5 favorites with Chris Groh

Born and raised on the chain. That sums up the life of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Groh. “I was raised in Ditka country, northern Illinois, although I live close enough to Wisconsin that I can hit it with a rock.”
Born and raised on the chain. That sums up the life of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Groh. “I was raised in Ditka country, northern Illinois, although I live close enough to Wisconsin that I can hit it with a rock.”
“I live on the Fox Chain of Lakes, and that is the reason why the local sticks here are called ‘Chain Rats.’”
“I live on the Fox Chain of Lakes, and that is the reason why the local sticks here are called ‘Chain Rats.’”
Groh has a special knack for catching bedding smallmouth. It’s undeniably his favorite season. “In the North there is gear you need that other smallmouth anglers elsewhere don’t normally use.” Some of that gear landed on Groh’s list of five favorites. Here they are.
Groh has a special knack for catching bedding smallmouth. It’s undeniably his favorite season. “In the North there is gear you need that other smallmouth anglers elsewhere don’t normally use.” Some of that gear landed on Groh’s list of five favorites. Here they are.
<b>Flogger. </b> “Up here, we catch bedding smallmouth in deeper water. The flogger cuts the glare and gives you a view under the surface.”
Flogger. “Up here, we catch bedding smallmouth in deeper water. The flogger cuts the glare and gives you a view under the surface.”
“It also eliminates the guesswork out of knowing if that dark spot on the bottom is a bed or not.” All it takes is dropping the flogger on top of structure in question and you can take a look for yourself.
“It also eliminates the guesswork out of knowing if that dark spot on the bottom is a bed or not.” All it takes is dropping the flogger on top of structure in question and you can take a look for yourself.
<b>Superstick Push Pole. </b> “Smallmouth that spawn in deeper water are super spooky, and it takes a ninja-like approach to avoid spooking them. Even just turning on the trolling more can scare them off.” That’s where a push pole comes into play. “It’s kind of like a leaning post. You can go stealth and just push off the bottom and move their way.” Groh likes the Superstick for its Swiss Army Knife-like versatility, and he uses it for spawning largemouth, too.
Superstick Push Pole. “Smallmouth that spawn in deeper water are super spooky, and it takes a ninja-like approach to avoid spooking them. Even just turning on the trolling more can scare them off.” That’s where a push pole comes into play. “It’s kind of like a leaning post. You can go stealth and just push off the bottom and move their way.” Groh likes the Superstick for its Swiss Army Knife-like versatility, and he uses it for spawning largemouth, too.
<b>Minn Kota Talons. </b> “This one is a no-brainer.”
Minn Kota Talons. “This one is a no-brainer.”
“When you don’t need the stealth of a push pole, the Talons can be quickly and silently deployed and keep the boat in place, especially when you need to really spend time working a bed.”
“When you don’t need the stealth of a push pole, the Talons can be quickly and silently deployed and keep the boat in place, especially when you need to really spend time working a bed.”
<b>Amphibia Sunglasses. </b> “For deeper water smallmouth, and any spawning fish, really, a good pair of polarized sunglasses are a must.”
Amphibia Sunglasses. “For deeper water smallmouth, and any spawning fish, really, a good pair of polarized sunglasses are a must.”
Take it up a notch by wearing lenses that cut glare and optimize underwater vision to up the odds of seeing the fish. Groh wears lenses for sunny and cloudy days. Amphibia frames also float and have the highly desired ANSI Z87.1 safety rating.
Take it up a notch by wearing lenses that cut glare and optimize underwater vision to up the odds of seeing the fish. Groh wears lenses for sunny and cloudy days. Amphibia frames also float and have the highly desired ANSI Z87.1 safety rating.
<b>Berkley Powerbait Chigger Bug</b> in white. “Spawning bass are biting out of defense, not to feed. The shorter legs and compact size of this bait allow you to get a more solid hookset. There aren’t any bulky appendages to get in the way of that.”
Berkley Powerbait Chigger Bug in white. “Spawning bass are biting out of defense, not to feed. The shorter legs and compact size of this bait allow you to get a more solid hookset. There aren’t any bulky appendages to get in the way of that.”
Even so, the compact bait has extra wide claws that produce a very broad and fast kicking action, which aggravates the bass into striking.
Even so, the compact bait has extra wide claws that produce a very broad and fast kicking action, which aggravates the bass into striking.