| Bass can always be found in grass. Grass
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| | springs or different types of bottoms.
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| is one of the most beneficial types of
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| | Searching for these variations has
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| cover for bass. Grass is not only a
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| | greatly improved my ability to locate
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| perfect addition to the cover bass
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| | productive areas in grass-filled lakes
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| utilize, it is also a great source of
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| | and rivers. Often, even subtle changes
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| shade, oxygen and food supply as well.
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| | can be the key.
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| Much of the food supply for bass lives,
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| | In lakes that have little cover other
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| breeds and thrives in grass cover and
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| | than grass, locaing bass is difficult at
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| bass can always be found in the grass.
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| | times. Dishpan type lakes that are
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| The most difficult part of fishing in
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| | covered with grass may seem overwhelming.
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| grass cover is when there are many acres
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| | Locating changes in grass types however
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| of green on a body of water. This can
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| | has helped me many times. Finding small
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| make grass fishing an almost “needle in
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| | areas that have several different types
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| a haystack” type of search. While bass
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| | of grass will often concentrate bass. For
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| can and will live anywhere in a grass bed
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| | instance, a few pads growing in the midst
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| there are certain things that concentrate
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| | of a large patch of maiden cane can be a
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| “catchable” fish in specific
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| | clue to a productive area. Reeds growing
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| locations.
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| | amidst coon-tail or, patches of milfoil
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| The search for concentrations of fish in
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| | in a hydrilla bed would be good examples.
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| large, grassy lakes became easier for me
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| | Boat runs, bird nests, gator mounds,
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| when I began to understand grass as an
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| | muskrat huts and anything that causes a
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| addition to cover rather than a source of
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| | variation in the grass are good areas to
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| primary cover. It’s my opinion that
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| | look for. Schools of bait fish wandering
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| bass tend to relate best to forms of
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| | around in open grass can often be given
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| cover and structure that are permanent.
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| | away by birds in the area and, often
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| Stumps, humps, lay-downs, points, rocks,
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| | times bass will be nearby. Any change in
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| etc., are always good permanent cover
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| | bottom integrity will also be more
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| structure areas to locate fish. When you
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| | productive. Once a pattern is established
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| add grass to those types of cover
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| | it can usually be reproduced in shallow,
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| however, they become great areas to
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| | grassy lakes.
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| locate fish. A small row of stumps or a
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| | In river systems, grass is vital to the
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| shallow point for instance that is void
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| | quality of bass populations. Hydrilla and
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| of grass may hold few bass or no bass at
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| | milfoil for instance not only provide
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| all. Add a little grass and seemingly
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| | shade, food and oxygen but also provide a
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| insignificant permanent cover or
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| | great current break in many locations
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| structure can become a bass magnet. I
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| | allowing bass to seek refuge from the
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| always find that the most productive
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| | water flow. Grass creates changes in the
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| grass areas will also contain other
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| | current flow and can concentrate bass in
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| permanent cover or structure features.
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| | areas that otherwise would not hold fish.
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| The grass dies back in my area during the
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| | The backsides of large grass mats often
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| wintertime. This is the perfect time to
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| | create eddies that concentrate bait fish
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| locate productive areas for grass fish.
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| | and are sometimes bonanzas for bass. When
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| When you can see stumps, brush, rocks or
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| | bass are active I have found them on the
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| other forms of cover that are normally
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| | front side of a grass mat facing the flow
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| covered up with grass during the warmer
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| | and feeding on bait fish washed into the
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| months you will have a head start on
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| | grass bed. Grass also allows ample room
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| locating specific areas that may be more
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| | for bass to reproduce and live -
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| productive. I spend a lot of time looking
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| | especially on large flats where there
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| in shallow water during the winter for
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| | would otherwise be no shelter from river
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| any variations in cover or structure.
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| | current or predators. Isolated stands of
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| Winter is also a great time to place
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| | hydrilla for instance growing on a large
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| homemade cover to hold fish when the
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| | flat provide great cover for catchable
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| grass grows back. Many of my best fishing
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| | fish especially, on either side of a deep
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| locations in grass have been discovered
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| | creek channel.
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| in the dead of winter when all of the
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| | I don’t waste much time fishing an area
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| grass has disappeared. Also, many times
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| | when trying to establish a pattern for
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| in the winter or early spring when the
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| | bass. Once I’ve located an area in the
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| grass is gone, I can catch fish on stumps
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| | grass that I feel is going to be
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| or other cover in an area. Then, when the
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| | productive it usually takes only a few
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| grass grows back in the warmer months I
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| | throws to see if it is going to produce.
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| can often go to those same areas and
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| | I normally start by making a few long
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| catch good fish! Structure is another key
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| | casts with a top-water bait over shallow
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| element in locating concentrations of
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| | grass. A Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait tells
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| grass fish.
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| | the story over deeper grass. Then, I’ll
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| Break-lines where grass is growing in a
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| | move up closer and pitch a large jig or
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| river-bend, a point or a hump will be
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| | worm. I try to keep adjusting until I
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| more productive than places without
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| | come up with a combination that repeats
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| irregular features. Break-lines in front
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| | itself on several fish. Once that
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| of shallow spawning bays can also be very
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| | combination is found it normally gives
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| productive for concentrations of fish
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| | way to a solid grass pattern. If I
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| when the grass starts to grow back in the
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| | discover a pattern that is only producing
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| spring. Grassy areas near steep drops or
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| | smaller fish I’ll keep adjusting till I
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| creek channels will usually be good areas
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| | come up with a better big fish pattern.
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| to look for active fish. The more types
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| | Often in grass situations big fish and
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| of cover and structure in an area along
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| | smaller fish are on different patterns.
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| with the grass the better.
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| | Concentrating on locating a pattern that
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| Paying attention to how and where grass
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| | includes specific types of cover or
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| grows often gives vital details about the
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| | changes in the grass saves hours and
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| structure of a lake. A grass patch in the
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| | hours of endless chunking and winding
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| middle of nowhere for instance could be
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| | over acres of non-productive vegetation.
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| just a loose mat or it could be growing
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| | Large, grassy lakes and rivers are not so
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| on a hump loaded with bass.
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| | intimidating once you’ve learned to
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| Changes in grass contour can often
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| | isolate catchable fish. The only scary
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| indicate the type of drop on a shoreline.
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| | part is knowing you may get your arm
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| Changes in grass color after it has
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| | broke by the bass of a lifetime. Good
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| topped out can give way to locations of
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| | luck and put them back.
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