Pad ring!? Perfect!! I think of that line of pads as the trenches- that line of cover bass use to ambush their prey, also smaller fish use these weeds to hide and survive. It's a battleground, and the most prominent thing you have to key on. It's also a pretty decent indicator of depth change- it's a topo map ring of sorts. If you're in a jon boat and having no success casting AT the line and working pinpoints, get right up in it and cast PARALLEL to the line. Work the bait right along that line of consistent depth- whatever it may be in the situation- but you're trying to present the bait to as much of that ambush/strike zone as possible. That wall of weeds or at some point something at a grade below it you may not be able to see has fish in it and you need to find that depth and cover. You can do it with a crank, a worm, weighted plastic creatures, a swimbait, spinnerbait, etc. all depending on your situation, but I like to mentally work my way down the topo lines provided by the weeds. It gives you a better understanding of the shape of the bottom and you can basically map out the lake/pond/cove that way pretty efficiently.
If they're down under the pads though, I like to work a pointy, compact and heavy frog across the tops as a search bait... If something takes a whack at it but misses or I see a follow swell I follow up immediately with a little punch rig as close as I can manage to it- All I use to get through the pads is like 30lb braid, with a heavy bait-appropriate EGW hook, probably a pit boss or rage craw on the hook and a pegged punch skirt in front of it. Toss it out there, get it through, let it fall and *if* it hits the bottom give it a little shake. Set the hook if you feel any ticks along the way. Piece of cake my man!
Siebert Outdoors is a great place to explore if you want to see some punch rigs even just punch jigs. You simply cannot go wrong with a Siebert jig.
The cover you describe is literally what I seek out most often though. Smaller lakes and big ponds with a thick ring of vegetation, little to no boat access and maybe even a hairy portage. That is my go-to. Killer fishing and no other people.
