Tips for Fishing Submerged Grass

Fishing submerged grass for bass can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Grass provides ample cover and a rich food source for bass, making it an ideal location to target them.

Fishing in submerged grass can be a bit tricky however, so here are several tips to help you catch more bass while fishing in submerged grass:

Use the right gear: 

When fishing submerged grass, you'll need to use gear that can handle the thick vegetation. A heavy action rod with a matching fast-action reel are good choices when fishing in grass beds. You'll also want to use braided line, as it will help you to get your lure through the grass with less snags. If fishing the edges of grass beds, a medium heavy action and fluorocarbon line is often a better choice, especially when fishing lakes with clear water.

Choose the right lure:

There are a variety of lures that you can use to fish submerged grass, but some of the most effective include:

• Plastic worms, creature baits, craws and swimbaits
• Crankbaits
• Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits
• Swim and grass jigs
• Topwater baits (frogs, toads, buzzbaits, etc.)

Locate the grass:

Locate submerged grass beds by scanning the surface of the water for any signs of vegetation, such as patches of green or brown water, or by using a fishfinder. Once you have identified the location of the grass, make sure to take note of its density, depth, and the type of vegetation present. This information will help you determine the best baits and techniques to use when fishing the edges and open areas in the beds.

Find the right type of grass:

Not all submerged grass is created equal. Bass prefer to hide in thick, weedy areas where they can ambush prey. Look for areas with different types of grass, including hydrilla, milfoil, cabbage, sand grass and coontail that may hold forage and bass on the lake you’re fishing.

Work the entire water column around the grass bed:

Bass can be found at all levels of the water column in and around submerged grass beds. Experiment with a variety of lures that cover the water column from top to bottom and let the bass tell you what baits they will react to at that moment.

Bass pro Bob Downey hails from an area where grass lakes abound. Take a moment and listen as Downey explains his approach anytime he is fishing grass for bass…