Actually that is a 7" Slammer, the fish wasn't that big. There are many here more proficient/experienced at throwing the big wood but here are a couple of things I keep in mind while casting over & over & over.....
Try to cast over so you can bring the bait back by ambush points which can be any type of structure especially main lake points but don't overlook the small stuff.
Try various retrieves, most of my fish have come just slow rolling the bait right on or just under the surface but mix it up & pay attention to what you are doing so you can duplicate it to draw more strikes.
Time on the water seems to be the real key to success with the big stuff, just keep at it.

Lots of great info gets thrown around on the trophy board of this site, keep an eye over there.

Josh