Swimmin' Grub

[Josh Bassman]

I was out on the lake this weekend, and the weather turned on me. For the last week, it was nice and sunny... And then came the cool windy weather.

Nothing seemed to work. The bass were holding very close to wood. And then I tried something I saw on in-fisherman. They called it the smallest swimbait... a grub. I never fished with one before, but I had some Zoom Fat Albert curl tails in my box. They worked great on a 1/4oz. ball head jig.

I reeled very slow through trees and willows, and I did pretty good for the conditions.

Give them a try. Does anyone else use these? What is the best conditions and patterns?

[K_Mac]

Until the Senko came along it was my "secret weapon." A 3" or 5" curly tail grub on a 1/8 or 1/4 oz darter jig has caught me a lot of fish. I saw the episode you mention and promptly went out and purchased 2 bags of 4" grubs. : I will try them tomorrow, and report back.

It is a very versatile bait. You can swim it like they were doing on In-Fisherman, bounce it slowly on the bottom, or some combination of the two. Pitching to standing timber and letting it fall straight down is another way of working it. I have caught fish on grubs in all seasons.

[RandySBreth]

Here in the Ozarks almost everyone knows about swimming a grub through the timber for bass, so it's not a secret bait.

The pea gravel banks near the Dam on Table Rock turn out big Smallies every year, most of which are caught on slowly swam grubs.

[RoLo]

I was out on the lake this weekend, and the weather turned on me. For the last week, it was nice and sunny... And then came the cool windy weather.

Nothing seemed to work. The bass were holding very close to wood. And then I tried something I saw on in-fisherman. They called it the smallest swimbait... a grub. I never fished with one before, but I had some Zoom Fat Albert curl tails in my box. They worked great on a 1/4oz. ball head jig.

I reeled very slow through trees and willows, and I did pretty good for the conditions.

Give them a try. Does anyone else use these? What is the best conditions and patterns?

Amazing!

Last Sunday we had a day that was a carbon-copy of your day, but about 1000 miles east of you

We were fishing the lead edge of a cold-front, and until I found a pattern, we were coming up empty.

The bass were holding tight to spikerush drifts (inside actually), and though we ended up having

a very good day, one lure was responsible for ALL the action:

Kalin 5.0" Lunker Grub (watermelonseed) on an Owner 1/4oz Bullet Type-Z Head (medium steady retrieve)

I must confess though, I've seen this pattern many times before

Roger

[Josh Bassman]

The funny thing is that bag of grubs had been in my tacklebox untouched for at least two years. I never tried them, but after last Sunday I'll be working them every chance I get.

[RoLo]

The funny thing is that bag of grubs had been in my tacklebox untouched for at least two years. I never tried them, but after last Sunday I'll be working them every chance I get.

Right before you pull up to the wiegh-in station,

be sure to tie a Senko on the line ;D

Roger

[Blue Streak]

I am sure that is done at least once a day.

[247bassin]

I have caught a lot of fish deep with 3/8 and 1/2 ounce darter heads and a BPS 4 and 5" grubs...

[BassThumb]

These seem to have been forgotten in the recent waves of fancy new plastics, but they still catch fish as well as ever. Maybe even better now that the fish rarely see them.

3-5" curly tail grubs on 1/8-1/4 oz mushroom heads have always been a solid producer for me. Watermelonseed and smoke with red/copper/gold or silver flakes are my favorites.

Plus, they give you an excuse to break out the lighter spinning tackle for a good battle!

[K_Mac]

I said I would report back after fishing today. Based on today's fishing, grubs do not work. : Replace them with chatterbaits.

[FishinTN]

I use them on Ky lake in late winter/early spring when the water is below 60. They work nearly all the time, but I just like using other baits after the water warms.

Last year, me and my had a few days in feb/mar that was 100-150 little ones per day. Lots of fun.

[Josh Bassman]

Thanks RoLo, I'll give the Kalin 5.0" Lunker Grub and it's little brother a try.

[moby bass]

I love grubs on jig heads. 3" pearl ones look alot like a minnow swimming.  Unfortunately, i didn't have any luck with any grubs this past weekend. I must not have been where the fish were.