Grass/weeds

[Jonas Staggs]

So I have begun fishing a new lake. It has a very bad grass/weed problem. Not mats, like on top of the water that you can punch through, but a insane amount of grass/weeds. I dont know if I would even call it grass. More like underwater "bushes" they are very thick, with some pockets in them. I wish I knew what type of grass/weeds they are so I could give better information. but its not long grass you can pull a texas rig through. 

 

Anyways, how would you guys suggest fishing this? Obviously weedless, so I went with a T-rig, but I couldnt jig it, cause you get snagged up in the weeds, unless you let it fall in some of the pockets. I caught 1 bass today, by swimming my T-rig over the grass. Also lost one on the lunker hunt pocket frog.

 

The lake contained a ton of bluegill, and there was many blowups on topwater insects, not sure if they were bass or bluegill doing that though.....didnt see any baitfish. 

 

Aside from swimming baits over the grass or a frog...not much more options?

 

Regarding frogs, when the bass hits the frog, i set the hook right away? or let them run with it? rod tip position? I let the fish run with it today and had my rod at about 10-11 o clock......by the time I realized he had taken it and went to set the hook he spit it out.

 

My setup is a 4'6" UL and #4 test line. 

 

if they have hydrilla here in socal, than maybe its this. either way, the lake looks like this pretty much everywhere. with some pockets in the grass.

 

 

one last thing.....bluegill still spawning now? They looked like they were on beds

 

 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Bluegill spawn multiple times all

summer long 

[Brett's_daddy]

12 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

My setup is a 4'6" UL and #4 test line.

You're frogging with this setup? I hope it's just like a Rage Toad or Zoom Horny Toad that you're t-rigging? This is FAR too light a setup for any hollow body frogs. If you're frogging with hollow body frogs you need a Heavy setup with 50 - 65lb braid (and a baitcaster would be better than a spinning setup for frogging). The trick with frogging is to not try and set the hook right away, when you get bit count to 3 then set the hook hard. This makes sure the bass has swallowed the frog before you set the hook. It's easy to get excited and set the hook too early and miss the fish, just relax as best you can and count to 3 then hammer it home .

[MN Fisher]

Tossing into that slop with a UL rig? Are you wanting to lose lures or even break your rod?

 

If you plan on frogging, and want to stick with spinning gear - 3000 size reel with 20# braid (minimum) on a heavy rod. Keeping to a budget - the Penn Prevail 2 Inshore rod would fit the bill fitted with whatever reel you want.

[Brett's_daddy]

For example my frogging setup is a 7'3" Dobyn's Fury 735C Mag-Heavy/Fast casting rod with a Shimano Curado DC casting reel and 65lb power pro braid. Good frogging rods for spinning setups are hard to find, I wouldn't recommend it but I've done it with my 7ft. Fenwick HMG MH/F with 50lb. braid.

[plawren53202]

One pond that I fish has exactly that kind of grass, and that thick. Three baits I would suggest: t-rigged weightless fluke; t-rigged weightless fluke; and a frog--all on heavier tackle. 

 

If bluegill are the primary forage here, there are a couple of Zoom fluke colors that will work well; bluegill flash, and I think there is a "sungill" color with more orange. With water that clear I would suggest going with bluegill flash. You could also get one of the more "standard" colors like Tennessee shad and doctor it up a little with blue and orange Spike It pens.

 

I'd also be curious to see how ripping a swim jig through that stuff would work. Obviously more in the upper zone, you're not going to want to let a swim jig sink way down in that stuff. Might be too thick, and you're definitely going to need heavier tackle, but swim jigs shine in weeds and you can put together a killer jig/trailer combo to imitate bluegill.

[scaleface]

15 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

My setup is a 4'6" UL and #4 test line. 

Youre going to have a hard time getting any decent fish out of that slop with that setup . But if thats all you have you will have to fish over it . I'd try  a Beetle Spin .

[Jonas Staggs]

Well the pocket frog is a micro frog. Its 1.75" long and 1/4 oz. So I would think it would require a lighter setup than standard frog rig? I agree my UL is too light. I have a M spin rod with 30# braid that would probably be better.

 

Aside from top water frogs, and swimming baits over the top, are there any other ways to fish it? Can you fish down into those weeds? 

 

The only other thing I can think of is to drop shot into the open pockets of the grass.

 

 

[Jonas Staggs]

6 hours ago, plawren53202 said:

One pond that I fish has exactly that kind of grass, and that thick. Three baits I would suggest: t-rigged weightless fluke; t-rigged weightless fluke; and a frog--all on heavier tackle. 

 

If bluegill are the primary forage here, there are a couple of Zoom fluke colors that will work well; bluegill flash, and I think there is a "sungill" color with more orange. With water that clear I would suggest going with bluegill flash. You could also get one of the more "standard" colors like Tennessee shad and doctor it up a little with blue and orange Spike It pens.

 

I'd also be curious to see how ripping a swim jig through that stuff would work. Obviously more in the upper zone, you're not going to want to let a swim jig sink way down in that stuff. Might be too thick, and you're definitely going to need heavier tackle, but swim jigs shine in weeds and you can put together a killer jig/trailer combo to imitate bluegill.

I was wondering what baits would be good to swim over the top. Pretty much slow roll over the top.

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

I was wondering what baits would be good to swim over the top. Pretty much slow roll over the top.

1/4oz Spinnerbait with a small trailer - maybe an RI Little Dipper with the tail up so it rises in the water column

Donkey Rig

Beetle Spin with a curly tail Grub

 

That's just off the top of my head.

