Fishing the reeds

[Double]

I found some nice looking patches of reeds recently. I saw several fish boil on top smack-dab in the middle of the reeds, but I had trouble getting a bait to them. Any tips including what kinds of baits to use would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Double

[Ralph Wiggum]

Spinnerbaits are tough to beat in reeds. Also, buzzbaits are fun if they aren't too thick. I've also used soft jerk-baits like a fluke.

[DT10 Guy]

I second the buzzbait! This past weekend I ran a buzzbait over, around & through the reeds and pads and had a blast with all of the topwater explosions!!!!

[iland99]

I'll third the buzzbaits! I did the same exact thing as DT10 last weekend with the same results. It's got to be the funnest way to catch bass out there!

At one point my buzzbait was hung up on some reeds just above the waterline. Before ripping it loose, I gave it a few twitches. A big bass launched itself out of the water and crushed it! I missed the fish, but what a sight!!

[RK]

Hi Double -

I fish rushes a lot early in the season, and again in early fall... On some lakes they stay good all season. We call fishing in the rushes 'grunt fishing,' because when you set the hook you start grunting and haul 'em out or you never land them...

Fishing reeds can range from fancasting to pretty short range stuff depending on what fish are in (cruising sparse stuff, which is what I found last weekend) or buried in thick clumps, and whether or not they'll chase something fast moving.

If they're sort of out in space, you can fish buzzbaits (which, as others have said, is a riot) or spinnerbaits. When you do, have another rod rigged and ready with a Texas-rigged weightless tube, Dip Stick, or 1/4 oz Jig & Pig to throw back to fish that miss or just boil at a buzzbait. A lot of the time if you can get something back to them fast they'll hit it.

If they're away from real heavy cover but still won't commit to a spinnerbait (when you're catching one here and there but spotting a lot more that don't bite as you move along, it's a sign they won't chase) you can slow down a little but still cover some water and make long casts with a soft jerkbait like a Jerk Shad, or a T-rigged tube with a 1/16 or 1/32 oz internal weight so you can sort of walk the dog with it. Wacky-rigged Dip Sticks are good too but don't cover water quite as fast.

If they're really in the thick stuff, probably the best way to get them, which nobody really seems to do much anymore, is use a spoon. I use Northland Jawbreakers, but Silver Minnows work (I just hate the hooks on them), Nemier Spoons, or Barney Spoons, if you can find them. Just skip and skitter them along, and drop them into pockets when you can. Fish clobber the things. Again, have a rod ready for a pitch-back for fish that miss, but spoons are surprisingly good hookers if you can wait until you feel them before you set the hook. (Word to the wise - watch the hooksets with spoons. I've gotten some nice bruises from spoons when I forget to set the hook to the side and had it come rocketing back at me... )

If they're tucked into the thick stuff and won't come up for a spoon, the it's pretty much flip and pitch time. I like tubes or mudflag creature baits like Berkley Sabertail bugs or Beasts on Northland Jungle Loc jigs, flipping jigs like Northland Jungle Jigs or All Terrain Grassmasters (bullet head jigs basically) or a hard straight-tailed plastic worm (action tails wrap around stalks too much - they're a pain...). Just get in there and poke and probe around, dropping baits next to thicker clumps and into holes.

Rushes are a heavy tackle deal. They're brutal on line. I use 20# Berkley Big Game for spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and 25# Triple Fish fluorocarbon or #50 braid for flipping and pitching soft plastics, and casting spoons. Only time I use spinning rods is with soft jerkbaits - then it's #20 braid and sometimes that isn't enough...

Have fun - bass in the rushes is a hoot.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[ssaamm]

I was watching the the Lindner's show a month ago, and they were using the Berkeley Bladerunner or Bladedancer--basically a Johnson silver mino spoon w/ a power mino as the trailer-- to fish reeds and pads. Tried it myself in a similar setting. They work great. Tough to keep the slimers off though. I missed a few, but the strikes are fun.