Fishing Heavy Salad?

[Josh Smith]

Hi Folks,

 

The lake I fish most has a LOT of weed.  Cabbage, mat, hydrilla, etc. 

 

Playing with these "new" frogs is very effective.  So is throwing football jigs, especially when I roll them over downed timber. 

 

I was mat punching with earlier this year, but it's thicker than last year and I'm going to have to get heavier bullet sinkers and maybe a heavy rod. 

 

Now, this time of year in this lake, crankbaits are useless.  So are most jerkbaits.  They pick up too much vegetation in the first foot to be effective.

 

This time of year, even Spooks and the like, Jitterbugs, and to a point, even prop baits and Hula Poppers pick up too much vegetation to be really effective for more than the first couple feet on average.

 

Since this year's growth is heavier than normal, I'm looking for lures to use in addition to topwater weedless frogs and jigs.  I'd like to hit the suspended fish harder. 

 

Thoughts?

 

Thank you,

 

Josh

 

 

[JETSWU87]

The Zman pop shad is another topwater option.

 

Other then that I think you're down to weedless swimbaits.  Those are tough fishing conditions.

[Turkey sandwich]

You need to put a weed wacker on your boat.

[BassinLou]

Sounds like its time to learn how start punching. Get yourself a smaller profile creature bait, a stout flipping hook, 1-1.5oz Tungsten flipping weight, and lastly a weight stopper. Make sure you have a H rod, and 65lb braid. When you stick a pig you are going to know right away!! Goodluck!! 

[Josh Smith]

They're tough conditions, but these weeds hold a lot of bass.

 

I took my wife fishing (she started on a baitcaster I built for her -- I'm so proud!)  During this trip I hooked on to a smaller bass, 12", but very chunky.  It looked like a largemouth with the body of a smallmouth.

 

Strange thing is that it looked like it was a female that had just spawned again.  The growing season in Indiana is not long enough for two spawns!

 

I tossed that frog out again, and something hit it.  Hard.  I couldn't reel and I could barely raise the rod.  Unfortunately, I'd missed a good hookset because I was talking to April and didn't make myself pause, so the fish got off.  Had it stayed on, I'm sure it would have been a personal best (for public lakes).

 

There's something appealing to me about fishing thick vegetation.  Expanding my arsenal in these conditions is probably more important to me than expanding it in any other area.

 

Thanks!

 

Josh

[Josh Smith]

Sounds like its time to learn how start punching. Get yourself a smaller profile creature bait, a stout flipping hook, 1-1.5oz Tungsten flipping weight, and lastly a weight stopper. Make sure you have a H rod, and 65lb braid. When you stick a pig you are going to know right away!! Goodluck!! 

 

I've been punching, but it's new to me.  You're right in that I need to get heavier equipment for this. 

 

What speed reel do you recommend?  I generally stick with 26ipt or slower in this type of stuff. 

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[Big Bait Fishing]

check out that 'Bub rig' video in the BassResource video library , a heavy duty drop shot rig perfect for heavy vegatation !!!

[BassinLou]

I've been punching, but it's new to me.  You're right in that I need to get heavier equipment for this. 

 

What speed reel do you recommend?  I generally stick with 26ipt or slower in this type of stuff. 

 

Regards,

 

Josh

 

I use a Curado I HG. This reel has 30 IPT. 

[Josh Smith]

I use a Curado I HG. This reel has 30 IPT. 

 

Interesting.  My reason for the slower reels is that it's easier to haul fish out of thick growth if I have to winch 'em.

 

Been thinking about taking the 5500c3 that's on the 7' Daiwa rod up to 31ipt (or so; will use a 5600c4 gearset) but that's still a debate I'm having with myself.  It would be my jerkbait rod but I want something stiffer.

 

This vegetation, by the way, is one reason I stick with heavier reels.  Been using 50lb braid but have 65lb Power Pro ready to go. 

 

Decisions, decisions...

 

Josh

[BassinLou]

Interesting. My reason for the slower reels is that it's easier to haul fish out of thick growth if I have to winch 'em.

Been thinking about taking the 5500c3 that's on the 7' Daiwa rod up to 31ipt (or so; will use a 5600c4 gearset) but that's still a debate I'm having with myself. It would be my jerkbait rod but I want something stiffer.

This vegetation, by the way, is one reason I stick with heavier reels. Been using 50lb braid but have 65lb Power Pro ready to go.

Decisions, decisions...

Josh

Goodluck.

[Ski213]

Not seeing your conditions so I'm not sure if this is applicable. Years ago on a relatively small lake we fished all the time the weeds went nuts. There would be these pockets on the surface where the weeds didn't go all the way to the surface. Maybe 1 to 3 foot wide pockets. You could toss a t rigged trick worm across those pockets and hammer them. If you have pockets like that Id give that a shot. That lake had alot of water clarity when it had the weeds. If yours doesn't id imagine it wouldn't be as effective. We were using relatively light line so you pretty much had to go to the fish. That was my most productive pattern ever though in any conditions. It held for pretty much an entire summer.