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Fishing the Twin Tail (Guest Article)
by Ed Marcol

Hula grubs, also called spider jigs, or twin tailed skirted grubs, are made by a host of manufacturers including Yamamoto, Table Rock, Berkley, Catch 'em, and many others. They come mostly in 4" and 5" lengths, with enough colors to boggle one's mind and overload the tackle box. Everything here applies equally to single tail skirted grubs, although I must admit I rarely throw them.

Why fish hula grubs? Might as well start with the obvious:

1. They catch fish: All lures will catch fish at times. Some lures or baits work better than others. The beauty of hula grubs is they work on neutral, inactive, or negative fish, as well as bass that are in a positive mood - just what we want in a lure! This is one of the reasons why they are one of my baits of choice - because of that appeal.

2. They will catch you better than average size fish: I can't guarantee you bragging size fish or a wall mount each time out, but over the course of a season you'll catch your share of quality size fish.

3. They are fun to fish: I don't find all fishing methods and presentations equally fun to fish. It’s just a matter of preference. Hula grubs, for me, are an exciting way to catch fish.

The equipment: rod, reels, line, hook and lead
You can fish hulas on spinning gear or on casting gear. Your choice of line can vary from mono to braid. The important thing is to pick a rod, reel and line that are suited to hulas, and one that you're comfortable with. For me, that is a medium action or medium heavy spinning rod in 6' 6". Couple that with a spinning reel of good quality and braided line in 6/20lb test. My preference for the braided line is the increased feel that I have for the lure, it helps me know what my bait is doing at all times which is a must for any lure. If a baitcaster and fluorocarbon are what you're most comfortable with, that is what you should use. The end choice here is surely up to the angler.

Finally, lets talk about the business end of the bait - the lead and the actual hula grub. You can fish these baits on a lot of different jig heads, but there are two that seem to produce the best for me. They are football heads and the stand-up jig heads. Buckeye Baits (www.buckeyebaits.20m.com) jig heads are the ones I am currently using, and these perform nicely in comparison to other brands. This bait is at its best when it's hopping or being dragged along the bottom. The football or stand-up does a very good job of giving you the proper presentation. I generally throw 1/4 oz when the fish are about 10-15 ft in depth, then switch over to 5/16 or 3/8 oz when I'm fishing even deeper. You can go with 7/16 or 1/2 oz when fishing the really deep stuff over 30 ft.

Hula grubs basically come in two sizes: 4 and 5 inch. Table Rock Bait & Tackle Co. (1-800-455-0142) makes a hula they call “Chompers Skirted Grubs”. These are heavily laden with garlic and salt, and they seem to have an edge over most of the hula style grubs I have tried over the years. I fish the 5 inch much more than the 4 inch because I think it results in bigger than average fish, however both sizes produce well.

With regards to color: It’s partly and simply a matter of personal preference. I like to fish brown or green colors that are earth tone and drab. Colors like the green pumpkin, the watermelon, or dark melon pepper colors are my 1st choice. I have to admit I haven’t given a lot of the other colors a decent workout, so I'm probably not a decent judge of those hues. When something works, and works well, why change, and only add to the tackle bag and puzzle?

Where to fish them: For me, hula grubs are a lake/reservoir presentation. I am somewhat lacking with hulas and moving water, so I'll leave that to someone else. I will say that I have every reason to suspect that hulas work equally well in streams and rivers. I look for secondary points and cuts in coves, main lake points and any obvious structure or cover such as lay downs, creek channels or boat docks. I fish tight to this cover, but also fish away from these areas if I think the fish are scattered. Shallow, deep, and in between…I try to remember what depth the lure was at when I try to figure out the 1st part of putting together a pattern.

What the bite feels like: Sometimes you feel a very definite thump! Other times the bass inhales the bait and swims off with it. Also, you can get a weightless or mushy feeling on the end of your line. When this happens, set the hook! As they say: “hook sets are free”. Over time you will become better and better at detecting a bite. I like to use braided line as I think you have added feel and sensitivity with braids. The point is to know what your bait is doing at all times, and to really concentrate, so when you get bit, you’ll know it and act accordingly. One thing about hula grubs…the fish are not as likely to hold onto the bait for an extended time like with a senko type lure or a tube. The weight used to fish these baits obviously plays a part in the fish taking and then rejecting them. The point of all this is: you need to be “quick on the trigger”. As soon as you feel the bite of the fish, set the hook!

What type of presentation: Now we get to the heart of the matter - the retrieve. I cast the bait out and let it sink to the bottom. While the bait is descending through the water column, I keep most of the slack out of the line so I can feel any bites I may get on the initial drop. After the lure has settled to the bottom, I let it rest for a few seconds, then shake it. Again, feeling for a fish. Then I start a series of hops and drags with the bait. I don't hop it, or drag it very far, usually just a matter of inches…or at most, a foot or two. That is the basic retrieve for this type bait: hops and drags with the occasional shake. Sounds simple, eh?

In general, I fish shallow water out to deeper or parallel with the shoreline cover, with the bottom falling away from shallow to deeper. This gets more of a fall to the bait on the hops and the drags, and for the most part, this is a good thing.

It’s important to stay in contact with your bait and to keep slack line to a minimum. It's difficult to fish this presentation on a windy day - the wind causes your line to bow and you’re much more likely to miss bites. When faced with windy conditions, I make shorter casts, and increase the weight of the football or stand-up jig head, plus I look for areas that are more protected from the wind when unbearable.

A word about concentration: Fishing hula grubs is all about concentration. You need to constantly feel the bait and know what the bait is doing at all times. Be a line watcher. This is not idle fishing where you can cast out, retrieve, and expect to get bit. A lot depends on your retrieve and making a good presentation that exploits the mood of the fish.

The hula most likely represents a crayfish or some other bottom dweller. Try to imitate a crayfish or something that’s realistic - every day can be different. Some days the fish are very aggressive and hit the bait a lot on the initial fall. Other days they show preference for hopping the bait versus dragging it. Sometimes they like a long pause between working the bait.

In general, the colder the water, the slower the presentations need to be, but there are likely to be exceptions. You should employ variations in your retrieve and see if the fish respond to a difference in rhythm or cadence. It’s also very important to remember what your bait was doing when you got bit, what type a structure or cover you’re fishing, and what depth your bait was at. This information can carry you into many other bites, making for exceptional days on the water. Pay attention to your surroundings, and it will pay off for you.

That’s about it. I doubt the seasoned angler who is familiar with twin tailed skirted grubs will find a lot here, but it never hurts to refresh your way of thinking or get a different point of view.