Techniques for Deep Weeds?

[MSAJAA]

I fished a local lake this weekend and I struggled!

What techniques are you guys using for deep weeds?  Water is between ten and twenty feet deep.  The weeds are milfoil growing from the bottom up.

Fish were sitting on the drop offs between shallow and deep water.

I'm just curious if anyone has any techniques for deep weeds.  I spent most of my time throwing a willow leaf spinner bait.

[MSAJAA]

One other note the weeds are probably 8 feet long.  Most of the fish were sitting on the bottom according to the graph.

[NateFollmer]

Wacky rig!

I'll do 1 of two things:

- I'll rig it weightless and let it lay on top of the weeds. Usually only works when the fish are aggressive or the water is very clear.

- Throw on a weighed hook like a 'flea flicker' and get that rig down into the weeds. This sounds like what you will need to do.

I like to crank the tops of weeds too, but that may not be right for weeds that high (I usually clip weeds with a crank when they are 2 to 4 feet, I'm sure it would work in 8 too, but you're going to have to make a lot of noise).

[MSAJAA]

- Throw on a weighed hook like a 'flea flicker' and get that rig down into the weeds. This sounds like what you will need to do.

I'm not familiar with "flea flicker"?  Can you explain?

Last time I heard the term "flea flicker" was in high school football  ;D

[GTrombly]

it is a wacky jig. basically a wacky hook with some weight after the eye. i bought the buckeye lures flick it jig heads, they're good but i think the little weedless wires hook onto more weeds.

[NateFollmer]

Sorry! A flea flicker is a wacky rig hook by Tru-Tungsten:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10209257____SearchResults

[River Rat316]

If the fish are holding to the bottom in that situation a jig is going to be my go to, actually it would be what I start out with and test the waters, at that depth a good 3/8 to 3/4oz jig depending on wind conditions should clean up for you. You want a head style that is fairly weedless but will stand up on the bottom once there, and try to work the edge of the milfoil and the drop, I am assuming the water is fairly clear with weed growth down to that depth so the more natural colors should work good. My second choice if I was in full search mode would be a 5/8-1 oz spinnerbait worked right along that edge again, it is probably the easiest thing to cover water with at that depth without wearing yourself out. You can either just let the bait drop down into the zone and start a slow steady retrieve making sure you are not lifting it out of the strike zone on the way, or use a lift drop retrieve off the bottom working it around the edge. If you find concentrations of fish stop and work em over with a Drop shot or something similar

[bigbill]

Down in the weeds?

Heavy carolina rig 3/4 to 1oz with a short leader and a senko / creaturebait / worm.

Mepps Timber doodle just drop it down and let it go and move it slow the spoon and double split trailer does the rest.

Most of the time many years ago we would move the boat till the weeds disappear(deeper water) and anchor the boat. Then we would throw a split shot rig towards the weeds and fish it very very slow. The 6" black creme straight worm worked awesome. This same rig works awesome on river shore lines with deep dropoff's too.

Its not luck in fishing its skill...... 8-)

[MSAJAA]

Thanks for all the reply's!  Great ideas!  Thanks guys.

[hookset on 3]

I like either a good heavy grass jig from All-Terrain or a Yum Wooly Bug pegged with a Tru-Tungsten bullet sinker and a TT Force Bead. The hook I have the best success with is an Owner TwistLock spring on shank 3X model #5136.

[Primus]

Lots of good suggestions so far, I would also consider trying a Zoom Speed Craw pegged with at least a 1/2 oz tungsten sinker.

[roadwarrior]

The Rage Tail 7" Thumper and GYCB Fat Ika work in deep weeds:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1280746059

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1281318127

[repper]

this is a very common scenario this time of year. i would start with a jig, in a natural color. and i would try the flik shake type hook(one with a small weight on it), with a senko on it, in 912 or 301. and if i still wasn't catching them i would try a dropshot rig, at varying heights, with wacky rigged zoom swamp crawlers or trick worms. the swamp crawlers are thinner than the trick worm, and sometimes will get bit when the trick worm wont. and i love the watermelon candy color for this. i try to fish the depth where im marking fish, and keeping moving slowly until i get bit. i used to be able to fish an old rock quarry like roadwarrior refers to in his post. then the lawyers got involved and wouldn't let us fish it any longer. what a bummer. we used to sleigh the bass when fishing there. it got very little fishing pressure so those bass were really aggressive. i miss that place!

[MSAJAA]

Thanks for all the replys

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I have been fishing your same scenario in a particular lake for the last two weekends.

Both times, fish were caught on the outside weed edge in ~12FOW on a split shot rig and a zoom finesse worm.

They wouldnt touch the Thumper, Anaconda or the 10" Power worm.  They wanted the little stuff.