Fishing HEAVY Cover.

[MichiganFisherman]

Just wondering what you do when a pond is 100% covered in duck weed.  The only thing I can fish semi-effectively is a scum frog but, is there anything else I can do?  

[dodgeguy]

if you were in a boat a 1 oz. jig on a flipping stick would be an option.

[JShrock07]

I fish heavy cover out on the Potomac River all the time.

One thing I have learn is to break through the thick stuff. One way I have gotten through it was by taking a tube hooked weed-less and a 1 oz. weight pegged with either a slipsnot or a toothpick so it doesn't move from above the hook. Take a rattle and put it inside the tube. Once the bait hits the top of the weeds shake it until it starts decending to the bottom. Once you are at the bottom just start shaking the rod tip. Don't jerk the rod tip up that will not be very effective. It is really dark under the grass and the fish will be attracted to the sound. You do not want to cast out as far as possible you just want to toss it out about 10-15' into the weeds. If you throw it out too far and you hook a bass it will be too difficult to get the fish to shore. As for the type of line I suggest you try braid. It will help you get through the weeds without breaking your line. This is a very difficult method of fishing but it can also be the most rewarding. If the tube doesn't work well for you then try another bait that doesn't have many tenticles. The reason for few tentacles is so the bait will get through thge weeds. One last thing is to add any type of lubricant/scent so it will slip through the weeds.

I hope this helps you.

If you own a boat, another thing you may want to try is take an anchor and drag it through the weeds one evening until you have made a few holes in the weeds and then try fishing the holes the next day.

-Nitroman

[Wayne P.]

If Michigan duck weed is like Virginia duck weed, just fish the lake like it isn't there. That weed is not a heavy cover like milfoil, hydrilla, pads, or standing timber. The little floaters can be moved about easily so you can use Tx rigged baits, jigs, etc. Horizonal baits may be a problem such as spinnerbaits or crankbaits since they will catch on the line and drag down to the lure.

[MichiganFisherman]

Well, this Michigan duck weed is really thick.  It will clog a trolling motor pretty quickly.  As soon as you clear any kind of path in the weeds, it starts swallowing all the open spots right back up.  It sucks.  There is no way you can just fish it like it isn't there.  I have 50# Power Pro so no worries of a broken line but, it's a real hassle getting the bait to the fish.  Thanks for the advice though.  I'll try a tube and weight, NitroMan and tell ya how it worked.  

Just so you have a mental image, the pond looks like this.. (not the actual pond)

>

[JShrock07]

Try a rage tail shad as well. It will make alot of noise on top of the grass and it will pay off in the long run for you. It is my favorite topwater bait when fishing matted grass.

[Wayne P.]

Thanks for the picture, it looks familiar. It has no connection to the bottom and is a very small floating plant. The worse thing about it is that it prevents light penetration and can cause the water temp to rise due to the solid cover absorbing the sun light. It has other bad qualities:

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/floating_plants/common_duckweed.htm

Where this stuff is common is not worth fishing.

[MichiganFisherman]

The pond is very worth fishing... I've pulled plenty of nice bass out of it when the weeds haven't engulfed the surface like that but, when it gets bad like this it's just frustrating to try and fish it. Thanks for the replies and the link though.

Edit:  Now that I read the link I think it's actually giant duckweed because the roots are so dense.  It isn't like this all of the time but, around this time of year it gets bad and pretty much un-fishable.  I guess there just isn't much I can do but wait until it opens up again.  

[SenkoShawn]

as dodgeguy said a JIG is the way.. they also make many weedless options. u could also make a senko weedless.  pm me if u need more help.

[CRFisher]

How about a Heddon Moss Boss or similar spoon across the top or maybe a heavy spoon to get down underneath it?

[SenkoShawn]

u aint running a spoon on solid cover like that..

[MichiganFisherman]

haha no way a spoon would go through it.  It's hard to fish any kind of weedless worm in it even.  Actually that heddon moss boss might work but, if it sank at all it would snag quickly.  It looks kind of like a scum frog to me and I think the frog would do a lot better but, thanks for the suggestion.  I haven't ever even seen a moss boss.  

[Catt]

u aint running a spoon on solid cover like that..

You aint never fished a spoon then; the Johnson Silver Minnow is the top lure in the marshes of Louisiana.

[tyrius.]

u aint running a spoon on solid cover like that..

Sure you can. The Moss Boss is basically a plastic spoon with a skirt on the back. I've fished those on top of the same exact vegetation that the OP described. A weedless silver spoon would work just as well.

That being said, I don't really fish the Moss Boss much anymore. I've found that I prefer the soft plastic frogs and such for going over the top of that moss.

[Brad_Coovert]

For thick weeds, any of the floating frog baits is a must try as are weightless plastics.  To stop the nose of weightless baits getting torn up in the grass, I like a Reaction Innovations Screwed-Up Bullet.  It is a small plastic screw-in device, like a scrwe in weight, but without the weight part.  It really helps plastics slide through weeds.

Of course, a heavy weighted plastic dropped through the holes and jigged can be good too.

And the Johnson spoon mentioned above is a great weed bait.

Brad

[CWB]

I actually seek this stuff out when it is there. Use a Bobby's or Spro frog and cast up onto the bank. Use steady retreive so fish can home in on it. Have caught many bigun's this way. It's usually a tad cooler under the mat from the shade also. Be sure there is 3-4 feet of water beneath or it could be a stagnant mess.

[basspimple]

my local creek is like that. the waters so low, the water is barley going over a local dam, so the water backs up and that scum just chokes it. i fish a jig RIGHT next to the bank, is some sort of "secondary" cover not through the the duckweed. im talking 6 inches of water. its funny seeing people fishing in the deeper water not gettin a bite. they ask me "where did you catch that?" *point at the bank* "right there",  lol.

[MichiganFisherman]

Hmm.  Well, it seems most would agree on a hollow bodied frog or a jig.  I'd have doubts about anything else.  I just need to get out there and throw some.