Bass Under Cover

Given the opportunity, many of the largest bass in a lake or river will take up residence beneath matted vegetation. This carpet-like cover conceals fish - and plenty of them. Getting them out is the challenge.

Matted vegetation comes in many forms, including floating plants, such as water lettuce, hyacinths or dollar weed. There are also submerged varieties that top out on the surface, like hydrilla, milfoil and peppergrass. As these plants thicken at the surface, sunlight is denied to their lower portions, and subsequent thinning occurs. With it, cavernous voids develop.

Bass find these underwater caves and thrive within them. Trying to penetrate thick, matted vegetation in any form can be challenging. Flipping vertically with heavy jigs or soft-plastics is about the only means.

Most bass anglers are familiar with flipping as a technique, but many lack the desire or proficiency to consistently catch bass utilizing this method. Those that try, too often use a haphazard or clumsy approach. In their efforts to reach the fish, they lose track of some important considerations, like boat control and lure presentation.

Be Stealthy
Although bass holding in dense cover are concealed and therefore quite secure, they're not oblivious to their surroundings. Too much noise or commotion can run them off, or eliminate any chance for a favorable response…a bite.

Approach bass in heavy cover cautiously, using subtle, yet deliberate moves. For instance, if you suspect the fish are holding beneath floating cover along a seawall, your first thoughts should be on where they might be positioned. Are they up near the surface, next to the edge, or, on the bottom tight against the seawall?

Obviously, only the process of elimination will determine this beyond any doubt. But you might be surprised at how many anglers will plow right up to the edge and make their first cast against the seawall, killing any chance of catching any fish that may be positioned along the outside edge.

Big bass often suspend near the contour edges of deeper grass mats - live-bait guides know this and rig big shiners to swim along the edges of those deep-water canopies.

The Right Approach
The proper way to approach an area is to idle in quietly, killing the big engine well short of the target. Make your final approach with the trolling motor or a push-pole. Keep in mind that loud noises, such as slamming the trolling motor bracket, will alert fish. Make every move carefully and methodically.

Be sure to keep the boat away from the cover's edge, even if it's over deep water. Bass often suspend near the contour edges of deeper mats. When holding there, it's usually to feed. Live-bait guides know this well - they rig big shiners to swim just beneath and along the edge of these deep-water canopies. Florida lakes are famous for giving up huge trophy bass to this strategy. Flipping jigs or soft-plastics can yield the same results, provided the angler uses a very refined approach.

In selecting a starting point, look for any irregularities along the edge of the mat, a point or indentation. As you bring the boat within range, make your first pitch just inside the edge, allowing the lure to sink freely to the bottom. There will be times when you'll want to control the sink rate, but not initially.

Your second flip should be placed approximately three to four feet inside the edge. Again, let the lure freefall. If the mat is wide enough, your third flip should reach farther yet, perhaps eight to ten feet or more from the edge. Like before, let the lure fall unrestricted, at its own pace.

Simply repeat this three-step process as you advance along the contour of the canopy. If the matted area is narrow, divide the distance equally with the same three-step approach.

For open-water mats, be sure to try the shallower sides as well. Depending on such variables as time of day, season, current, or the availability of forage, bass could be positioned under any part of the canopy. For really large mats, it may be necessary to push-pole, or plow your way to the interior using the big motor.

Aggression in the Grass
When bass are even halfway receptive, in a positive feeding mode, most strikes will occur as the lure falls. However, this can sometimes be a very subtle take. Your only clue may be an excessive amount of line traveling through the mat. If you notice this think of it as a wakeup call - chances are pretty good a bass is swimming off with your bait.

On those occasions when fish are extremely aggressive, they will literally help pull the lure through the mat. I've seen some tremendous fish actually lift the vegetation as they move in on a lure. What follows is a vacuum-like effect where the mat literally gets sucked downward. It's actually kind of spooky…you're not sure what's got your lure!

When this type of strike occurs, the immediate reaction will be to set the hook. But this could cost you. Many times bass are purely trying to flush or disorient their prey. Be certain the fish has the lure by observing your line, and then lightly check for tension. When you're sure he's got it, set the hook firmly and maintain pressure. Unfortunately, there's no sure thing and bass in heavy cover have the advantage.

Slow Bite - Slow Presentations
On those days when the bite is off, you'll have to experiment a bit. Try controlling the sink rate and/or allowing the lure to sit on bottom for a time. A slow bite usually means even slower presentations. Many anglers refer to this as 'dead-worming' or 'dead-sticking' - a technique developed on Florida lakes many years ago.

For some reason, Florida-strain largemouth (as compared to their northern cousins) are sometimes very slow in taking a lure. They may study it a while before deciding to strike. This is especially true under cold-front conditions - a time when many bass seek heavy cover.

If you know you're in a good area, take your time. Once bass take up residence under matted cover, they rarely leave, even in the worst weather. Apply the same three-step flipping procedure, but slow your presentation considerably and be thorough. The method and time it takes to get your first strike will serve as a barometer for future strikes.

If you notice an excessive amount of line traveling through the mat think of it as a wakeup call - chances are pretty good a bass is swimming off with your bait.

Grass Gear
As for lures, correctly Texas-rigged soft-plastics will penetrate dense cover the easiest, by far. I prefer compact body styles for this very reason. Crawfish imitations, tubes, or any number of worm styles work great - Kut-Tails and Senkos are among my favorites. Their profiles allow them to slide right through thick cover without hanging up.

Flipping jigs are also good tools for penetrating this type of cover. Keep in mind you'll need an adequate amount of weight (as much as one ounce, or more) to plunge the lure through some of the denser mats, but use only what's necessary, no more. Any extra weight will look and feel unnatural to the fish.

If magnum-sized flipping weights are required, check out the ExtraEdge and Penetrator brands. These weights have developed a loyal following among knowledgeable flippers.

Heavy lines are also essential. While many anglers rely on the super braids, I prefer 17 to 30-pound Rapala Tough. Monofilament provides some stretch, and I find this critical when wrestling fish from matted cover. The particular test you choose will depend on one of the following factors; density of the cover, clarity of the water, or the aggressiveness of the fish. Lighter lines yield more strikes, but there's an obvious durability trade-off in heavy cover.

It's a Drag
Be sure your rod and reel are up to the demands of fishing thick vegetation. Pulling bass from this kind of cover will definitely test your equipment. I use medium-heavy to heavy-action graphite rods, 7½ to 8-feet in length. I match them with stealthy Shimano baitcasters having smooth drags. Contrary to what you may have heard, a smooth drag is important in flipping.

Some flippers are convinced that zero drag (the tightest setting possible, screwed down with pliers) is essential for leveraging big bass from heavy cover. Their claim is that they need total control of the fish, right from the hook set - no budge!

I argue this approach, because something usually gives under extreme pressure. Either the line will part, the hook will bend (or possibly break), or you could tear the hook right out of the fish's mouth. A firm, yet smooth drag could help prevent any of these possible failures, especially if the line you are using allows some stretch.

Grass Fax
Once your equipment is balanced, you should then learn to identify the various forms of matted vegetation. Some are obvious, such as rafts of hyacinths or duckweed. Others are so obscure they can easily go unnoticed. For instance, uprooted grass that has blown into a shoreline can form a floating hot spot. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, isolated canopies can hold giant bass.

Another feature to look for is vertical objects projecting through matted cover, such as reeds, lily pad stems, or timber. Many lakes and rivers offer these very situations, and you could find bass holding under any of them.

Remember to be quiet, but deliberate in your approach. With the right tackle and some patience, you too will soon discover the bass bonanza hidden beneath heavy cover.