Dragging on top of vegetation

[Glaucus]

I recently posted a thread about how vegetation has suddenly overtaken my favorite pond. Almost an entire mat over the top. Would dragging weightless plastics over the top of it get bit? Is that a thing? I'm an Illinois guy. I am not used to heavy vegetation. I am specifically asking about weightless plastics such as worms and stick baits. I understand there are different techniques for this such as frogs but that isn't my question. I plan on dragging the plastics over the mat today and letting them drop in holes. I'm hoping that they'll be hit on top of the mat too.

[Preytorien]

5 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

I recently posted a thread about how vegetation has suddenly overtaken my favorite pond. Almost an entire mat over the top. Would dragging weightless plastics over the top of it get bit? Is that a thing? I'm an Illinois guy. I am not used to heavy vegetation. I am specifically asking about weightless plastics such as worms and stick baits. I understand there are different techniques for this such as frogs but that isn't my question. I plan on dragging the plastics over the mat today and letting them drop in holes. I'm hoping that they'll be hit on top of the mat too.

That's a very good technique. You're thinking along the right lines when you want to drag it, then drop it in a hole. You can get bit pretty well like that. You can really drag almost anything like that - worm, fluke, creature bait, etc. 

Good luck!

[sully420]

A mojo or split shot rig is also very good for this. Its basically a Carolina rig with 1/4 oz weight or less or just a split shot and a worm. Its great for slowly dragging through grass.

[scaleface]

A big yes. I have caught a lot of  big bass from a pond that was over run by duck weed and slime . No-one else would even  fish it .  I drug a weightless soft plastics over the top of it . Take a Yum Swurm [I used the riverside Top Gun , same thing} and rig it with the biggest heaviest flipping hook you have .The flat worm slides over the stuff amazingly well . The heavy hook helps adds casting weight and your also going to bring in several lbs of vegetation as well as the fish . The fish   could not even put up a fight because they were so tangled up in the stuff . I would cast it out and let it plop on top . Then twitch the rod tip skyward . The lure would sit in place and slap on the gunk getting the basses attention. Move it a little and repeat . Stop it at holes . You never know where the hits will happen . Sometimes they blow up through the slime and sometimes smash it at the openings . Its a very exciting and productive way to fish . I use 15   Big Game .

[Choporoz]

I agree with everything @scalefacesaid.  Except the swurm part.  I have some somewhere, but never tried them.  I use the same Rage Bug on a 3/8 oz 3/0 weighted hook (Rage-rigged) that I use in other cover.  It too, comes across the top surprisingly well.  Nothing cooler than to see a big mama come shooting up through a seemingly solid tabletop of green slime to inhale your lure. 

[Koz]

We had one lagoon like that last year and I'd fish a frog over that thick junk. It was fun to have the bass blow up through that stuff or through one of the pockets. The problem was that area was elevated by railroad ties (it was an old golf course) anywhere from 3 feet to 6 feet above the water level. It was too much of a pain to try and bring up the fish and 5 pounds of weeds.

[WRB]

Popular technique with weightless Senko's.

Tom

[Glaucus]

Been trying to identify this vegetation and it's curlyleaf pondweed. Hope it does soon. 

[Glaucus]

Got 13 today. 6 were a good 3 pounds. Thanks guys.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Weightless zoom fluke with 5/0 trokar, always keep one rigged up, let it dead stick in the holes and watch your line closely.

 

Glad you figured the pond out

[Glaucus]

9 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Weightless zoom fluke with 5/0 trokar, always keep one rigged up, let it dead stick in the holes and watch your line closely.

 

Glad you figured the pond out

The pond, while overgrown at the moment, is clear. For some reason it was a 7" Blue Flek Berkley Powerworm that was the deal. Senkos and Trick Worms were not getting it done. 2 Trick Worm fish and 1 Senko fish. All 3 were dinks. Put that Powerworm on and it was a party. I dragged it across the mat and as it got close to the hole I would see bass getting worked up and heading its direction. Drop, then smack! It was just the deal. Had a couple blow it up through the mat while dragging it.

 

 

Didn't try a Fluke. Will give that a go tomorrow. Funny thing about the Blue Flek Powerworm is I didn't get them for this pond. I got them for another place. Green Pumpkin is the color to use at this pond, but I left my GP worms at home by mistake. So I accidentally found a good color today.

[Glaucus]

I'm starting to appreciate these weeds. I was horrified at first. Then I had a good day. I also saw my first beaver ever at this pond. There was also a ton of birds and frogs. It seems the weeds have made this thing come alive.