extreme weeds! (not good)

[rocknfish9001]

In my hawg pond, there is about 50% clear and 50% choked out. The clear part ranges between 3 and 7 ft. deep, and has a grassy bottom with little patches of weeds. This place is very productive. It is generally clear, and you can see all the fish that are fairly shallow on the one side, but the water is too deep on the other. The only thing is that the weeds on the other side are very restricting. Some reach the surface, and frogs are fairly productive, sometimes. I am more concerned about the ones that dont reach surface. They are about a foot or less from it, and it is about 3-4' deep. This stuff is so thick it looks like the bottom, but its really several feet deep. The only thing that can penetrate is a  2 oz. weight. I know that there has to be some fish in there! Would topwaters work here? Im not sure if the fish would come out of this nasty very thick mat to be exposed in the clear surface waters. Ill post pics tonight when im back from fishing.

[Chug Bug]

I fish a pond nearby that sounds similiar except for the water clarity.  I have had some success with burning a spinnerbait just over the top of the weeds in the area where the weeds don't quite reach the surface.  Topwaters may produce early morning late evening as well.  Have you been able to get any results punching a heavily weighted soft plastic through to the bottom?

[Will]

I would try using a 1 ounce weight pegged and then a tube. Rig it up with a heavy action and 20-50 pound test braid. Fling the lure as high as you can and let it rocket through the weeds. Once it gets below shake the bait letting it fall then pull it up to the weeds and let it fall again. Oh ya, hang on tight!

[Randall]

Those weeds should produce a topwater bite all day long.

[vtbassin]

In that 1 foot area above the weeds try a spinnerbait, lipless crankbait, shallow diving crankbait, floating worm, fluke......There are lots of chioces. Experiment and have fun! ;D

[Shakes]

Man I'd fish that place topwater all day long. Throw a Zoom Horny Toad or a Stanley Ribbit. A Lunkercity Salad Spoon would KILL in that pond too. Go with the top water man, don't hold back!

Oh yea, and in a pond that clear, you need to be sneakin' up on the bass ninja style... they can't see you or they'll freak and scatter.

[basser89]

I'm with Will on this one. Use a tube with a bullet weight (pegged, tungsten would be the best bet since they're smaller) just heavy enough to get you through the grass. Shake it in place and be ready! Natural colors work best for me and I usually add a small red bead for a little extra sound. Good luck!

[rocknfish9001]

Id like to punch plastics through it, but as i said earlier, i need a 2 ounce weight. 1 ounce isnt heavy enough, the weeds hold it up. I mean this stuff is seriously thick. You go in there and say to yourself "wow, its only 6 inches deep here!" Then you stick your oar 3 feet into the weeds before you hit bottom. They are like some sort of hydrilla. Im still kind of skeptical about topwaters. I think that these weeds are just too much for fish to be flying in and out of.......

[Sam]

Rockinfish9001,

Don't fool yourself about the depth of the weeds and that bass will avoid the area.

They are there.  Just minding their own business and waiting for a tasty morsel to swim by.

Try this next time you fish the weeds:

Take a push pole or any pole and make a few 1 to 2 foot wide holes in the weed bed.  Make the holes as deep as you can. Wait about 15 to 30 minutes and go back and drop your worm into the holes.  

Keep going back during the day, too.

You may be surprised as to what takes your bait.

[Guest avid]

Id like to punch plastics through it, but as i said earlier, i need a 2 ounce weight. 1 ounce isnt heavy enough, the weeds hold it up. I mean this stuff is seriously thick. You go in there and say to yourself "wow, its only 6 inches deep here!" Then you stick your oar 3 feet into the weeds before you hit bottom. They are like some sort of hydrilla. Im still kind of skeptical about topwaters. I think that these weeds are just too much for fish to be flying in and out of.......

I face this situation often.  If I'm convinced the bass are in there, I'll peg the heaviest sinker I have, (1 oz or 1.5oz) and instead of flipping it into the matted cover, I'll make an underhand cast straght up in the air.  The speed of the weight dropping down will add additional "punch" and often make the difference needed to get the bait through the mat down to where the bassies lie.

[dodgeguy]

a guy i know does the same thing but when the lure hits the top of it's way up he whips it down HARD and rockets it through the matt.he usually uses 1 oz. grass jigs for this.