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Winter 2018
submerged grass are often game to blast topwater walkers, beneath it. But if I lower the top to 6-feet, you’re not that
buzzbaits and frogs.
comfortable.
SPACE BENEATH: Of course, we can’t mention frogs without a nod to the deeper, cheesed-over mats. Here, a full tide is the gatekeeper for all the cozy canopies bass favor. But if you think every mat of hydrilla, hyacinth, primrose or pennywort holds fish round-the-clock, consider the effects of falling water.
“It’s about compaction; as the tide drops, the ceiling comes down,” Mah said. “If you have a pop-up tent and it’s 100 degrees outside, a 6-foot man is comfortable standing
“At that point, you’re making a decision: ‘Do I stand in the heat, do I find another location, or do I just stand here because it is out of the sun?’ You might stay there, but you’re not going to be comfortable and if you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to eat.”
The compaction principle does not necessarily kill the mat option, but you’ll want to target the ones that are hanging over deeper water. When the tide returns, it’s a mad rush for bass to stake out the best spots under those recently-
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