Bassmaster Opens Pro, Chad Smith heads south for the winter to chase big Florida bass. A common way he catches them during this time of year is by targeting offshore grass.
Before even putting a bait in the water, Chad spends a considerable amount of time behind his graphs narrowing down the exact spots he wants to pick apart. First, start off by looking for large flats with long and subtle contour lines. Next, drive around looking for irregularities in weed lines or isolated clumps of grass that bass may relate to.
Once you decide where to fish, Chad's go-to bait is a chatterbait/bladed jig. He keeps it simple, the deeper or windier the conditions are - the heavier the bait he uses. The key is to keep contact with the grass at all times.
Slowly working the bait or adding pauses throughout the retrieve allow the bait to fall into the grass. When you feel contact, use short pops to rip it free. Oftentimes you will get bit as the bait rips through the grass.
Once you get a bite - slow down in that area. That fish was there for a reason and there is a good chance others are there with it!
Baits
Gear
Daiwa Tatula 7’3” MH Casting Rod
