Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

After five years of fishing on the Delta I finally feel like I'm starting to get punching. I've caught 'em here and there over the years with this technique but never consistently. But it's finally all starting to come together.

These catches were the best ones of the day earlier this month. It was a numbers day but no monsters.

I usually don't leave the audio on because of all the jibber jabber but I found I loved that sound of braid squealing through the guides with every hook set.

Felicidades!!!

mark poulson wrote:Felicidades!!!

Was that all just submerged grass and weeds? What tide were you fishing?

db220 wrote:Was that all just submerged grass and weeds? What tide were you fishing?

Mostly submerged hydrilla that was somewhat matted at the top. Just before and after low tide. I feel like they're more scattered at high tide.

Great video. Hopefully, I can learn to punch better.

Thanks I appreciate the info. I struggle with punching out there and I usually feel like at low tide I at least have a shot punching the edges.

Another good video. I punch a lot and always enjoy watching other guys' approach to it and hooksets.

The punch bit can be good if you find the right area at the right tide .

Javelin Jim wrote:Great video. Hopefully, I can learn to punch better.

Thanks! People kept telling me to just put my head down and keep doing it all day. Best way to learn.

Freefall wrote:Another good video. I punch a lot and always enjoy watching other guys' approach to it and hooksets.

The punch bit can be good if you find the right area at the right tide .

Thanks Freefall!

Agreed. And find some healthy grass. Not sure what's up these past couple of years but there's a lot of algae in the system now days.

db220 wrote:Thanks I appreciate the info. I struggle with punching out there and I usually feel like at low tide I at least have a shot punching the edges.

Yeah focusing on low tide gave me more confidence in where they'd be positioned. I went back to the same spot and fished it at high tide and still caught em on the edges but I'm sure there were more further back.

It's different day to day. I went back out yesterday and only got a couple punching. Tides seemed abnormally high. That's my excuse anyway!

Your hooksets are so laid back I like it!

What rod, reel and line combo are you using. maybe the size and style of weight.
You appear to be using a rod that has some give in it. Just interested in action , as I get older I use a hookset more like yours and less like I'm ripping there lips off


Thanks

Caleb.Smith wrote:Your hooksets are so laid back I like it!

lol, thanks! I'm just trying to prevent winging that tungsten at my face and/or boat!

I read where Ish Monroe talks about his punching hookset. He tends to just lift up rather than jackin' em like you think he would. I thought that made a lot of sense.

Rod Martin wrote:What rod, reel and line combo are you using. maybe the size and style of weight.
You appear to be using a rod that has some give in it. Just interested in action , as I get older I use a hookset more like yours and less like I'm ripping there lips off


Thanks

My set up:

Dobyns Champion 805 Flip/Punch - Some give in the tip, which you want, but a lot of back bone for horsing them out. You can't let them turn their heads and go deeper in to the weeds. It's not a crazy expensive rod and the quality is very good. It's a little tip heavy so you'll have to counter weight it.

Curado 7:1 reels - I have a G (the one no one likes) and last gen 200HG. They're like Kalashnikovs. Not super fancy, nor super light. But they have a sufficient drag (locked down) and they get the job done. Decent price too.

Line - For hydrilla I just switched to Power Pro Super Slick, 65#. Color doesn't matter cuz you're going to ink out the last 3-6' anyway. I kinda like the fluorescent colors because you can see the line jump more easily. I was using Samurai 70# but it was kinda noisy in the weeds.

For floating vegetation (pennywort, primrose, hyacinth) I use 80# Suffix 832. Might just be me but feels like you need a little more test to get them out of the really thick stuff.

Weight - I'm using 1 oz tungsten for hydrilla and 1.5oz for floating mats. One note, I'm using a 3/0 TK133 for hydrilla. A buddy was fishing the same but with a 4/0 and wasn't getting through the grass as many times. Point is, you may have to go up a little in weight if you use a 4/0.

Thanks
I'm still playing and learning. But doing it from a sitting position. Back doesn't take standing for very long anymore. So you're style seemed to be something I can convert to sitting

Rod Martin wrote:Thanks
I'm still playing and learning. But doing it from a sitting position. Back doesn't take standing for very long anymore. So you're style seemed to be something I can convert to sitting

Several years ago I saw an old timer down on Sand Mound Slough pitch from a sitting position. It was the smoothest thing I've ever seen.

Seems like you might want to go with a shorter rod though.

ElGuapo wrote:

Rod Martin wrote:Thanks
I'm still playing and learning. But doing it from a sitting position. Back doesn't take standing for very long anymore. So you're style seemed to be something I can convert to sitting

Several years ago I saw an old timer down on Sand Mound Slough pitch from a sitting position. It was the smoothest thing I've ever seen.

Seems like you might want to go with a shorter rod though.

Thanks
I'm more of a Phenix rod fan and am using the 7'6" recon elite, I will give the 3/0 a try to see how much difference there is.
Thank you for the input .

Nice! Keep Punching....
https://youtu.be/Wl0cZCXDVI4
Delta Frogging and Punching w/Pat Crow

ElGuapo wrote:

Caleb.Smith wrote:Your hooksets are so laid back I like it!

lol, thanks! I'm just trying to prevent winging that tungsten at my face and/or boat!

I read where Ish Monroe talks about his punching hookset. He tends to just lift up rather than jackin' em like you think he would. I thought that made a lot of sense.

Yah that way you wont put a 2in hole in its mouth either!