IT’S PART EASTER egg hunt, part shell game, but mat fishing is not random. At least, it doesn’t have to be. The key is presenting your baits on well-planned casts to logically selected targets.
Nationwide, Bassmaster Elite Series pros find mats of all shapes and sizes. Some produce better than others; and within the good ones, certain areas offer higher opportunity levels.
Spend enough time on any mat and you’ll likely catch something. Spend the right amount of time on the right ones and you’ll catch ’em consistently. Here’s how the Elites dial in their mat missions.
THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD
If you think a mat is a mat is a mat, you’re already behind the curve. We’ll get to the physical features in a moment, but location is the sensible starting point. Simplest rule of thumb: Mind the seasonal travel and choose mats that fish will use as transition spots or summer vacation homes.
“If it’s closer to the spawn, I’m generally looking for the mats that may be back in the pockets,” said Brandon Palaniuk. “Then, as the year progresses, I’m looking for mats that are closer out to where those fish want to summer.”
Jason Christie adds, “I think a mat follows the same rules as a dock. When it’s really cold, you want that mat close to deep water, while [in] springtime or fall
