Weedless bass lures aren't

[AlTheFisherman313]

Are waders out of the question? if your fishing near an area where its applicable you can get out maybe 4-5 feet out maybe further depending on the area and hit the "deeper" weeds or the edge of the bed. That presentation is pretty effective for me, granted I use a kayak.

 

A kayak can be had for $300 for a basic model so if your comfortable with that, either a kayak or waders will help you access a totally different area of the water column, assuming buying a full blown boat is out of the question.

 

Bank fishing and weeds go hand in hand, because you drag your lure so shallow your gonna pick up something, unless your talking about seriously weeded fishing grounds, In that case your lure selection is weedless topwaters, like frogs, or like stated before unweighted plastics or even a texas rig with a smaller bullet sinker to "finesse" the worm in the weeds. Bigger sinker means bigger surface to grab grass.

 

Also someone mention about the "hook tuck" on the top of the rig. That is a must on any texas rig. Hook should slide free when bit, but have enough of the hook into the top to keep it flush with the worm.

 

[Black Hawk Basser]

The lake adjacent to my town is extremely weedy for the first 15 yards off the bank.  It's the stringy type of vegetation that breaks apart easily and grabs onto everything.  Soft plastic buzz frogs like the Yum Tip Toad and Stanley Ribbit are my best friends once the veg gets thick.  Zoom Super Flukes also play a big role.  A Texas rigged plastic is literally the only option once we get into mid-June here.

[WRB]

Spoons are one of the most under rated and over looked bass lures.

Johnson Silver Minnow is most popular and recognized weedless spoon in this category followed by Heddon Moss Boss. Both work good but Nemeric Red Ripper has become my go to weedless spoon because it's well made with very sharp hook, silicone skirt and rattle. The 1/2 oz size medics threadfin Shad in silver or gold.

I learned to bass fish using a weedless spoon casting from shore, very versitile lure that can slide over weed mats, swim in open pockets and slow rolled at any depth including along the bottom.

Tom

[Catt]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Spoons are one of the most under rated and over looked bass lures.

Johnson Silver Minnow is most popular and recognized weedless spoon in this category followed by Heddon Moss Boss. Both work good but Nemeric Red Ripper has become my go to weedless spoon because it's well made with very sharp hook, silicone skirt and rattle. The 1/2 oz size medics threadfin Shad in silver or gold.

I learned to bass fish using a weedless spoon casting from shore, very versitile lure that can slide over weed mats, swim in open pockets and slow rolled at any depth including along the bottom.

Tom

 

 

[JBT1981]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

 

A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.

11 hours ago, AlTheFisherman313 said:

A kayak can be had for $300 for a basic model.

I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!

So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?

And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?

[Catt]

8 minutes ago, JBT1981 said:

A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.

 

 

Johnson's spoon ?

 

The top 2 are 1/4 oz & the bottom one is 1/2 oz.

 

Ya fish em on top like a solid body frog!

[Mobasser]

Catt and WRB are right on about the Johnson Silver Minnow. These are one of the great weed spoons. They've been catching bass since the 1920s I believe. 

1 hour ago, JBT1981 said:

A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.

I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!

So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?

And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?

Use a heavier weight and stout rod/line to punch you t-rig through the vegetation. A weightless worm rig can be fished on or near the surface, and allowed to slowly sink into pockets and openings in the weeds.

[Todd2]

You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes?  I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.

[ClintIsKING]

The one private pond I go to when I'm short on time is about 60% weeds. Weightless craw has been my go to and I've been killing it with them. One cast I'll be covered in weeds, the next few minimal. 

[Mobasser]

39 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes?  I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.

I like to use a 4" plastic grub, or a shortened plastic worm. A skirt, as in Catts photo is good too.

[Glaucus]

7 hours ago, JBT1981 said:

A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.

I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!

So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?

And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?

No, the weight will catch far more weeds.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Glaucus said:

No, the weight will catch far more weeds.

Put a bead in front of the weight and it'll reduce the salad pickup...it's worked for me.

[Catt]

9 hours ago, Todd2 said:

You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes?  I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.

 

I always have some type of trailer attached ?

 

7 hours ago, Glaucus said:

No, the weight will catch far more weeds.

 

The nose of your plastic or the bullet weight does not "catch" weeds, your line coming through the grass bends it into a V shape around your line.

 

[Glaucus]

7 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I always have some type of trailer attached ?

 

 

The nose of your plastic or the bullet weight does not "catch" weeds, your line coming through the grass bends it into a V shape around your line.

 

The weeds fall off a lot easier and come up much less plentiful on weightless plastics.

[rod snapper]

Today while fishing, i observed that there are many weedless lures, but there is not a single algaeless lure, except perhaps a topwater-frog. I decided this because i saw my spinnerbait plowing through leaved vegetation without any problems, but when it hit any algae, it was instantly fouled. Algae is sticky, weeds are not. The two distinct green, water things are often confused.

sorry, just a ramble

-Rod Snapper

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Glaucus said:

The weeds fall off a lot easier and come up much less plentiful on weightless plastics.

 

Not necessarily ?

 

Y'all gonna have to accept the fact if ya fishing grass ya gonna be picking some grass period!

 

Most anglers can patiently work weightless plastics through grass but as soon as ya add weight that try to force it through.

