Clear Water, Thick Grass Baits

[hooah212002]

I got to my spot today for the first time this year and there were some straight up hogs in there! I could see them every which way. I was walking along the bank and I would see one zoom away even though I was walking ever so gently. I seriously could not walk any lighter. I eyeballed 2 really REALLY good sized pike (had to have been 30 inches plus at least) as well as LOTS of really REALLY good size bass. I saw one that I first though was a pike because it was so long, but upon further inspection realized it was in fact a bass. I started fishing here last year and I could see the fish, but not this many (I would see maybe one or two each time I went) and that is why I am seeking help. I had heard this spot housed some lunkers, but I thought it to be lore of days past. It is not. They are just smart fish.

 

I saw all these fish and they all snubbed everything I threw at them. I bonked a few on the nose with a jig and ran spinnerbaits right in front of their face, only for them to turn away. There were bountiful baitfish and the bigger fish were happy to be right by them. Not once did I see them attack one of the bluegills or smaller bass.

 

The water is clear. Where I fish, there is a channel that runs under the bridge to the main lake and i can see the bottom. The bottom on either side of the channel has maybe 2 ft. of grass/moss (2 ft from the bottom) while the surface is pretty well clear except for sparse floating patches. It averages maybe 4-6 ft in depth including the grass/moss (I think). Suffice to say: it's VERY weedy and VERY clear. The only baits to work so far (last year and this) are white or white/chart spinnerbaits or green punpkin jigs with brown or green pumpkin trailers. The only fish I caught today was on a white spinnerbait. Also of note is that this spot sees a fair amount of boat traffic. Not so much on either side of the channel, but a lot of boats in and out. It IS a no wake zone.

 

So, pros of BR: what do you throw when you can see 'em, you know they are there, but they just look at you like you are nuts. I do fish there at night sometimes, but as weedy as it is, it makes it difficult. It is easier to fish the muck when I can target pockets, few and far between as they may be. I mainly used a jig and a spinnerbait, seeing as they are the easiest in the nastiness. There was zero surface busting, so my frog throwing was short lived (plus it was mid day). I am also well aware that it could have been due to the conditions (relatively calm, blue bird day meaning little to no chop on the water)

 

[bartdude186]

i fish a rock quarry that sounds alot like this spot, i fished it for 2 years and just watched the lunkers stare at anything i would throw at them. i finally got fed up last year and was determined i was catching one of them. went to the bait shop and got 2 dozen fat shiners and caught several 5-10lb bass. As you can see by my PB i did not count them, because i really hate using live bait and that was the one occasion that i did. but sometimes you gotta cheat a little haha.

[hooah212002]

i fish a rock quarry that sounds alot like this spot, i fished it for 2 years and just watched the lunkers stare at anything i would throw at them. i finally got fed up last year and was determined i was catching one of them. went to the bait shop and got 2 dozen fat shiners and caught several 5-10lb bass. As you can see by my PB i did not count them, because i really hate using live bait and that was the one occasion that i did. but sometimes you gotta cheat a little haha.

 

Yea, that thought crossed my mind. Then it immediately left because I refuse to use live bait for bass fishing. I enjoy shopping for bass gear nearly as much as I do actually fishing, so to not use all the crap I spend my precious dimes on would be a shame.

[powerduster]

Have you tried the mepps timber doodle? Its a good weedless lure and the action is nice. Hookset not so much, unless they really take it.

[hooah212002]

Have you tried the mepps timber doodle? Its a good weedless lure and the action is nice. Hookset not so much, unless they really take it.

 

I believe I have one and will try it, but I am skeptical. I am pretty sure it would very quickly get gunked up. I even have trouble keeping my spinnerbait clean. I constantly have to pick moss crap out of the blades because they aren't spinning. Heck, I even have trouble with brush jigs (ironically, grass jigs get too much grass caught in the eye).

[Blues19]

you tried a hollow bodied frog? It may be something the fish are not use to seeing. Big fish love the frog

[TylerVC]

I would try fishing a weightless zoom super fluke in green pumpkin or watermelon seed. Fish it slow. It will come through just about anything without getting fouled.

[hooah212002]

I would try fishing a weightless zoom super fluke in green pumpkin or watermelon seed. Fish it slow. It will come through just about anything without getting fouled.

 

HA! the only thing I didn't try, but that was only because I don't have strong enough line (well, not strong enough for me to trust using it in that mess) on my spinning rod. I may just have to go for broke and put my skills to the test to see if I can horse a fish out of there on 6# mono.

 

Thanks.

