Surf fishing for big bass with Samson Lures | Masterclass with Grant Woodgate
Few people are as qualified to talk about targeting big bass as Grant Woodgate. He’s caught more double-figure European bass than anyone we know of, with multiple specimens over 20lb. He has experience landing fish from the rocks to over 180lb all around the world —from South America to Portugal’s extreme rock marks. His unique style forms the basis of his tackle company, Samson Fishing, which sells specialist long lure rods and unique lures built for distance casting and lure control in heavy surf. We cannot overemphasise the importance of knowing your limits and marks when surf fishing – what you are about to see is not intended to be instructive, and the Portugese coast should not be approached in surfy conditions without preparation, caution and probably a local guide (though I’m not sure any exist).
For anyone getting into bass fishing, I’d say patience is key. You might get lucky early on, but most of the time, it takes real persistence—especially when you’re learning new spots. I’ve seen plenty of people with all the gear give up after a few blank sessions. But even experienced bass anglers blank often—it’s just part of the game. You’re targeting a special fish, and that makes it more rewarding when you finally land a good one.
As long as you know you’re fishing in the right areas where bass can be present, try and find out the most productive times which is usually around low or high tide, depending on the spot. If nothing’s happening, don’t be afraid to move on. Trying different locations can make all the difference, you just never know where they will be...
Readers, to be clear, Portugal is a different beast
“When the swells get over about a meter and a half, you’ve really got to look out because they start to pack a punch, and you can easily be swept off the rocks.
If the swell forecast is three and a half meters up the West Coast I might come down to the South Coast give it a go down there. When the surf is big I like to find spots where the waves are breaking further out, and breaking gradually, not coming crashing down closer to shore.
Choosing rock marks that offer swell & shelter
I look for areas where rocks provide shelter and where waves roll rather than crash. Never turn your back on the ocean—big sets can surprise you. Slippery rocks are treacherous. Plan your exit route before fishing.
Big swells can also stir up baitfish, bringing bass closer inshore. Wind direction also matters: onshore winds push baitfish toward structure.
Water clarity: Grant likes clear, turquoise water, most of all
But clear water is key—avoid fishing muddy estuaries after storms. In dirty water, I focus on sheltered spots where clarity is better.”
Portugese bass fishing season
Summer in Portugal is definitely the most challenging time (for catching big bass). It’s really difficult and so it’s always good when you do get into a big bass.
Where to cast for big bass
- “Small boulders with current swirling around them are good spots to target bass.”
- “Areas with deeper troughs about 40-50 yards out can hold bigger fish. Often you are casting beyond breaking waves to reach them.”
- “Fish close to reefs as the tide comes up, especially when waves are breaking close to shore.
“When my lure is right where I want it to be, I’ll just pause it there or just slow it down over that section of rocks…”
When to catch big bass
- “Early mornings and evenings are prime times—bass are more aggressive then.”
- “Fish the tide changes, especially when water starts moving after a slack period.”
After casting out, as soon as your lure hits the water, turn the bail arm over quickly. This eliminates slack and maintains contact. If you’re fishing in shallow areas, keep the rod tip high to avoid snags and to create surface splashes (with surface lures). Slow retrieves work best in calm conditions, while faster retrieves trigger strikes in rough water. Mix pauses with movement – fish often strike when the lure hesitates. Use small taps for an injured baitfish action; long sweeps to mimic fleeing prey. Check your hooks regularly to ensure they are not bent or damaged, as this costs fish. When you hook a big bass, maintain tension to prevent the hook from pulling free.
Rod Selection and Usage
When it comes to bass rods – the unique coastline in Portugal (e.g. massive swell) means that a completely different casting weight and length is preferred compared to the kind most of us use back home in the UK. For Grant, fishing in much bigger surf for much larger bass, he has beefed up the gear considerably to make it work.
“For meters, there’s no going back. A 12-foot rod is ideal for the kind of conditions I fish in. When you’ve caught a fish around the ledge or it’s going around a rock, the more reach you’ve got to keep that fish away from the rocks, the easier it’s going to be.”
Samson Long Cast 12ft
The Expanse LS 12ft is a lightweight, long-distance lure rod built for tough shorelines and rocky marks. Made from 30T Japanese Toray carbon, it casts 15–60g lures with power and precision, ideal for heavy surf and rock marks when fishing with larger lures. The rod’s 3kg deadlift capacity lets you safely lift smaller fish from rocks or ledges. Best paired with a 3500–4500 size reel and 15–30lb braid, the Expanse LS adds serious long-range capability to your fishing setup.
Samson Long Cast ‘Todos’ 30-100g
The Samson Long Cast ‘Todos’ Spinning Rod is perfect for casting lures a long way from the rocks, lifting fish that you wouldn’t fancy lifting on a regular bass lure rod, while still having a noticeably light build despite the extra robustness.
Samson Fishing recommends pairing with a 4000 size reel for bass or a 5000 to 8000 size reel for tropical species and loaded with 15 to 50lb braid.
Fast action rods are preferred – stiff, until a fish is on
“If a rod bends over like double straight away with a kind of through action, that rod’s already shortened. I like to have more of a fast action that has a nice bend on it when it’s under big pressure.”
“The 12T Samson Longcast Rod is designed for 30–100g lures, but I’ve cast as light as 10g when needed. A stiff rod tip is crucial for imparting action into the lure without losing energy to flex.”
Grant’s Favourite Spinning Reels
Right now, I’m using 3500/4000 size Penn Slammers for my bass fishing. They hold up really well after being submerged in saltwater and don’t seize up, which is probably the most important thing for my style of fishing especially since I so often swim over to rocks and get hit by waves. For my more tropical fishing, I’ve been using the Shimano Saragosa. It’s well known as a real workhorse, and the 6000 and 8000 sizes cover most of what I need.
