When rooted weeds are fully developed many nutrients become available for filamentous algae to make slop bays sloppy. Filamentous algae lies on the surface like an "angel hair" Christmas tree decoration. It mats, glops together with the rooted vegetation, and forms a floating canopy of clingy gunk.
They're worth fishing however. Often the heaviest, thickest tangles of shallow cover host the biggest largemouths during summer. Few anglers accept the challenge of tackling them, beyond making token casts to the outer edges of them.
When bass are under dense mats of vegetation in the shallows, rig a plastic frog or lizard Texas-style with no weight and throw it into the thickest cover you can find, slowly swimming it toward the edge. You can use topwater baits such as these all day long because the bass feel comfortable and safe under the dense cover. A lot of times you'll catch fish during the heat of the day. A weedless spoon or buzzbait also will work when the cover is not quite so thick. Keep in mind, though, that a fish exploding through the grass often misses a fast-moving lure - and a spoon or buzzbait must be quickly retrieved to remain unfouled.
The beauty of a weedless frog or lizard is that it can be fished slowly, giving bass a better show. Because a bass must blast through and inhale your lure, there will always be a few missed strikes. However, seeing that bass explode excites even the most experienced bass angler. If a fish misses it, don't stop. Keep it moving and the bass will come back and get it. Keep your cool when bass bulge the weeds to intercept the frog. Momentarily, the fish will explode through the vegetation. After the strike, to ensure solid contact, wait a full second before setting the hook.
The Snag Proof Tournament Frog gained its fame on The Delta as the lure to use on the algae mats that emerge during the hot summer months.
