Random thoughts while driving

[Catt]

The 2 hour drive from the house to the camp leaves amply opportunity for many a random thought to enter this ole Catt's brain.

#1: I'm amazed at the number of responses about picking grass from a Texas Rig or Jig-N-Craw while at the same time the top suggested technique is ripping a Trap through grass.

Y'all will spend more time picking grass from a trap than you ever will from a Texas Rig or Jig-N-Craw!

#2: When talking buzz baits no one ever mentions the importance of blade configuration or head design.

Blade configuration & head design is responsible for more bass than skirt color or name brand!

#3: Back to the grass! Fact more bass are caught fishing the bottom under the grass than buzzing something on top. While visually exciting top water fishing in grass produces far less numbers and size than working the bottom.

[Ellesar]

The 2 hour drive from the house to the camp leaves amply opportunity for many a random thought to enter this ole Catt's brain.

#1: I'm amazed at the number of responses about picking grass from a Texas Rig or Jig-N-Craw while at the same time the top suggested technique is ripping a Trap through grass.

Y'all will spend more time picking grass from a trap than you ever will from a Texas Rig or Jig-N-Craw!

#2: When talking buzz baits no one ever mentions the importance of blade configuration or head design.

Blade configuration & head design is responsible for more bass than skirt color or name brand!

#3: Back to the grass! Fact more bass are caught fishing the bottom under the grass than buzzing something on top. While visually exciting top water fishing in grass produces far less numbers and size than working the bottom.

I don't necessarily think #3 is true. When they are schooling on top in the grass, you won't catch more going deep in the grass. I actually tried this last night while they were schooling. I tried a variety of different lure types to see what worked and what didn't. Topwater baits FAR exceeded the others in numbers of fish caught. I ran a variety of worms through the school and caught a few fish. Then I threw a pop-r into it and caught fish on every cast.

I think it depends on the circumstances as to what works best.

[Catt]

On the average bottom fishing grass will out produce all other grass techniques period

Schooling bass is not average

[Ellesar]

On the average bottom fishing grass will out produce all other grass techniques period

Schooling bass is not average

It's getting to be that way on Guntersville... I rarely have a hard time finding schooling bass during the summer.  

[WRB]

Smaller bass, those under 2 lbs will hit anything, anytime anywhere. Adult size bass can be caught nearly on nearly anything during the spring when they are in shallow water. To catch adult size bass over 4 lbs, the percentages are far better, IMO, if you use; live bait like shiners and crawdads, plastic worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits running on or near the bottom.

Yes top water lures work at certain times, just not consistently.

I have gone to a double buzzer most of the time, slower and more water spray seems to get better action.

Grass or weeds on lures with treble hooks tends to kill the vibration of the lure and always clean my worms or jigs between cast if needed.

Keep your eye on the road Catt, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

WRB

[Ellesar]

Smaller bass, those under 2 lbs will hit anything, anytime anywhere. Adult size bass can be caught nearly on nearly anything during the spring when they are in shallow water. To catch adult size bass over 4 lbs, the percentages are far better, IMO, if you use; live bait like shiners and crawdads, plastic worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits running on or near the bottom.

Yes top water lures work at certain times, just not consistently.

I have gone to a double buzzer most of the time, slower and more water spray seems to get better action.

Grass or weeds on lures with treble hooks tends to kill the vibration of the lure and always clean my worms or jigs between cast if needed.

Keep your eye on the road Catt, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

WRB

Oh I agree the bigger bass are more likely to be found deeper. But that's not what was said. I can catch 2-3lb bass on top on just about any day during the summer.

[cart7t]

...

#3: Back to the grass! In my opinion, more bass are caught fishing the bottom under the grass than buzzing something on top. While visually exciting top water fishing in grass produces far less numbers and size than working the bottom.

fixed it for ya.  

[Catt]

...

#3: Back to the grass! In my opinion, more bass are caught fishing the bottom under the grass than buzzing something on top. While visually exciting top water fishing in grass produces far less numbers and size than working the bottom.

fixed it for ya.

No that's your opinion which doesn't change the fact more & larger bass are caught Flipping/Pitching matted grass than any top water technique period.

[J Francho]

That's an observation I share as well.  Good stuff to ponder Catt.

[roadwarrior]

Hey!

"In my opinion..." is redundant. Most posts on this forum are

someone's opinion! Gray is just a darker shade of white or a

lighter shade of black.

-Kent

 :

[bigtimfish]

As much as I don't like jigs (mainly because i suck at it) I do believe more and definatley larger fish are caught with them( in the daytime). At night, i don't know.

[flechero]

Gray is just a darker shade of white or a

lighter shade of black.

Hmm... what are you, an investment banker? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[J Francho]

That's an observation I share as well. Good stuff to ponder Catt.

Then I went and caught the second biggest bass this year on a frog.  Over thick grass.  In the middle of the day.  I know nothing...

[Big Mike in Fl]

I think this may be a more regional thing, this past weekend, fishing grassy area with pads, we consistantly caught fish on topwater, as well as senkos, however t-rigged worms and jigs didn't produce well. I tend to believe here in florida,and the areas I fish are always shallow enough that topwater vs. bottom isn't the debate, its slow vs.fast presentations.

that being said, my topwater plugs were consistantly catching larger fish than the senkos, I believe because of the noise factor and the agressive striking fo the bigger females

my biggest bass of my life (7-11 lbs) have come on:

-Spooks (or other topwater plugs) around 10 fish accounted for

-Spro frogs, a couple

-clacking buzz baits, again, a couple bigger fish

-Tiki stick, my biggest bass ever, around 11lbs (my avatar fish)

-t-rigged weightless ribbon tail (caught one a few years ago about 8lbs this way)

I've never caught monster fish flipping, working t-rigs or carolina rigs. I would say that my fishing is probably 60% topwater, 30% underwater tactics, and 10% flipping/pitching. but this is because i can constantly catch fish, and decent sized fish, this way. again, I believe its a regional thing.

