How are you fishing this?

[ironbjorn]

This is the worst I've ever seen this place. Everything I throw is instantly compromised with sludge. I never have been able to fish bottom here because of the muck. I've also never had a frog bite here. This sucks because I can easily access it being 5 minutes away and I've caught several 3-7 lb largemouth out of it. Historically spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, Senkos, and Spooks have been the producers. When I say everything is instantly compromised I do mean that literally. I dunno what to do in order to fish it right now. Even if I can find pockets of clean water there is gunk throughout the water column. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

That's a mess.  Our water sometimes gets like that in the summer.  I would use a weightless swimming worm.  It won't keep all the junk off, but it will allow you to fish that stuff.  A plastic frog will work too. 

[Darth-Baiter]

no doubt.  my Hail Mary in the slop like that is a Texas rigged weightless senko.  I still pull salad off my rig every other cast, but every once in awhile..I get a bass. 

[padlin]

About the same as Darth Baiter except I use very light Slider head hooks and Power Worms. Still, can only cope with it for so long.

[Team9nine]

Based on the pics, I’d wait to go until you have a good windy day which should blow all the crap into one corner of the lake, freeing up much of the rest of the water…and I’d revisit the frog until then ?

[river-rat]

 

I would try a weightless swimming worm like a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm or a Bitter's Vibe made by Bitter's Bait and Tackle. Probably would not be 100% weedless but should be more so than most everything else.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike L]

There are few things I would try probably in this order. 
 

Frog right in the middle of it stopping at the holes and thinner areas and walk it in place a while. 

Weightless 4” Speed Worm from the edge out, then kill it once reaching the open parts. 
 

Weightless stick worm of your choice under and around the dock, under the trees along the shore. 
 

If nothing after that, then I’d do what @Team9nine suggested 
 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

 

 

 

[BigAngus752]

Early spring, late fall, or after some significant wind. 

[LCG]

My favorite pond turned this way as soon as the season opened :(. I have tried everything I could think of, only caught two bass, both on a weightless worm that still had to be cleaned off every other cast.

 

Gave up on the pond until closer to end of summer. Been catching mainly pike elsewhere.

[rgasr63]

We see some of that kind of water from time to time. I have used a 4 inch zoom dead ringer on the owner bullet jig head. I have also put a 3/8 to a 5/16 punching weight in front of the dead ringer and a straight shank hook for a mini punch rig. You have already had the swimming worm recommended. Good luck!

[JackstrawIII]

On 8/4/2023 at 2:31 PM, Team9nine said:

Based on the pics, I’d wait to go until you have a good windy day which should blow all the crap into one corner of the lake, freeing up much of the rest of the water

Yeah, there's a local fishing hole around here that's just like this too. I drive by some mornings and see how the wind has moved the algae. This dictates whether or not I'll fish it later that day. 

[Phelptwan]

Don't give up on the frog.  Try a smaller profile like a kaera.

[RRocket]

8 hours ago, Phelptwan said:

Don't give up on the frog.  Try a smaller profile like a kaera.

Good suggestion.

 

I use a Z-man Goat or Billy Goat weightless for top water. The narrower profile increases hookups. And the ruckus these make on top water is impressive.

[GreenPig]

I'd swing by and eyeball it on the way to elsewhere until it clears up a bit. I'd rather spend some of my fishing time driving to more productive waters over dragging sludge the whole time. 

[Bankbeater]

With vegetation that thick the bass could be anywhere in the water column.  I'd start off with a buzzbait or a frog.  If they're not on top I would try a weightless plastic worm, Senko, or a fluke.