Gary Engberg Outdoors

Cuttin the Grass for Bass by Colby Simms 11-30-09

gengberg November 30th, 2009

CUTTIN THE GRASS FOR BASS
Chop up the Weeds for more Big Bass
By: Colby Simms with Ray Simms & Jim Lyle
Photos by: the Simms Outdoors Team

www.SimmsOutdoors.com

Throughout all of the warm water season, bass can be found utilizing aquatic vegetation in every body of water where it’s present. Most waters have at least one type of vegetation, while many of them have numerous types. Even the few bodies of water than don’t have any aquatic weeds or grasses growing in the lake, will experience times when the bass population will inhabit flooded vegetation, when the lake level rises above normal. Various grasses and weeds are tremendous places for bass to hold and feed. They provide security from other predators, shade from the sun, and an ambush point from which to attack baitfish and other prey items. Vegetation also produces oxygen when it’s warm and sunny, and bass, as well as their prey, find the higher oxygen levels attractive too.

*Prime Grassy Locations

Bass will use large weed beds and can be found spread across these beds when actively feeding. Large, thick weed beds that cover significant areas are usually associated with flats, and bass love these structures in spring, summer and fall, when they have plenty of weeds or grass on them. The best shallow weed beds are those that have large areas where the weeds come to within a few feet to a few inches of the surface, but have some spots of matted vegetation that come to the surface here and there. The best deeper weed beds are also irregular ones, those that have vegetation reaching various depth levels. Sharp weed edges on breaklines that drop off from the shallows to deep water are also hot locations for big bass. Irregular shoreline banks with various kinds of cover on them like rock and wood are also highly attractive if they also have clumps and patches of weeds or grasses. Weedy points, both primary and secondary, are also hot fishing spots for big bass relating to this tremendous cover.

*Presentation & Lure Selection

Spinnerbaits, and particularly long arm safety pin style spinnerbaits, have long been known as producers of trophy class largemouth and smallmouth bass, and they are highly effective when worked in, through and around vegetation. The flash and vibration of the blades on a spinnerbait closely mimic a bass’ preferred prey, baitfish species like shad, perch, herring and shiners. Spinnerbaits are very snag resistant thanks to their single hook, and the wire arm extending from the head of the bait. Some spinnerbait blades are better for working through vegetation than others, but a highly effective and under used new blade, is absolutely dynamite for bass in the grass, and it’s called the hatchet blade. Hatchet blades are completely unlike any other kind of blade in existence, and they haven’t been around nearly as long as most of the other blade styles. Hatchet blades have a unique curved design to the outer edge which swings down to a sharp point on one side of the end of the blade. Hatchet blades outperform other blades when fished through vegetation, and chop their way right through weeds and grass to trigger violent strikes from big bass.

The Hatchet Spin Spinnerbaits feature either single hatchet blades, or double hatchet blades in a counter rotating design. These red hot new spinnerbaits are deadly on all species of bass, as well as other fish, in most situations, but they really outshine the rest in weeds and grasses. Ty Williams is a guide and tournament angler. He states “The Big’un Bass Spinnerbaits from Simms Sport Fishing Tackle (www.SimmsOutdoors.com) are my go to lures to put both numbers of bass and big fish in the boat consistently, and my clients and I catch more and bigger fish on em than any other lures.” Ty continues “The new Big’un Hatchet Spin Spinnerbaits are my favorites to fish in the weeds, and they seem to come through a lot easier than others. I also like to use the Hatchet Spins when the spinnerbait bite starts to slow down, as the fish will usually still hammer them hard, when other spinnerbaits and other kinds of lures stop producing.” Continue Reading »