It’s hot. Bass are deep. Some are actually in deep water. Others are just burried deep beneath heavy cover. And because submerged grass has reached its peak growth in many places, the fish have plenty to hide in. These are the ‘deep’ bass we’re going to deal with in this post.

It’s helpful to note that schools of big fish will likely gravitate to the outside edges of such vegetation. Where dense mats form, look for bass under the deepest canopies.

Multiple options abound for mat-punchers. A simple craw lure, such as a cricket, behind a heavy weight is often all you need in order to get bit. And don’t be surprised when a big girl eats that tiny offering – after all, elephants dop eat peanuts.

Big often times bigger is better when it comes to lure selection for trophy bass. During summer months these fish are eating. Their metabolism is high. Truth be told, they’re not as picky about size or color as they may be at other times. Still, the guys who are busting big sacks in tournaments down here in Florida right now are doing so with skirted soft plastics.

Many of these mats are so thick that a jig is not an option. But a skirted flipping weight, such as the Strike King Slither Rig will give that bulk, action and slower fall rate of a jig. Another excellent option is the Honey Badger Punch Skirt from Eco Pro Tungsten. The Honey Badger can be used between any hook and any weight in your tackle box. Built on an Xmetal bead, the Honey Badger also adds sound to your presentation.

One trick to successful punching involves the use of a snell knot to kick the hook out and around the oversized sinkers used in the technique. That’s why Elite Series Pro Ish Monroe designed the New Jack Flippin’ Hook for River2Sea.

“Most people don’t know how to properly snell a hook,” said Monroe, handing me a pack of New Jack hooks, “so I designed these. Just bring the line through the main hook eye and then tie it to the second eye which is also the bait keeper. Now anybody can get that hook to kick out the way it is supposed to.”

And what to put on the business end of your rig? That’s where you become a kid in a candy store. Strike King offers some great options from their Rodent to the Denny Brauer Flippin’ Tubes but I really like the Rage Menace. The diameter of the Menace pairs beautifully with a flippin’ weight and the flapping tail can be left alone for a solid thumping action or separated into two flappers that kick at a higher frequency.

Gambler Lures have been used to win tour events whenever the flippin bite is on, most notably Chris Lane’s Bassmaster Classic on the Red River. From the Ugly Otter that Lane used to the audacious Mega Daddy with its huge flapping claws and the ultra subtle BB Cricket, Gambler Lures  – made in Florida – are made to take on the slop.

Culprit, another Florida-based company has hit a homerun with the Incredicraw which features curly appendages that can be removed so the bait will punch cleanly through cover. In sparse cover the appendages add enticing action.

Of course, it’s important to peg the weight so it pulls the lure down through the canopy with it, but if pegged too tightly the weight won’t slide down and kick the hook out even if you snell the hook correctly. For this reason you will see mat-punchers use bobber stops to peg their sinker and they will leave a small gap between the stopper and the weight to facilitate the kick out action of the hook. If pegging with a rubber nail (T Stop) or even a toothpick – you old school flipper, you – be sure that the sinker can slide a little when tugged on, again to enable the hook to kick out (just can’t over-emphasize how important that is when using big weights!).

Good luck with the mat-busting! Use a big, skirted bait and catch a big bass!