By Glenn Hudson
For the Salisbury Post
Catching largemouth bass during the warm months of the year on Badin Lake is often as easy as throwing a soft, plastic worm along virtually any stretch of grass that lines the shore. And this eelgrass is everywhere on Badin, and the bass love it.
There are few patterns more reliable for catching largemouth bass on Badin between now and October. The fact is that as long as the lake is at least three feet or less below full pond, the grass is where the bass will feed every day.
The main reason is due to the fact that perch love to hang around the grass edges. Shad hide there as well. If the lake is drawn down several feet then the grass is out of play because it is usually too shallow for the bass to use. In that case you need to back off the bank and fish other types of structure, such as docks or laydowns along the shoreline.
The best sign along the grass is if you see a blue heron stalking the shoreline. In that situation you can almost guarantee there will be baitfish nearby, and bass as well. The best spots are places where the grass grows out onto a main lake point. From here, bass can easily access deeper water when they need to escape the heat or the bright sunshine.
But dawn and dusk will find them feasting along the eelgrass. Sometimes they will be patrolling the edges. Other times they will literally get inside the grass. Either way, one of the best ways to catch them is with a Senko worm rigged weightless on a worm hook. You’ll need to rig it weedless as well since the eelgrass will grab and hold any hook that comes near.
You can catch fish by throwing this setup toward the shore and then simply crawling or hopping the lure through the grass. Often you’ll get hit when your offering drops down in a hole in the grass. Or, the bass may hit it just as it leaves the grass.
Either way, it is a good idea to let them grab the lure, wind down toward the fish to eliminate slack in the line, and then rear back and set the hook with authority. It is an amazing feeling when you come tight to a big bass in this manner. Then the fun really begins.
The best colors to use are watermelon green with red flake when the water is clear or a brighter color if the water is dirty. The swim Senkos that feature a paddle-style tail on the back are also very good at fooling largemouth throughout the summer.
If you keep having fish nip at the back of your worm while you are retrieving it then you are probably encountering perch. That is a good sign when bass fishing.
You can often gently coax the worm out of the perch’s mouth by pulling a little more firmly on your bait. In this manner the worm won’t come off the hook and you can still have a chance to catch a bass on that retrieve.
Another great thing about this method of fishing is that children can do it without fear (usually) of hooking themselves or others nearby.
You’ll want to fish this rig on a medium spinning rod.
When you catch a big one, send us a picture show we can show everybody just how good of an angler you have become.