Mossy Farm Pond Trouble...

[chelboed]

Probably going to fish a mossy farm pond this weekend. This pond has been known to produce 15-25 LMB/hr in December by myself. Right now though...the water level is low, the grade out to center is shallow, thus I need to cast a mile in the wind and avoid the moss. At least 50yds.

 

Last weekend, I only caught 2x. That was on a 1/4oz Beetlespin. I was using my spinning gear that weekend and the Beetle was the biggest thing I had to chuck it way out there.

 

This time I'm going to go ahead and bring my baitcasting gear and normal bass baits, but I was wondering what you guys think will get them above the moss that they'll likely be hunkered down in.

 

I've got some floating jerks.

My Suspending Rat-L-Traps may be a little too light to be able to cast that far out.

If I put weight on any sort of plastic, it will be loaded with moss within the first 10feet of retrieve.

I have a few big spinnerbaits and Mepps #5's.

 

The best producers on this large pond are Silver Mepp's #4, Green stick worms, Beetlespin's.

 

 

 

Last weekend, I also tried some weightless plastics to try to keep above the moss, but I couldn't get them out far enough into the strike zone to reach the fish, and the wind was so horrendous that when the bait hit the water, the wind carried the bait rapidly sideways across the surface of the water to the other bank.

TIA

[flyfisher]

find another pond.

[gulfcaptain]

A dropshot on a cylinder weight fished 12-18" above the weight to keep it out of the moss.

[68camaro]

Welcome to my nightmare, I had blow-up this morning on a Megabass Xpop Jr. GG Bass right at edge of moss. only action in 90 minutes, I was trying best I could to cast parallel to this stuff. I also used a Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait, 1/8 oz to no avail. The little spinner got through it OK but eventually got hung up.

 

After awhile I ended up pitching the XPop just beyond moss edge, popping it back several feet then redoing, my hits yesterday and today came at edge of matts/moss. The stuff is thick and all over.

 

Recently had little success with blue fox shallow swimmer in-line spinner 1/8 oz, and floating jerk bait. I need to keep bait on top or forget about it.

[Fishing Rhino]

Are you sure it's "moss"?  What most call moss is actually filamentous algae.  I hate fishing in that stuff, and avoid it if at all possible.

 

Try fishing something that you can keep suspended above the bottom.  I'd try flukes, Rage Tail Craws, and similar baits fished weightless.  You can also fish the craw as a topwater bait.  Cast it, then lift it to the surface.  Retrieve a foot or more making a commotion on the surface, then let it settle below the surface.  Retrieve with some twitches, then lift it to the surface again.  Give them something different to look at.  Vary the speed of the retrieve.  Fish it like a buzz bait. 

 

Slow it down.  If it comes back clean, try a little slower, again, vary the retrieve with twitches, and/or jerks.  When the bait comes back gunked up, you'll know you went too slow. 

 

You can also use a wacky rig and a bobber.  The bobber should suspend the bait just above the gunk.  If there are ripples or waves on the surface, they will give the bait some action.  Retrieve it as slow as your patience will allow.  Experiment with the retrieve.  You never know when you might stumble onto just what the fish want.

 

Don't just beat the water to a froth doing the same thing over and over again.

[gardnerjigman]

If it's that shallow of a pond slap on a pair of waders and go out waste deep. I have to do that at some of the ponds I fish back home. 

[chelboed]

Well...I don't have waders, or I would have done that by now. Good suggestion though.

I've tried weightless plastics...just can't cast them out far enough fir this place.

As far as finding another pond...I've caught several hundred bass here in the last couple years. Many many over 4#. Several over 5#. This is the only pond I get to fish when I stay multiple days at my In-laws...thus I can't ditch it.

I was thinking if buying some Mepps Long Cast spinners because I can cast them waaaaaay out there where the bass like to hold in the fall and winter. And like I said...silver Mepps#4 had been one if the most productive baits there.

Thanks for the other responses. I'll give some if them a shot.

[chelboed]

When I say farm pond, I'm actually saying that it's 300yd long and 180yd across.

[A-Jay]

Rig up a drop shot with a weight that is sufficient to allow you to cast the distance you want. 

 

Rig the plastic of your choice Tex-posed on an EWG Hook. May I suggest a SK Rage Craw, the Berkley Powerbait Thief or a even a simple Strike King Rage Tail Grub.

 

Ensure that the the drop length of the line between the hook & the weight is long enough to keep your offereing off the bottom or at least up out of the "moss".

 

On a super long cast that usually means it will need to be a little longer than usual -  maybe something like 18 - 24 inches.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[Fishing Rhino]

You can use an eight ounce jig head on the Rage Tail craw, and still fish it at or near the surface.  You'll need to hold the rod tip higher and/or retrieve a bit faster.  I use the Keitech 1/8 ounce super round jig head with a 2/0 hook.  The end of the tail should be buttoned up against the weight.  I use a drop of Loctite Super Glue.  The baits last a lot longer since it is all but impossible for a bass to pull it away from the weight.

 

You can also use a Gamakatsu 1/8 ounce wacky jig head to cast further.  The bobber will keep the bait above the gunk.  The wacky jig head hook is my favorite for wacky worming.  It is as weedless as you can get, but even it will grab the gunk more than you'd like when it does get into the stuff.

 

 

 

 

They are lead, so they are not legal in Mass.  But when I'm out of the state it's all I use for wacky rigging.  And when I'm in vegetation, I'll use it rather than the Keitech I mentioned earlier.  The Keitech has a tungsten weight so I can use it on my home waters.

[paul.]

soft plastic swimbait on a keel weighted hook or tx rigged.  it'll cast a mile, come through the slop clean, and you can work it a variety of ways until you find what the fish want.

[Racerx]

Johnson Silver Minnows cast a mile and are weedless?  Just spitballing.

[chelboed]

Good suggestion. I forgot about those! I have a couple and they'll bite on them down there.