I fish from the shore most of the time, and often there is some form of mat or vegetation.

 

The first type is a slimy thick mat of algae/grass stuff. If you slap it hard, it opens and you can see water and submergent grass below. It's about 3/4" to 1" thick. I have drug a frog over it, but mostly I fish around this. I betcha there is bass up in there, and I reckon I could punch through it pretty easy.

 

The second type I most often encounter is, I think, American Pond Weed. Or at least it's very similar. You snag gobs of it, and it comes up without effort, so it's not rooted. It appears to be pretty "thin" in the sense that a bass could easily navigate it. I pretty much fish around this.

 

So, give me suggestions of what I need in order to fish these two types of vegetation from shore.

 

I have a 7'3" Heavy rod, a BPS Crankin' stick. But I really dont know what lures I should try, and what weight and type of line I can use.

 

So... do I absolutely need heavy braid? Would 17 pound mono work? What about heavier mono?

 

Whats best, a heavy jig, or weighted Texas Rig?

 

I'm more comfortable with the Texas Rig. What weight should I get? do I absolutely need a straight shank hook, or will a standard offset worm hook suffice in a pinch?

 

Any other lures that will be effective?

 

How far apart should I punch?

 

If I pull a fish out of a hole, do you throw back to that spot the same as you do when fishing other types of cover or structure?

17 mono on a heavy rod is enough for that. You’ll need to play with the weight, but 1/2-1 oz should be enough to get through it. If you have any of those then start there. Texas rig, ideally not an ewg hook.  A slimmer piece of plastic, aka not many appendages. A beaver or ribbon tail worm is a good choice. 
 

pitch to holes and if none then punch down through it. Cast at anything that is different that you can see. You want to cover water so you want the lure to get through the mat quickly and drop to the bottom. Give it a little shake, reel it in and do it again.  How close to cast to the last one?  Water visibility and how aggressive the fish are will tell you that. Start at every 2’ or so and if you catch one fish the area more thoroughly. If you know the bottom contours then all the better. 

9 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

17 mono on a heavy rod is enough for that. You’ll need to play with the weight, but 1/2-1 oz should be enough to get through it. If you have any of those then start there. Texas rig, ideally not an ewg hook.  A slimmer piece of plastic, aka not many appendages. A beaver or ribbon tail worm is a good choice. 
 

pitch to holes and if none then punch down through it. Cast at anything that is different that you can see. You want to cover water so you want the lure to get through the mat quickly and drop to the bottom. Give it a little shake, reel it in and do it again.  How close to cast to the last one?  Water visibility and how aggressive the fish are will tell you that. Start at every 2’ or so and if you catch one fish the area more thoroughly. If you know the bottom contours then all the better. 

Thanks.

 

I already am pinching to any visibile openings, but I've always done so with either a weightless, or a very lightly weighted texas rig. I do catch a few like that, but I mostly do so with 10-12 pound line, just because it's what I normally use and have handy.

If I set up this big rod for punching, it could open up a whole new world for me, as some places have grass or mats 6-10 feet wide, with a few sparse openings for casting lanes.

It's pretty tough fishing.  A stout MH action bait casting rod and wenching power will be needed to horse a sizable bass out of that jungle.  40 or 50 pound braided line is what I use.

 

A tokyo rig is a setup specifically designed to punch through this stuff.  Fish usually sit below these thick mats of vegetation near the bottom so you need something that gets down there with weight.

 

Leave the ned rigs at home...

1 minute ago, gim said:

It's pretty tough fishing.  A stout MH action bait casting rod and wenching power will be needed to horse a sizable bass out of that jungle.  40 or 50 pound braided line is what I use.

 

A tokyo rig is a setup specifically designed to punch through this stuff.  Fish usually sit below these thick mats of vegetation near the bottom so you need something that gets down there with weight.

 

Leave the ned rigs at home...

Thanks. I know there is at least some 4lb bass in one of the places. The other place I don't really know, because it's so covered I haven't been able to fish it much.

--------

Is it better to have a slow, medium, or fast geared reel?

I personally would like something with the ability to pick up line quicker, so you can haul a bass out of the jungle quicker.

They like it thick down my way. I use minimum 65lb braid out in the everglades with a 2oz punch weight and a 5/0 strait shank punch hook. I’ve been experimenting with the 5/0 offset worm hooks with decent results. Rod of choice xtra heavy Saint Croix slop n frog rod with a fast 8-1 Daiwa Tatula. Often times the bass will already be six feet away before the hookkset. So gotta be quick and really sensitive to the drop of the bait. A technique I use is to thumb the spool on the drop so as to feel any such abnormality. Then lock & load. Sometimes the bait seems to stop and remain stationary and you assume bottomed out but lookout, she already has eaten it and is just chillin! This is the time to apply that “hooksets are free” mode. Any weird feeling slam ‘em! Punching baits is one of the best ways to get a trophy fish, imho. 
 

