Grass Punching (Better than Jig Flippin)

[Louisiana Champ]

I am only 17 years old but grass punching is something I have been doing since I was around 10 years old.  When I first began I had no idea anyone else was doin it, I thought I was a little pioneer     Since then I have really gotten a feel for it and consider it an entirely isolated form of bass fishing, and I've won a lot of money through tournaments using the tecnique.

Here's a step by step way to catch shallow water pigs punchin' grass:

1) Find some type of matted vegetation, whether it be dead or alive, grass or lilies, anything.  As long as it forms a canopy with a fairly open underneath you're good.

2) Find this type of vegetation in a good area...how do you know if its a good area? Use your instincts, determine time of year, water temp, depth, forage, everything. (An excellent way to find where it punch is to fish the outside of the matted grass, and if you catch small one or two, or even just get some perch bites, begin punching the area.

3) Determine what I call your "Punchin' Presentation."   You want to use the smallest weight possible to get thru the grass easily. I use anywhere from a half ounce tungsten to a one ounce tungsten.  PEG THE WEIGHT, this is a must!  Next, select a big strong hook you feel comfortable with. I like a 4/0 or 5/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG hook. 
-Now the bait:  I punch with a variety of different baits depending on the bait in the area and the color of the water, but my go to punchin' lure has to be a Zoom Speed Craw in either Watermelon/red or June bug.

4) Actually punchin':  Now the fun begins! Flip onto the mat and let your bait fall through....let it drop to the bottom, pull it up all the way to the bottom of the mat, bump it one the mat 2-3 times, let it fall once more, an if no strike, make another flip.  Each "cast should only take about 5-7 seconds.

5) Finding a pattern:  Simply punching the grass in an area is a pattern, but you have to look for the "pattern within the pattern."  Look for anything different in the mat (i.e. a point, a crease, a thin spot, a thick spot, a stump, a place where two types of vegetation meet or mix, etc.)  9 times out of 10 you will find what you're looking for and by the end of the day be able to call which pitches will produce a fish.

*Extra tip:  At bear minimum punch with 40 pound Braided line, a 7 foot medium-heavy action rod, and a 6.5:1 reel.  Anything less than that and you will not be able to horse them outta the salad! I use a 7'6" heavy action Custom made rod with 50 pound Power Pro and a Curado E7, and i've horsed many 5 pounders and bigger out of some thick stuff! 

[Bassinkorea]

Great thread and awesome information. This is a technique that I am starting to use right now and could use all the tips I can get.

Thank you for sharing 

[Louisiana Champ]

No problem, if you you have any specifics i can help you with just lemme know, i love this technique...

[Mike Cork]

Love me some punching

[Donald Garner]

Thanks for sharing the technique and tip on grass punching.

[DirtyBently]

I've started punching myself Im yet to produce a bass in boat but got a
Monster hit and a hit by a warmouth that hit a sweetbeaver like a freight train. I haven't Been to lakes with heavy veggies the usual lake Ive been fishing has cat tails and reeds. I'm headed to the kissimmee chain tomorrow an was told it's awesome to punch there can't wait !!!!!


One ? Though, when flipping how far are you getting your bait? Also how close to the junk are you?

[Mike Cork]

I usually flip within 10 ft off the boat so I'm pretty much on top of the grass. Try to let the wind drift you through productive areas versus making a bunch of noise with the trolling motor

[roytex101]

what does peg the weight mean?

[Ron Fogelson]

what does peg the weight mean?

It's something you can do when you need to keep the weight from sliding up and down the line.  Some do it all the time some never do it but the best reason to do this is when fishing matted grass so when the weight falls through it takes the bait with it rather than just the weight going down and your bait is still on top of the grass.     I also like to do this when fishing brush piles so the bait and the weight fall together, helps cut down on snags when the weight is wrapped around a limb and the bait is wrapped around another limb or 2.

Some use toothpicks, some use a bobber stop and I use the soft rubber T's sold for pegging.