How To Fish Grassbeds with a Jig and Pig

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Grassbeds of all types on lakes, rivers and ponds hold bass. They feed in them and use them for cover. One of the best ways to catch fish from grassbeds is with a jig and pig.

You need the right equipment to fish grassbeds with a jig and pig. Most grass in the water is tough and it is easy to tangle fish you hook in the grass.


For that reason you need a stout rod, heavy reel and strong line. You also need the right jig and pig.

• Rods for Fishing A Jig And Pig In Grassbeds
  A flipping stick is a good rod to fish in grassbeds. Many people flip a jig and pig into the grass so you need a fairly long, heavy action rod. The tip should be light enough to pitch or flip the lure and feel the bite.
  
• Reels for Fishing Grassbeds
  A baitcasting reel works best for fishing grassbeds. They are stronger than spinning reels and you can control the line better. It is also easier to keep a finger on the line to feel the bite. A smooth turning reel helps if you pitch the lure and you need a good drag system on the reel.
  
• Line for Fishing Grassbeds
  Braid line is very good when fishing thick grass. It will cut through the stems of the grass and you can use stronger line for the diameter. Some fishermen use flurocarbon line, especially if the grass is not too thick or has weaker stems.
  
• Jigs to Use in Grassbeds
  There are several types of jigs that work well depending on what kind of grass you are fishing. You can use a swimming jig with curly tail trailers to swim a jig through sparse grass. You need a very heavy jig for punching mats of grass and want a trailer that will not catch on the grass, so a straight tail like the Trixy is good. If there is gunk on the bottom of the grass that will foul your jig a very light jig with curly tails wil fall slowly and you can keep it above the mess.
  

• Jig Color
  A black and blue jig with a blue trailer is standard in stained water and a jig and pig with browns is good in clear water. It also helps to dip the tails in JJ's Magic to give it some flash and scent.
  
• Types of Grassbeds
  Water willow is a common grass around the edges of lakes and rivers. It has a thick stem and will grow in water up to about three feet deep. Hydrilla is a favorite haunt of bass and it grows further out in deeper water. Punching a jig and pig through the surface of the mat of hydrilla is a good way to catch big fish. You need a heavy jig, one ounce or more, to punch through the surface and get down to where the fish are hiding. Lilly pads are another type of grass or water plant that holds bass. The leaves have very tough stems so you definitely need braid line to cut through them. Cattails grow in shallow water but the root system holds a lot of bass on most rivers and lakes. There are other types of grass that holds bass, too.
  
• How To Fish A Jig and Pig in Grass
  In stained water or very thick grass you can get your boat in very close. In clear water or if the bass are spooky in thin grass, stay back further from it.
  
  When fishing grass of any kind, look for something different. A point of the grass, a cut in it, a hole or rocks and wood in the grass all attract bass. Fish your lure around any of them. When fishing thin grass work your bait through it for as far as you can. In real thick grass work the edges or use a heavy jig to punch through the top layer and work the jig up and down in one place under the grass.
  
  Give grass beds a try with a jig and pig. You will be happy with the results.