Tackle

An assortment of 1/0 to 3/0 quality offset worm hooks like Owner, Gamakatsu, or Hayabusa will work perfectly. Match the hook size to which ever ever bait you choose. A good, sharp, quality hook is very important when fishing in this type of cover. I use 1/8 oz, 3/16 oz, 1/4 oz, or 3/8 oz bullet weights, depending on tidal current and water depth. The bays here in California are not very deep, especially where most of the eelgrass grows. Most of the time, the 1/8 oz and 3/16 oz weights are sufficient. I prefer as light of a bullet weight that I can get away with, as I like the slow, subtle fall it provides. If the current is moving very fast, you will need to bump up to a heavier weight to keep the lure falling through the grass between hops thus keeping it in the strike zone. If you are flipping the dock pilings, go with the heavier bullet weight to get a more vertical presentation down the piling. You will want to peg the weight next to the bait with a toothpick for this application. Simply stick the toothpick in the pointed end of your bullet weight and break it off. This will keep the sinker from moving up the line.

I have employed this technique while fishing from the bank, from a boat, and from a float tube. I have fished these baits this way with as light as 4# and 6# spinning tackle, as well as 8#-12# casting tackle. I like the extra-fast taper graphite rods for this type of fishing. These rods are very sensitive, and allow you to feel even the lightest bites. These rods also prove their worth when pulling a big bass from the grass. I prefer the faster reels for this application, such as those with 6:1 gear ratio. The fast reels come into play not while working your bait, which you want to do slowly, but after you set the hook. These fish hooked in the grass will immediately dive into the grass to try and dislodge the hook. With the fast gear ratio, you can really put the wood to them and get them out quickly. Don't be afraid to throw the lighter lines - it's amazing how hard you can swing on a fish with a good quality 4# or 6# fishing line. A quality fishing line enables you to muscle those big bass from the grass, even with lighter tests.

95% of your bites will come on the pauses between hopping the bait, usually as it settles back into the grass. Because of this, it is very important to watch your line. As I said before, the fish in the grass are usually large and since the lure is sinking on a slack line, they will absolutely crush it. If you see the line jump, wind down and swing hard - the fish will be there. This is a very effective way to fish on the slack tides, when the fish are otherwise inactive and do not want to move very far to chase a bait. It enables you to bring the bait to them and put it right in their face.

Next time you are out fishing one of the many bays Southern California has to offer and the usual lures aren't producing, try something different and hammer the big bass in the grass!

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