Bass love grass—and so do lawn aficionados. That might not sound like much of a revelation, until you hear pro angler Brian Latimer break it down, at least. Whether he’s fishing hydrilla, lily pads, or water willow, or greening up his own backyard, he sees the same challenges: light, soil, and water. So, follow along in this Backyard Life video as BLat drops some lawncare and bass fishing tips, helping you learn to spot what your grass needs, reel in more fish, and grow an even healthier lawn.
Grass is Grass, Above or Below the Surface
Does your favorite pond, river, or lake have grass in it, giving you a bit of a headache trying to fish it? BLat gets it. Fishing can often feel like a guessing game: What kind of grass is this? Where should I cast? Am I using the right kind of bait, the right way?
He’s been there plenty of times before. Thankfully, he’s figured out a simple, three-part system that can help anyone catch more bass in the grass. And it all centers on an understanding of what makes grass grow, on land or under water.
The Three Essentials
Turns out, the same things that determine if grass thrives in your lawn are the same ones that decide if it grows in your favorite fishing spot.
Soil
As BLat says, it might sound obvious, but your grass won’t grow without good soil. Pulling up on a huge flat of hydrilla, it tends to all look the same. It isn’t until you start looking a little closer and fishing around that you start to see the differences come to light. And that closer look tells the full story.
Any grass leaning over indicates that there’s a void underneath it—meaning there’s a good chance there’s rocky, sandy, compacted soil. And where there’s thick grass, there’s lush, mucky dirt. While this type of soil might make your lawn look nice and green—it isn’t what you always want while fishing.
On the other hand, if you walk, ride, or play on certain parts of your yard more than others, the soil there is likely to become compacted. Making the lawn look “trashy,” in BLat’s words. But in the fishing world, that trashy grass is gold. The voids and holes indicate a bottom composition change—cutting a 500 acre flat down to just an acre or two. Making it even easier to determine where to cast.
Light
The second element a lot of homeowners struggle with is light. Trees, shrubs, and other obstacles have a knack of preventing light from reaching your lawn—turning your grass bare, stringy, and thin. All descriptors you definitely do not want of your yard.
Fishing is a different story.
In a marina, you’ll notice a lot of pockets of shade—another great indication of a potential grass void under the surface. The sun can’t reach under a dock, catwalk, pier, or a moored boat, creating the perfect conditions for some prime fishing.
Water
During his lawn career, one thing Brian has noticed is how much money people are willing to spend on fertilizers, chemicals, and top dressing to make their lawn pristine. However, if you don’t have proper irrigation or a good watering schedule, you’re not really being serious about your grass.
Fishing isn’t so different. One thing you’ll notice while fishing a lake with grass, says BLat, is that it’ll have years where the grass is good, and years where the grass just isn’t. When the water is high, the light is cut off from the soil, killing off the grass. When it’s low, you’ll get better light penetration, thicker grass, and a harder time finding that perfect spot in the flat.
Lo and behold, BLat uses these factors to hook a big one. A real big one. The kind that makes you forget about the lawn. (Just for a minute, at least).
Wrapping Up
Grass grows (or doesn’t) for the same exact reasons—whether it’s ten feet away from your house or ten feet below your boat. So, using BLat’s advice, take another look at your lawn. Then, your next time out on the water, use that same knowledge to take a look at your lake. If you’re able to start reading the grass, the bass (and a greener Backyard Life) will follow.
