4 Deadly Bass Baits For Fishing Grass Lakes

Lakes filled with aquatic vegetation are a blessing to savvy bass anglers who know how to work their lures through the grass but are a bane to inexperienced fishermen whose lures bog down in the weeds on nearly every cast.

Bass anglers consider grass any aquatic rooted plant that has most of its vegetative mass below the surface, although some portions may stick above the water and form into a mat. These submerged plants have soft stems that give the vegetation a grassy appearance.

While some conventional bass lures tend to bog down in the matted vegetation there are other baits that work well in the weeds. Here’s a look at four ideal lures for fishing grass lakes.

Lipless Crankbaits

KARL'S AMAZING BAITS THWACKER SHOP LIPLESS CRANKBAITS

This lure produces best in the early spring when the weeds are just starting to grow near the bottom or about halfway up the water column. You can yoyo the bait up through the weeds and let it drop to the bottom when the grass is short to trigger strikes. If the weeds are grown halfway to the surface, try retrieving the lure at a medium to fast pace and rip the bait when you feel it starting to cling to the grass.

Spinnerbaits

STRIKE KING BURNER SPINNERBAIT SHOP SPINNERBAITS

This blade bait is ideal for slow rolling above submerged grass in the spring. As the grass grows taller in the summer, change your spinnerbait presentation by speeding up your retrieve so the lure stays above the weeds. A double willowleaf spinnerbait works best because the willowleaf blades provide enough lift to keep the lure riding above the grass.

Swim Jigs

GAMECHANGER LURES TRASHMASTER JIG SHOP JIGS

Swimming a jig over submerged grass and around the edges of matted grass produces bass from late winter until the grass starts dying in late fall. You should use a jig and a trailer buoyant enough to keep it swimming above the vegetation so try a 1/4- or 5/16-ounce swim jig and a bulky plastic chunk or craw.

Hollow Body Frogs

SPRO BRONZEYE POPPIN' FROGSHOP FROGS

A hollow-belly plastic frog delivers some great topwater action when the grass mats form on the surface in the summer. On sunny days the frog can be skimmed at a steady pace across the mat and then paused in the holes of the mat to trigger strikes from bass suspended under the weed growth. When skies are cloudy, walk the frog next to the grass to tempt bass prowling the weed edges.