Punching?

[papajoe222]

This is something I'm going to need to learn and quickly.  My local lake is being choked by hydrilla and coontail and it won't be long before the weeds are matted on the surface.

I understand the basic rigging. My question is how to work the rig. Do you cast it, pitch it, or flip it? Once it gets through the surface mat, how is it worked? My understanding is after working it on the bottom, you can draw it up under the layer of weeds at the top and 'reverse jig it' bumping it into the underside of the weed cover.

Am I correct in my assumption?  If not, or if you have anything to add, please chime in.  There are other waters I could fish, but I look at this as a challenge that I plan on coming out on top of.

[Bluebasser86]

Pitch it into the holes in the weeds and let it hit bottom. It's like anything else, you'll have to mess with retrieve until you find what they want. Some days you have to deadstick it, others it will never hit bottom, some days they'll eat it right as you're giving up and going to pull it back out of the weeds. 

[RoLo]

Your assumption is correct Joe. It really doesn’t matter whether you pitch or flip,

because the underwater weed caverns cannot be seen from the boat. Most bass lie in the heaviest shade

of the weedbed, which is the myriad of shady nooks on the underside of the canopy.

Even so, I always wait for the punch rig to make bottom contact. There are 2 reasons for this:

>>  Even though there might be less shade on the bottom, some bass are bottom-huggers

            and those are often the biggest bass.

>>  Bass lying at the underside of the plant crown will often follow the bait down to the bottom without striking,

            where a bounce or two might coax a strike.

 

Most strikes occur during the "vertical freefall" to the bottom. On days when bass are especially active,

soft pumping in midwater around the the underside of the plant canopy can be very effective.

Punch weights can vary from 3/4 oz to 1-1/2 oz  or more, depending on the plant species and density of growth.

In Florida's weedy lakes, the weight I use the most is 1-1/4 oz. In my opinion it’s better to be overweighted

than underweighted. Aside from better weed penetration, a faster sink rate tends to trigger more strikes on impulse.

 

On a final note, a common mistake made by anglers is to punch close to the weedline

without punching the inner mat. In an expansive weedbed, bass will lie a long cast away from the nearest weedline.

That is to say, you're still using short pitches and a vertical delivery, but your boat may be 25 yd inside the weedline.

 

Roger

[Catt]

With hydrilla ya gonna have to think vertical!

Hydrilla has thicker stalks/stems than coontail, plus it is attached to the bottom, & surface mat is denser. The farther your presentation is from the boat the more grass you will have to pull the bass through.

While many anglers opt for Punch Rigs. DO NOT overlook a quality grass jig. I find Terry Oldham's Eye Max jigs the most effective grass jig made. Terry fishes matted hydrilla, milfoil, & coontail so his jigs are specifically designed for that purpose. They are available in 3/4, 1, & 1 1/4 oz & have a 5/0 Siwash Salmon hook which will not flex under any pressure.

[hatrix]

Grass master jigs have worked ok for me.

[FloridaBasser1]

Heres some Pro advice from Scott Martin. He's one of my favorite bass pros, and he specializes in punching/flipping.

[Mike L]

Your assumption is correct Joe. It really doesn’t matter whether you pitch or flip,

because the underwater weed caverns cannot be seen from the boat. Most bass lie in the heaviest shade

of the weedbed, which is the myriad of shady nooks on the underside of the canopy.

Even so, I always wait for the punch rig to make bottom contact. There are 2 reasons for this:

>>  Even though there might be less shade on the bottom, some bass are bottom-huggers

            and those are often the biggest bass.

>>  Bass lying at the underside of the plant crown will often follow the bait down to the bottom without striking,

            where a bounce or two might coax a strike.

 

Most strikes occur during the "vertical freefall" to the bottom. On days when bass are especially active,

soft pumping in midwater around the the underside of the plant canopy can be very effective.

Punch weights can vary from 3/4 oz to 1-1/2 oz  or more, depending on the plant species and density of growth.

In Florida's weedy lakes, the weight I use the most is 1-1/4 oz. In my opinion it’s better to be overweighted

than underweighted. Aside from better weed penetration, a faster sink rate tends to trigger more strikes on impulse.

 

On a final note, a common mistake made by anglers is to punch close to the weedline

without punching the inner mat. In an expansive weedbed, bass will lie a long cast away from the nearest weedline.

That is to say, you're still using short pitches and a vertical delivery, but your boat may be 25 yd inside the weedline.

 

Roger

 

 

With hydrilla ya gonna have to think vertical!

Hydrilla has thicker stalks/stems than coontail, plus it is attached to the bottom, & surface mat is denser. The farther your presentation is from the boat the more grass you will have to pull the bass through.

While many anglers opt for Punch Rigs. DO NOT overlook a quality grass jig. I find Terry Oldham's Eye Max jigs the most effective grass jig made. Terry fishes matted hydrilla, milfoil, & coontail so his jigs are specifically designed for that purpose. They are available in 3/4, 1, & 1 1/4 oz & have a 5/0 Siwash Salmon hook which will not flex under any pressure.

 

Joe....

Read these again, Excellent advise.

 

*The only thing I can add, is this presentation is the definition of the "Florida Rig"

 Be sure to peg the weight. You can use any method you like

 

*When making a vertical presentation by pitching or casting I allways let out an extra foot or so of line before engaging the reel.

 When flipping as you know, your reel is already engaged but you're up close enough so giving extra line isn't neccessary.