[Paul Roberts]

I sight-fish fairly frequently in small, heavily fished, clear water ponds and small reservoirs. I have a few suggestions for you to try:

 

-Timing. Hit them under low visibility conditions -breeze rippled surface, deep overcast, very early or late, or at night.

 

-Stealth. It's true fish can pick up both the sound of your lightest footfalls on firm ground, or worse, the pressure wake caused by your weight on wet ground. Several times I've purposely taken anglers to pond edges or trout pools to show them how difficult it can be (no, impossible at times) to approach fish with certain ground conditions. So, stay well back away from them. Use braid as it lands softly. Bass may not be entirely spooked, that is bolt away, if they see you, but they may simply sulk and get lockjaw. The reaction is subtle and if you aren't used to watching normal acting bass, you may not recognize this. Stealth, (esp with low vis conditions), may solve a lot of your lure choice issues.

 

-For such “fish filching”, I’ve done best with soft plastics, and jigs. In high visibility conditions I’ve found translucent colors work best. Pick your favorite color, just make sure you can see some sunlight shining through. If it’s really overcast, even in clear water, opaque colors do fine and I prefer them bc they are more visible to the fish from a greater distance. I also prefer smaller (6”) straight tail worms, or small (4”) Senko type “stick worms”, rather than action tails, for spooky clear water fish with one exception, as per below…

 

Bass, esp larger ones, respond well to falling baits, killed baits, and one that few people seem to use –a swimming retrieve, esp with a swimming tail worm. In shallow water where most sight fishing takes place I use a T-rig with a 1/16oz bullet sinker, or a Brewer Pro Slider Head, cast well beyond the fish, and swim the worm above the fish a good foot or more. Make them move a bit for it. Often, if the fish are spooky, you may need to be out of sight, behind a bush, or simply blind casting. I boil the tail section of my swimming worms to soften them so that they swim at the slowest retrieve speed.

 

The falling retrieve I use with either plastics (worms, tubes, craws, creatures) or jigs. I again cast well beyond the fish, swim it to the fish (not directly at it as I don’t want to alarm it, often turning the direction to one side as it approaches) then letting the bait fall, which is super attractive to bass. I then kill it, which is the trigger. Sometimes a slight shake or tremor is needed to seal the deal. It helps to be able to see the fish but, if you can’t, lay the line still on the water’s surface and watch it. Braid is great here bc it floats. When it twitches, set the hook. This killed bait technique also requires that the bottom have some clean patches, or very low or sparse vegetation so the lure doesn’t bury from sight –another reason it helps to be close enough to see the bottom. Since you mention a foot of weeds on the bottom, this may not work. Look for patchier areas or… try a weightless worm, or one on a drop-shot rig.

 

-If you luck into nice low light conditions, say a deep overcast and/or a rippled surface, try a topwater. There are a few I esp like: Floating Rapala #11 (early season), a #13 (as water warms), as these lures land quietly and can be fished on the surface like a jerk bait. Start with a single rolling twitch, then a long pause. If no go, pick up the pace. Waking such a bait can work like a charm too.

 

I also like the Rapala SkitterPop a light quiet landing popper. And I like walking baits like a smaller Zara, Sammy, or what-have-you. I cast well beyond so splash-down doesn’t affect the fish, then walk it on in. I’ve done well with very small light walkers too –the Zara Puppy and the Matzuo Hound Dog. These land quietly and work very well over shallow water. I don’t want the steady rhythmic walk that can work so well over deeper water and less spooky fish. The bass respond, are triggered, really well to an arhythmic retrieve with some long darts and short pauses. Two or three short quick darts then a long one seems to trigger especially well. Too heavy a line will kill this kind of action o these smaller walkers -8lb is about right.

 

Lastly in terms of topwater, interestingly, despite all the stealth talk, I’ve done well with a stronger waking bait like a Mann’s Baby 1-Minus. You tend to need low visibility conditions –just a breeze ripple is often enough– and should cast well beyond. But that intense wriggling rippling waker can really draw strikes. I don’t know if it’s bc so few people use them, or is just inherent in the bait –probably a bit of both. But they work very well. Since its an aggressive technique, I probably would not start with it, unless visibility conditions were good and dim.

 

As to colors in topwaters, I use opaques in low light, and reflectives (chromes) or transparents (Ghost) in higher vis conditions. I like white or pearl bellies and will even add them with paint or nail polish if needed. The original silver foil Rapala is a great finish in all visibility conditions.

 

Those fish are catchable. Just don’t approach them like they are stupid. They aren’t.

