How To Fish Filamentous Algae?

[CKurtz15]

Hello, I was night fishing in a pond the other day, and I kept running into a reoccurring problem with the filamentous algae in the area. This algae is not just surfaced based; it also tends to grow below the surface as well.  I was using Texas rigged worms because they are weedless, but I found that the algae just engulfs the entire lure. I would retrieve the bait only to find it covered in this thick goo. This was a reccurring problem for other soft plastics as well (Swim baits, flukes, craws etc.) I also couldn't fish a buzz bait, because this Filamentous Algae would get tangled in the blade and prevent it from spinning properly. 

 

Do you guys have any lure recommendations?

Was I using the lures wrong? 

Pole/Line Recommendations etc? 

Down below are picture links of the stuff I was dealing with!!! Thanks 

 

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i263/ewestmnw/FA1.jpg 

 

http://www.noble.org/global/ag/wildlife/filamentous-algae/algae.jpg

 

http://beaglebioproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Filamentous_Algae.jpg 

[Preytorien]

Welcome to the forums. Be sure to introduce yourself on the new member forums, we like to know a little about you, where you're from, etc to better be able to help you.

 

As for your problem, I run into this all the time in the early spring.....

 

I can't really say I have a magic antecdote since that stuff is a PAIN to deal with. Like you I even find jigs, T-rigs, etc getting fouled up. It's also very tough to get off since it's so slimy and nasty. Makes me think of that stuff in Ghostbusters.

 

Aside from just waiting to fish until the local ecosystem knocks it out, I have a bit more success using weightless plastics - senkos, craws, etc. Let them sink but not hit the bottom. That's about the only success I have.

 

Thankfully for me I have a couple of other areas that don't suffer from the algae, so I can hit those areas frequently until the algae clears up.

 

Good luck, tight lines, and welcome to the forums.

[Marty]

Looking at picture #2, I see there are holes in the algae. Can you drop soft plastics into those holes? How about weedless topwaters, such as hollow-bodies frogs, or non-hollow like Horny Toads or Super Flukes. I've dealt with a lot of slimy filamentous algae and fortunately I've had edges and holes that I could fish.

[Bluebasser86]

Frogs over the top or lightly weighted plastics dropped into the holes are about the only way to combat that stuff. You're still going to get it on your bait but there really is no way to avoid it fishing in that slop.

[Hyrule Bass]

weightless plastics and top water frogs are about the only ways to fish it effectively. there will be days when the wind blows most or all of it to one side, then you can use stuff like spinner baits and buzzbaits and some treble hook lures...

[MichaelJ7]

I just fished a place like that yesterday. Only thing I threw was t-rigged senkos. I tore em up.

[Superdumper]

I have yet to try them. And the reviews aren't the best but I bought some yum money hounds just in case I run into a situation like that. They look like a pickle and are supposed to be weedless spooks. If u search them on here you can read more about them

[michang5]

I've had luck using a drop shot with the weight low enough to keep your hook and bait above the algae. Finesse worms or tiny flukes or other small soft plastic.

Cast it out and drag/twitch back.

You're likely to pull some algae on the weight, but it won't interfere with the business end.

[Teal]

Apply copper sulfate to it on a Sunday afternoon, the following weekend you will be able to fish it with jigs.

Lol

Weightless soft plastics and frogs