[soflabasser]

Looks like a good place to fish with a hollow belly frog.

[Jonas Staggs]

25 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

1/4oz Spinnerbait with a small trailer - maybe an RI Little Dipper with the tail up so it rises in the water column

Donkey Rig

Beetle Spin with a curly tail Grub

 

That's just off the top of my head.

Oh yeah double fluke rig would kill it I bet.

 

So a paddle tail plastic, you rig it upside down and it swims up? I didn't know that. 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Jonas Staggs said:

So a paddle tail plastic, you rig it upside down and it swims up? I didn't know that.

Depending on the weight of the lure, it'll either rise or at least stay at one depth...has to do with the resistance of the tail in the water. Tail down makes it tend to sink.

[Catt]

Heavy Texas Rig or Jig-n-Craw ?

 

[Jonas Staggs]

15 hours ago, Catt said:

Heavy Texas Rig or Jig-n-Craw ?

 

Oh man, this place probably has a crazy amount of craws. 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

Oh man, this place probably has a crazy amount of craws. 

 

 

If so, use craws a variety of ways. T-Rig, Carolina or even Bubba-Shot with an EWG, Jig-n-Craw as @Catt suggested, you could even use smaller craws like the Z-Man Crawz on a drop-shot or Ned. So many ways of rigging a craw...

[Jonas Staggs]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

If so, use craws a variety of ways. T-Rig, Carolina or even Bubba-Shot with an EWG, Jig-n-Craw as @Catt suggested, you could even use smaller craws like the Z-Man Crawz on a drop-shot or Ned. So many ways of rigging a craw...

I don't know if there's craws, didn't see any but in guessing it does. I might have to dump a bucket full in there lol.This lake is a very interesting, picture a community lake in skid row, that's been abandoned for years with the pump/filter left on. It's got a lot of trash which brings a ton of insects and there's all kinds of tires and shopping carts etc. In it that provide cover, aside from the crazy overgrown grass. 

[MN Fisher]

29 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

I don't know if there's craws, didn't see any but in guessing it does. I might have to dump a bucket full in there lol.This lake is a very interesting, picture a community lake in skid row, that's been abandoned for years with the pump/filter left on. It's got a lot of trash which brings a ton of insects and there's all kinds of tires and shopping carts etc. In it that provide cover, aside from the crazy overgrown grass. 

Okay - I hope you're doing C&R because even though I do eat bass, I wouldn't eat anything caught in that pond given what you've said about it.

[Jonas Staggs]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Okay - I hope you're doing C&R because even though I do eat bass, I wouldn't eat anything caught in that pond given what you've said about it.

Yeah I don't eat any fresh water fish I catch, and unfortunately the harbors down here, your only recommended to eat x amount a month due to the pollution, so I don't eat saltwater either. This lake is crazy though it's good fishing, the fish are thriving, it's just a dangerous place to go but its crazy to see nature overtake it. 

[Catt]

 

On 8/21/2020 at 4:24 PM, Jonas Staggs said:

 

Aside from top water frogs, and swimming baits over the top, are there any other ways to fish it? Can you fish down into those weeds? 

 

 

Two ways to fish grass...over the top or down through it.

 

Bluegill spawning ya might wanna throw something like a Rage Bug on a 1/2 oz weight or heavier.

[Jonas Staggs]

Here's a photo of the grass. Tried to target bigger bass today, have heard of guys catching 5lbs here. I threw a t-rig 9" deep creek lures slick tail lizard with 1/2 oz bullet weight and also a hollow body frog from my M spin rod with 30lbs braid....skunked for this trip. Lots of blow ups on top water insects but not sure if it's bass or bluegill or both.

 

 

[OnthePotomac]

The attached shows the various grasses we deal with in the Potomac, but many of these are found in lakes/ponds.  You can just move the cursor a grass type for a close up.  Your pic looks like the bottom is covered with Elodea, short and clumpy.

https://www.chesapeakebay.net/visualization/baygrasses/#11/38.3767/-77.1487?year=1984&compare=2013&chart=temp&segment=POTOH1

[Jonas Staggs]

2 hours ago, OnthePotomac said:

The attached shows the various grasses we deal with in the Potomac, but many of these are found in lakes/ponds.  You can just move the cursor a grass type for a close up.  Your pic looks like the bottom is covered with Elodea, short and clumpy.

https://www.chesapeakebay.net/visualization/baygrasses/#11/38.3767/-77.1487?year=1984&compare=2013&chart=temp&segment=POTOH1

That's cool, I'm having trouble looking at it with my phone. Have to get a better look on the computer when I get a chance 

[DaubsNU1]

Years ago we fished one of my uncle's farm ponds...looked a lot like your picture...lots of grass/weeds/shrubs. 

 

Back then we threw beetle-spins, Mepps, and swimming jigs...all over the top and in pockets.  Caught fish. 

[Jonas Staggs]

6 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Years ago we fished one of my uncle's farm ponds...looked a lot like your picture...lots of grass/weeds/shrubs. 

 

Back then we threw beetle-spins, Mepps, and swimming jigs...all over the top and in pockets.  Caught fish. 

 

So I am wondering, how deep into the grass do the fish go? I figure if my lure can't get into it,  a fish would have a hard time, but I have seen swells in crazy amounts of grass. I'm wondering how deep fish will tangle themselves up in that stuff.

 

I also imagine those weeds are probably a maze of underwater tunnels the fish go through.