[hooah212002]

Holy crap, thanks a ton Paul. I will make sure to heed all of that info. Hopefully I can digest it well enough. The only problem I have is the stealth part. The "bank" is very steep leading to a tiny foot path right along the waters edge, which then is met with steel "siding" of sorts. The "bank" is not necessarily at waters edge. I cannot comfortably (without fear of falling) stand too far from the water. If I had to guess, it's maybe a 45 degree angle. If I were to get a bite standing far enough back as to be stealthy, I would forget about my footing and fall in. I already creep as slowly as possible, like you see in the Vietnam movies when they are watching for trip wires.

[hooah212002]

you tried a hollow bodied frog? It may be something the fish are not use to seeing. Big fish love the frog

 

They are VERY used to seeing frogs. Everyone and their cousins and mothers of cousins uses them there. People that don't even bass fish use them because their brother or someone told them "hey, if you go to that spot, use a frog". It is the only place on the whole lake that is accessible to shore fish for free to the public and Delavan is one of the most popular lakes in Southern WI (especially so for the FIB's).

 

What I have not tried, however, and plan on trying is a Rage Toad (as if I am onto something new that the rest of the lake goers are clueless about). I thought I picked some up last week, but when I checked today, I realized I hadn't. It's on the list.

[Bankbeater]

Make long casts.  If the fish are near the top of the weeds they will be able to see you before you see them.

[PABASS]

Drop shot a 4inch robo worm, use a weedless dropshot hook, you can make a robo worm dart like a jerk bait or just sit motionless in there faces.

[Primus]

Excellent post by Paul Roberts, in addition to what has been mentioned try a R.I. Skinny Dipper on a weighted hook with a keeper throwing it with braided line. This bait comes through grass real well and has caught me some nice ones. Regarding the bass spooking easy admittedly I don't have a lot experience bank fishing but as was suggested I would try blind casting  and throwing baits parallel along the shoreline edge for those fish that are close to the bank. Good luck, I hope you stick one of these big fish.

[fishinghunter96]

Try a drop shot just play with how far set you weight out so you can make the hook sit rite above the weeds and just nose hook a worm and shake it.

[A-Jay]

I sight-fish fairly frequently in small, heavily fished, clear water ponds and small reservoirs. I have a few suggestions for you to try:

 

-Timing. Hit them under low visibility conditions -breeze rippled surface, deep overcast, very early or late, or at night.

 

-Stealth. It's true fish can pick up both the sound of your lightest footfalls on firm ground, or worse, the pressure wake caused by your weight on wet ground. Several times I've purposely taken anglers to pond edges or trout pools to show them how difficult it can be (no, impossible at times) to approach fish with certain ground conditions. So, stay well back away from them. Use braid as it lands softly. Bass may not be entirely spooked, that is bolt away, if they see you, but they may simply sulk and get lockjaw. The reaction is subtle and if you aren't used to watching normal acting bass, you may not recognize this. Stealth, (esp with low vis conditions), may solve a lot of your lure choice issues.

 

-For such “fish filching”, I’ve done best with soft plastics, and jigs. In high visibility conditions I’ve found translucent colors work best. Pick your favorite color, just make sure you can see some sunlight shining through. If it’s really overcast, even in clear water, opaque colors do fine and I prefer them bc they are more visible to the fish from a greater distance. I also prefer smaller (6”) straight tail worms, or small (4”) Senko type “stick worms”, rather than action tails, for spooky clear water fish with one exception, as per below…

 

Bass, esp larger ones, respond well to falling baits, killed baits, and one that few people seem to use –a swimming retrieve, esp with a swimming tail worm. In shallow water where most sight fishing takes place I use a T-rig with a 1/16oz bullet sinker, or a Brewer Pro Slider Head, cast well beyond the fish, and swim the worm above the fish a good foot or more. Make them move a bit for it. Often, if the fish are spooky, you may need to be out of sight, behind a bush, or simply blind casting. I boil the tail section of my swimming worms to soften them so that they swim at the slowest retrieve speed.

 

The falling retrieve I use with either plastics (worms, tubes, craws, creatures) or jigs. I again cast well beyond the fish, swim it to the fish (not directly at it as I don’t want to alarm it, often turning the direction to one side as it approaches) then letting the bait fall, which is super attractive to bass. I then kill it, which is the trigger. Sometimes a slight shake or tremor is needed to seal the deal. It helps to be able to see the fish but, if you can’t, lay the line still on the water’s surface and watch it. Braid is great here bc it floats. When it twitches, set the hook. This killed bait technique also requires that the bottom have some clean patches, or very low or sparse vegetation so the lure doesn’t bury from sight –another reason it helps to be close enough to see the bottom. Since you mention a foot of weeds on the bottom, this may not work. Look for patchier areas or… try a weightless worm, or one on a drop-shot rig.

