Weeds?

[Sal329]

The bass at this one lake are pretty shallow 3-5ish feet but there are weeds and other type of water plants all over the place. I am fishing from the bank if it matters. What would you suggest for me to try? The water is pretty clear.

[DR_Bass]

Bass love to get around all kinds of vegitation in the water. The weeds have plenty of oxygen and provide food for smaller animals, which in turn provides food to bass.

As far as fishing around the weeds, I tend to stick to mostly fishing weedless soft plastics (especially since you're fishing from the bank). For the thicker grass I tend to pitch and flip some kind of texas rigged bait, such as a lizard or craw-worm. Make sure your wieght is big enough to get through the vegitation (I stick with the lightest wieght I can get away with though). For the thinner, more scattered grass I often throw a wieghtless senko or fluke, letting it sink slowly around the grass.

Also since the water is clear, use a lighter line (maybe 12 or 14 lbs test) or a flourocarbon (flouro sinks so it helps the action of the slow-sinking bait) with the senko and fluke.  I tend to use heavy braided line for the flipping and pitching though.

I hope this with help shed some light on your grass fishing situation.

[Sal329]

sounds good next time I go there I will give it a shot.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

You might also catch bass way off guard casting something they don't see as often as soft plastics, like a Johnson Spoon, or any one of the many other brands suitable for sliding across weeds in shallow water. Rip it back to you on 65# braid.

Jim

[Shad_Master]

There is a pond where I fish that has weeds all around the bank -- this pond gets a lot of pressure and the fish are really skittish.  One technique that I started using last year with some great results was "crashing" a shallow crank bait into the weeds.  I would make a long cast and then reel it in until it started getting hung up.  You have to spend a lot of time picking the weeds and "gorilla snot" off the lure but it is something that they are not used to seeing.  You may also want to have a T-rigged worm ready to throw back in if they don't get hooked up the first time.

[telecaster]

Some of the best luck i've had bank fishing heavy weeds is with a floating Rapala. Try to hit any kind of pathway or small openings, let it sit a while, then give it some erratic jerks. Like Shad master  was saying you will spend a lot of time draggin weeds outta the pond but you'll also catch some bass.

[Guest Feel_The_Steel]

I agree with everyones posts, however don't discount throwing a horney toad or a weightless paddle tail work dragged over the top of the weeds.  

[Guest avid]

If you do everything mentioned so far, you will catch em.

good luck and have fun.

[Sal329]

The lake I normally fish does not have weeds or anything but we cathc some nice bass. I will probably fish the lake with weeds a few times a month for a change of location and I will tryall that has been mentioned and let everyone know of my success  ;D

[Rattlinrogue]

I wanted to give you my 2 cents worth,but these guys have covered just about everything I'd do.As Avid said,if you do the things mentioned in this thread you'll catch some bass.I like what the guy on " A Day on the Lake " said this week.No matter the water temp"where there's grass,you'll find bass" or words to that effect.

[BassinWV]

  Good advice throw in here. I would personally use a dark lizard like a grn pumpkin seed color. That seems to be the best bet here in WV. Seems like once the moss starts here though they will be completely covered here in a few weeks. d**n warm weather. Gotta love it though!

[Sal329]

It's always warm down here  8-)  I was told that Salamaders do not work well here in FL. I have never tried them I think I may gove them a shot though and see for myself. I took some advise the other day. I used the Zoom Fluke in baby bass. Casted right into the weeds. 3 cast caught 3 bass 1-5lbs ea. But after 3 fish I caught nomore  :-/  but it was still fun  

[Guest avid]

Fishing from the bank does matter.  If you were in a boat, I would say this is perfect for a popper, or other hard slowly worked hardbait like a rogue.  I hate losing lures, and so whenever I bank fish I pretty much stick to weedless soft plastic.  The senko, fluke, and t rigged plastic worm of your choice should all catch fish.  

Good luck and have fun.

avid

[Brian_Reeves]

There's a lake that I bank fish from that is loaded with hydrilla and milfoil.  Running a spinnerbait is impossible and even some soft plastics can get pretty tough.  The grass is about a foot from the surface....which is why I started using the Mann's Baby 1 Minus Crankbaits.  These super shallow runners are GREAT for a slow retrieve right about the grass in situations like that.  In fact, the biggest bass I've ever caught was on one of these.  If you can get away with it, you might wanna try that.  Otherwise, try a heavy flipping tube, t-rigged worm, senko, or a t-rig creature bait.  If you can find pockets in the grass, casting a shakeyhead or a jig of some sort would be a really good idea.

[garry77]

One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet that works pretty decent in certain weeds is a swimming jig.You can jig it back to you quickly plus whenever you hit an opening in the grass you can let it sink and fish the opening like a normal jig.

[lubina]

I hate losing lures, and so whenever I bank fish I pretty much stick to weedless soft plastic. The senko, fluke, and t rigged plastic worm of your choice should all catch fish.

Same here

[mudcatwilly]

Where you find weeds you find bass.  Burn a crank through them on heavy line.  Also, try a weedless senko with a stop and reteive