Punching

[clayton86]

I need some tips on punching. Iv done it a few times and its still a weak area for me. I'm going out tomorrow night and one of the spots I may hit iv notice all the bass seem to be in the shallow lillypad fields and not in the deep timber. So punching is about the only thing I can think of besides the frog but these pads are thick and tight. Do you just keep flipping your rig out and riping it back up looking for a reaction strike or do u kinda swim it a little.

Also what would you use I have some all terrain grass jigs from 1/8 oz all the way up to 1 and 1 1/2 ozs along with tungsten weights up to 3/4oz and plastics out the wazzoo but my rage plastics are dwindling I'm down to 2 packs of craws and 1 space monkey. For a rod I use a 7'6 MHF Veritas with a revo sx and 50# pp.

[s13john]

its more of a vertical presentation. flip it in shake it make sure it goes to the bottom. But make sure theirs some water under the pads i found myself in about 6in of water the other day.

[clayton86]

Oh there's water and tons of bass and pike. I usually throw a swiming jig and do ok see my mixed bag post in the trips forum but I got my bass by droping a space monkey over the edge letting line out for a pitch just to find a bass on the end. There's. About 3fow for most of the area I plan on targeting.

[Lip Ripper 87]

For a situation you explained i used a punching setup as followed. 1oz tungsten bullet pegged, a suitable colored skirt then a heavy flipping hook with a good keeper with usually a 4.20 Sweet Beaver rigged weedless obviously.

I use the pitching technique but instead of a quiet no splash entry, i loft the bait into the air and use momentum to crash through the pads. 9 times out of 10 if your going to get bit punching it will be when it first comes through the pads or cover. You can hop one or twice but i usually let it hit bottom, do a test pop and bring it back to the boat to hit another target. It takes practice but can pay off when you pull a monster from such heavy cover.

Also for such a technique i would get a Heavy 7 1/2 ft casting setup with a fast ratio reel (around 7:1) so there is no question weather you can pull a hawg out when you need to.

Hope this helps

[clayton86]

For a situation you explained i used a punching setup as followed. 1oz tungsten bullet pegged, a suitable colored skirt then a heavy flipping hook with a good keeper with usually a 4.20 Sweet Beaver rigged weedless obviously.

I use the pitching technique but instead of a quiet no splash entry, i loft the bait into the air and use momentum to crash through the pads. 9 times out of 10 if your going to get bit punching it will be when it first comes through the pads or cover. You can hop one or twice but i usually let it hit bottom, do a test pop and bring it back to the boat to hit another target. It takes practice but can pay off when you pull a monster from such heavy cover.

Also for such a technique i would get a Heavy 7 1/2 ft casting setup with a fast ratio reel (around 7:1) so there is no question weather you can pull a hawg out when you need to.

Hope this helps

Thanks for hooks I do have gammy flipping hooks or some ewg 5/0 monster hooks as well. My poles mh but the reel is the hs revo. Ill be trying it out this week def I didn't get the canoe out last week I was shore bound all week.

[Gatorbassman]

Learn how to snell your flipping hook. You will get better hookups and keep the fish on.

[clayton86]

I'll try that to I remember J francho posting a video about snelling circle hooks for flipping I'll look it up and figure the knot out.

[Big Stick Joe]

ok so i have a question to piggy back off of the main topic. What baits do you use for pads? The pond i fish has pads around the entire body of water. I've pitch a T-rig Sweet beavers with success but was wondering what else i can use. I have a frog i used for the 1st time today and had a fish hit it but not hook up but i don't think i was using the right tech for it. I also know of Jigs but really don't use them. I have a 7' med fast rod with a 6.2:1 reel and i did have 12 lbs but after today, i'm going to put 30 lbs braid due to some lost fish today. Thanks

[Fat-G]

In addition to Sweet Beavers, probably my all-time favorite flipping/punching bait is a Chigger Craw.

[MSAJAA]

Does anyone have a link to instructions for this knot?

[Hooligan]

Does anyone have a link to instructions for this knot?

http://www.animatedknots.com/snell/index.php

[gobig]

There are a few key things I have learned punching. Here is my top ten.

1.Use a strait shank hook with a welded eye and a shrink tube barb. I can't begin to tell you the difference. I lost so many fish with an EWG hook. It's got its place but not when it comes to punching.

2.Use a snell knot, tied right it will cam the hook out.

3.Use at least 65lb braid.

4.The hook set is critical. Do not use a sharp/snap style hook set. Reel up and sweep, the fish will hold the bait long enough for this method to work effectively. Using a sharp/snap hook set you can actually blow the fishes mouth open with the heavy weight and you will miss alot of fish.

5.Use a long rod that has a lot of muscle yet has some parabolic bend to it. In other words you want the power but you do not want a super fast tip. This will give some room for error and you will land more fish. An under powered rod = heartbreak, this is a big fish technique. There are not that many punch specific rods out there. I use a 7'11" swimbait rod made by phenix, it's not my favorite swimbait rod but it is a killer punch rod.

6.Use at least a 6.3 to 1 reel, and lock down the drag.

7.The typical idea is to punch threw the mat let it hit the bottom yo yo it a few times and move on to the next flip. I have found that the bite is sometimes up against the bottom of the mat. So as the bait punches threw instead of letting it hit the bottom all the time, bang it against the mat. There is still a top, middle and bottom of the water column in shallow water.

8.If you hook a fish in extremely heavy cover it is sometimes necessary to go in and get them. To much pressure can tear their mouth.

9.Cover water until you find the fish. Once you have found them then pick apart the mat.

10.If you miss a blow up on a frog, follow up with a punch rig.

Here is a link for a modified snell knot. Easy to tie and works really well.

[clayton86]

Thanks gobig

I'm going out tonight taking off work half hour early to get the canoe and hit the waterim gonna spend most the time punching the lilly pads. I drove by the spot last night and a lot of the vegitation is gone but the lilly pads are still there along with 100s of geese..... might get pooped on but **** happens lol I'm gonna work the lilly fields with a swimbait and spinner first then start bombing the holes and pads with my punching set up. Biggest weight I got is a 3/4oz I hope its enough to get threw if not ill try some grass jigs I have some in 1 and 1 1/2oz.

[Vinny Chase]

Just like everyone sd it is a presentation that causes a reaction strike. I use a 7' 6" H, 65+ lb braid, 1 - 1 1/2 oz tungsten weight, 4/0 flipping hook, zoom lizard. I have found that the lizard works 10x better than any other plastic I've used.

Simply pitch the bait, with good height to get their attention, at different patches of weeds you believe they are hiding. Simply lift, then drop a few time and repeat.

[clayton86]

Thanks for the help guys I can't wait to test it out after work I'm at gander mountain getting some bigger tungsten weights right now on my "lunch" happend to be in the area lol

[Big Stick Joe]

good luck