Typical everglades…
 

5 hours ago, Zcoker said:

 This is the time to apply that “hooksets are free” mode. Any weird feeling slam ‘em! 

And if it isn’t a fish get ready to dodge a 2oz bullet coming right at you! 

7 hours ago, 10,000 lakes Bassin said:

And if it isn’t a fish get ready to dodge a 2oz bullet coming right at you! 

Happened a few times when first started out but like anything else one learns the moves. Just how it is with punching. I’d be more worried about having someone else around, more worried for them! 

On 7/27/2025 at 7:03 PM, Bazoo said:

 

So, give me suggestions of what I need in order to fish these two types of vegetation from shore.

 

1)  I have a 7'3" Heavy rod, a BPS Crankin' stick. But I really dont know what lures I should try, and what weight and type of line I can use.

 

2)  So... do I absolutely need heavy braid? Would 17 pound mono work? What about heavier mono?

 

3)  Whats best, a heavy jig, or weighted Texas Rig?

 

4)  What weight should I get?
 

5)  do I absolutely need a straight shank hook, or will a standard offset worm hook suffice in a pinch?

 

6)  Any other lures that will be effective?

 

7)  How far apart should I punch?

 

😎  If I pull a fish out of a hole, do you throw back to that spot the same as you do when fishing other types of cover or structure?

1…Use the 7’3 Heavy

Any beaver or craw type fairly compact plastic of your choice. 
For the thickest and most compact use a beaver with minimum side appendages as the action should come from the tail. 
 

2…Yes,

For the thickest I use 60# or 80#. 
As it thins out or around the edges but still in moderate cover I use 20# or 25# fluorocarbon. 

I would never use mono for punching but there are folks on here who do and are successful. Your choice 
 

3…

No definitive answer. 
Some use jigs designed for it and others use plastics. 
 

4…

I would start at 3/4oz and go from there. 
I’ve been known to use a 2oz on occasion but that’s rare. 
A 1 1/2 oz should be the max you’ll ever need. 
That said, Sometimes by pitching or flipping high and letting it crash through will get hit where a nice silent entry won’t. 
 

5…

No

I only use a straight shank heavy wire hook for any and all punching. 
But yes, another style will work but that will depend on the size and rigging of the plastic you use. 
 

6…

Yes

Trial and error, you’ll know soon enough. 
 

7…

Depends on the setup. 
If the matt is an area the size of a swimming pool I’ll drop every few feet or so, any bigger every few yards..

BUT after making 3 or 4 with that spacing I go back to where I dropped the first and do it again.
If no hits I’ll start where I left off on the first cycle, at the same distances working my way around. 
**In other words I’m going up and back before I continue to move around 
 

8…

Always, with more aggressive lifts and shakes. 
 

Punching isn’t just throwing something to hit the bottom. 
It’s up close and personal with it’s own set of nuances. 
You’re invading her house, if she’s home she’ll respond. 
 

Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

6 hours ago, Mike L said:

1…Use the 7’3 Heavy

Any beaver or craw type fairly compact plastic of your choice. 
For the thickest and most compact use a beaver with minimum side appendages as the action should come from the tail. 
 

2…Yes,

For the thickest I use 60# or 80#. 
As it thins out or around the edges but still in moderate cover I use 20# or 25# fluorocarbon. 

I would never use mono for punching but there are folks on here who do and are successful. Your choice 
 

3…

No definitive answer. 
Some use jigs designed for it and others use plastics. 
 

4…

I would start at 3/4oz and go from there. 
I’ve been known to use a 2oz on occasion but that’s rare. 
A 1 1/2 oz should be the max you’ll ever need. 
That said, Sometimes by pitching or flipping high and letting it crash through will get hit where a nice silent entry won’t. 
 

5…

No

I only use a straight shank heavy wire hook for any and all punching. 
But yes, another style will work but that will depend on the size and rigging of the plastic you use. 
 

6…

Yes

Trial and error, you’ll know soon enough. 
 

7…

Depends on the setup. 
If the matt is an area the size of a swimming pool I’ll drop every few feet or so, any bigger every few yards..

BUT after making 3 or 4 with that spacing I go back to where I dropped the first and do it again.
If no hits I’ll start where I left off on the first cycle, at the same distances working my way around. 
**In other words I’m going up and back before I continue to move around 
 

8…

Always, with more aggressive lifts and shakes. 
 

