How Joe Thomas Flips Weed Mats

Written And Illustrated By BERNIE SCHULTZ

Matted vegetation attracts the biggest bass in many waters, and flipping is the way to haul them out...

Although his biggest tournament victory (the $100,000 Red Man All American) depended upon finesse fishing, Joe Thomas is basically a "power" fisherman.
     His bread-and-butter tactic, he says emphatically, is "flipping". The Cincinnati pro is in his element when using heavy tackle around thick cover. That's because he believes big bass occupy the best cover. And for Thomas, this technique was tailor-made for big fish.
     While he flips all sorts of dense cover, Thomas is recognized for his ability to penetrate matted surface vegetation. Surface growing aquatic plants can be found throughout the country. Their forms range from floating plants like hyacinths and duckweed to matted submergent grasses such as hydrilla and milfoil. Other forms include undercut reed banks and floating tussocks. The latter is a phenomenon

  

whereby the rooted layer of topsoil becomes buoyant and literally tears free from the lake's bottom.
     The composition of these structures may vary, but how bass relate to them usually does not.
     In rivers and lakes with vegetation, Thomas knows he can find locations suitable for flipping. His first choice is any matted material that forms a distinct edge adjacent to open water. Whether it's a raft of floating plants or simply topped out submergent grass, what lies below the canopy of vegetation are cavernous chambers for bass to swim and feed.
     These caverns are ideal places for big fish to lie in ambush. And because these dense environments offer insulation from harsh weather conditions, they are great places to look for bass seeking shelter.
     Whether it be from the blazing summer

 

heat or a frigid winter front, bass, especially big ones, will retreat to these kinds of hideaways. Even though they are sometimes in a defensive mode, they can be caught.
     Joe Thomas likes to approach any matted edge at its deepest point. He targets small points and indentations along the edge and uses a very methodical presentation. With his boat positioned approximately 8 to 10 feet away, he flips first to the mat's edge. Subsequent flips fall 2 feet, then 4 feet inside. He uses this 1-2-3 approach while advancing along the contour edge. (See Fig 1)
     With each presentation, he allows the lure to free-fall unrestricted, but without letting slack form in the line. Once the lure reaches bottom, he gently hops it a couple of times, then removes it for another flip.
     Maintaining contact with the lure is critical for several reasons. "Pay close



 

  Lures - Heavy Jigs (1/2 to 1 ounce), Plastic Worms, Pork Trailers

  Lure Colors - Jigs: black-blue glitter, black, pumpkinseed-green glitter, brown. Pork: black-and-blue, black, brown. Plastics: black-and-blue, june bug, black-grape, pumpkinseed-green glitter, pumpkinseed, etc.

  Equipment - 7 1/2 foot flipping rods with trigger-style handles, either telescopic or one-piece; 5:1 ratio casting reels spooled with 20 to 30 pound-test mono or Kevlar (or other braided line) to as much as 80-pound test.

  Seasonal Effectiveness - Year round; best from late spring to late fall.

  Water Clarity - Slightly stained is best; can work in clear or muddy conditions.

  Depth - At least 6 inches to approximately 12 feet.

  Cover - Any matted vegetation including floating aquatic plants, topped-out grass or floating tussocks, (Varieties include hyacinths, hydrilla, duckweed, peppergrass, milfoil, etc.)

  Presentation - Keep boat 8 to 10 feet from edge. Make first flip to the edge and subsequent flips 2 feet, then 4 feet inside. Allow lure to free-fall to bottom. Hop gently, then remove for another flip.

  Rigging - Standard jig-and-pork or jig-and-craw, or Texas-rig soft plastics.

attention to the depth you're flipping," he warns. "Any sudden change in the amount of line you're using could mean a fish has the lure." For instance, if you're flipping 6 feet of water and the lure suddenly stops at a lesser depth, it's possible a fish has taken the bait.
     Conversely, if you're fishing 3 feet of water and 6 feet of line sinks beneath the mat, chances are good a fish is traveling with the bait.
     "Strikes are sometimes so subtle, they can go unnoticed," he cautions. "What you feel is a spongy sensation, as if the line suddenly got heavy."
     For that situation, Thomas' rule is "when in doubt, jerk 'em out!"
     Flipping matted cover requires compact lures for penetration. Thomas' favorites include: Texas-rig soft plastics and jigs with pork or plastic crawfish trailers. Jigs work best in cooler water, while soft plastic remains the best choice in warmer conditions.
     He likes combinations of black, blue and pumpkinseed-green flake for jigs, and black-and-blue, black-grape or june bug for soft plastics. His belief is that dark colors show up best beneath a canopy.

 

     If the cover is sparse or the water exceedingly clear, Thomas switches to pumpkinseed-green glitter. Sizes range from 1/2 to 1 ounce for extremely thick cover.
     Tackle requirements include 7 1/2 foot trigger-style flipping rods with long handles for leverage. His Quantum Pro-2 reels are spooled with 20-25 pound-test green Super Tough Stren. Even in crystalline water, clear line will show up against green vegetation. Thomas feels the green pigment in Super Tough will remain camouflaged from the fish.
     In dirtier reservoirs where grass filters impurities from the water, its texture can become coarse and abrasive to mono. This is when Thomas opts for braided Kevlar. He runs a green permanent marking pen over the last 5 feet of line in an effort to conceal the line.   

    TIPS FOR MAT FLIPPING
     Boat control is a key to successful flipping, especially when the bass are shallow. Thomas recommends adjusting the trolling motor's speed control so that constant-on can be utilized as much as possible. This is not to say that he's fishing fast. His intent is to eliminate the on/off jolt that can alarm bass.

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Copyright © 2002 Bernie Schultz Fishing