 

-If you luck into nice low light conditions, say a deep overcast and/or a rippled surface, try a topwater. There are a few I esp like: Floating Rapala #11 (early season), a #13 (as water warms), as these lures land quietly and can be fished on the surface like a jerk bait. Start with a single rolling twitch, then a long pause. If no go, pick up the pace. Waking such a bait can work like a charm too.

 

I also like the Rapala SkitterPop a light quiet landing popper. And I like walking baits like a smaller Zara, Sammy, or what-have-you. I cast well beyond so splash-down doesn’t affect the fish, then walk it on in. I’ve done well with very small light walkers too –the Zara Puppy and the Matzuo Hound Dog. These land quietly and work very well over shallow water. I don’t want the steady rhythmic walk that can work so well over deeper water and less spooky fish. The bass respond, are triggered, really well to an arhythmic retrieve with some long darts and short pauses. Two or three short quick darts then a long one seems to trigger especially well. Too heavy a line will kill this kind of action o these smaller walkers -8lb is about right.

 

Lastly in terms of topwater, interestingly, despite all the stealth talk, I’ve done well with a stronger waking bait like a Mann’s Baby 1-Minus. You tend to need low visibility conditions –just a breeze ripple is often enough– and should cast well beyond. But that intense wriggling rippling waker can really draw strikes. I don’t know if it’s bc so few people use them, or is just inherent in the bait –probably a bit of both. But they work very well. Since its an aggressive technique, I probably would not start with it, unless visibility conditions were good and dim.

 

As to colors in topwaters, I use opaques in low light, and reflectives (chromes) or transparents (Ghost) in higher vis conditions. I like white or pearl bellies and will even add them with paint or nail polish if needed. The original silver foil Rapala is a great finish in all visibility conditions.

 

Those fish are catchable. Just don’t approach them like they are stupid. They aren’t.

 

This post is Gold - very nice Paul.

 

To the OP - Applying Mr Roberts concepts should get you bit.

 

I will add that the conditions you've described sound tailor made for a stick bait (Senko) fished Painfully SLOW.

 

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

Rage Shad, Toad & Menace. With a 1/4 ounce weighted hook (Rage rigged)

you can cast the Shad and Toad a mile! They will stay on the surface if you

speed up your retrieve just a touch. The Menace can be rigged weightless

with a heavy #3/0 Gamakatsu Offset Worm Hook. For topwater, rig the bait

with the tail horizontal. Also try the Menace with a 1/4 oz pegged bullet weight

rigged with the tail vertical.

 

 

 

 

[hatrix]

Drop shot a 4inch robo worm, use a weedless dropshot hook, you can make a robo worm dart like a jerk bait or just sit motionless in there faces.

x2

 

You can use a light wire hook and make a trick worm or whatever you want to fish weedless. If you can get it right in front of there face and keep it there long enough to tick them off just the right way they will bite it.

 

My lake is very clear right now and with no wind and high sun you can see everything. They are not into chasing any thing at all but a dropshot right in there face will get a lot of fish.

[hooah212002]

Awesome suggestions guys. A hearty thanks to all of you.

 

Here, have an e-beer on me 

[hooah212002]

I would try fishing a weightless zoom super fluke in green pumpkin or watermelon seed. Fish it slow. It will come through just about anything without getting fouled.

 

Dang man. This right here has been money for me this past week since you told me. I already had shad color and baby bass, but not a green type color. I've caught more fish this week alone on watermelon flukes than all of last year (although what I gain in numbers I lost in size. All of them have been dinks.). Big thanks man!

[TylerVC]

No Problem. It will catch some big ones as well. I've caught a few 4-5 pounders on them. You could aslo try a 5-6 inch senko style bait, it may weed out a few of those dinks.

[ww2farmer]

You can do very well on grass filled, clear water lakes with just a handful of stuff. Like I said in my previous post K.I.S.S. on the color selection, greens/browns on clear days, black/dark colors on dark days, and for those time when the usually clear water gets a little stain to it. Nothing turns clear water fish on faster than a little color in the water, but also nothing shuts them down quicker than when clear water turns to super dirty really fast. You can, like I do...............needlessly carry a small tackle shop with you on the water, but day, and day out, on clear water grass fish. 3 soft baits are all you need. A texas rigged creature or craw for flipping,  a senko style stick bait, and a fluke type soft jerkbait. Add a hollow body frog for over the top work, a spinnerbait for combing the grass, and a crankbait for the edges and you have the basics pretty much covered.