Earlier this week while filming an episode for the Fishing the Midwest with Bob Jensen television show, two partners and I cast small jigs tipped with Power Grubs to rock humps to catch smallmouth bass. The next day, a partner and I threw the same lures across weed flats and caught several largemouth bass.

Not only do plastic grub bodies fished on jigs catch bass, but this versatile combination catches a variety of other fish species as well. For example, cast and retrieving a jig and grub is a good technique when walleyes move onto shallow structure like flats and points. This happens in some lakes during windy conditions or during the low-light periods of morning or late evening.

In addition to bass and walleyes, a plastic grub also produces pan fish. While I often use a three-or four-inch grub for bass and walleyes, a smaller two-inch grub works good for crappies, bluegill and rock bass. Though the lure is smaller, the same cast and retrieve approach is utilized.

This approach is a simple technique. Using a spinning rod and reel, I simply make a long cast, engage the reel and star retrieving the bait using a steady retrieve. When the fish are shallow, I start reeling as soon as the reel is engaged. If the fish are deeper, I pause a few seconds before beginning the retrieve.

When retrieving the bait and a fish hits, often the line just tightens and I feel pressure in the rod tip. Simply sweeping the rod up and back effectively sets the hook in most cases and now the fish can be fought to the boat.

Fighting more fish is the goal of this system and that can be achieved by using the right equipment.

As for grubs, I prefer scented baits like Power Grubs or the new Gulp! Minnow Grubs. White is my all-time favorite grub color though experimenting with colors is an effective way to find the best color on a given day.

As for jigs, the new Lip-Stick Jig-Worm heads work dynamite for tipping with plastics. They have grub-holding colors, super sharp hooks and come in three sizes and four colors. Crawfish and watermelon are my favorite colors, though again it pays to experiment.

A six-and-a-half foot medium to medium-heavy action spinning rod paired with a quality spinning reel works great for this fishing technique. I prefer the actions of the spinning rods from the new Lightning Rod ProLite series. Pairing the rods with spinning reels with reliable drags help to land even the strongest fish. My favorite spinning reels are from the Cardinal 700 series.

Fairly light line in the eight -to-ten-pound test size works good when targeting bass and walleyes. When pan fish are the target, I like four-pound test line. Smooth-handling monofilament lines like XL or XT work good for casting grubs on spinning reels.