Vegetation Devastation

[smr_hga]

Yesterday i went fishing at my neighborhood pond for the first time in a couple weeks. The first thing i noticed was that there was vegetation stacked all along the bank. It turned out that all over the pond there was a crazy amount of vegetation that extended out for about 15ft. What could have caused this and where are the grass carp when you need them? All day i managed to only land one fish on a 1/8oz silver kastmaster spoon. I tried other lures such as a jig, a rat-l-trap, and a frog but got no action. Why is this happening and how do i adapt?

[geo g]

Sounds like spraying.  If its in an area with houses some homeowners complained to the association and they sprayed.  Some people want a lake that looks like a pool with no vegetation.   It kills fishing for quite some time. 

[Catt]

What kind?

[smr_hga]

1 hour ago, geo g said:

Sounds like spraying.  If its in an area with houses some homeowners complained to the association and they sprayed.  Some people want a lake that looks like a pool with no vegetation.   It kills fishing for quite some time. 

You may be right on. The pond is literally right behind houses and pesticides are often sprayed. That is why i don't eat from there.

[papajoe222]

Catching is going to be tough until the fish acclimate to the lack of cover and acidity from the die off.  Fish it similar to the way you would cold front conditions and you should be able to pick up a fish here and there. 

[smr_hga]

Um... This is confusing. My pond has TOO MUCH vegetation not too little. It sounds like you guys are talking about a pond with a small amount of cover... "Some people want a lake that looks like a pool with no vegetation" "Catching is going to be tough until the fish acclimate to the lack of cover and acidity from the die off"

[HoosierHawgs]

I understand what you are saying. Here is my advice... you probably won't like it but I did the same thing and it made my life so much better. Stop fishing that area and find a new place to fish.

[smr_hga]

11 minutes ago, HoosierHawgs said:

I understand what you are saying. Here is my advice... you probably won't like it but I did the same thing and it made my life so much better. Stop fishing that area and find a new place to fish.

Well its the only spot within walking distance, and i'm not old enough to drive myself, so i'm kinda stuck :|

[HoosierHawgs]

1 minute ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Well its the only spot within walking distance, and i'm not old enough to drive myself, so i'm kinda stuck :|

Bike? Lol. Do you not have any fishing buddies who can/ dad/mom don't fish?

[smr_hga]

2 minutes ago, HoosierHawgs said:

Bike? Lol. Do you not have any fishing buddies who can/ dad/mom don't fish?

Lol not an option and my parents dont fish. Guess i'll have to wait a couple years... In the meantime i'll hopefully overcome this issue and/or the vegetation will return to normal.

[HoosierHawgs]

1 minute ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Lol not an option and my parents dont fish. Guess i'll have to wait a couple years... In the meantime i'll hopefully overcome this issue and/or the vegetation will return to normal.

That's a bummer. If its straight up moss/sticky stuff I can't really help you with it. When it's this early in the year it will be problematic especially because fish aren't hitting on top yet. They are probably right under it and there is no good way to get to them, even pitching right up into it, you'll just get your bait covered with junk. That or its suffocating them because it is sucking up oxygen. Green sticky algae is never good for fish or fisherman IMO.

[smr_hga]

3 minutes ago, HoosierHawgs said:

That's a bummer. If its straight up moss/sticky stuff I can't really help you with it. When it's this early in the year it will be problematic especially because fish aren't hitting on top yet. They are probably right under it and there is no good way to get to them, even pitching right up into it, you'll just get your bait covered with junk. That or its suffocating them because it is sucking up oxygen. Green sticky algae is never good for fish or fisherman IMO.

No its not sticky or anything out of the normal. You are right about the bass being under it. I saw many bass inside the vegetation but there was no way to get to them. Its not hopeless though, i didn't get skunked and i've only tried a few different baits. Do you reccomend finesse or reaction baits for the next expedition?

[HoosierHawgs]

4 minutes ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

No its not sticky or anything out of the normal. You are right about the bass being under it. I saw many bass inside the vegetation but there was no way to get to them. Its not hopeless though, i didn't get skunked and i've only tried a few different baits. Do you reccomend finesse or reaction baits for the next expedition?

Good to hear it's not exactly what I though it was... That would have really killed you're fishing. If it were me i would toss two things. A weightless stick bait on a weedless wacky hook pitched right into the vegetation and then a tube or creature or craw that won't get caught on vegetation too much doing the same thing. Right now with weather patterns across the country I would slow down and be extremely methodical. Any color is fine so long as it's Junebug.

