Grass Line

A grass line is the outer edge of a weed bed, hydrilla patch, or milfoil mat where the vegetation thins out and gives way to open water. Bass use this edge as a highway, cruising along it to ambush baitfish and crawfish without having to bury deep into the cover. Any irregularity along the edge, a point, a pocket, or a cut, tends to hold more fish than a straight, featureless stretch. Anglers fish grass lines by running baits parallel to the edge instead of casting straight into the grass. This keeps the lure in the strike zone longer and reduces snags. Depending on conditions, a bait that can be worked just outside or right along the edge, like a squarebill crankbait or a swimbait, gets more bites than one thrown straight into the thickest part of the mat.

• Look for isolated clumps or points along the edge, they mark ambush spots.
• Fish the edge parallel, not perpendicular, to stay in the strike zone longer.
• Early and late in the day, bass often sit right on the line rather than deep in the grass.