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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Swim a Grub for Fall Bass OV Outdoor Times
Twister-tail grubs pack a lot of fishcatching qualities in their modest profile. And while most anglers carry an assortment of grubs, generally they limit their usage to that of a niche bait, more By Jeff Knapp specifically a jig-type Fishing Editor lure hopped along the bottom. They miss out on one of the bait’s most productive applications, as that of a swimming lure. Bass-fishing expert Doug Cummings of Michigan isn’t one to limit his use of curly tails grubs to bottom dragging. From mid spring through mid fall, the time when water temperatures remain warm enough for bass to chase a moving lure, Cummings often reaches for a grub rod. “During the late summer on into mid fall I often rely on a four-inch grub as a finesse lure, when due to fishing pressure or conditions bass won’t finish the deal on a bigger presentation,” he noted. “For instance, in clear water conditions I’ll often have a big smallmouth follow a soft swim-
bait or a spinnerbait. But when I throw back with a four-inch grub, that same fish will eat it rather than just follow.” Regardless of the precise time of year he’s fishing it, Cummings sees the swimming grub as a shallow water offering. He only uses it in depths of four feet or less. “The other great thing about a swimming grub is that folks with limited fishing experience can catch fish on it,” he said. “You don’t have to be able to manipulate the lure. You can simply cast it out, wind it in, and still catch bass.” For grubs to function correctly as a swimming lure they must be rigged straight. Cummings prefers a fatter bodied curly tail bait such as the Yum’s Muy Grande grub. The thicker body, he says, makes the bait a bit more forgiving regarding rigging. The bait can be off-center a tad and still swim well. Though the exact style can vary, some sort of leadhead jig is used to rig a grub as a swimbait. Bullet head (often call darter head), ball head and mushroom heads are all acceptable. A bigger issue than head shape is hook size, particularly with lighter heads that typically sport small hooks. For proper placement on a four-inch grub a 1
September 2015
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Jeff Knapp
Twister-tail grubs are a top choice for both river and lake dwelling smallmouth bass during the late summer and fall.
or 1/0 hook is needed, one with adequate hook gap as well. Lindy’s Max Gap hook is a good example or a leadhead jig wellsuited for swimming grub work. Cummings typically fishes eighth to
three-sixteenth ounce heads. He uses a round head jig produced in his area. It features several tiny barbs to keep the grub body in place. Heads with a single barb Turn To Bass Page 7