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/4_5.jpg)
![When Chris Zaldain ventures to a trophy bass lake, he goes loaded for bear.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/5_3.jpg)
![âBig topwater baits always appeal to the biggest bass,â Zaldain says. âThe 9-inch MS Slammer wakebait gets unbelievable strikes.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/6_4.jpg)
![After the spawn, Strike Kingâs KVD Sexy Frog calls up oversized bass for Zaldain from shallow vegetation or when he skips it under docks and overhanging limbs. The Watermelon Green Pumpkin Back pattern does the trick when bass are feeding on bluegills. Zaldain hits the big ones hard with 60-pound Seaguar Kanzen braid.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/7_3.jpg)
![Flippinâ a 3/4-ounce Strike King Hack Attack Jig dressed with a Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub hauls heavy bass out of dense cover for Zaldain on Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/8_4.jpg)
![Greg Vinson sticks to the basics when heâs after big bass.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/9_4.jpg)
![In shallow cover, Vinson scores big with Netbaitâs 3/16-ounce Paca Swim Jig dressed with Netbaitâs Kickinâ B.
âThat combination catches big bass for me all year in my part of the country [Alabama],â Vinson says. âThe Kickinâ B has a great action.â
Seaguar 50-pound Kanzen braid allows Vinson to horse the big ones oiut of dense cover.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/10_5.jpg)
âThat combination catches big bass for me all year in my part of the country [Alabama],â Vinson says. âThe Kickinâ B has a great action.â
Seaguar 50-pound Kanzen braid allows Vinson to horse the big ones oiut of dense cover.
![A 3/4-ounce Netbait Paca Bug Football jig dressed with the original Paca Craw has accounted for many of Vinsonâs biggest deep, summertime bass. He fishes it on 15- to 17-pound Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/11_4.jpg)
![During the postspawn and in early fall, a 1-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait is a great alternative to diving crankbaits, Vinson points out.
âI slow roll it over offshore structure in the 10- to 14-foot range,â Vinson says. âI can fish the heavy spinnerbait close to the bottom and flutter it over brush and logs.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/12_6.jpg)
âI slow roll it over offshore structure in the 10- to 14-foot range,â Vinson says. âI can fish the heavy spinnerbait close to the bottom and flutter it over brush and logs.”
![Randy Howellâs big bass baits arenât necessarily big in size.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/13_4.jpg)
![âThe Senko is the most versatile bait I fish with,â Howell says. âIt catches big bass for me anywhere I go in the country.â
Howell dotes on the green pumpkin purple flake color. He Texas rigs the Senko with a 4/0 offset Easy2Hook round bend. For wacky rigging, he opts for a straight shank 2/0 round bend worm hook.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/14_3.jpg)
Howell dotes on the green pumpkin purple flake color. He Texas rigs the Senko with a 4/0 offset Easy2Hook round bend. For wacky rigging, he opts for a straight shank 2/0 round bend worm hook.
![Itâs no secret that suspending jerkbaits catch lunker bass during the cold-water prespawn phase. This is when Howell ties on Livingston Luresâ Stick Master jerkbait.
âThe Stick Master has minimum wobble, which is great for big fish in cold water,â Howell says. âI fish it on 10-pound Gamma Fluorocarbon.â](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/15_2.jpg)
âThe Stick Master has minimum wobble, which is great for big fish in cold water,â Howell says. âI fish it on 10-pound Gamma Fluorocarbon.â
![Howell has been working with Livingston Lures on the Walking Boss, a broken-back topwater bait that will soon be introduced.
âThe jointed body makes for a lot of sloshing noise,â Howell says.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/16_1.jpg)
âThe jointed body makes for a lot of sloshing noise,â Howell says.
![John Crews relies on baits that he designed when hunting for mega largemouth bass.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/17_1.jpg)
![A Missile Craw in the Super Bug color is Crewsâ go-to bait for digging bass out of heavy cover. He Texas rigs the craw with a 3/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Flippinâ Hook, a 5/16-ounce sinker and 20-pound Vicious Fluorocarbon line.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/18_1.jpg)
![Sproâs deep diving Little John DD gets down 18 feet on 12-pound Vicious Fluorocarbon, Crews claims. He clips it over offshore rockpiles and ledges in the summertime.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/19_1.jpg)
![Missile Baitsâ 8.75-inch Tomahawk has the size and action needed to tempt bites from big bass. Crews rigs it on a homemade 3/8-ounce shaky head jig with a large hook and casts it on 14-pound Vicious Fluorocarbon.](http://develop.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20_1.jpg)