Punching

[Nathan_Hardin1]

Im new to punching, today i went to my local tackle shop and bought some creature baits, 4/0 flipping hooks, and 3/4 ounce flipping weights. i have no idea how thick the grass on Lake Guntersville is this time of the year i have a tournament there in the next couple of weeks, and need to know more about punching. oh ya and i only have a 7'6" mh rod with a 8.1.1 reel on it. is that a heavy enough set up?

[papajoe222]

I couldn't tell you about the state of the weeds at Guntersville, maybe Kent or Jeff can help there.  I punch with a 7ft. MH/Fast rod and it does an adequate job.  My reel is Spooled with 40lb. braid and a lot of guys think that's a bit on the light side, but the combo isn't dedicated to just punching, so the line is a compromise.  If you'll be using bobber stops for pegging the weight, I suggest using two. I switched to pegging and haven't had an issue with the weight slipping on me.  I also started using a snell knot last year and it is without a doubt the best when it comes to hooking up.

[Kevin22]

For 3/4oz that rod should be plenty. Using ROUGH braided line is key, that way it saws through the vegetation. Flip it in and let it fall to bottom on tight line, lift up once and let it drop to the bottom. Lift up higher and let it fall but not to bottom and pause it, shake it and pause it again. Then lift up until you feel the bottom of the mat and shake it, pause, then reel it in and flip again. 

[Airman4754]

8 hours ago, Nathan_Hardin1 said:

Im new to punching, today i went to my local tackle shop and bought some creature baits, 4/0 flipping hooks, and 3/4 ounce flipping weights. i have no idea how thick the grass on Lake Guntersville is this time of the year i have a tournament there in the next couple of weeks, and need to know more about punching. oh ya and i only have a 7'6" mh rod with a 8.1.1 reel on it. is that a heavy enough set up?

A true punch rod will be between 7'6" and 8' with a heavy rating and a moderate action. The heavy is to handle flipping 2oz a hundred times in an hour without your wrists giving out and to muscle fish. The moderate action is so you don't completely rip the hook out of the fish's mouth when you pin it to the top of the mat.

Anything will work in theory, but like with every technique there is specific gear that will reduce fatigue, make it more efficient, and help you put more fish in the boat. 

[Nathan_Hardin1]

I just went out and bought some 65lbs powerpro braid and learned the snell knot. I already have eco pro sinker stops that go inside the sinker, I dont think I need 2 stops. Thanks guys and tight lines!

[Kevin22]

 With 3/4oz your are flipping/pitching, not truly punching (you wouldn't be able to punch through anything thick with 3/4).. So don't think that you need a huge XH rod or anything like that. When you get into the 1oz+ range and july slop, THEN you need the technique specific gear. Until then, your normal flipping/pitching gear will work. Remember to not set the hook until you feel the fish swimming with it. They'll try to rip the rod out of your hands when they hit, you have to pause for a couple seconds or you will miss a ton of fish. Its very similar to frog fishing. 

[iabass8]

59 minutes ago, Kevin22 said:

 With 3/4oz your are flipping/pitching, not truly punching (you wouldn't be able to punch through anything thick with 3/4).. So don't think that you need a huge XH rod or anything like that. When you get into the 1oz+ range and july slop, THEN you need the technique specific gear. Until then, your normal flipping/pitching gear will work. Remember to not set the hook until you feel the fish swimming with it. They'll try to rip the rod out of your hands when they hit, you have to pause for a couple seconds or you will miss a ton of fish. Its very similar to frog fishing. 

You can punch with any size weight. There isn't a rule that X size is punching and <X is not. If 3/8 is light enough to get through some matted grass, then you're punching /w a 3/8 oz weight. I punch matted river grass mats /w a 1/4oz + stick bait in areas I normally use 1/2oz + /w a creature. 

[Kevin22]

Okay. I agree, you could technically punch with 1/16 in duckweed I suppose. But the point of my post was that with such light of a rig you do not need a punching set-up.. Do you agree? Or do you use a long H Parabolic rod with your 1/4oz senkos? I sure don't when I do that on the river. 

[primetime]

Punching is nothing more than making sure your jig or texas rig make it through the cover on the surface and falls to the bottom. Often Fall Rate is the key to getting bit, but you can control the fall rate by controlling the line (I find that tough to do at times) or using a larger skirt, type of trailer etc. Braid is great for cutting weeds, but it is also loud and can also get hung up alot and dig into any wood or certain types of grass. Have some 25lb test leader ready just in case, or you can just pull of 20 yards of braid and use some copoly or fluoro for mainline so you only have one knot and it helps for abrasion resistance...make sure you protect your not with a bead, soft bait button, or extra bobber stop so the weight is not banging it or anything sharp....Tungsten will cut through your line if it lacks an insert or has sharp edges.

