I fish grubs on spinning tackle. You can use a baitcaster if you want, but I think you get better casting accuracy with a light-action spinning rod and reel. Light test-weight line is an advantage, too. It gives them better action.
The difference in bait action between 8-pound-test line and 12-pound-test line might not be all that great with a 3/4-ounce crankbait, but it’s really big when you’re fishing a 1/16-ounce ball head and a short, lightweight plastic. You want things to work together.
There are three basic styles of grubs — curly-tail, boot-tail and straight-tail.
My choice is usually a curly-tail but I have caught a lot on any one of the three depending upon conditions. To get maximum action out of a curly-tail grub rig it so that the bend in the tail is in the opposite direction of the bend in the hook. In most cases that’ll be down. If you do use a bend-down hook, and rig the curly-tail up, make sure the hook has a weedguard on it. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time retying.
I use a boot-tail when I want to get less action but, at the same time, I want to get more thump and water displacement. That’ll help fish find it in heavily stained or muddy water and under lowlight conditions.
Straight tail grubs are interesting for a couple of reasons. I don’t fish with them a lot but I do use them in really clear water when the bite is especially tough. They’re pretty good at putting bass in your livewell when nothing else seems to work.
They have another fun use, however and that’s catching darn near anything that swims. All grubs will do that, of course, but straight-tails seem to have a special knack for it. If you just want to go fishing, tie a bright white, straight-tail grub on with a simple leadhead weight up front. Let it fall to the bottom and bring it back with a slow lift and fall routine. It should hit the bottom when it falls.
Most of the time, you’ll end the day with one or two fish out of every species that lives in your waters including a couple of surprisingly big flatheads. They are predators, you know, and for some reason they really like white, straight-tail grubs.
I’m serious, guys. Try it sometime when things are slow.
The white grub thing is only for special occasions, though. Most of the time I toss my grub out let it fall to the depth I want — you can estimate the rate of fall at one foot per second — and reel it straight back to the boat. I don’t jerk or snap it, and I don’t pull it up and down. A steady, horizontal retrieve is the way to go.
The only exception to what I just said is if I’m trying to imitate a crayfish, leech or something else that’s crawling along the bottom. Then I drag it back, but even then I do it with steady movement.
The bottom line is this: Fancy lures, with fancy retrieves, catch bass. Grubs do the same thing.
Mike Iaconelli’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website, mikeiaconelli.com.