Punching isn’t just throwing something to hit the bottom. 
It’s up close and personal with it’s own set of nuances. 
You’re invading her house, if she’s home she’ll respond. 
 

Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Thank you very much.

10 hours ago, Mike L said:

1…Use the 7’3 Heavy

Any beaver or craw type fairly compact plastic of your choice. 
For the thickest and most compact use a beaver with minimum side appendages as the action should come from the tail. 
 

2…Yes,

For the thickest I use 60# or 80#. 
As it thins out or around the edges but still in moderate cover I use 20# or 25# fluorocarbon. 

I would never use mono for punching but there are folks on here who do and are successful. Your choice 
 

3…

No definitive answer. 
Some use jigs designed for it and others use plastics. 
 

4…

I would start at 3/4oz and go from there. 
I’ve been known to use a 2oz on occasion but that’s rare. 
A 1 1/2 oz should be the max you’ll ever need. 
That said, Sometimes by pitching or flipping high and letting it crash through will get hit where a nice silent entry won’t. 
 

5…

No

I only use a straight shank heavy wire hook for any and all punching. 
But yes, another style will work but that will depend on the size and rigging of the plastic you use. 
 

6…

Yes

Trial and error, you’ll know soon enough. 
 

7…

Depends on the setup. 
If the matt is an area the size of a swimming pool I’ll drop every few feet or so, any bigger every few yards..

BUT after making 3 or 4 with that spacing I go back to where I dropped the first and do it again.
If no hits I’ll start where I left off on the first cycle, at the same distances working my way around. 
**In other words I’m going up and back before I continue to move around 
 

8…

Always, with more aggressive lifts and shakes. 
 

Punching isn’t just throwing something to hit the bottom. 
It’s up close and personal with it’s own set of nuances. 
You’re invading her house, if she’s home she’ll respond. 
 

Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

All good tips. I actually use 25lb tatsu fluoro for jigs/T-rigs and that includes punching. 
 

One thing to mention is when pulling the bait up, stopping it when it’s right under the mat and giving at a little shake before you pull it out can get a bite. 

21 hours ago, Mike L said:

1…Use the 7’3 Heavy

Any beaver or craw type fairly compact plastic of your choice. 
For the thickest and most compact use a beaver with minimum side appendages as the action should come from the tail. 
 

2…Yes,

For the thickest I use 60# or 80#. 
As it thins out or around the edges but still in moderate cover I use 20# or 25# fluorocarbon. 

I would never use mono for punching but there are folks on here who do and are successful. Your choice 
 

3…

No definitive answer. 
Some use jigs designed for it and others use plastics. 
 

4…

I would start at 3/4oz and go from there. 
I’ve been known to use a 2oz on occasion but that’s rare. 
A 1 1/2 oz should be the max you’ll ever need. 
That said, Sometimes by pitching or flipping high and letting it crash through will get hit where a nice silent entry won’t. 
 

5…

No

I only use a straight shank heavy wire hook for any and all punching. 
But yes, another style will work but that will depend on the size and rigging of the plastic you use. 
 

6…

Yes

Trial and error, you’ll know soon enough. 
 

7…

Depends on the setup. 
If the matt is an area the size of a swimming pool I’ll drop every few feet or so, any bigger every few yards..

BUT after making 3 or 4 with that spacing I go back to where I dropped the first and do it again.
If no hits I’ll start where I left off on the first cycle, at the same distances working my way around. 
**In other words I’m going up and back before I continue to move around 
 

8…

Always, with more aggressive lifts and shakes. 
 

Punching isn’t just throwing something to hit the bottom. 
It’s up close and personal with it’s own set of nuances. 
You’re invading her house, if she’s home she’ll respond. 
 

Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

This is an excellent response to punching. 
 

I’ll add from my  experience. Try using tungsten weights. You can go heavier and have a much smaller weight. I’ve punched pads and mats with weights from 3/8-1 ounce. Straight shank hooks work best. If it is lighter cover an offset work hook works fine.  I definitely like braid. It’s low stretch and very sensitive. Like stated above. It’s a up close and personal game. Fast bites and hard. And you have to wrench them out of the cover and work for it. There’s no finesse about it. Set the hook hard and start cranking. High gear ratio reels move more line per turn. Generally any bottom contact bait or non moving bait I like a high speed reel since all the action is made by me or me working the rod. The reel is just to recover line and the fish in a hurry. 

I'm beginning the journey. I have my heavy rod loaded with 20 pound braid, the heaviest I have. I have some 1/2 lead bullet weights, and I purchased some 3/0 Eagle Claw flipping hooks.

 

We'll see how it goes with the thin stuff I have in mind.