How would you fish this?

[BrianMRetter]

I'm curious how you guys might approach this. Small 180 acre reservoir, late spawn to post spawn. Males are still up shallow. Smaller bass (< 1lb) are feeding on surface insects. Warm water, very muddy. Less than 1ft visibility. Also, lots of submergent vegetation

[scaleface]

I would hit points looking for post spawn females . A Bomber Long a minnow fished on top is one of my top  producers . If that doesnt produce , I would follow points out into deeper water with cranks and worms  , still looking for post spawn females . If that doesnt work then I would run the banks that lead to the points with various lures  , I fish a 200 acre lake very similar in the same climate and post spawn is my favorite  time to catch  big fish .

[BrianMRetter]

Thanks, I'll def try your suggestions. I caught 3 dinks & 1 that was maybe 2lbs @ most yesterday on a weightless Texas-Rig junebug Senko. All were in 3-4ft of water, and within 15 feet of the bank.

[avidone1]

spinnerbait fished right over the submerged salad

[IndianaFinesse]

Throw the Ned rig or a weedless wacky rigged senko for bass moving out of the coves toward the points.  And if the shad are spawning there like they are here, a wacky rig, swimbait, or a spinnerbait of similar size of the shad might work. Shad spawn on rip rap banks on the sides of points, but only during the first couple hours in the morning.  After that the spawn shuts down for the rest of the day and the shad leave till the next day.  Just look for shad flicking the surface and occasionally jumping right next to the rip rap shorelines.  The majority of fish are still in the coves, but in the front half of the coves for the most part with a few stragglers still spawning.

The other thing bass are feeding on right now is bluegill, and for some reason they like a weightless wacky rigged senko when feeding on b-gill.  But if I had to pick two baits, it would be a Ned rig for the more open areas and a weightless wacky rigged senko for everywhere else and jigs coming in at third place.

[No Thanks I'll Bass]

Jig is always my top choice. But try tequila sunrise colored worms wacky rigged. 

[Senko lover]

Chatterbait, soft plastic Swimbait, and a spinnerbait over the thick stuff. 

[bigbassin']

A green pumpkin chatterbait, white wake bait, weightless fluke in watermelon red, and a 1/8 ounce t-rigged junebug paddletail swimbait would be my go to lures. I'd fish all of them through/over the grass.

[Hurricane]

Chatterbait and a swim jig

[Red Bear]

rip a red eye shad through and above the grass

[Fish the Mitt]

17 hours ago, Senko lover said:

Chatterbait, soft plastic Swimbait, and a spinnerbait over the thick stuff. 

+1 for the chatterbait.

-It plays into the muddy water factor by having heavy water displacement (due to the blade wobble). Choose color that sticks out (dark or bright - no natural).

- It plays into the lateral line of the bass (due to muddy water) by being a versatile lure. You can burn it, slow roll it, jig it, or any combination of the three to get to any structure the bass will be on. Especially with variations like the Z-Man Freedom (better around wood, branches, etc..) or the NU-Techs (weedless chatterbaits)

 

["hamma"]

I'd try a jerkbait  or spinnerbait over the grass,  when you find the deeper weed edge, fish a bluegill patterned crankbait parallel to it. Once you find fish.  Jig and pig the heck out of that area looking for their "highway" onto the spawning areas. They will use it to move up and down throughout the spawning period. a grub on a jighead will do just as well if its a finicky day.