[flyingmonkie]

We have something similar going on in our neighborhood - they've put herbicide in the water for years, but [thankfully] haven't the past two years.  We've got the slimey stuff now... it's a pain in the butt, but it's better than muddy water IMO.  This time of year, I like weightless slow sinking stuff... senkos, flukes, paddletail swimbaits... t-rig them and you'll get through a little cleaner.  

You'll learn to appreciate the vegetation - especially in summer.  You can pull frogs right over the top of it, target the edges and holes with soft plastics.

[bentron]

I recently went to my favorite fishing hole in my old neighborhood, haven't been there in a few years due to school, and I discovered the same lack of vegetation except it looked like die had been added to the water to give it a blue tint. Its very sad to see that some people just cant deal with vegetation and green water.

[soflabasser]

22 hours ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Yesterday i went fishing at my neighborhood pond for the first time in a couple weeks. The first thing i noticed was that there was vegetation stacked all along the bank. It turned out that all over the pond there was a crazy amount of vegetation that extended out for about 15ft. What could have caused this and where are the grass carp when you need them? All day i managed to only land one fish on a 1/8oz silver kastmaster spoon. I tried other lures such as a jig, a rat-l-trap, and a frog but got no action. Why is this happening and how do i adapt?

You can try a Zoom Horny Toad.Fish it on top of the vegetation or parallel to where the weedline ends in the deeper water. 

[lectricbassman]

Waders, float tube, or kayak to get on the other side of the nasty vegetation. 

[Scarborough817]

just rig up a punch rig or maybe buzz some plastics across the surface that is what i found to work in those situations. 

[smr_hga]

Hey guys, i'm here to report what happened this time fishing there. I just bought a couple new lures so i went to test them out. I used a baby bass super fluke on a 1/4oz jig head and a MirroLure sinking twitchbait on another rod. I may have missed a couple bites throughout the trip but due to the vegetation i'm not sure. Anyway i landed only one fish today on the super fluke. I walked by one of the causeway/spillway thingies and tossed my super fluke down there. A bass just nailed it out of nowhere and that was all i caught for the day. Also i would appeciate if someone could tell me how to fish the Mirrolure, because i am stil confused by it.

[bigbill]

Weeds, I learned a new word my first year in bass fishing. When I was catching bass in the springtime I thought the season was over when the weeds grew. The new word was WEEDLESS baits.

Mepps timber doodle. Silver with white trailer, drop it in the open weed pockets. I put fished a guy using live minnows.

Mister Twister toprop reel it at a slow pace or a 1-2-3 pause. It will almost go vertical on the pause but they strike it.

Weedless rigged plastics

Jigs break through to the bottom.

Presentation is the key to success. A shot of scent too

 

Just when we think bass fishing is easy then comes a road block and a challenge I love bass fishing.

[Insanity]

If it's hydrilla type weeds. You might try using a grappling hook and rope to clear you some path ways threw it.  

I fish a small lake here that's chocked full of weeds most of the year.  Where people stop and cast they keep it pulled out in path ways.  And the fish really like to hang around the edges. 

Anyone want some darn weeds.  Come get you some dump truck loads.  Please. 

[smr_hga]

Ok I'm here again with another update, today I tested out my new Rapala jointed minnow. I liked the action but it was not heavy enough to cast far enough to get much past the vegetation. At this point i was fed up. I noticed that the little gecko lizard things that live here have started coming out. So i decided to equip this ponds greatest lure of all time... a Zoom Lizard plastic! A few casts in i had to answer my phone just after making a cast. When i reeled up the slack there was lots of pressure on the rod, i had either hooked a fish or hooked ten pounds of weeds. It didnt really fight at al but it was indeed a bass. Sadly it was gut hooked. I tried very hard to get the hook out but the fish had started bleeding so i decided i had to cut the line. I manged to save my weight and plastic but lost a hook and possibly the life of a bass. I did catch 3 more bass though, almost all 3 came on the drop, i felt a distinct "tap tap" and made 3 solid hooksets for 3 solid bass. Overall a pretty good day.

[smashinsmalliestv]

Once warmer weather comes around, a lot of shallower ponds (even deeper ponds and smaller lakes) are overcome by vegitation.      Usually the fishing can become horrible, and most fish will either move into the deepest parts/clear parts or into the slop. Spinnerbaits are a great way to stay weedless while also attracting fish. The frog bite should be on if there is slop there. You could cast top waters over the weed edge (poppers, buzzbaits, walkers). You can also punch the mats. The fish could be moved deeper if they just spawned also. I would try other top waters them frogs past the weed edge, or find a new pond. It can be hard to adapt to these ponds but the fish have to eat sometime. Good luck!

[smr_hga]

I caught 7 today on a zoom lizard. Looking good.