Thick vegetation (bank fishing)

[rtwvumtneer6]

My local County Park lake is warming up to the point where vegetation is taking over.  It needs to be dredged, but the project is not within budget.  It keeps a lot of the trout guys away, and takes some of the pressure off the water, so that's a small victory.  It's to the point where traps or red eye shad are a hassle to try and throw, and I've switched to straight braid on Texas rigs because I'm pulling 5-6# of veggies in with a 1# fish buried in it.  

 

Anyway, without a disecting the whole thing, I'm just curious where you bank anglers have had success when dealing with thick stuff?  

[CroakHunter]

Same place I'd fish if it wasn't slop. Fish still related to structure and cover even if there is vegetation. But now there is weed lines and shade lines to pin point as well. Find a spot with hard bottom, or a point that tapers off and has a weed line on it and it's possible you could find fish. Also, I try to keep my presentations as vertical as possible to make it easier to fish as well as making it easier to get fish up and out of the vegetation

[Eric J]

I have that issue in lakes here as well. For the heavier brush I use T-Rig plastics; Worms, Rage Tails... They do fine...

 

Eric J

[papajoe222]

Depending on the type of vegetation, you may be able to still work a bottom presentation. You’ll still be bringing in a bunch of it along with a fish, but who cares when you’re catching? If it’s millfoil or coontail,  you’ll need to stick to fishing the tops and edges. Don’t pass up fishing the inside weed edges. They can produce some nice fish.  

[Bankbeater]

I stick with flukes, and weightless plastic worms in milfoil.  In water willows I will use a 1/16 or 1/8 weight, and pitch creatures to the outside edge.

[BuzzHudson19c]

Frog!!!!!

[Catt]

Ya got 2 choices!

 

Fish above it or in it! 

 

I prefer to fish in it ?

 

 

[MichaelCopeland]

Where I was yesterday had lots of thick underwater vegetation. I tried topwater first and only one fish was kinda interested as in it didn't make the greatest effort to get the Prop Frog. Was a killer wake though. Started throwing my trusty 1/2oz breaking bream Project Z chatterbait with a green pumpkin Rage Craw trailer and almost immediately started getting good interest. Fishing it just above the thickness below and popping it up towards the surface. Water was clear enough for me to see about 2 to 3 feet deep or better. Anyways I tried fishing in the thickness without any success. So I went back to the chatterbait fishing it like I was before and this hawg annihilated it. Don't get frustrated if you can't fish what you want to in that situation. Throw a chatterbait in a color that matches the hatch in your area and call them up from within the thickness. It worked for me and I'm sure it could work for you as well. ?

[geo g]

In Florida 90% of our banks are full of weeds especially this time of year.  Like Catt said you can fish over it or in it.  Forget the treble hooks from the bank, all you will be doing is buying new ones, and lots of frustration.  Plastics, with various weights depending on the type of veggies, and the thickness.  Fishing over the thick stuff with frogs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, weightless senkos, flukes, big weightless worms, all will work. 

In the thick stuff, look for weed edges, drop-offs, pad field, with heavy line, heavy weights, stout rods, and slow way down.  Once hooked, a must is to get their head up, and surf them over the thick weeds, before they bury themselves in it.  That is where the heavy line, and stout rods come into play.  Once hooked, you can't play with these fish, they will bury themselves in a heart beat.  Proper equipment, and technique will make your job so much easier, especially from the bank.

[EGbassing]

On 5/29/2018 at 8:17 PM, rtwvumtneer6 said:

My local County Park lake is warming up to the point where vegetation is taking over.  It needs to be dredged, but the project is not within budget.  It keeps a lot of the trout guys away, and takes some of the pressure off the water, so that's a small victory.  It's to the point where traps or red eye shad are a hassle to try and throw, and I've switched to straight braid on Texas rigs because I'm pulling 5-6# of veggies in with a 1# fish buried in it.  

 

Anyway, without a disecting the whole thing, I'm just curious where you bank anglers have had success when dealing with thick stuff?  

Are there weeds on the surface? If not, a frog (or walking bait) should be the key.

[rtwvumtneer6]

5 minutes ago, geo g said:

In Florida 90% of our banks are full of weeds especially this time of year.  Like Catt said you can fish over it or in it.  Forget the treble hooks from the bank, all you will be doing is buying new ones, and lots of frustration.  Plastics, with various weights depending on the type of veggies, and the thickness.  Fishing over the thick stuff with frogs, weightless senkos, flukes, big worms, all will work.  Look for weed edges, drop-offs, pad field, with heavy line, heavy weights, stout rods, and slow way down.  A must is to get their head up and surf them over the thick weeds before they bury themselves in it.  That is where the heavy line, and stout rods come into play.  Once hooked, you can't play with these fish, they will bury themselves in a heart beat.  Proper equipment, and technique will make your job so much easier, especially from the bank.

