Fishing In A Pond So Weedy It's A Lawn

[ericwont]

Hey guys. New around here but I have a little challenge with a local pond near me.

 

I've fished a few ponds with light weeds and algae that are a bit of a challenge but this one takes the cake. I know that it's been a bass fishing hot spot for at least 40 years, and in that time weeds have grown absolutely rampant. They seem to be coontails or something along those lines, and they're incredibly thick. I've fished there 5 or so times and have only caught a fish my first time there. It's the fish in my profile picture and had to be at least a 5 pounder, but it was before I bought a scale so I can't be sure. That one has kept me coming back for more, because I've heard stories of 8-10 pounders lunking around in there.

 

The weed cover, however, is legitimately impossible to fish anything that even breaks the surface. I caught the one fish there on a $3 Scum Frog topwater frog. However, after that catch, I've had probably 15+ bass bite and spit the frog before I even had time to set it. It's really frustrating me and I've since started using Ribbit soft plastic frogs with a Ribbit double take hook in them. I've had no luck with them either. What is your recommendation for topwater lure besides hollow Scum Frogs and soft plastic Ribbits? I've tried poppers and other plugs with hanging treble hooks, but even this gets caught up on the weeds, along with weedless T rigged senkos and weedless T rigged baby brush hogs.

 

Also, What would be the most effective fishing technique around these very thick weeds? Should I target the thick weeds and just drag across the surface, or find the pockets of lighter weed coverage and target those?

 

Thanks guys! Glad to be a member around here. Hope to hang around for awhile.

[C0lt]

medium size senko or stick worm, wacky rigged and weightless, throw it into the pockets of open water within the weeds, or a spot where it could fall through the weeds without much trouble. 

[OroBass]

Punch rig and a heavy rod

[Jaderose]

Frog probably your best bet.  I like Scum Frogs but whatever you like...use.  I noticed one thing you said......." However, after that catch, I've had probably 15+ bass bite and spit the frog before I even had time to set it. It's really frustrating me."  Top water frogs require patience...and it's hard to do.  When a big ol' bass explodes on that frog, your first instinct is to set the hook hard and fast.  Which is exactly the WRONG thing to do with a TW frog.  I TRY to give it a 2 second count before I do a side sweep hook set after the initial explosion.  It's tough to do but if you try to give it even one long second, you WILL catch more fish with a frog.  I use many different techniques according to what conditions I'm fishing but there is NOTHING more fun than TW frog fishing.  What I'm telling you to do is VERY HARD TO DO initially, but you will get the hang of it...especially when you start bringing them in.

[NathanW]

You probably caught that 5 lbs-er earlier in the year when the fish were on or around the spawn. The spawn is over and now you are probably getting small LM, and maybe bluegill batting at your frog most likely unable to get it in their mouth. The larger fish are going to be deeper, concentrated around the water inlet for cooler water, and in areas of the pond with a hard bottom. Coontail is a very popular home for small developing fish and bluegill in the summertime but my thoughts are that it doesnt provide the stability that larger fish look for in plants like Hydrilla and Millfoil, nor does it require a firm bottom. Note that coontail is a nonrooting plant, its pretty soft (a pain in the arse to fish). 

[MikeinFresno]

Punching sounds like a possible solution. Use braid and heavy rod with a 1 oz or so jig. Throw it up in the air and let it "punch" thru the junk and fall to the bottom. Hop it a little and try again.

[skeeter1980]

Where in De.are you?I'm in Milford

[shawnmc]

I'm in Delaware as well. I would buzz a frog on top of the mats and if you get no takers I would punch the mats. You will get bit that way for sure.  Last week I fished a nice pond in my kayak that 95% open water. Near the ramp there was a 15 yard long by 5 yard wide scum mat. First flip in the mat I pulled out a 4lber, 2nd flip I pulled out a 3.5lber.  Moved a few feet down and got another. Point is bass love to hide and ambush its targets, they also like shade so if you have the weeds then by all means find a way to fish them.

[Fisher-O-men]

Sometimes small bass will grab the legs of the frog. Won't land those! You might try working a texposed fluke across the top of the mats, like a frog.

[jtesch]

Try a Texas rigged Senko, weightless with a 4/0 or 5/0 straight shank hook with the eye of the hook Buried in the nose of the Senko. The straight shank makes it almost completely weed less. If you want to add weight, use the tungsten nail weights. An 8" lizard is another good choice. Fish it SLOW so you just sort of brush through the vegetation. It's a time consuming method but it works. The flipping hooks that Trokar makes work as well. If you want to go old school, the Johnson silver minnow is really quite weedless and can get some huge hits and the fish don't see very many of them. Make sure you bury the point of the hook in the worm so it isn't exposed as it will catch weeds. This will require you to use a big hook set to pull the point through the worm but you get to feel like a bass pro. A couple of the bigger nail weight add quite a bit of weight to get the bait down nicely.