Bass pro David Rush show us why Texas-rigged plastics are his lures of choice when fishing the weeds. Photo by Brian Sak.

When anglers living east of the Rockies hear the words “West Coast bassin’,” they picture deep clear reservoirs devoid of what they consider ideal habitat for their favorite quarry.

That’s right, no brushy flats, no stumpfields and no vegetation.

They think of steep rocky banks where anglers are forced to use small baits and light line to catch bass along dropoffs and long tapering points.

Plenty of reservoirs in the West fit their preconception, but many waters resemble ponds and lakes more akin to those found in the East or the South. And these are some of the West’s most productive bass waters.

Western anglers who fish submerged grass and other types of submerged vegetation generally avoid reservoirs designed for drinking and irrigation water storage, where fluctuating water levels is a major factor contributing to their lack of weeds.

One exception may be in springtime, when you could fish vegetation in shallow coves, while rising waters flood areas where weeds and grasses sprouted, during the period while the reservoirs were down.

To fish vegetation year ‘round in the West, look for waters that aren’t tapped for drinking. Farm ponds are always a good bet. Shallow natural lakes, including Clear Lake in California, Siltcoos and Tahkenitch in Oregon, and Washington State’s lakes Sammamish and Washington, provide exceptional bass fishing.

For those intent on targeting manmade waters, look for smaller reservoirs that generally fluctuate less.

The backwaters of rivers and streams, along with tidal waters, also produce a variety of bass-attracting vegetation.

IF IT GROWS, THEY WILL COME
Understanding why and how bass use vegetation is the first step toward catching bass in the grass. You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn by simply taking time to study the fish themselves.

The most obvious and distinctive characteristic of bass is their color. Have you ever wondered why they’re predominantly covered with multiple shades of green?

Most biologists say that fish coloration has evolved along two lines. If they are extremely colorful and stand out like a sore thumb, then to anything looking for dinner, that message says, “I’m dangerous -- stay away!”

Or they could be colored similar to their surroundings so that they blend into the background. This camouflaged approach helps them avoid being captured, and helps them stay hidden in order to ambush prey.

Bass fit into the concealment group, of course. When young, they rely on their ability to blend into their surroundings for protection, and for capturing food throughout their lives. And because bass are predominantly green, aquatic vegetation provides the most effective form of cover.

If weeds are there, bass will be, too.

LOCATING BASS
First, you need to find bass -- that sounds obvious. Yet the failure to accomplish this important step is the downfall of too many anglers. When casting to areas devoid of fish, no matter how good your equipment or how proficient you are at using that gear, you’re not going to get a bite. Learn to locate bass!

An understanding of why bass use vegetation is fundamental to discovering where they’re living. But also important is knowing where they’ll be at a particular point in time. That includes “time” in the broader sense of when during the year, and the narrower sense of when during the day.

“Why are the bass using weeds?” asks California pro Bobby Barrack, who has made a name for himself by pulling huge fish from thick vegetation. “Or why aren’t they using it? If you can’t answer these questions, don’t expect to catch a lot of bass when fishing in the weeds.”