The best leader breaking strain when rock fishing for bass in the surf
For Bass fishing I generally use a 20lb leader, which is fine for most situations. But if I’m fishing somewhere with rocks out of the water where there’s a good chance the leader will scrape against them whilst landing the fish I’ll switch to a much heavier leader like 50lb fluro but this is only at a few marks I fish.
If you’re in a situation where your line is actually going to hit some rocks, then the best thing to do is loosen the drag or open the bail arm. It’s also always worth using a long leader when bringing in big fish around rocky terrain. This can help prevent damage to your line.
The leader length Grant uses
My leaders are usually around 1.8 meters, and sometimes longer if needed. One of the many advantages of using a 12ft rod like the Samson Long Cast is that it makes casting longer leaders a lot easier. The extra rod length really helps manage that extra line during the cast.
“I use a bimini twist for strong, reliable connections.”
What lure size for catching big bass?
“Most of my big bass over the years have come on the bigger lures, sort of 50g lures like The Tweak, the Shad, Enticer Bomb, but as the swells get smaller I’ll always be using lighter lures.”
“I sort of match the lures to the size of the swell rather than to what I’m fishing for as I’m a big believer in small lures can catch big fish. If you can get away with a smaller lure, I think it’s the best because it’s going to open up more options for you.”
We were curious about why Grant reaches for smaller lures given that his biggest fish have come on the big lures…
I generally fish with smaller lures because they give me the best chance of catching a wider variety of fish sizes, which can often save you from a blank, ha!
Having said that, there are definitely situations where I’ll purposely go bigger like when I’m trying to avoid smaller fish and specifically target a bigger one. But most of the time, I’m just happy to catch a fish. I also find that smaller profile lures are more subtle, which can be exactly what you need when targeting bass in calmer clear conditions. As a general rule, the rougher and windier it gets, the bigger the lure I’ll use to punch through the wind and be seen in the waves.
Lure colour choices
Colour a lot to do with confidence as well. Anglers have their favorite colours… but it’s good to experiment.”
“When the fish seem to get used to a colour, they switch to liking another colour when you put that on.”
“In dirty water, brighter colors like chartreuse can stand out, while natural colors work better in clear conditions.
Samson lures & how to work them for bass
The Mini Candle
“The mini candle is a topwater lure that can be worked from slow to fast across the surface of the water. Primarily a fast-retrieve lure for tuna, but works for bass too. The mini candle from 15g is very subtle for bass. There is a pelagic candle version (up to 150g) for tuna and GT’s, which are stabilised with belly/tail hooks for working at speed.”
The Glide
The glide is a slow sinking lure, perfect for early mornings or evenings with a slow retrieve. A bit more subtle, with a slower action for earlier mornings and evenings. Designed for bass/striper with a wide side-to-side glide… deadly at night or in currents. It’s level-sinking – just tweak it through slowly before dawn or after dark.
The Bomb
The bomb is a real long casting lure with a nice side-to-side action – ideal for covering distance. For topwater lures like the Bomb, keep the rod tip up and use tapping motions to create splashy, distressed-prey action. Designed for striper and sea bass… heavy versions excel in the Cape Cod Canal for long-distance blitzes. First bass I had on this was a double-figure fish that swallowed it halfway down – 10 pounds at dark.
The 56g Bomb lure is ideal for long-distance casting and covering more ground, particularly useful when waves are breaking far out. I used the 21g Samson Bomb lure in small wave conditions, and have had double-figure bass on it.
Tweak Bait (Slow/Medium/Fast Sink)
Most of my big bass over the years have come on the bigger lures, sort of 50g lures like The Tweak, the Shad, Enticer Bomb. The tweak bait can be fished with a combination of sweeping motions and taps to mimic injured prey. Slow Sink version: Perfect for shallow reefs or currents – just tweak it slowly through gullies. Medium Sink (Original): All-rounder for bass, GT, tuna… sinks at a moderate pace. Fast Sink: Best for surf casting or deep ledges – gets down quickly with a tighter action.
70g Enticer
The 70g Enticer lure can cast over 100 meters and is effective in big swell conditions. The Enticer lures have distinct designs – the minnow is topwater with a wedge front, while the tweak bait is subsurface with a rounded front. The long-tail wedgie is the longest-casting lure in the range.”
Grant has clearly put in a huge amount of time developing these lures not just in the design phase but also directly in the testing phase. It’s pretty extraordinary.
How confidence changes the way people fish
Grant talks a lot about the mental side of fishing too. He believes that confidence makes a huge difference to how well you fish. When you lose confidence, you start to put less effort in. Maybe you cast in the same place over and over rather than trying somewhere new. Maybe you stop paying attention to the depth you’re fishing at, or you stop working your lure how you think is best… It’s entertaining to watch how people change the way they fish after they’ve just caught one! It’s like they’ve just had a caffeine hit or been electricuted.
This is especially true when you’re fishing overseas in locations where you have no idea if it’s actually a good spot or if you are doing things right. The most impressive thing about Grants fishing in my opinion is the way he will go somewhere completely new and fish it with confidence that he’s going to catch these crazy fish… Not many people approach a foreign coastline with that kind of intent.
“It’s easy to do what works for you and it’s good to know what works for you because of the confidence it brings, but it’s also good to get a balance and try some other stuff out... The feeling of that fish hitting your lure – it’s the most addictive feeling ever…”
Thank you Grant for interviewing with FISHMAG and thank you to our readers for joining the conversation.