Focused Fishing Web Log

As Appeared in Heartland Trails Magazine 1/06

www.hpata.com

Grubs! From Swimmin’ to Hoppin’ To Scrubbin’

Grubs! Is there a lure out there that is more effective more of the time? Look at this bait, no spinning blades, no fancy paint jobs, not even an elaborate rigging or fishing technique, and heck there pretty cheap as well. Single tailed grubs on a lead head jig will catch more species and numbers of fish than just about any lure out there. From crappie and perch to bass, walleye and musky to redfish and tarpon they can all be caught on grubs. With that in mind no tackle box is complete without a selection of single tail grubs and matching lead heads and no angler can compete without the knowledge of grub fishing.

Making the Right Choices

Grubs are a pretty simple lure, for bass fishing most anglers opt for 3�- 5� models in a variety of solid and metal flake colors and combinations. Choosing which colors will work depends on the technique you plan on fishing and which forage you are imitating. Bass Pro Shops team leader Steven “Stick� Strejcek knows his grubs and he needs to Bass Pro Shops carries thousands of grubs from most of the major manufactures. “Our most popular bass fishing grubs are the XPS series by Bass Pro Shops. They are made from super soft plastic, with heavy salt and come in the best fish catching colors.� While Strejcek may be a little biased, the numbers of anglers that sing the praises of the XPS grub along with the sheer volume of the little baits they sell tell the true story. “As far as a grub for bass fishing is concerned the 4� XPS is far and away our best seller.� He added; “A few years ago Bass Pro sponsored a charity tournament on Table Rock Lake and six out of the top ten teams fished the XPS grub exclusively. The winners told the crowd at the weigh-in they had tried other grubs and they found the XPS to be the only one that got the job done.� When it comes to color selection, Strejcek suggests that anglers pay close attention to the forage they are trying to match; “….if you’re fishing for suspended fish you will want a grub that looks like a shad while if you are fishing for fish on or near the bottom you want your grub to look like a crawdad.� Stick continued; “Our best selling colors are milky salt and pepper or smoke pepper for shad imitation and melon pepper or pumpkin seed when you want to mimic a crawdad.� Choosing a lead head jig for your grub, you’ll find options are as varied as there are colors of grubs. From fish-head shaped custom finished heads to plain unpainted ball heads the choices are endless. According to Stick; “Finish is important but the bigger concern should be a quality hook, regardless of how you fish a grub the hook is the most important part of any head. You can’t go wrong with a Gamakatsu or Mustad hook and most anglers prefer a light wire in 2/0 to 4/0 sizes.� Bass Pro Shops sells thousands of lead heads Strejcek says the most popular for bass fishing is the Bass Pro Shops premium ball heads with a Gamakatsu hook; “They are available from 1/16 oz. to 3/8 oz. with a 3/0 or 4/0 hook in both open hook and weedless models. We started carrying them this past year and they quickly took over as our best selling grub head, most of our pro staff swear by them.� When rigging a grub Stick recommends threading it straight on the hook down the middle of the body and then bring the hook point out the opposite side as the curly tail. “…this way the tail doesn’t hang up on the hook point during the retrieve.� Other rigging options include Texas or Carolina rigging a grub on a 2/0 off set hook much like a centipede.

