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Strike King and Lew’s pro Shaw Grigsby shares his philosophy for topwater fishing in Zone 1 during May. “May is just a great time to fish no matter where you are in this zone,” shares Grigsby. Fish are still in shallower waters following spawning season, making May one of the best times for topwater fishing. Grigsby advises anglers in Zone 1 to target any sort of cover close to spawning pockets. “Grass is my go-to, but wood can be just as good,” says Grigsby. During the month of May, the fish are typically much more aggressive, so different lures are needed to get their attention. “You are trying to throw lures that imitate anything that might want to eat their fry. The Popping Perch is my absolute favorite because of its versatility,” says Grigsby. When targeting thick, matted vegetation, Grigsby reaches for the Sexy Frog. No matter what you are choosing to fish with, Grigsby shares one crucial piece of advice – “Give the fish time to eat it. Anglers tend to think that they have to blast fish immediately, but the half second delay is key to connecting on the fish.” If the fish aren’t feeding on top, Grigsby switches to the Magnum Rage Cut-R Worm because it fishes like a 9-inch worm due to the swimming tail action.
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Grigsby often uses Sexy Dawg along grass edges and in more open water to avoid getting hung up.
If the water is clear, Grigsby prefers Bluegill. In stained water, he switches to Bone color. For muddy water, Grigsby will favor Black Lab.
Grigsby fishes the Sexy Dawg on a Team Lew's Signature Series KVD Jerkbait 6’10” medium heavy rod, pairing it with a Lew's HyperMag 7.5:1 baitcast reel.
He fishes the Sexy Dawg rig on 40 lb. braided line with a 17-20 lb. monofilament leader.
Most often used by Grigsby in matted grass, the Sexy Frog is great in thick vegetation.
Grigsby’s choice for clear water is Pearl White while he opts for Black in stained or muddy water.
He switches to a Team Lew's Custom Pro 7’3” medium heavy rod and pairs it with a Lew's Custom SLP 7.5:1 baitcast reel.
The Caffeine Shad 5" Soft Jerkbait is Grigsby’s top choice when fish are in cover, such as wood and shallow grasses.
He opts for Watermelon Red Flake in clear water but prefers KVD Shad in stained water. For muddy conditions, Grigsby favors Pearl.
Grigsby throws the Caffeine Shad on a Lew's Signature Series 7’2” Zona Spinning Rod and Lew's HyperMag spinning reel.
He spools the combo with 12 lb. fluorocarbon line.
Grigsby utilizes KVD Popping Perch in emergent grass, grass edges, along bushes, and when skipping docks.
If the water is clear, he will throw White Shadow while more stained or muddy waters call for Bottoms Up.
He fishes on a Team Lew's Custom Pro 7’3” medium heavy rod, paired with a Lew's Custom SLP 7.5:1 baitcast reel.
Grigsby spools his combo with 65 lb. braided line.
Shaw prefers to Texas rig the Rage Cut-R-Worm with a 1/8 oz weight to swim the worm along the edges of cover. If he is pitching into heavy cover, he will often switch to a 1/4 oz weight to allow the Cut-R-Worm to penetrate the cover a little more.
He opts for Hard Candy in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Green Pumpkin, while he will switch to Black Blue Flake if the water is muddy.
Grigsby fishes the Magnum Rage Cut-R-Worm on a Lew's Signature Series Carolina Rig rod or Swimbait rod paired with a Lew's HyperMag 7.5:1 reel.
He spools this with 15-20 lb. fluorocarbon line.
