Reeds have at the very least seasonal attraction to bass wherever they appear . But on some northern waters , particularly in the Northwoods where bigger predators like northern pike and musky roam in good numbers , reeds will host bass populations all year .
“ On a lot of lakes up North , reeds are a big deal ,” Monsoor states . “ They hold baitfish , sunfish , bluegill , perch – everything likes them .”
Isolated 100- to 150-foot reed patches growing in the 4-foot range or deeper are his favorite targets . For the more expansive reed beds , he looks for distinctive features – points , indentations , outside edges ,
“ I start on the outside and work my way in until the fish show me where they are and what they ’ re doing ,” he adds .
So-called “ cabbage ” plants from the potamogeton family , also called “ pondweed ,” provide another favored bass grass .
“ Bass love it , and smallmouth ( in particular ) really love it ,” Monsoor says . “ It ’ s scattered and easier to fish than a lot of other plants . It grows deep , too .”
He works topwater lures over cabbage tops but has his greatest success in these areas with a swim jig . Often credited as the master of the swim jig , he fishes his namesake , the Humdinger Tom Monsoor Swim Jig , trailing it with a 3-inch Zoom Fat Albert Grub .
terry scroggins : working the thick stuff
“ The key in fishing milfoil is to listen for bream ,” says Terry Scroggins , the man called “ Big Show ” with more than
$ 2 million in tournament winnings to his credit . “ Listen for those Rice Krispies ‘ pops .’ It ’ s bream sucking bait out of the grass . When you hear them , you know you ’ re in the right zone .”
Those telltale popping sounds are sunfish , mostly bluegill , feeding on grubs , minnows , grass shrimp and more in dense beds of milfoil . And they are just a hint of the activity going on beneath the mats and canopies .
Milfoil and hydrilla are the two most dominant submerged grass species in our southern and central waters . Both plant types are non-native to American waters , and , as invasive species , widely targeted for eradication whether or not they pose navigational challenges or annoyance to swimmers and water skiers . But they also provide valuable habitat in many manmade lakes without quality native aquatic plant species serving the ecosystem .
“ Grass in itself is great habitat for baitfish and the whole food chain ,” Scroggins says . “ Any time grass is present – whether it ’ s eelgrass , milfoil , hydrilla , hyacinth or reeds – it ’ s a plus . But throughout the country , hydrilla and milfoil are the two players I like to look for . They hold fish year-round .”
Both species can grow surprisingly deep depending on water clarity . Scroggins finds hydrilla at 20-foot depths on occasion and commonly works milfoil in 12- to 14-foot water .
“ Milfoil develops more of a canopy , and it has vacant space below it ,” says Scroggins . “ It ’ s not nearly as thick as hydrilla .”
When milfoil mats at the surface and mates with surface algae , dying
vegetation forms a distinctive substance anglers often call “ cheese .” The decayed plant hollows out pockets and cavities .
“ That ’ s when I like to throw a frog on it or flip a creature-style bait through it ,” Scroggins details . “ The perfect scenario is when you find two grasses mixed and where grass thickens and breaks up into clumps . If you have some current running through it , it ’ s even better .”
He also flips soft plastics and jig / trailer combos into the mats . The Big Show Money Bug , a lure he designed for Stanford Baits , is his jig trailer . He also fishes it solo behind a 1- to 1 1 / 2-ounce weight .
“ It has a great profile and gives off a lot of kicking action ,” he says .
shad spawn
Throughout much of the country , a shad spawn commences shortly after bass finish bedding .
“ A grass line of milfoil and hydrilla is a great place to find spawning shad ,” Scroggins explains . “ If you find a hard grass line on a lake like Guntersville , it ’ ll be lights out very first thing in the morning .”
Though crankbaits and lipless crankbaits produce fish , spinnerbaits and bladed jigs are more efficient at this time .
“ I ’ ll throw a spinnerbait most just because the flash will generate more bites ,” he adds . “ I like a double willow with nickel blades . It creates a lot of flash . When you see shad following your spinnerbait , you know things are going to get interesting .”
PHOTO BY ROB MATSUURA
46 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2022