Different Seasons Call For Different Techniques

While a simple cast and retrieve of a grub is the most popular retrieve, there are a few other retrieves used by the best grub anglers through out the year. Pro angler and Coast Guard Licensed guide Mike Webb is an accomplished grub fisherman. His prowess with the curl tailed grubs is obvious when you look at his the number of tournaments he has cashed a check in by casting the little baits. Mike will fish a grub year round and has broken down the different techniques by seasonal pattern. “Winter and spring are really the best seasons to fish a grub. In the late fall and winter bass will migrate over deep water to the backs of creeks following schools of shad. This is by far the best time to fish for suspended fish both out in open water and in the tops of trees.� Webb continued; “I look for trees that top out at around 30’–40’ deep, it doesn’t really matter the bottom depth because the fish are strictly relating to shad and the tree tops.� The Heartland Elite and Pro angler is well know as a master of deep fishing and uses a grub in the same way many deep fisherman use a spoon. “If I’m graphing fish in and around the trees I will drop a grub straight down to them and hop it the same as I would a spoon. But when I know there are fish in the area and I can’t see them on my graph I will fan cast an area letting the grub fall to about 30’ deep and slowly swim it back in through the tree tops searching for fish.� When the seasons change so does Webb, once fish move out of their deep winter haunts Mike will change his technique but not necessarily his bait. “In the spring most of the fish I target will be active and aggressive and I use a Table Rock technique known as “scrubbing�. Windy pea gravel pockets near deep water attract feeding pre-spawn fish in large numbers looking for shad and other minnows. Boat position is critical so if the wind is blowing really hard against the bank I will get within a cast of the bank and if it is only breeze I will stay out a little further.� Using the same salt and pepper grub and Jewel 5/16 spider head as he uses in the winter time the Ozark, MO Pro will scrub the bottom looking for bass. “The key is to maintain bottom contact during the retrieve, anytime you are not feeling the bottom you are moving the bait too fast, drop it back to the bottom and continue your retrieve. Once you get the hang of the correct speed it is not a difficult technique, most of the bites are pretty hard so you don’t miss allot of fish and it is amazing how many big fish will move up into a small area.� Like most professional anglers Webb has figured out the best equipment for his technique. In order to make long cast he opts for a Johnny Morris signature model 7’ medium heavy spinning rod matched with a Johnny Morris 2500 spinning reel spooled with eight pound test XPS fluorocarbon line. When choosing his favorite grub and head combination Webb differs with Strejcek as to which is best. “I really like the Bass Pro Shops Triple Ripple series of grubs; they have a lot more action at slower retrieve speeds due to the rippled tail. Recently I started using an unpainted Jewel 5/16oz. pro model spider jig head as well; it has a 3/0 Mustad cross eye hook, a great keeper system, a wire weed guard and the head design rolls through rocks and other cover better than an open hook.� Through years of trial and error Mike Webb has refined his technique of grub fishing into the reliable fish catching system he has today.

West Coast Style….

While stationed on the west coast with the Navy Pro Craft Pro Gary Rusk honed his grub fishing style on the clear reservoirs of California and Arizona. Gary is well known as one of the top deep fisherman in the area and his skills with a grub are near legendary. Rusk utilizes different equipment than most grub fisherman opting for a bait casting rod and reel set up over spinning equipment. “I use a 5’6� casting rod with a parabolic action matched with a Shimano Calcutta 100 reel and 8# XPS fluorocarbon. The shorter rod is a lot more sensitive plus the action allows me to make long casts and fight the fish more effectively.� While Rusk looks for the same seasonal patterns as Webb he feels the perfect day to fish a grub is a blue bird day with a very little wind. “I like to fish a grub in and around shad in trees. Sunny days with a little wind move the bait up in the water column and make the fish more active.� Rusk will key on submerged trees in creek arms looking for shad between 20’ – 50’ deep. “The most productive way I’ve found to fish a grub is to keep your boat away from the trees and bait and make a long cast. I let the grub fall until it goes slack, that way I know I’m over a tree limb and then swim it back to the boat through the limbs and shad. Many times I will get a bite as the bait is making that initial fall so a sensitive rod is a must.� In order to fish this technique the Bolivar, MO angler uses a white Bass Pro Shops 3/8 oz. ball jig head with an open hook and a milky salt and pepper XPS grub. “I will loose a few bait in the trees but the hook up ratio is much better on an open hook.� Gary continued; “A grub is my number one confidence bait, I will go to it over any bait in my tackle box.� Much like Webb and Strejcek, Rusk feels choosing the right equipment is essential to success. “The most important part of grub fishing is picking a rod, reel and line combo you are comfortable with and then find a grub you have confidence in.�

Other Options and Techniques…..

While most of the grub fishing covered so far centers around deeper techniques the effectiveness of a grub in shallow more fertile waters cannot be denied. During the heat of summer through early fall solid white or smoke / metal flake 5� big tailed grubs like a Zoom Fat Albert are great baits around boat docks. When fish are suspended under the floats of a dock I like to pitch a white grub on a Jewel 3/16oz spider jig head and swim it back about 2’ under the surface next to the floats of walk ways and dock stalls. This technique has been especially effective on Grand and Lake of the Ozarks when fish are out toward the deeper ends of boat docks waiting on schools of shad to come by on their migration back into the creeks.
Another overlooked technique is to fish a darker colored grub on the bottom in the heat of summer. Post spawn fish see thousands of lizards, centipedes, brush hogs, jigs and worms through out the summer. When fishing gets tough many northern anglers will switch to a 5� single tail grub on a jig head and “slow roll� or “scrub� the bottom of main lake points near channel swings and deep water. Most of the fish on these points will react to a grub because of its smaller size and subtle action; it is a nice transition presentation between a Carolina or Texas rig and a deep diving crankbait. Darker colors like green pumpkin, pumpkinseed and black neon work well for this technique.
River fishermen swear by grubs when working deeper pools and eddies near stumps, laydowns and root wads. Smaller 3� white and smoke grubs fished on 1/4 oz. heads are definite winners for smallmouth, largemouth and goggle eyes. Cast a grub upstream into pools and slack water eddies created by current obstructions then swim it back. Grubs are a simple but extremely effective method to catch fish in rivers and streams throughout the summer and fall.

