How Do You Fish Weed Mats and Hyacinth on the Delta?
Punch weights, line and the best tide
Punch them. Texas-rig a 4" Baby Hawg on a pegged tungsten weight, 1 to 1-1/2 oz for most mats and up to 2 oz for the thickest canopy, on 50–65 lb braid. The best mats are hyacinth with hydrilla growing against it, next to deeper water. Fish canopied grass mats at low tide and floating hyacinth on higher water. Use dark colors like Midnight Blue or Bloodline.
- Weight
- 1–1.5 oz tungsten
- Thickest mats
- Up to 2 oz
- Line
- 50–65 lb braid
- Low tide
- Grass mats
- High tide
- Floating hyacinth
Why bass live under mats
Weed mats and hyacinth rafts are shade, cover and cooler water all in one. Bass sit underneath and wait for food to move along the edges or through the holes. On hot, sunny days, mats are where the big fish go.
Which mats to fish
Not every mat holds fish. Look for:
- Hyacinth with hydrilla against it. Pro Luke Johns' favorite setup.
- Mats next to tules or hydrilla. Combined cover holds more bass.
- Mats near deeper water, not out on a mud flat.
- The shallow side of islands, where fish stay near the flats even at low tide.
- Brown, dying mats. Sprayed vegetation takes about 4–6 weeks to turn brown and hard, and bass come back once it does.
How to punch a mat
- Rig up. A 4" Baby Hawg or Craw Texas-rigged on a heavy-wire flipping hook, with a pegged tungsten weight.
- Pick the weight. 3/4–1 oz for light mats, 1 to 1-1/2 oz for most, 1-3/4 to 2 oz for the thickest canopy. Use just enough to break through.
- Spool braid. 50–65 lb braid on a heavy flipping rod.
- Work it in sections. Start at the front of a mat and work it section by section instead of firing into the middle.
- Let it drop, then jig it. Most bites come as it breaks through or on the first hop.
- Set hard and winch. Get the fish's head up and out before it buries in the grass.
Colors
Under a mat it's dark. Use colors that make a solid silhouette:
- Midnight Blue and Bloodline for most mats.
- Green Pumpkin in cleaner water or thinner mats.
Mat edges
When fish aren't under the mat, they're often on the edge. Pitch a weightless Stick Bait or a lightly weighted Craw along the outside edge before you start punching.
Mats by tide
Delta guide Blake Dyer's tide guide for mats.
Bottom-out low tide
Canopied grass mats are money. Fish are trapped underneath.
High or incoming
Fish floating hyacinth, which needs water under it.
Highest tides
Move to riprap with sparse tules and grass clumps.
JCB picks
4" Baby Hawg
$6.99Pegged tungsten, 1 to 1-1/2 oz.
4" Craw
$6.99A compact profile for thick canopy.
5" Stick Bait
$6.99Weightless along the outside edge.
Related questions
What weight do you need to punch mats?
1 to 1-1/2 oz tungsten for most mats. Go 3/4 oz in light mats and up to 2 oz in the thickest canopy.
What line do you use for punching?
50–65 lb braid. Lighter line won't pull a bass out of a mat.
What tide is best for punching mats on the Delta?
Low tide for canopied grass mats, when fish are trapped underneath. Higher tides for floating hyacinth, which needs water under it.
Why are brown mats good?
Sprayed vegetation turns brown and firm after about 4–6 weeks, and bass move back under it.