EDIT: CATT, I thuroughly enjoy reading your posts, and you are a wealth of information, therefore, I am most certainly not trying to argue the point, but rather give you an alternative theory, from a florida guy.

[smdono]

I will certainly agree with the regional argument.  I love to fish topwater but for me up here in NJ , the topwater bite can be great but also can be nowhere to be found.  I have found that fishing grass deep has certainly produced better numbers.  I would be interested to see what any other northern guys have to say.

[Catt]

No one is implying top water lures over grass does not produce because they do but the clear advantage for numbers and size goes to Flipping/Pitching Jigs or Plastics.

A quick look through the annuals of tournaments records and state big bass records will verify which technique is most productive.  

[cart7t]

...

#3: Back to the grass! In my opinion, more bass are caught fishing the bottom under the grass than buzzing something on top. While visually exciting top water fishing in grass produces far less numbers and size than working the bottom.

fixed it for ya.

No that's your opinion which doesn't change the fact more & larger bass are caught Flipping/Pitching matted grass than any top water technique period.

But you're the one making the statement as fact when it's completely dependant on what type of grass and where you're at geographically in the country.

I can tell you in my area that that statement isn't true.  In fact, I would inform most anglers fishing grass to look for openings in matted grass or fish the outside edges.  Furthermore,  I would also suggest fishing a topwater type lure in order to buy a strike to reveal the location of fish within matted areas and follow up with something to penetrate the grass once it's location is found.  To actually flip/pitch an entire matted grass bed looking for individual fish is quite time consuming.  

[CWB]

Speaking just for myself. I have found that frog fishing and buzzbaiting produces better overall size of bass than any other techniques. Depends on the body water you fish. JMHO

[bass wrangler569]

Catt, I agree with about 98% of everything you say, but I really can't agree with you on #3. I'm sure on the lakes you're fishing that #3 is probably true, but some of the lakes that I fish tell a different story. My home lake is absolutely chock full of grass sitting in 8-12ft of water, and all of my big bass have been on frogs. In fact, out of the dozen or so bass that I've had on frogs there this week, only two of them have been under 3lbs, with most of them being in the 3.5-5lb range. Bass that size may not be huge in texas but up here those are quality fish. I have caught some big bass on jigs and on t-rigged paca craws but frogs produce far better numbers and size  for me.

Oh, and in the tournaments there this year, almost every guy who won lunker caught his bass on a frog.  

[Busy]

I agree with Catt here.

Of course there's some variables.  The more the temperature and pressure goes up, the more you need to actually get down in the grass.  I find that when you break the edge of the grass a big vertical movement is a good idea.  They seem to follow you through the grass, even if they don't hit in the grass.  I still believe the bass are coming out of the grass rather than swimming over or around it.

And also, I'm not big on topwater frogs.  I sink mine into the grass.

[Muddy]

Hey Catt: These initials mean anything to you: ADD

I don't use buzz baits, never really got to like them, on one and 3 agree.

HOWEVER: From late July to August, there are 2 weedy flats around here

One is in 12 ft of water COONTAIL

the other 8 ft

Some kind of Hydrilla type weeds and lilly pads

Produce big time, larger fish , AT NIGHT on top.

I will be spending more time this year, jigging them and some deeper plastics, to see how I do at night,with this approach, which is how I fish them in the day. From what I have learned they should also work at night also.

[RoLo]

Whether buzzing the surface' or crawling the bottom' produces the most large bass

depends first-&-foremost on whether you're talking about Natural Lakes or Artificial Impoundments.

In Florida for example, potbellied bass may be found in four feet of water year-round.

In Toledo Bend, bass are routinely found in water deeper than the maximum depth of many natural lakes.

After we know what class of water we're dealing with, then two other factors come into play:

1) Seasonal Period (fish's viewpoint)

2) Weed-Line Depth (2 ft or 8 ft)

In short, if you lived in Hemphill, TX, I'll bet you'd agree with #3

Roger

[LAbail]

I agree with all of Catt's statements and I know that #3 defiantly runs true at least on Toledo Bend. I have caught nice fish fishing frogs over grass but whenever that dies i always can go back through and pick up more and usually bigger size on the slower under the grass presentations.

At the same time however i could defiantly see how some lakes might be completely different and would depend on the depth of the lake overall i would think. Time of day and temperature of the water and the presence of heavy sunlight would also play a big role in this as well I believe.

[Catt]

I know this is y'all favorite technique but to all the techniques available to the angler top water is the least productive.

I'm not saying it is true on every lake but nationwide all research data gathered by local/national tournaments that record what 1-5th place were caught on plastics/jigs are #1 followed by a virtual tie at #2 is spinner baits/crank baits and with top water following up the rear.

All research data collected from state records of the top 25 biggest bass per state show the same results.

Look it up yourselves this information is published

[WRB]

Hey!

"In my opinion..." is redundant. Most posts on this forum are

someone's opinion! Gray is just a darker shade of white or a

lighter shade of black.

-Kent

:

That is your opinion! mine; gray is grey. So IMO or IMHO is redundant when expressing your thoughts on a message board, didn't know that fact and try to keep that in mind.

WRB