MORE EELGRASS POSITIVES
By TJ Maglio Editor’ s note: TJ Maglio pens FLW’ s Bass science department. He has a degree in wildlife ecology and works with some of the top fisheries managers in the country.
Vallisneria, or eelgrass, might be new to some tennessee river anglers, but it’ s certainly not new to that region of the country. it is a native aquatic grass, and if anything the recent spread should be described as a“ resurgence” rather than an introduction. there could be many reasons for this, and more study needs to be done to unlock the specific factors involved, but it’ s likely in some part due to the( relatively) cleaner and more stable water that flows through the tennessee river today as compared to 20 and even 40 years ago. one of the frequent goals of conservation biology is to restore native species that have seen decreases. in that respect, the increases in the eelgrass prevalence and abundance in the tennessee river system should be considered a very positive thing for the health of the system. the fact that it also improves the fishing is just a side benefit. in addition to it being good bass habitat and top-notch waterfowl forage, eelgrass provides other system services that make it a boon to fisheries. it grows dense root masses, creating a“ sod” effect in areas with current, which minimizes bottom erosion. eelgrass also decreases turbidity and clears the water by trapping sediment. it also provides dense cover, which helps young-of-the-year bass and forage species, and harbors tons of aquatic invertebrates, which are hugely important to the whole food chain. in short, eelgrass is a good thing. grass with the baits, keeping them just above it and snapping the lure to pop it free when snagged.
“ Take a [ Rapala ] DT-6 crankbait and as soon as it buries up, you snap it and keep going if a fish doesn’ t have it,” Gross says.“ Big Traps come through it. ChatterBaits come through it. It’ s not like burying up in milfoil. Eelgrass is real crispy.”
Gross throws his baits on 17-poundtest Seaguar fluorocarbon line on a 7- foot, 3-inch, extra-heavy Hammer rod with a Daiwa Tatula CT Type-R reel. Atkins throws crankbaits on 15-pound test and swimbaits on 20-pound test. Because of how eelgrass breaks free, neither believes it’ s imperative to use heavy braided line as might be the case when fishing hydrilla or milfoil.
Electronics and Eelgrass
When Gross won at Pickwick, he used his Lowrance electronics to find bass relating to clumps of eelgrass and holes within the grass.
“ I can tell if it’ s eelgrass and see how many fish are around it and everything,” says Gross.“ Eelgrass in its early but it doesn’ t completely die like they do and wash away.
“ I don’ t know of anyone who has gotten on a big flipping bite around eelgrass in summer – maybe a swimbait or something if they are using it as a current break,” he adds.“ Milfoil grows far apart and creates tunnels, and hydrilla grows tight and tough. Eelgrass is always green and alive. You can throw a 1 / 2-ounce Trap [ lipless crankbait ] in eelgrass, let it get a slack line and start working it back. If it hangs up you can snap it and it’ ll come free.”
Gross favors a Jenko Big Wig Magnum hair jig and Tennessee River Tackle Tremor Head with a paddle tail or straight-tail swimbait, the latter for cooler water. On ledges in deeper water around eelgrass he’ ll opt for a 1- or 1 3 / 4-ounce head to keep the rig down; for shallow water Gross uses a 1 / 2- or 3 / 4-ounce head. Gross also will throw a Zoom Z- Craw on a swim jig or ChatterBait around the grass and sticks with shad colors for all the soft plastics.
Atkins favors a Berkley Warpig lipless crankbait in 1 / 2 or 3 / 4 ounce. He also prefers a Berkley Hollow Belly Swimbait with a 1 / 2- or 3 / 4-ounce head, depending on how aggressive the bass are.
Gross and Atkins fish the eelgrass the same way: ticking the top of the photo By patterson leeth
Tour rookie Justin Atkins says eelgrass creates new patterns for anglers to fish on the Tennessee River, particularly in winter.
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