fishing lily pads

[JC121]

ok there is a chain of 3 lakes (small ones, almost like large ponds), in the 1st and 2nd lake i can catch bass pretty well, caught a 19" a few weeks ago. but this 3rd lake is impossible and there HUGE bass in it. There mostly near the lily pads, there very thick. i havn't been able to see any though as the lake was staind and muddy. i have a 6' spinning rod with 10lb test, are there any baits i could try throwing in there? i always fish from shore so i assume it would be quite difficult. could i use my trusty senko or yum zellamander? whats the proper way to fish this heavy cover? im telling you, some of these bass are bigger than some large carp, monsters. got to be 25"+ BTW ive tried plastic frogs with no success. here are some pics of those 3 lakes. http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/images/gallery/dl/lakes.asp the lower lake is the one which has huge bass but ive never caugh any, not even the tiny ones

[tipptruck1]

Ten pound test and a spinning ros are never good around pads. If you can afford it i would buy a med heavy to heavy bait casting rod. Make sure the rod has a enough back bone to pull this fish out. Then go out and buy a bait caster with no play in the handle so you can get a good hook set. I would also get a spool on braid 50-80 lb test should work. But if you cant afford the set up i told you about. Any soft plastic will work. You will also want a lot of bullet weights, and if the cover is really thick you would want to peg the weight to the line. Or you can buy them weights that screw in to the baits. But if you dont like to fish plastics you could use a plastic frog. I hope this helps.

[jomatty]

although you can fish pads with your set up i dont like the odds if you hook into one of those monsters.  if you cannot afford a new setup it might help if you spooled on some lighter diameter braid at least.  braid is great in the pads, think weed whacker.  i like to use a heavy pegged weight and tubes, craws, and baits like the sweet beaver or whooly hawg tail.  use whatever weight it takes to punch thorough.  if the pads are thin or sparse then a fat ika can be jiggled through and that bait is also killer areound the edges and pockets.

matt

[nboucher]

I just bought some baby brush hogs. Are they good to use in and around pads? Do you just t-rig them and work them as you would a Senko? Weighted or not?

[bocabasser]

jc, go to walmart and buy 20 or 30 pound power pro and respool your spinner. you can use a number of baits, but i would try the gambler cane toad in bullfrog color. slowly swim the cane toad over the pads and hang on. you don't need to buy a baitcaster or different rod, just change your line and hold on.

[Tucson]

Sounds like you've gotten some good advice so far.  Seriously consider heavier line.  A baitcaster has a LOT more cranking power than a spinning outfit.  Try a weedless spoon (Johnson silver minnow or similar) with a plastic trailer and skitter it across the pads, letting it settle in the open areas.  These are amazingly snag-free, but not always!  Keep your rod tip up and let us know how you make out.

[Matt Fly]

nboucer,

          Those brush hogs can be fished lots of ways and are a very good tournament producer.

Pitched, flipped, splitt shotted, c-rig, tx-rig or drop shotted.

Watermelon red flake has won its share of money, and that color isn't strictly for brush hogs, that color is for any plastic this time of the year.

Hookem

Matt

[nboucher]

Thanks, Matt. I'll give 'em a shot!

[Bass Hammer]

You have some good advice here.

I'll usually try it a few ways.

If it's thick I am flippin'. I'll usually have a 3/4-1 oz. tungsten with a t-rigged brush hog, super hog, beaver or tube.

If I have a lot of openings I'll throw a t-rig worm or a senko. Cast it out there and pull it across the pads. When you come to a hole let it fall in. No explosion, pull it up and keep on moving it along.

And of course there is the frog/rat bite.

Have fun and let us know how you do.

[galv]

i'd get some new line first of all.  10 mono will shred under pressure in thick cover.  i use braided 20lb suffix or powerpro.

try draggin soft plastics across the top and sinking it in holes and off the edges.  i like to use something senko like, but harder so it won't rip and slide down the hook as easily.  tiki sticks are good for that, yum dingers aren't bad, senkos are alright but can be high maintenance.  

[bassdocktor]

Since you can't fish deep into the pads try fishing the edge with a light weight texas rigged worm. I guess that depends how the pads are positioned from the shore.

bassdocktor

[rocknfish9001]

In thick cover on the surface, either get heavy and punch through it, or go light and on top of it. If it is underwater, my all time big fish producer is a weightless super fluke, on a 3/0 ewg hook. Cast it, let it sink a foot or two, then twitch it a few times, sometimes twitch it a lot and rapidly. Gvie it an erratic walk the dog type action and try to work it over the weeds, letting it fall every now and then. If the weeds are a little deeper, use a rapala original and twitch it above the weeds as well.

[rocknfish9001]

oh, what type of plastic frogs did you use? Were they the hollow body snagless type, or just the soft plastic ones that you rig yourself. You should also try buzzbaits and frogs like horny toads, bull ribbits, and cane toads. Dont buy yum buzzfrogs, they dont work.

[Toddn76]

I have always had good luck with a silver minow with a Uncle Josh's pork frog.  You would want to use heavier equipment and just roll it over the pads with your rod in the 12 o'clock position.  When you get a hit bring the rod tip down to 3 o'clock and then set the hook.  I have caught numerous bass in the pads using this technique!  

[fishingfrenzy]

I have a local lake similar to the one that you described, lots of lilies and weeds but monster fish.  There are bunch of options to try, so let me just name some that work for me.  

1.  Try dragging a weightless softbait( worm,ika,creature,frog,ect.) over the top and let the bait fall into any holes.

2.  Fish any weedlines that the lake may offer, spinners work well.  

3.  Get into a boat and hit secluded areas that fellow shore-fisherman like your self wouldn't be able to fish.  

4.  If the above option is unavailable, fish away from the crowd.  I like to have my tacklebox with me and work my way around long stretches of a pond or small lake.  For this, ususally 2 cast is enough for me unless the spot looks promising then maybe 25 casts until I move.  

Hope this helps

[vtbassin]

You have some very good advice here.  ;D  I have had good luck with 20lb power pro in very thick weeds and pads.  I fish this on a MH spinning rod.  But I am sure it would be OK on anything.  Be careful of your rod if you switch to 20 lb line because you may be over the rating for the rod.  I would try frogs on top or the brush hog t-rigged is a good choice too.

Have fun!! ;D ;D

[Biglouie]

fat Ika, no weight.  Drag it across the top, let it fall in open pockets.