Bass Fishing In Heavy Weeds

[masoncoyle7]

We just returned from our private 15 acre pond on our hunting land, but the last time we went it was covered in hydrilla or milfoil. I have never seen so many weeds here (the weeds are at the surface and they cover most of the pond) so I just casted at the bank. I caught a good amount of 2-4 pound bass, but I am sure bigger ones are in the cover of the weeds(this pond has not fished in 20 years when the wma entrance closed). This summer the temperatures have been in the high 80s low 90s, which has made the weeds grow fast and will probably cover even more of the pond. Any ideas or experience?

[Sam]

1. Drag a wacky Senko or trick worm over the weeds, dropping the bait into any holes in the weeds you come across.

2. Punch a plastic worm through the weeds with a heavy sinker, such as a one-ounce model.

3. Drag a frog across the weeds.

4. Look for changes from one type of growth to another; weeds to bank; weeds to water. weeds to wood; weeds to rock. Pitch and flip all of them.

5. Use Rage Tail plastics across the weeds and to drop into holes.

6. Use braid.

7. Consider throwing a jig and pig on the edges of the weeds

8. Take a paddle and make a 3-foot wide hole in the weeds. Do a few of them. Come back in an hour or more and fish the holes.

9. Consider using weedless hooks.

10. Don't get upset if you get hung up and lose tackle. It goes with heavy cover.

Good luck.

[Bass Dude]

Get some 1 to 1.5 ounce bullet weights, a heavy straight shank hook, texas rig a plastic bait of your choice and punch that lure in the cover. Be patient and make sure the lure gets through the weeds, hop it a couple times then repeat.

[Sam]

And depending on the weed cover, be it heavy or light, don't forget to pitch and flip a white spinnerbait with one Colorado blade into them. Don't use a trailer hook but you can add a split tail trailer or another plastic to give the bait some bulk.

Be ready to lose the spinnerbait.

[masoncoyle7]

Thanks I try your tactics next time we go.

[hatrix]

Depending how thick it is and how much area it covers you might be sorta screwed. I have fished many places like you describe and you are very limited on what you can actually use. You might be limited to using only weedless top waters and weightless streamline plastics. You can maybe use some of the other stuff described but it's probably more headache then it's worth and less effective if it fouls up and you can't clear it before you even hardly cover any water. Usually burning stuff like a fluke over the mats and killing it in any pocket you see is the deal.

[A-Rob]

1. Drag a wacky Senko or trick worm over the weeds, dropping the bait into any holes in the weeds you come across.

2. Punch a plastic worm through the weeds with a heavy sinker, such as a one-ounce model.

3. Drag a frog across the weeds.

4. Look for changes from one type of growth to another; weeds to bank; weeds to water. weeds to wood; weeds to rock. Pitch and flip all of them.

5. Use Rage Tail plastics across the weeds and to drop into holes.

6. Use braid.

7. Consider throwing a jig and pig on the edges of the weeds

8. Take a paddle and make a 3-foot wide hole in the weeds. Do a few of them. Come back in an hour or more and fish the holes.

9. Consider using weedless hooks.

10. Don't get upset if you get hung up and lose tackle. It goes with heavy cover.

Good luck.

x2

There are some good ideas here

[ClackerBuzz]

i'd reach for the frog immediately. no fuss no mess. then move on to working the holes as suggested

[tmier]

If its to thick for a frog Or anything else, you could consider skimming the surface.

[Bankbeater]

You might try pulling a crankbait, spinnerbait, or a jig just fast enough so that it hits the tops of the weeds, but doesn't get hung.

[Jason G3]

You might try pulling a crankbait, spinnerbait, or a jig just fast enough so that it hits the tops of the weeds, but doesn't get hung.

You'd probably be even better off throwing a top water buzzbait in this case, leaving it on the surface with a fast retrieve. I weedless senko and frog would be next.

[logan9209]

For me, I would go with the trick worm, fluke, or weedless wacky Senko. For the Senko, stick the hook through the center like usual, but this time turn the hook toward the head and bury just the tip into the worm. Use a 2/0 or a 3/0. T-rig Senko works great too.

Concerning top water, frogs aren't my first choice. The reason being is that on my lake it's like they don't know what to think of it. If, there are nice size pockets on the surface to about 6" below then try lures that make some noise to draw the bass out (poppers, buzzbaits, etc). Down size the lure to get in those areas but upsize the hooks. The bigger hooks will get hung up just the same as the smaller, but imo break through the weeds a lot easier.

One very important thing to remember, once those bass realize that they are hooked they are going to run for the weeds. When they do, the weight that you're pulling against will be much more. I had a 20# channel catfish duck into the weeds and I didn't think I would ever get it out. In other words, I suggest leaving your lighter tackle at home. If you're worried about your smaller lures being usable, I would go with braid that's the same diameter of your lighter line (30# braid is same diameter as 8# mono). Otherwise, use a minimum of 17-20# test line.

Work those weeds slowly, but work those submerged pockets even slower. This is where lures that have a ton of action even when you're not doing much comes in handy. Use scents and something with a little chartreuse in them. Anything to get that bass's attention.

[A-Rob]

i'd reach for the frog immediately. no fuss no mess. then move on to working the holes as suggested

another good one!