cattail fishing
The cattail (junco, reed) is often confused with the cattail. Cattail tends to grow in slightly deeper water and has a more circular cross-section compared to the semi-circular section of cattail.
Depending on the time of year and the feeding habits of the sea bass, cattails often dominate catches of fish over cattails. I think it is mainly due to the depth of the water (it grows in deeper water). Larger bass tend to migrate to the first structure they reach when actively feeding, and cattail are often closer to these deeper water migration routes.
My personal favorite technique for reed fishing is casting a Texas rigged worm. I tend to use a straight tail worm harder than a ribbon tail. The reason is that the ribbon tail often wraps around the stem of the cattail, which wastes time and annoys the angler, as well as scaring the fish. My favorite worm to cast is the Zoom trick worm in the Junebug pattern (purple/green).
The weight I use with the Texas rig varies depending on the depth of the water and the wind. The shallower the water, the lighter I go. A lighter weight gives the worm a more natural tumble and can take more hits, however if it is too light the worm may catch on the cattail stems and not finish its way to the bottom. The windier the day, the heavier I go. This gives me better control during the cast, as well as a better feel for what’s biting on the other side of my lane. Too light a weight on a windy day will throw your casts off balance and often cause you to wrap around a reed stem.
The only time I resort to heavy weights is when I’m flipping a matted deck on the cattail. I will use 1/2 – 1 ounce weights in this type of situation. If there is a matted covering on the cattail, you should remove the tip and flip the mats over. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on a lot of opportunities to catch above average bass.
When working the cattail, the patches/lines start from the cattail approx. 10-15 feet and pitch. If possible, pitch forward of the boat and restrict any pitching to the side or rear of the boat. The reason for this is that bass are often startled by the passage of the boat, and by pitching sideways or to the rear of the boat, you are often launching yourself at startled fish or fish that have moved due to being startled. .
Always be on the lookout for the line, whether throwing, tossing, or flipping a soft plastic. Any contraction of the line or lateral movement of the line often indicates a hit, so reel in the reel and set the hook even if you don’t feel the typical hit!
As you cast, work deep into the reed patch and toward the outer edge of the reed. Try to make contact with the stems whenever possible, but don’t neglect open pockets and work right into the middle of those pockets as well.
If you follow these tips, I’m sure you’ll catch more fish with less fish!