Fishing in the salad

[Siebert Outdoors]

How would you guys approach this?  I went with a spro frog. What lure and technique would you use?  Water  stained

Air temp  75

water temp  68

http://www.americananglers.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=23&pos=1

[IllinoisBasser]

Where is this place? a frog is a good choice either a Spro or a horny toad,whatever ya got. I fished a similar cover this past week,not as thick,but it should do the trick. I pegged a tube and popped it around the holes, then used a bigger weight 1/2 oz pegged with the same tube and popped mats with it. Use a stout rod with some well rope. Good luck.

[Gatorbassman]

A top water frog is a great choice. You could also try a floating worm on a light wire hook for a slower presentation.

[Guest avid]

I agree with all of the above the posts.  I would go with a horny toad and a hollow body frog (I like the swamp donkey) and if the bass weren't coming up, well then you gotta go down and get em.

I was using that technique this afternoon with some good results.  I used a gambler rattlin 3/4 oz florida weight.  An owner 4/0 riggin hook. and a sweet beaver knockoff by venom.  Both blue/dark blue and green/darkgreen worked well.  The only problem with This type of fishing is that there is so much thich cover it can take a long time to work only 50 yards or so.  I can't really stick to it for very long.  but those who can are often rewarded with big bass.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Where is this place?

Its down in St. Genevieve MO.  One of my favorite places to fish.  I've been catching several good fish on each trip lately.  

My tackle inclued

BCR855

30lb braid

spro frog

chronarch reel.

From everyones help I have found that fishing a frog like the spro or other an extremely stiff rod and braid are a must.  Once I switched over I havent had a problem hookin'em.

[Shad_Master]

If your'e having trouble getting hit on a frog/rat - try using a small bait like a Senko or Ring Fry fished weightless.  Throw it up on the mat and twitch it along until you come to a hole in the weeds and just let it flutter down.  Sometimes they will blow up through the weeds to grab it, just like a frog/rat.

[Randall]

At that water temp my first choice is flipping a tube. Second choice a tube. Most of the time I find that wont be good frog/toad water until it gets a lot warmer. A senko on the edges and over where it dont come to the surface might be good also.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Flip a jig&craw, 3/4 oz or the least weight needed to break through to bottom. Medium heavy fast action flipping rod and 30# braid.

Jim

[RoLo]

In my experience anyway, Rats and Frogs don't really come into their own

until your water temperature (not air temperature) is in the mid-70s or higher.

At 68 deg I'd probably T-rig a Creature (ugly otter, sweet beaver, ~~), Crawbug, Tube, etc

in combination with a heavy bullet sinker, whatever it takes to punch through the mat.

Jig it slowly up-and-down a few times, then rip it back and punch another hole in the salad & so on.

It's like cherry-picking, because you've got to hit them on the head, so to speak.

Roger

[Madhouse27]

Man, when you southern boys talk about fishing the thick stuff you really do mean the THICK stuff. It must be some wild when a big boy comes busting up through that to nail a frog. I'm looking at my rod rack and I don't feel that I am prepared for this type of adventure.

[Guest avid]

From everyones help I have found that fishing a frog like the spro or other an extremely stiff rod and braid are a must.  Once I switched over I havent had a problem hookin'em.

that kinda says it all.

[Brad_Coovert]

I will have to disagree on the water temp with frog fishing.

If bass are under matted veggies, they can be caught with a frog, even in cold water.  I have been catching frog fish this year in Indiana since mid April in shallow water from the mid 50's to the mid 60's.  The fish were in the veggies and the frog brought 'em out.

That's not to say something else will not work either, but do not rule out frogs due to cold water.

Reminds me of the time I snickered at my boater when I was fishing a top8 one spring on Monroe.  We were going down a bare bank in 56 degree water and he was throwing a buzzbait.  Like I said, I kinda snickered and kept tossing my jerkbait.  I became a believer when he caught several fish on the first pass.

I have learned quickly that water temp does not always dictate presentation as much as I thought it once did.  I have learned that many bass are far more active earlier in the year than I thought and many big fish spawn very early, even in water only 60 degrees.

Brad

[CrazedL.IFisherman]

my lure for this situation would totally be a moss boss if that helps some, seen some monsters blow up out of no where for this lure

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Try spraying a little balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil on a green zoom trick worm