Punching a Senko is a great way to get through heavy grass or mats with less weight and still get a fast fall. If it takes me an ounce to punch through a mat with a Punch weight and creature/craw, I can usually put a senko on a weight half the size, maybe even a 1/4 ounce if I use a larger senko and streamlined head like a grass style Jighead with the Line Tie at 90%, the kind most people swim. Good examples of great punch jigs are the Dandy Jigs, AT Punch Jig, and Strike King Hack Attack is a good all around shelf jig for swimming or punching etc...Depends on the type of grass but a few jigs in each weight 1/4,1/2,3/4,1oz and 1.25 is all you really need, and 3/8.

One last tip...Many times during the day especially when the sun is out, the Bass suspend under the mats, and if you hear bluegills popping, try to let your bait fall and then lift it up and pin it against the mat. Once pinned, Shake it, pause, and maybe bang it and let it fall a few feet and repeat..Once you find a pattern, it should hold up for a while..I always try to use the lightest weights possible, but sometimes you think you are getting through but you really are only getting down a few feet. Make sure you know how deep the water is, and put a marker on your line so you know that you are on bottom...From there you can experiment...Different types of skirts slow the fall, rubber vs. Silicone etc. Bulky baits vs. Slim. I rarely go over 1.25 oz, I don't enjoy using anything heavier because it can be tough to hook fish as the bigger weights pop when you set the hook and you miss fish more than you would like. It is early to have to use over an ounce anyhow but sometimes a fast fall in clear deeper water helps. I would make sure you get some Punch Jigs since some days they want a jig over anything else, sometimes a texas rig with small creature (Most common for heavy weights since you need a streamline bait) and get a few punch skirts-some days they won't touch a bait with a punch skirt, some days you almost need it, plus it helps you get lighter weights through without junk on them. Make your own, save money, and you can make them with a little creativity once you see one.

You don't need alot of colors either...Green pumpkin,Brown, Watermelons,blacks...and a shad color...if panfish in area, add some orange or chart...spike it markers save you lots of money...Good luck, setting the hook in heavy cover never get's old, and when in doubt, swing, you never know...Even the best guys swing at times when grass is stuck on the jig, you learn to weight it but sometimes hits are mushy, you feel the double click, or just get hammered...as mentioned, watch your line on the way down, if it jumps it is a fish. I like bright line and I color the ends so I can see the line but the rest is camo...

[Catt]

7 hours ago, Kevin22 said:

 With 3/4oz your are flipping/pitching, not truly punching (you wouldn't be able to punch through anything thick with 3/4).. So don't think that you need a huge XH rod or anything like that. When you get into the 1oz+ range and july slop, THEN you need the technique specific gear. Until then, your normal flipping/pitching gear will work. Remember to not set the hook until you feel the fish swimming with it. They'll try to rip the rod out of your hands when they hit, you have to pause for a couple seconds or you will miss a ton of fish. Its very similar to frog fishing. 

 

During the early 70s on Toledo Bend the Hydrilla started really getting thick and numerous anglers (me included) were basically fishing the matted grass with weightless Texas Rigs & Johnson Weed less spoons, there wasn't many other baits that would work in this thick stuff. At the time I belonged to the Hemphill Bass Club out of the Harbor Light Marina and one of our members started wining back to back tournaments, not just ours but every ones. He was killing us with 15 fish stringers averaging 3 1/2 to 4 lbs. a fish. No one could figure out how he was doing it, we had all seen him on the main lake flats fishing the grass flats like us or so we thought. Finally at a club meeting he revealed what he was doing. Being a diver he had went out to the grass flats & dove under to see what was there, what he found was tunnels, caverns, & caves under the surface matted grass. In of these areas he could see crawfish clinging to the grass stems, they were also filled with schools of bass, mostly large bass. The next question was what bait could get to the bass, the answer was provided by Lonnie Stanley with a ¾ oz. Jig! Who is this angler that jigged his way too many a tournament win as well to the top of B.A.S.S.  Texas Bass Fishing Legend Tommy Martin! 

That was the start of punching Hydrilla on Toledo Bend & we did it with a 3/4 oz jig.

And I promise you if you wait to set hook on these bass you will not land them!

[iabass8]

11 hours ago, Kevin22 said:

Okay. I agree, you could technically punch with 1/16 in duckweed I suppose. But the point of my post was that with such light of a rig you do not need a punching set-up.. Do you agree? Or do you use a long H Parabolic rod with your 1/4oz senkos? I sure don't when I do that on the river. 

Obviously if I'm punching me with a 1 ounce plus wait I'm using I have your rod because im fishing heavy grass. However, a senko with a 1/4 oz weight can be punched with almost any rod. Cover dictates how heavy a rod to use. I actually punch with a 1/4oz-5/16oz weight +stickbait quite a bit on the northern pools in really heavy mats and my punch stick. If fish are holding under eight blades of grass and you only need a 1/16 ounce weight and a medium action rod to get through it, you're still punching. 

[Catt]

Weight selection depends on what type of vegetation you're trying to "punch".

Ya aint getting through those with a 1/4 oz!

[Fish the Mitt]

New to punching. Good info here. Thanks guys (and OP)!!!