PUNCHING thick weed MATTS

Summertime fishing the Delta for black bass means weed growth.  So what do ya do?

Punch some matts

http://tackletour.com/previewpaycheckbaitspunchskirt.html


Punching Matts

"http://www.youtube.com/v/VeJ-STNnrfM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/nFmNieom_dA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

Damn this I like, this I have to try.

I like to texas rig and peg a 1oz tungsten weight on a 90 deg bent shaft hook with a palomar knot. Real easy and works great.

Until you get the whole rig, try this:

Tie a bobber stopper knot or do something like this http://www.bobberstopper.com/BS2.html a couple feet up your line

Slide a bullet weight up your line (1/2+ oz depending on the mat)  point first

Tie on a 3/0+ worm hook. The snell he used in the video looked great, I use a palomar.

Thread on your favorite plastic jig weedless style (baby bush hog, etc...)

Slide the bobber stopper and weight down against the top of your hook. Some people will just jam a toothpick into the end of the weight to hold it, and break it off at the tip. The guy who showed me this crimped the end of the weight against the line. I just started using the stopper because I'm cheap  

Toss this out on the mat. If it doesn't fall through, jiggle it until it does. Let it fall to the bottom, jig it gently and pay real close attention   . Most often the rig doesn't just fall through and the jiggling to make it do so must attract bass, because 70% of the time you get hit it's as soon as you break through. In some really shallow water (~1 foot) I watched the wake of one big bass racing towards my jig.

There is definitely an art to this. The guy who showed me used to be a pro. As he, I and his brother walked around the lake, using the same rig, they out fished me 6, or more, to one. Of course my $25 spinning combo didn't compare to the big bucks gear they were using, so maybe I could use that for an excuse? But really, often the "bite" is just the faintest tap tap. And the hook set you saw the guy use in the vid is exactly what these guys were doing. Of course, since the distances are so short, if you miss a 3/4oz (in the vid he was using 1 1/2) weight comes flying out of the mat and and you're ducking. 1 1/2 oz is huge, but that would certainly punch through some weeds.

Ben

Thank you for the info Yester.  I'll give this a try nextime fishing in the Delta.

I know little to nothing abut bass fishing. But wouldn't a heavy skirted jig rigged weedless do the same thing? I must be missing something. Someone please educate me. Is that what you are saying FF?

know little to nothing abut bass fishing.

Welcome to my world  . This method was a real eye opener for me.

But wouldn't a heavy skirted jig rigged weedless do the same thing?

I think it's essentially the same thing. The rig in the video has some refined points that could be worthwhile if they aren't too expensive. ReelFish's comment is along the same line. Just a Texas rig with the weight stopped instead of sliding.

Is that what you are saying FF?

Pretty much. That, the "art of it" (I'm still piss poor doing this) and the caution for those hard hook sets if your using something like the weight in the video. I heard of a guy getting a snag released (I think) only to have the weight slam him between the eyes and kill him. I've never seen a written account so maybe it's just legend... but still ...


Ben

Thanks for the videos.  I use a simpler rig, but his rig looks like every part has a purpose (and a price!).  I have had some success this year punching hydrilla/chesse mats.  Not sure if I'd be able to get a big one out of the hyacynth unless its right on the edge.  The yak is too low of a platform to bring the fish up & over.

Have fun out there.

HB

know little to nothing abut bass fishing.

Welcome to my world  . This method was a real eye opener for me.

But wouldn't a heavy skirted jig rigged weedless do the same thing?

I think it's essentially the same thing. The rig in the video has some refined points that could be worthwhile if they aren't too expensive. ReelFish's comment is along the same line. Just a Texas rig with the weight stopped instead of sliding.

Is that what you are saying FF?

Pretty much. That, the "art of it" (I'm still piss poor doing this) and the caution for those hard hook sets if your using something like the weight in the video. I heard of a guy getting a snag released (I think) only to have the weight slam him between the eyes and kill him. I've never seen a written account so maybe it's just legend... but still ...


Ben

I am an OK bass fisherman, as matter of fact this all what I usually fish before I got yak, anyway, theres not much difference on this method its still pretty much use the heavier jigs with weed guard, I'll try to avoid mats unless all my spot have been fish out, also on the edge of the weedlines should be as productive as punching as long as the fish are actives just my two cents

More vids of Tosh


http://www.youtube.com/v/SFsY3M9VRsk&hl=en&fs=1&

http://www.youtube.com/v/OOg5ikGZEA0&hl=en&fs=1&

http://www.youtube.com/v/6qsICeGPQAA&hl=en&fs=1&