Meyer’s Simple Grass Fishing Hack

An easy way to keep your baits clean when fishing the jungle

Tired of constantly picking grass off the front of your bait when fishing around aquatic vegetation? Lucky for you, Cody Meyer has a simple, yet very effective way to reduce your headaches.

Believe it or not, the key to keeping your bait in the strike zone longer when fishing grass starts at the knot.

“I figured this out about 7 or 8 years ago,” says Meyer. “I was just out fishing and started thinking about how to keep grass from grabbing my knot when fishing with fluorocarbon. When I thought about the tag end of the knot being so short I thought it acts as something to help grab and hold grass as it slides down your line. That’s when I tried cutting my tag end longer to help try to guide the grass away from my bait.”

For Meyer, the theory is pretty simple. As weeds hit and slide down your fluorocarbon during the retrieve, a short tag end is more rigid and helps to hold onto weeds that gather around your knot. By keeping the tag end longer, there is less resistance and when grass hits the knot it can slide down the tag end and roll free of the bait.

“It’s amazing how much more clean you can fish in weedy situations,” Meyer explains. “Grass basically rolls right off the bait with a long tag end. If it doesn’t roll off as soon as it contacts the bait, a simple pop of the rod will usually clear it.

“Like I said, this works only with fluorocarbon, but it is super simple. I just tie a Palomar knot and cut the tag about a 1/4-inch long, or longer when I’m fishing moving baits in and around grass. Some people may worry about it hindering the action of the bait, but trust me, it doesn’t affect the action or shy away fish.”

Meyer notes that this tip applies to anything from a swim jig to swimbait – so long as you keep the bait moving.

“The worst part about fishing grass is when you bring your bait through a primo grass clump and weeds get stuck to it and you have to reel in. By leaving the tag longer, you will get more bites and be able to make more efficient casts. If you make more casts throughout the day than other people, you are going to do better.”