Fishing Weedy Lakes

[Topwater98]

The lake that I most often fish doesn't have any logs and is pretty weedy. It is also full of pike. Where do the bass go if there aren't many logs? I have had quite a bit of success fishing docks. The bottom of the lake is pretty soft in most places so I was also wondering where the bass spawn? There is one place that has quite a few lily pads but I don't think it ever gets deeper then two feet or so. Will the bass go in that shallow? Thanks for any help.

[Topwater98]

I don't think there are shad in the lake. I am in northern Wisconsin.

[Topwater98]

Also I am more asking this for next year then this year. I haven't been there in a while and I think it might be starting to freeze.

[MarkH024]

PM me the lake and I might be able to help with some pointers. Or just say it here....whatever you want to do. I fish mainly in Wisconsin as well with the exact same features you described.

[Ohio Dave]

Your weather is somewhat colder than mine in Ohio as we have the Great Lakes to stablize temps close to where I am.

 

But I am going to guess that your bass will be on the move a little sooner than you might think and be spawning in near shore areas mid to late May or into June depending on the year (i.e. how warm the spring is next year)

 

this will also likely before the weeds get up very thickly.   Look for holes dug into the darker bottom areas

or if the weeds get going very early then holes where the weeds are being swept back by bass

 

I would go after the bass with the same basic plan as any other lake though which amounts to the pre-spawn, durning and post patterns.  you may find the bass more concentrated or much more spread out than you would in a less weedy lake depending on how it all goes together there but the same generic plan is at least a good way to start.  There are tons of articles written by far more talented guys than me that can be found with a simple youtube or bass Resource search that will help you narrow it down better 

[Topwater98]

Do the pike affect where the bass go?

[Ohio Dave]

I would doubt it

[5dollarsplash]

^{It really depends depends on the lake on whether the pike affect them or not.  Rice Lake itself, where I'm from it sure does.  They tend to hang much tighter to cover due to the large northern and muskey.  Lakes without the larger predators they tend to spread out from cover more in my experience.}   

 

^{I try to use weed resistant baits on lakes like you mention.  Jigs do ok, texas rigs, I love frogs for the weedless-ness.  Try to avoid real heavy jigs/weights as they'll just sink in muck and get hung up bad.  Also try using flukes rigged weedless instead of cranks if your looking for a baitfish profile.  Hope some of this helps.} 

[Topwater98]

So far my top baits have been topwaters, rapala minnowbaits and wacky worms under docks.

[papajoe222]

You're describing my favorite type of natural lake. A few generalities may help you.  When pike are present, they are the dominate species and the bass are second in pecking order.  As bass can be forage for the pike, they tend to not use the same areas and cover.  Pike, because of their stature need more room to navigate and so will gravitate to cabbage weed vs. say millfoil.  If the forage isn't there, they'll cruise the edge of thicker weeds, including the top..

This leaves the bass inside the weeds or, as you've discovered, the inside weedline where the docks are. I prefer baits that will call the bass up out of the weeds. Topwaters and weightless plastics that will sit atop the dense weeds when paused. My favorite for the inside weedline is a Reaper on some sort of stand-up jighead or shakey head.

For spawning areas, check flats having docks with wood pilings.  Most docks where there is a muck bottom will have metal posts and the larger base of a wood piling is a great spot for spawning bass and bluegill.

Minnows and bluegill are the major forage as are small perch, so pick your colors based on that. A frog pattern from late spring through early fall is also a great choice.

[Lil'Gunner]

The shallow areas with pads and soft bottoms are great places to find bass early in the year, particularly on those first few warm days of spring. They can be tough up there, as they tend to see you coming. I've had some success with that by scoping those areas out until I see fish, then coming back 30 minutes later and throwing the longest casts I can muster at them. Small spinnerbaits work great in that situation - you don't want anything that makes a big splash.

 

I grew up in WI and fished a lot of lakes like you describe. Many shallow lakes up there don't have any apparent sand/gravel bottoms. I found a lot of spawning areas by poking a stick into the bottom from time to time as I fished along. Often, hard bottom is hiding under just a few inches of muck and rotted leaves, and a spawning bass can sweep a nest out of that in no time. Another way to find these places is to observe the shoreline - if it's cattail marsh or alder swamp, no hard bottom likely. Steep rock or uplands - maybe too much of a drop for spawning. But, gently sloping high ground onshore is likely to continue underwater and provide some good spawning.

 

Hope that helps.. I miss the fishing in my home state, including the pike, with all its puzzles and complexity. Best of success..

[Topwater98]

Thanks for the help. I would like to figure out where they spawn. I will try to next spring.

[awefvawervwae]

For our lakes in here in VA its soft bottom shallows for spawning beds. We dont have weeds thanks to the Rich Yuppies that want a clear lake so they put non native species in the lake such as grass carp to clear out all vegitaion. We do have a ton of docks and laydowns. Most beds are along the shallow parts of the back of the docks and area's around submurged logs shallow.

[Deleted account]

^{It really depends depends on the lake on whether the pike affect them or not.  Rice Lake itself, where I'm from it sure does.  They tend to hang much tighter to cover due to the large northern and muskey.  Lakes without the larger predators they tend to spread out from cover more in my experience.}   

 

^{I try to use weed resistant baits on lakes like you mention.  Jigs do ok, texas rigs, I love frogs for the weedless-ness.  Try to avoid real heavy jigs/weights as they'll just sink in muck and get hung up bad.  Also try using flukes rigged weedless instead of cranks if your looking for a baitfish profile.  Hope some of this helps.} 

x2 on the Pike thing. Bass understand the food chain. I've noticed when ospreys and eagles are around, they hunker tight too. From what I've observed so far, they haven't figured out the cormerants, those are some fish eating fools.

[Sam]

Thanks for the help. I would like to figure out where they spawn. I will try to next spring.

 

Is there a local motel in the area of the lake????

 

Sorry, could no help myself.

 

They will spawn where ever they feel safe to spawn even if the location does not match the type of bottom they are expected to spawn.

[Dale Bryant]

I would try a soft body jerkbait on a small jig or rigged weightless.  Maybe the Zoom Fluke?

[Dale Bryant]

If you don't have shad in your lake, what about goby?  The Strike King Go-B-Gone works on Lake Erie.  It's chunky but flat-bottomed so it works well on the soft bottoms that you are describing.

[Topwater98]

If you don't have shad in your lake, what about goby?  The Strike King Go-B-Gone works on Lake Erie.  It's chunky but flat-bottomed so it works well on the soft bottoms that you are describing.

As far as I know the only baitfish forage is panfish.

[tatertester]

I have a small lake right by my that is one of those shallow weedy lakes. One big pad bed and the rest is assorted weeds. The south shore has a sandy bottom , the rest is somewhat dark and muck.Maximum depth 10 feet, but most of the lake is shallower...I have difficulty finding fish except in and around the pad bed...Good bass numbers and size ,just hard to find them. A current does exist on one end of the lake with a minor channel that exits in another small water.I quess I'm just not patient enuff to sift thru the weeds to find them....What to do?

[papajoe222]

I forgot to mention a favorite spawning area in a lot of Wisc. lakes with muck bottoms......Beaches   The swimmers aren't testing the water until the temps. get around 70 and by that time the bass are long gone.  On my favorite lake, despite the presence of abundant hard bottom shallows, the smallies love the beach areas despite the lack of cover.  Go figure.