Establishing Grass Flippin' Pattern Strategies...

[n8cas4]

I'm curious how some of you develop a grass flippin' pattern.  How do you go about determining the bait profile, rate-of-fall, color, etc. to maximize your catch?  Let's say the grass is mostly milfoil and when I say flippin' I'm also including pitchin'.  

 

I've started with 4 different flip/pitch set-ups (only own 4 rods appropriate for grass flippin'/pitchin') - 2 different profiles, 2 different rate-of-falls.  I go to grass lines that I know I've caught them out of before and just start flippin'/pitchin' to get one in order for that fish to tell me what they want that day and where they are in the grass.  

 

I'm curious, do you go over the same areas of grass repeatedly?  First time through with 1 set-up, then turn around and go through with a different set-up until the fish tell you something?  Do you go through and just flip and pitch the outside edge with all of your set-ups, then come back around and flip the inside or the thick stuff mid-grass line?  

 

After catching just one, do you give up on the other set-ups (different bait profile / rate-of-fall ) or areas of the grass (inside edge / outside edge) in order to more quickly key in to a pattern?  Do you move up slightly after 1 fish to start flippin' with that set-up (maximizing the amount of offerings)?  

 

I'm asking because I'd like to be more efficient with my time when figuring out a grass flip/pitch pattern.  We all know it's not a numbers pattern, and getting those 5 right bites can be frustrating (yet sometimes very rewarding).  Is this a pattern that requires more than 1 day of practice to establish for most?  I'll be honest, I very rarely have an opportunity to pre-fish the day before a tournament.  

[Catt]

Quit flipping the grass & start flipping the structure under it!

[Mike L]

Every tournament I bring a punch rig and a lighter t rig combo. 

The punch rig has a skirt and start with a pegged 3/4 weight with a june bug beaver type bait.

The lighter t rig has a 3/16 free weight and start with a craw, the water will determine what color. 

 

If I catch a fish on the punch rig I'm picking that spot apart within say 20ft of where it was caught. My experience is If there's one, there's more...

 

If just t rigging,  I'll do the same but no where near as much time.

 

If I catch a fish on either one I won't change a thing...It's not that I gave up on anything else its just I try not to chase fish and try not to force feed them. 

If I have no luck after awhile I'll move before I change baits, colors or weight

 

Practice can be helpfull, but only if the info you gained is used the right way. You caught a fish...Great!

You go back the next day and nothing...why. Only they know.

Now you're lost...What do you do/ Where do you go now??

You start talking to youself...

Should I leave and go somewhere else? Ok..Where?

Should I stay and wait them out? Ok.. How long?

Maybe I should use a different bait? Ok what? How long should I use that until I change again?

Maybe the weight is too heavy? Maybe it's too light?

 

See my point? Honestly some of my best days are when I didn't get any practice in..

 

Now all that being said you have to have a plan in a tournament other wise you'll be guessing and junk fishing all day, which is the worst position to be in. 

 

Just go fishing and don't over think it, don't give youself the pressure to succeed. If you do that, chances are you won't..

 

Good Luck

 

 

 

Mike

 

[RichF]

This is one of my favorite ways to fish.  I always fish heavy and fast.  99% of the time, it's a straight reaction bite so I want a fast fall rate and I want to cover as much water as possible.  Practice is always helpful.  It will help you shrink the size of grass beds to small areas you can focus on during the tournament.  I always find that multiple fish tend to be in the same, small little areas.  That's usually because (like @Catt said) there's some kind of structure within the grass.  It could be a rock pile, hard spot, brush pile, hump, or depression.  If you get a bite, I highly recommend fishing that area thoroughly and repeatedly throughout the day.

[n8cas4]

6 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Every tournament I bring a punch rig and a lighter t rig combo. 

The punch rig has a skirt and start with a pegged 3/4 weight with a june bug beaver type bait.

The lighter t rig has a 3/16 free weight and start with a craw, the water will determine what color. 

 

If I catch a fish on the punch rig I'm picking that spot apart within say 20ft of where it was caught. My experience is If there's one, there's more...

 

If just t rigging,  I'll do the same but no where near as much time.

 

If I catch a fish on either one I won't change a thing...It's not that I gave up on anything else its just I try not to chase fish and try not to force feed them. 

If I have no luck after awhile I'll move before I change baits, colors or weight

 

Practice can be helpfull, but only if the info you gained is used the right way. You caught a fish...Great!

You go back the next day and nothing...why. Only they know.

Now you're lost...What do you do/ Where do you go now??

You start talking to youself...

Should I leave and go somewhere else? Ok..Where?

Should I stay and wait them out? Ok.. How long?

Maybe I should use a different bait? Ok what? How long should I use that until I change again?

Maybe the weight is too heavy? Maybe it's too light?

 

See my point? Honestly some of my best days are when I didn't get any practice in..

 

Now all that being said you have to have a plan in a tournament other wise you'll be guessing and junk fishing all day, which is the worst position to be in. 

 

Just go fishing and don't over think it, don't give youself the pressure to succeed. If you do that, chances are you won't..