Putting it all Together

Little baits with big results. While inexpensive and easy to fish, grubs are some of the most effective baits you can use on either deep, clear reservoirs or more fertile shallow lakes. Regardless of if you are fishing for suspended fish vertically, in trees, around docks, on the bottom scrubbing or slow rolling, a grub is an excellent choice to mimic bait fish and crawdads. The versatility and reliability of grubs cannot be over looked, so when you are considering what bait to tie on, take a second look at the often under fished grub.

Fish like you mean it! - EP

Kimberling City Area: Your best bet in the mid lake area continues to be deep fishing. Look for bait up off of the bottom suspended from 40’ – 60’ over as much as 150’ of water. If you find bait on the bottom you any fish in the area will be much less active than those that are around suspended bait. Drop shots and grubs have been the best bet using a 4� drop shot worm in sand or any of the watermelon family, while a salt and pepper grub has been the most productive.

James River: Jerkbaits continue to be strong up the James River; both Lucky Craft Pointers and Smithwick Rouges have been producing fish on flat mixed rock points and banks. Look for Isolated piece of cover and make multiple cast to that cover to be successful. If you catch a small fish or tow make additional cast with the stick bait and then follow up with an Eakins’ jig in the same piece of cover. Many times the fish are ganging up in brush and rock piles and you can catch several fish in one pile.

White River: Most of the fish in the white are being caught on stick baits as well. Clown, black / silver, chartreuse shad and American shad have all been good colors. Much unlike the James River the fish are on steeper banks up the White. Look for 45 degree chunk rock banks with isolated pieces of cover to and a little wind to be the most productive. A single cedar tree or brush pile on these banks can hold a number of fish.

Dam Area: The deep bite is still your most reliable pattern in the dam area; a drop shot is out catching a spoon at least 4 to 1 with 4� finesse worms any some kind of watermelon color catching most of the fish. Around some of the larger docks there is a good jig bite on the deeper ends, pitch a PB&J Eakins’ jig to the center walkway of the dock from 15’ – 45’ deep and work the bait back to the boat slowly.

Main Lake: There are basically two patterns on Stockton right now; On windy days throw a Lucky Craft Pointer or Smithwick Rouge on flat mixed rock banks with isolated cover and on calm days look to deep chunk rock and bluff rock points and swings with a Missouri Craw Eakins jig with a green pumpkin jig trailer. As far as colors are concerned on sunny days; American shad or Nishiki in the pointer and clown or chrome / black in the rouge and on cloudy days Table Rock shad and chartreuse shad will produce.

Above the bridges: Much like the main lake stick baits have been the most productive bait on windy days. Flat pea gravel / chunk rock banks with wind blowing on them will produce most of the fish. Brighter colors like bleeding Tennessee shad or Table Rock shad produce in the stained water. As always, an Eakins’ Flippin finesse jig fished in and around the log jams will produce a few fish.

Trolling is catching most of the walleye right now, the fish are from 20’ – 30’ deep; lead core line, trolling weights or long lining is the only way to get to them.

Crappie fishing is pretty strong, look for brush piles 15’ – 25’ deep and then use a float about 8’ above a live minnow, squirt or marabou jig.

Dam area to Lead Hill: The best bite in the dam area is still fishing deep and slow. If you can find suspended bait fish a spoon or drop shot will catch a few Kentuckies from 30’ – 60’ deep over as much as 100’ deep. The best way to target smallmouth is by working chunk rock and mixed rock points and swings with an Eakins jig in PB&J or brown / purple flash matched up with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer. Fish the bait as slow as you can and pay close attention to rock or wood cover.

Lead Hill to Power site: Wiggle warts continue to produce fish in the major creek arms and main lake on chunk rock banks and mixed rock flats. Brown craw has been the dominate color and most of the fish are coming out of 6’ – 8’ of water. Further up the river there are a lot of fish being caught by walleye anglers on jerkbaits, both Lucky Craft Pointers as well as Smithwick Rouges have been producing several fish on flat, windy mixed rock banks.

