Grubs are one of the most popular lures for catching smallmouth bass. Whether you choose to vertically jig them, hop them along or swim them, you have several options for catching bass.
What Sizes are Best for Smallmouth Bass Fishing?
Most anglers prefer to use the 3 or 4 inch grubs for action. The 5 inch grubs will still get you a lot of bites and you will catch bigger bass on average. With the bigger grubs, you tend to get a lot of bass to bite the back of the bait while missing the hook while using the swimming technique. On some days, you may have to vary your grub sizes from 3 to 5 inches until you find the size that works best for where you are fishing on that particular day.
How to Rig Curly Tail Grubs
For most curly tail grubs, all you need is a simple jighead. For the longer grubs, you will catch more smallmouth bass by going with a jighead that has a longer shank hook attached. This helps get the hook closer to the back of the bait, so when a smallmouth bass bites the back of the bait, you have a much better chance of hooking and catching it. These baits also work great as trailers on spinnerbaits, underspins, bass jigs and bladed swim jigs.
Best Techniques
Hop Them Along the Bottom
You can hop a grub along the bottom do very well for smallmouth bass. Hop them along a rocky bottom and hold on.
Swim Them
Swimming curly tail grubs is a very popular technique for catching smallmouth bass. You will catch good numbers of them and some very big bass too with a slow and steady retrieve.
Vertical Jig Them
From summer through fall, you can often find smallmouth bass in deeper water. A simple jighead and curly tail grub is a great way to fish vertical when smallmouth bass are down deep.
Curly Tail Grubs as Trailers
Bass Jig & Curly Tail Grubs
There are many bass jigs that pair well with a curly tail grub. If you are fishing some areas that have a lot of snags, the bass jig can help you fish a bait in these spots without getting hung up as much. For most anglers, they will be fishing these baits over the rocks. You can have success by hopping and swimming these baits near the bottom for smallmouth bass.
Bladed Swim Jig & Curly Tail Grubs
Bladed swim jigs and curly tail grubs work great together. Fish them just above rocky bottoms and you’ll catch plenty of smallmouth bass.
Spinnerbait & Curly Tail Grubs
Spinnerbaits and curly tail grubs are an awesome combination for targeting smallmouth bass. You can fish them around a variety of cover and out in open water near schooling bass.
Underspin & Curly Tail Grubs
The underspin and curly tail grub is an awesome combination. Fish it around rocky areas or out in open water near schooling bass and you’ll catch plenty of bass with it.
