Structure, overhead shelter, feeding opportunities — pads of various size and species offer bass lots of the stuff they like; but enticing these fish and then getting them out of cover demands skill, patience and strategy.
Hailing from Florida, Bassmaster Elite pro Shaw Grigsby has spent plenty of time in pad fields. But throughout much of the nation’s bass waters, he knows this vast overhead cover addresses both creature comfort and nutritional needs. “Bass are ambush feeders, so they enjoy having some type of shade to hide in,” Grigsby said. “But the other thing is that the pads drop the temperature tremendously, especially in the summertime. The open water may be hotter than hot, but you reach your hand below a lily pad and it feels really cool.
“Bass are cold blooded, so temperature means a lot to them. That’s why I think pads are a primary thing to look for in the summertime.”