 

Good Luck

 

 

 

Mike

 

Thanks, Mike. That was helpful!

4 minutes ago, RichF said:

This is one of my favorite ways to fish.  I always fish heavy and fast.  99% of the time, it's a straight reaction bite so I want a fast fall rate and I want to cover as much water as possible.  Practice is always helpful.  It will help you shrink the size of grass beds to small areas you can focus on during the tournament.  I always find that multiple fish tend to be in the same, small little areas.  That's usually because (like @Catt said) there's some kind of structure within the grass.  It could be a rock pile, hard spot, brush pile, hump, or depression.  If you get a bite, I highly recommend fishing that area thoroughly and repeatedly throughout the day.

Thanks for the reply !  I enjoy fishing this way, too. Just wanted to hear some strategies for getting more bites and figuring out a pattern. But, maybe many of the times it ends up being a spot (or spots) bite rather than a pattern bite. Thanks again

[Catt]

I am amazed at the number of what I consider accomplished anglers who are having problems fishing jigs in grass.

 

During the early 70s the Hydrilla/Milfoil/Coontail Moss on many southern lake started really getting thick so you either learned to fish grass or learned to enjoy getting skunked. Jigs with craw worm trailers were invented and techniques refined to effectively fish for bass in grass.

 

Here are a few tips that may help with your next encounter with grass & bass.

Start at the "outer" weed/grass line which by the way is not the well defined wall where the matted weed/grass stops. The "outer" weed/grass line can be located 15 to 25 yds away from the mat itself and can be found with your electronics.

 

When making a cast, pitch or flip keep your jig at a "near vertical presentation"; the less vertical your cast, pitch or flip the more you actually have work not only your jig through the grass but your line also.

 

Main objective is to keep that jig in contact with the bottom at all times, something most anglers fishing grass fail to do. When faced with weeds many anglers opt for the lightest weight possible; I go the exact opposite using at least a 3/8 oz shaking my rod tip forcing the jig through the grass. When bass are located in grass they are not on top of the grass but buried up inside the grass; they will move to the outer edges or make a quick run to the surface to feed. Yes it's extremely aggravating trying to get bait through the grass but the payoff is larger than average bass.

 

Follow the contour of this "outer" weed/grass line casting parallel and progressively work your way up to the matted grass. Once you come in contact with bass drop a buoy, drop anchor, mark a GPS and work this area in an ever growng circle.

[n8cas4]

Thanks, Catt

[PaFrogThrower9]

I always have threes rods rigged up when fishing grass or grass mats. A rod with a swim jig for the edges, a frog or mouse for the top, and punch weight with either a Texas rigged senko or creature bait. Start on the top, then the edges, then punch it. Figure out what's working best and go from there.

[sully420]

For me its all bought what depth the matt or grass is in and where those fish are holding in. Im my experience the bass will hold in depths that range +/- 5', for example if I'm catching bass at 10 feet I'll focus on depths 5 to 15 ft deep and then narrow it down from there. The second consideration is the structure under the mat as cat alluded to if you can find Shell beds hard bottom or deep water flowing in to a shallow grass eBay that's where I start. Then I consider looking for isolated cover or areas where say Lily Pad and millfoil Matt's meat. If I'm unfamiliar with the body of water I may start just punching a creature bait just to get bit then I go right to a skirted punch rig. I'm a big believer in big baits for punching. The final Factor is assessing what kind of bite you're getting if they're hitting it on the fall just use 3/4 or higher and just work efficiently and just fish the fall. Once the water temperature drops to around 65 to 55 degrees I work the Jig off the bottom in a slow rise swimming falling motion.

[n8cas4]

Thanks!

I want to stick to the flippin' pattern and determining what to flip.... I know my high yield spots on my lakes where there's rock mixed in or an isolated patch, etc.  great responses so far. Thx. 

[Catt]

One of the biggest mistakes anglers who are new to fishing grass make is assuming t-rigs & jigs interchangeable or thinking one is better suited for fishing grass.

 

The hottest thing going right now is punching grass with specialized Texas Rigs, grass fishing veterans have been punching grass with jigs decades now. Many anglers will tell you a "punch" rig is easier to work through grass than a jig but I don't find a jig any harder.

 

Many anglers think a silent approach when fishing jigs in grass is the proper approach; by that I mean they want the jig to fall quietly through the grass and come through the grass cleanly. My approach is to be noisy, that is I want my jig to cause a disturbance by moving grass as it falls and when its coming though the grass.

I think of it like this, unless the bass is facing your jig as it enters the grass with the silent approach your jig will likely go unnoticed but create a little commotion and that bass will not only notice your jig but turn and swim towards your jig.

[Catt]

The grass you can see will tell you a lot. Any area that is thin or looks like a trail has been worn through it could be a slight depression. It can mark a ditch or a bottom contour change of any kind. Start there and work your way in and out.

A glance at the land on shore will also give you clues as to what is under it. Look at the points and depressions and follow them out under the grass.

[n8cas4]

Thanks for all the replies