[Fishes in trees]

The notions about weedless spoons are good.  Back when I was a meat fishing bush hippie I read a book "On Slider Fishing" by Charlie Brewer.  He described a technique called "polishing the rocks", but it really applies to any bottom of any pond, lake, strip pit, whatever.  He means coming as close to the bottom as you can without touching it, or hanging up.  Takes a while to learn, but if you're a bank fisherman, it is the ticket to more fish, most of the time.

[WRB]

The early weedless spoons like Silver Minnow used a pork rind strip as a trailer, tough but soft and weeds or grass doesn't stick. Always check the Silver Minnow spoon hook for sharpness and sharpen it! 

A Hitchhicker Spring or CPS works good to attach a straight tail 4" to 5" soft plastic worm (split the tail 2") or whatever as a trailer.

The trick with weedless spoons is control how it lands by slowing the lure down just before it hits the water, you want a light landing not a crash landing and raise your rod tip while starting to reel so the spoon stays on top swimming if fishing weed beds.

I don't use a trailer with Red Ripper spoon.

Tom

[the reel ess]

Weightless Trick Worm! I also like a paddle tail swimbait like the Zoom Swimming Super Fluke with the lightest bullet weight in your box. I can't tell you how much time I spend pulling weeds and snotty algae off my jig. But if you deliver it to a good spot, there's a good chance of getting a bite on the first drop.

 

Just as stainless steel can stain, weed-less doesn't mean weed-free.

[tcbass]

I just posted this reply in a hollow body frog thread but could help you out with your shore fishing problems. The Whopper Frog is pretty much 100% weedless:

 

Best thing I did to start catching fish on frogs was to modify them and turn them

into Homemade Teckel Sprinker Frogs aka the Weedless Whopper Plopper. All it is is a paddle tail frog. 

 

Prior to this I fished for about 8 years with regular hollow body frogs and only caught some fish and I can successfully walk the dog. Fishing the same lakes and locations with the Homemade Sprinker frog shot my success up to like 90% over regular hollow body frogs and they are cheap and easy to modify. It’s also super easy to use. Just cast and reel in. You can pause but most of the time I catch fish on a straight retrieve. 

 

Here is the link on how to make them. I think once you do this your success could be so great you may never throw another regular hollow body frog again. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/205493-initial-thoughts-review-of-teckel-sprinker-frog-vs-booyah-toad-runner-vs-homemade-teckel-sprinker-frog/?tab=comments#comment-2331638

[Turkey sandwich]

There's some good stuff here! One note I didn't see mentioned with the spoon - they can often cause line twist and are often better fished with a swivel to leader connection.  Yeah, the swivel and knot may catch some muck, but a weedless spoon is still really versatile.  

 

Also, with weeds, it's important to distinguish whether you're fishing matted vegetation, weed beds, or just pulling in green muck from a super fertile pond or lake.  They all lend themselves to slightly different approaches.  

 

Also, I think a few guys hinted at it, but learning to "feel" your way through weeds with a T-rig, C-rig, or jig is an important skill and is probably one of the most effective ways to fish through or around nasty stuff.  If you want more info on that, do a search for T-rig or jig fishing.  I feel like if you condense what's on here, @Catt has written several books on fishing heavy cover with jigs and soft plastics and that would be where I'd start. 

[WRB]

Weedless spoons don't spin they wobble back and forth, if they spin one thing is wrong. Tie direct using braid without anything adding weight to the line tie to pull the front down and kill the swimming action.

Flutter and structure spoons are a different lure and can spin.

Tom

[Catt]

Excuse me but a Johnson Spoon will roll especially when fished on the surface.

 

I aint talking on the surface like "waking" it just below the surface but skittering across vegetation.

 

Grass = Bass! 

 

Bass in grass means ya gonna be picking it of your lure period...deal with it!

[scaleface]

On 6/4/2019 at 2:01 PM, rod snapper said:

Today while fishing, i observed that there are many weedless lures, but there is not a single algaeless lure, except perhaps a topwater-frog. I decided this because i saw my spinnerbait plowing through leaved vegetation without any problems, but when it hit any algae, it was instantly fouled. Algae is sticky, weeds are not. The two distinct green, water things are often confused.

sorry, just a ramble

-Rod Snapper

A common nuisance is Chara algae . Most people   mistake it as a weed but it has  no roots . Locals call it Fox Tail .Lures can not be ripped free of it .Very difficult to bring a lure through .Still , it holds fish . I catch lots of bass around it mainly on a buzzbait or spinnerbait fished close to it or over it but not though it .The only lures I have used to fish through it are weightless worms and weedless frogs . A Johnson spoon might work , if not allowed to sink to deep  , I just havent tried it .

 

[JBT1981]

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

A common nuisance is Chara algae . Most people   mistake it as a weed but it has  no roots . Locals call it Fox Tail .Lures can not be ripped free of it .Very difficult to bring a lure through .Still , it holds fish . I catch lots of bass around it mainly on a buzzbait or spinnerbait fished close to it or over it but not though it .The only lures I have used to fish through it are weightless worms and weedless frogs . A Johnson spoon might work , if not allowed to sink to deep  , I just havent tried it .

 

There's a lot of this stuff around my neck of the woods!