Basically two patterns are effective on Pomme right now; on windy days a stick bait and on calm days a jig. For the stick bait look for flat, windy mixed rock banks on both the main lake and in the major creek arms and use chrome colored baits on sunny days and chartreuse accented baits on cloudy ones. The jig bite is from 10’ – 25’ deep on main lake and major creek arm chunk rock points and swings. Look for isolated pieces of cover on these banks and make multiple casts to each piece of cover.

Crappie fishing continues to be strong, look for most of the fish to be suspended around 10’ deep over 20’ + of water in and around wood.

Best fly patterns for the week: Tan scuds, rusty midges, olive soft hackle all in sz.16 – 18. have been producing several nice fish.

Best spinning tackle: Still not much current so most of the action has been on live night crawlers and powerbait fished on drift rigs.

Kimberling City Area: Still a good deep bite in the mid lake area, look for bait fish to be on main lake and secondary points and the fish will not be far away. Find the bait find the fish. Spoons, drop shot and needle worms, single tail salt and pepper grubs have all been effective. A few fish are being caught around docks as well, Lucky Craft pointers and rogues are working on sunny days, work the bait as close to the walkway foam as possible, allow it to pause for 5 – 10 seconds between jerks.

James River: Jerkbaits are still the deal; Pointers, Rogues and X-Raps are all catching fish on windy mixed rock flat banks. Pay close attention to any isolated cover that may be on these banks and make multiple casts in and around the cover. Deeper channel swing banks are holding fish as well, an Eakins jig in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Eakins craw trailer will catch fish around whatever cover is on theses banks.

White River: The jerkbait bite on the White and the Kings has started to improve. Look for better fish to be on flat, mixed rock, open banks holding tight to isolated pieces of cover. The fish are moving up shallow through out the day as the surface temperature rises, start with your boat off shore in at least 20’ of water and move up shallower as the water warms.

Dam Area: Still a few fish being caught on a wiggle wart when the wind is blowing. Brown craw and phantom green craw have been the best two colors, fish mixed rock banks with wind howling on them 6’ – 8’ deep. There is also a good deep bite on drop shot and needle worms, spoons and single tail grubs. Look for schools of bait to show you where the fish are, most of the action has been on main lake and secondary points and swings from 40’ – 60’ deep.

Main Lake: Deeper points are holding most of the fish right now; bluff ends, channel swing banks and chunk rock points are all good areas. An Eakins jig in Missouri craw with a green pumpkin 4� Jig Trailer fished from 5’ – 30’ deep on these points will trigger several bites. On windy days a Lucky Craft Pointer, Rapala X-Rap or Smithwick Rogue will catch blacks, whites, walleye and big crappie on these same points.

Above the bridges: The river bite has been hit or miss over the past week. It seems that you can catch a few fish on bluff banks and channel swings with an Eakins jig or flippin finesse jig, concentrate on any wood cover that may be on these spots. Have heard of a few guys catching some a on a jerkbait in Sons creek near isolated cover on flat mixed rock banks.

Walleye are being caught trolling crankbaits and crawler harnesses in the dam area.

Crappie fishing was better last week, look for brush 15’ – 25’ deep and fish small tubes and swimming minnows.

White bass fishing is strong when the wind is blowing; white rooster tails and small crankbaits are working on windblown flat points.

Dam area to Lead Hill: Most of the fish are being caught on tubes and Jewel spider jigs on deeper points and channel swing banks. Green pumpkin, brown / purple flash and PB&J have all been very productive colors. Look for areas where chunk rock is mixed with big rock and boulders to hold most of the fish. A few fish are being caught on jerkbaits on these same points, pause the bait 5 – 10 seconds between jerks.

Lead Hill to Power site: On windy days a brown craw wiggle wart has been hard to beat. Look for chunk rock and mixed rock banks with wind blowing in on them to hold most of the fish. Fish parallel to the bank 6’ – 8’deep and try to bank the bait of whatever cover you find. Calm days require a slower approach, an Eakins jig in Missouri craw with a green pumpkin Eakins craw has been producing fish on channel swing banks in the major creek arms.

Once again most of the activity is coming out of the deeper brush piles on the main lake. Eakins jigs, tubes and sweet beavers are all producing fish from 10’ – 25’ deep. On windy days a jerkbait fished on flat mixed rock banks will produce a mixed bag, whites, blacks, crappie and musky will all move up and feed on schools of shad in these locations. Have heard of a few guys catching fish on wiggle warts and other crankbaits, try windy 45 degree chunk rock banks and swings.

Crappie fishing was excellent last week; most of the fish are suspended over brush 8’-10’ deep over as much as 25’ of water.