 

*Start fishing a solid matt from the front to the back

 

*Use a stubby type bait like a beaver instead of a long skinny one such as a 10" ribbon tail worm

 

*Use heavy equipment and line IMHO min 50# braid, down here it's min 60# or go do something else

 

*And one very important point...When you get bit and set, GET IT'S HEAD UP Quick!

Don't try to finesse her in, Drag her across the top...Trust me on this.

 

 

Good Luck

 

Mike

[Catt]

Ya right Mike!

This is Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing

[papajoe222]

Do you guys choose the weight of the punch rig or jig by how thick the canopy is, or how deep the water beneath it is?

[Catt]

Canopy

[FloridaBasser1]

Again, Scott Martin Pro Advice 

[Catt]

The whole key to punching is to get your lure through the canopy hence the name, once through the canopy any weight will carry your to the bottom.

Something most anglers who are new to fishing matted grass do not consider & what most "Pro" videos do not even mention is what the structure below the grass is.

Another consideration is the body of water, punching the shallow waters of Florida's (marshes) lakes aint the same as punching deep Texas Reservoirs.

[topwaterrob]

Do you guys choose the weight of the punch rig or jig by how thick the canopy is, or how deep the water beneath it is?

I use the smallest weight possible to get the bait through and down.  Tossing a 1.5oz rig for a few hours will light up your forearm...

[papajoe222]

So I was out today giving a modified punch rig a work out. The heaviest tungsten weight I have is 1/2oz., so I piggy backed a 1/4oz. atop it. My bait of choice was a RageTail Menace. I was surprised to discover the fall rate was slower than I expected. Although I didn't catch anything in the two hours I was experimenting, I did get a good feel for the rig, which to me is very important. Thanks to all for your assistance.

[Catt]

Punching is one technique where your ratio of cast to bites will test your patience! You may work 70 yds or 700 yds to locate fish but when you do hang on!

The mistake many angler make is once they catch a fish they move on never making a repeat cast. Once you get bite quickly kick or toss a buoy marker over board, fish in grass flats tend to school up so when you catch one there is usually more. Circle the buoy increasing the distance working the area slowly, I once caught nine 6 lb + bass from a area the size of your living room.

[Mike L]

I use the smallest weight possible to get the bait through and down.  Tossing a 1.5oz rig for a few hours will light up your forearm...

Sometimes useing the "smallest weight possible to get the bait through and down" isn't the be all end all when punching, as we've been led to believe useing a T rig in normal circumstances.

When punching sometimes a fast fall will get bit instead of a slow fluttering fall. You have to keep in mind that punching through a thick matt is to me anyway, the definition of hand to hand combat in the fishing world.

As Catt calls it "Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing"

You are up close and personal, sometimes just feet away from a fishes house who you can't see and who can't see you.

But what he can do is feel you coming and feel that weight crashing through his roof. When that happens it's like you're in your kitchen eating a sandwich and you hear something come crashing through your bedroom...You're gonna get up and check it out!

Just because I'm through a matt doesn't necessarily mean that I chose right in my selection of a weight. Thats why I start at 1oz and go from there, if it's needed to get through or not.

Will it tire you out and make your muscles burn? Sometimes yes.

That's also why it's imperative that you have a perfectly balanced combo.

Probably more important than in any other type of presentation.

When that happens I'll either pick up another rod, turn around and throw something else for a bit, or take a pill and keep going

Mike

[J Francho]

Whatever gets it through…

https://youtu.be/RYIs_xkhgEY

[Shanes7614]

Sometimes useing the "smallest weight possible to get the bait through and down" isn't the be all end all when punching, as we've been led to believe useing a T rig in normal circumstances.

When punching sometimes a fast fall will get bit instead of a slow fluttering fall. You have to keep in mind that punching through a thick matt is to me anyway, the definition of hand to hand combat in the fishing world.

As Catt calls it "Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing"

You are up close and personal, sometimes just feet away from a fishes house who you can't see and who can't see you.

But what he can do is feel you coming and feel that weight crashing through his roof. When that happens it's like you're in your kitchen eating a sandwich and you hear something come crashing through your bedroom...You're gonna get up and check it out!

Just because I'm through a matt doesn't necessarily mean that I chose right in my selection of a weight. Thats why I start at 1oz and go from there, if it's needed to get through or not.

Will it tire you out and make your muscles burn? Sometimes yes.

That's also why it's imperative that you have a perfectly balanced combo.

Probably more important than in any other type of presentation.

When that happens I'll either pick up another rod, turn around and throw something else for a bit, or take a pill and keep going

Mike

Or take a pill and keep going.... Lololol

[zeth]

Pitch it into the holes in the weeds and let it hit bottom. It's like anything else, you'll have to mess with retrieve until you find what they want. Some days you have to deadstick it, others it will never hit bottom, some days they'll eat it right as you're giving up and going to pull it back out of the weeds. 

Go get yourself some 1-2 oz. tungsten weights. It wil help greatly. Flip vs pitch depends on how far way from cover water clarity etc. Sometimes you have to flip your bait up into the air to give it enough speed to puch through the mats. FYI Blackdog Baits Fake fish work excellent for punching.

[Bluebasser86]

Go get yourself some 1-2 oz. tungsten weights. It wil help greatly. Flip vs pitch depends on how far way from cover water clarity etc. Sometimes you have to flip your bait up into the air to give it enough speed to puch through the mats. FYI Blackdog Baits Fake fish work excellent for punching.

We don't have any weeds thick enough to warrant a 1oz weight and my wife would kill me if she found out I spent $10 on a sinker. Most of the vegetation I fish a 3/8 or 1/2oz is plenty.