Twister-tail grubs pack a lot of fish-catching qualities in their modest profile.

And while most anglers carry an assortment of grubs, generally they limit their usage to that of a niche bait, more specifically a jig-type lure hopped along the bottom.

They miss out on one of the bait’s most productive applications, as that of a swimming lure.

Bass-fishing expert Doug Cummings of Michigan isn’t one to limit his use of curly tails grubs to bottom dragging.

From mid-spring through mid-fall, the time when water temperatures remain warm enough for bass to chase a moving lure, Cummings often reaches for a grub rod.

“During the late summer on into mid fall I often rely on a four-inch grub as a finesse lure, when due to fishing pressure or conditions bass won’t finish the deal on a bigger presentation,” he noted. “For instance, in clear water conditions I’ll often have a big smallmouth follow a soft swimbait or a spinnerbait. But when I throw back with a four-inch grub, that same fish will eat it rather than just follow.”

Regardless of the precise time of year he’s fishing it, Cummings sees the swimming grub as a shallow water offering.

He only uses it in depths of four feet or less.

“The other great thing about a swimming grub is that folks with limited fishing experience can catch fish on it,” he said. “You don’t have to be able to manipulate the lure. You can simply cast it out, wind it in, and still catch bass.”

For grubs to function correctly as a swimming lure they must be rigged straight.

Cummings prefers a fatter bodied curly tail bait such as the Yum’s Muy Grande grub. The thicker body, he says, makes the bait a bit more forgiving regarding rigging. The bait can be off-center a tad and still swim well.

Though the exact style can vary, some sort of leadhead jig is used to rig a grub as a swimbait.

Bullet head (often call darter head), ball head and mushroom heads are all acceptable.

A bigger issue than head shape is hook size, particularly with lighter heads that typically sport small hooks.

For proper placement on a four-inch grub a 1 or 1/0 hook is needed, one with adequate hook gap as well.

Lindy’s Max Gap hook is a good example or a leadhead jig well-suited for swimming grub work. Cummings typically fishes eighth to three-sixteenth ounce heads.

He uses a round head jig produced in his area.

It features several tiny barbs to keep the grub body in place.

Heads with a single barb also work.

A drop of super glue can be used to keep the bait in place, particularly after a fish or two has pulled the bait down.

Piercing the grub with the hook point, thread the grub on to the hook, keeping it centered on the hook on both the up-and-down plane, as well as the left-to-right orientation.

When the proper length of the grub has been threaded on to the hook — so that the bait runs straight — pop the hook out of the body.

Grubs can be rigged both tail-up or tail-down. Cummings prefers tail-down, finding that the tail often fouls on the hook point during the cast when rigged tail-up.

Cummings likes to make long casts with a swimming grub and impart a steady retrieve.

He has his most success with minnow-like color patterns such as silver pearl and blue glimmer pepper.

While Cummings uses a swimming grub for finicky smallmouth and largemouth bass in lakes, I’ve had similar success on flowing waters for smallmouth bass.

There are many similarities, as well as a few differences, when swimming grubs for creek and river brown bass.

Smallmouth bass, as well as walleyes, get in moods where the profile of a swimming grub is what they prefer that given day.

And like Cummings, I find this often the case when they follow other moving baits, or strike short.

Downsizing to a swimming grub, from a larger profile bait like a four-inch paddle-tail soft swimbait, often triggers fish in such a state.

Regarding water clarity, this can happen during times of clear water, but it can also occur when creeks and rivers flow stained.

While lake-dwelling bass often turn on a swimming grub and hook themselves, river smallies often follow up behind the bait, grab it, and continue on toward the boat.

Strikes can be more difficult to detect.

Sometimes the line goes slack, or you’ll feel just a slight weight as the bass swims along with the lure, heading in your direction. Rapidly reel to put some tension on the line and sweep set the hook.

One of the simplest forms of fishing, yet most rewarding, is exploring the potential of warm water creeks for untapped smallmouth bass action. The grub shines in this situation.

Since this is commonly a hiking/wading proposition you are limited in lure selection.

A grub can be used as both a swimming lure in the fast water, and also a jigging lure when working deeper holes.

Jeff Knapp is a fishing columnist for the Butler Eagle.