You CAN catch your big bass. It is really not difficult during the cooler Florida months. However, nothing is so easy that it doesn't take a bit of knowledge and effort, with the former being the key ingredient. Lack of 'attitude adjustment' is usually one of the primary reasons new shiner anglers fail in their trophy bass quest. With live bait, we attempt to select the proper location, position ourselves in the most advantageous manner, and fish in an unhurried and methodical manner.
Patience can be a virtue.
The ideal location for using shiners for trophy bass has three very distinct characteristics. Second, we must look for the heaviest, healthiest cover available. Big bass love thick cover, but the vegetation must also be alive and producing oxygen. This is required in order to attract the smaller life-forms of the food chain and, therefore, the larger creatures upon which the big bass may feed. And, finally, the location should ideally have a clean, hard bottom.