I agree completely.  However, my flipping set up is definitely just for that. Close quarter combat.  I miss a lot of fish on a long cast.  MH with 50# braid has been the answer for me.  

4 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

Are there weeds on the surface? If not, a frog (or walking bait) should be the key.

Yes. Entire water column in most areas I can reach.

[rtwvumtneer6]

Winning set up so far has been going into the thick stuff with 3/8oz and a baby brush hog, and walking a popper on the edges.  

 

Good stuff so far! 

[MichaelCopeland]

54 minutes ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

Winning set up so far has been going into the thick stuff with 3/8oz and a baby brush hog, and walking a popper on the edges.  

 

Good stuff so far! 

If that's what's working, no need to change until it stops working. When it stops working fish a chatterbait(3/8-1/2oz in forage colors). It just works. Nobody can tell me not to throw a chatterbait...lol! This time of year especially! ?

[rtwvumtneer6]

2 minutes ago, MichaelCopeland said:

If that's what's working, no need to change until it stops working. When it stops working fish a chatterbait(3/8-1/2oz in forage colors). It just works. Nobody can tell me not to throw a chatterbait...lol! This time of year especially! ?

This year prespawn definitely raised my confidence in a chatterbait.... But it says the pictures too big 

[MichaelCopeland]

1 hour ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

This year prespawn definitely raised my confidence in a chatterbait.... But it says the pictures too big 

Not sure about pc or mac photos, but I use the Image Shrink Lite app on my phone for uploading pics here. Works great for me. Prespawn all the way til a little ways into fall the chatterbait is a good choice. My go to bait in almost every situation. I just love it. ?

[iiTzChunky]

No one's mentioned it, but I've got the same problem at 90% of the places I fish and I've been throwing a ribbit road. Just slowly rolling it across the tops, on the outside, by the bank. I've been getting blow up everywhere on em. Like mentioned before I'd pitch to the outside of it if possible. Spinners and chatters baits are really the only other things I'm able to throw in these conditions. 

[the reel ess]

Almost every pond around here look like what you described. I use a frog and a weightless Trick Worm around the edges. I bought an XH/F combo just for frogs and it always has one tied on. Straight braid is a wise choice. If it's not completely matted I'd probably throw a weighted T rig out beyond the mat. 

[Sam]

Can  you tell us more about the cover?

 

Is it grass-like from the bottom to the surface?

 

Is it floating like slop?

 

Any open space under it?

 

All of the above replies are OK but you need to know if the bass can live under it; feed under it; look up to see the surface; and have room to move and hunt under it.

 

If it is too thick with no place open on the bottom the bass are not there. Bass need some room to maneuver and your quest is to find out if there is any room for the fish to move about.

 

If so, here is my suggestion from an old pro:  Get a boat paddle. Go to the area where you want to fish. Take the paddle and make an open area as big as you can and as deep as you can with the paddle.

 

Wait at least one hour. Longer if possible.

 

Go back and drop shot or shaky head the open space.

 

You can do this at various places and until they close back up you will have an opening to fish with the baits and presentations you want to throw. 

 

Good luck.

 

 

[rtwvumtneer6]

15 hours ago, MichaelCopeland said:

Not sure about pc or mac photos, but I use the Image Shrink Lite app on my phone for uploading pics here. Works great for me. Prespawn all the way til a little ways into fall the chatterbait is a good choice. My go to bait in almost every situation. I just love it. ?

Smoked 7 on the baby brush hog again today, but I promise I thought about the chatterbait and had a few in my day bag

[soflabasser]

Sounds like a good place to fish with a hollow belly frog or other type of weedless lure. You can also look for areas that are relatively free of aquatic vegetation and try fishing these areas.

On 5/29/2018 at 9:17 PM, rtwvumtneer6 said:

I'm just curious where you bank anglers have had success when dealing with thick stuff?  

 

[EGbassing]

19 hours ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

I agree completely.  However, my flipping set up is definitely just for that. Close quarter combat.  I miss a lot of fish on a long cast.  MH with 50# braid has been the answer for me.  

Yes. Entire water column in most areas I can reach.

I'd try a frog.  

[MichaelCopeland]

1 hour ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

Smoked 7 on the baby brush hog again today, but I promise I thought about the chatterbait and had a few in my day bag

When what you're throwing is working there's no need to change it. That chatterbait will have it's day. You've got all summer and some of fall for it to come in handy. In the meantime keep throwing the baby brush hog as long as it's getting bit. ?