Straight-forward tactics, plus insider tricks that consistently turn fish in good conditions and bad.

Blip. It cuts the surface film with the merest disturbance and goes hunting through reeds for bronze bass. Deflecting off the tall, green stalks, it purrs along, emitting a constant, subtle buzz that reaches the lateral line of smallmouths foraging over rocks beyond the reed edge—not enough vibration to be threatening, but plenty to feel like a meal. Bass turn, staring in that direction and wait for it to emerge.

The augering tail of a plastic grub acts, visually, much the same as a spinner blade. On a horizontal retrieve, the spinning, flipping tail creates a “soft hologram”—an illusion with the profile of a minnow. Moving too fast to be perceived as the simple hook-shaped piece of plastic it is, an augertail grub creates a blur that mimics the swimming style of minnows. Like a spinnerblade, grubtails produce flash, but in drastically reduced amounts. Thump, too, is dialed way down, for those days when a spinnerbait provides too much attraction.

Using a plastic grub in place of more aggressive baits is like turning down the volume on a radio. Less is more (1) where bass get a steady, daily diet of spinnerbaits and crankbaits; (2) after cold fronts; and (3) whenever bass are pressured, spooky, or reluctant to bite. But, unlike plastic baits without action tails or rattles—a common response in situations that require finesse—grubs get the attention of bass looking the other way.

The proliferation of grubs on the market today allows us to play endlessly with size, color, weight, action, and speed. Match the right characteristics with the mood of the fish and the surrounding cover, and it’s possible to catch smallmouths on grubs almost anywhere, anytime. What follows is a seasonal perspective on grub tactics designed to match the moods of bass in various types of cover, beginning in spring.

Open Water

Early in the season during prespawn, smallmouths often suspend and swim halfway down across shallow flats. The clearer the water, the more these bass look up, searching for minnows. Smallmouths pinned to the bottom tend to be inactive or are looking for crawfish. Jig-grub packages fashioned to imitate the right prey take them in either case. Later, during postspawn and all summer, active smallmouths suspend wherever minnows are a major forage source—and that’s practically everywhere. Again, a jig-grub combo can decode the puzzle.

One of the best ways to find suspending bass is with horizontal grub tactics. One of the oldest combinations in the book, the ballhead combined with a 3- to 5-inch grub works just fine, here. Even better is the Gopher Tackle Mushroom Head or Walker Fishing Systems Mini Mag Head. On these jigs, the back of the head is flat, so a plastic body can be snugged up against it for a seamless profile. More importantly, both employ VMC Barbarian hooks, which seldom fail to penetrate and hold because the hook point always is in the right position.

Run the hook through the middle of the grub and bring it out right on the seam, with the plastic tail pointing up. The tail augers at slow speeds better when rigged with the tail up. A straight, balanced package that tracks true and offers a natural streamlined profile to smallmouths is critical.