Fishing pads. Advice needed.

[32251]

Early this morning I went down to the neighborhood lake I fish every day.  Threw out a long cast drop shot as I always do and was working it back to the bank where I was standing. As the worm came across the pads that were in front of me, I got a strike about 3 feet in front of where I was standing!  Nice little pound and a halfer was laying right in front of me under those pads.  I need to learn to fish the pads with a worm.

What size do you use?  Do you fish on top of the pads or under them or what?  

These pads extend out about 7-10 feet around at least 80% of the lake.  They are of a smaller leaf variety.  There is a lot of potential there that I have not explored.  Any advice is appreciated.

[bassholebuster14]

you can fish it over or under or u could use a weedless frog

like a spro or a swamp donkey and for worms 7-10 inch power worms work great

dan boi

[justfishin]

Look for subtle changes in all those pads. Maybe a change in depth, some wood or pads in a little area by themselves. Something that works anywhere there are pads is Flippin and Pitchin a Junebug, Green Pumpkin or my favorite for this method a Black/Red Flake 4" Tube with a pegged 3/16oz bullet sinker and a 4/0 Gammy G-Lock hook. Good luck.

[Catt]

I use a weightless Texas rigged 6-12 worm & just work it slowly on top like you would a frog pausing it when you pull over a pad. Some times I just reel it steadily just under the surface letting the tail do it's job.

[brgbassmaster]

i like to use a black and  blue jig with a matching  3x strike king  jig trailer or a spro frog. also a 6 inch power worm

[dumb_dog11]

look for pads that are surrounded by other vegetation and are closer to deep water.

as for fishing them use a topwater rat or frog or also a Heddon moss boss works great.

[sodaksker]

When fishing pads I prefer to use braided line and the yum buzzfrog.  I let it sink a little and then make it climb up on the pads.  If that doesn't work, I will go to a worm trigged weightless working across the top, if no luck then  I will use a kreature bait trigged and weightless if not too deep (3 ft or less) if deeper, I will weight it with the screw in bullet wieght.

[.dsaavedra.]

my advice is taking a wacky rigged senko or look alike or even a lunker city fin-s or look alike and just working it around the edges or any pockets or holes or anything. just place it as close as possible, let it fall...maybe give it a few tiny twitches, if it makes it all the way to the bottom, then jerk it all the way to the top, and repeat. i slay them doin that. another method i use is to take a texposed senko or look alike and just cast it parallel to the edges, and work it all the way along the edge. just let it sink, sit for a while, give it a few twitches, a big sweep, let it sit, and repeat.

[bassboy1]

Use the same worm you used earlier, as apparently, it works, you will start out with confidence, and that is one important aspect of fishing.  T-rig it, and look for little differences in the pads.  Break in them, or a hole.  Cast and land your worm on top of the pad, wait as long as you can, and then wait longer, then, jump it off the edge of the pad, and let it fall just like a senko.  I usually use a finesse worm, but ALWAYS use it like a senko no matter what I am fishing.  I just like the skinniness better for some reason.  Also, in the early morning, get a topwater on the edge of the pads.  They will leave the cover, and forage for surface stuff early on.  But don't get a treble stuck in the pads, as you won't see your lure again.

[BadKarma42]

Don't know how thick the vegitation is but you may want to make sure you have the right setup to horse the fish out before he wraps you in the stems.

[32251]

Don't know how thick the vegitation is but you may want to make sure you have the right setup to horse the fish out before he wraps you in the stems.

This has become my biggest problem.  I am fishing from the bank (boat is soon in my fishing future!!!) so I am casting out to the edge of the pads.  I get strikes on the edge and the fish heads back under the pads.  If I don't get a good fast hook set and raise the fish up and drag it across the top of the pads...I can forget it.  Also if the strike is in the pad area itself I have had a problem snapping the line on the strike. These pads are smaller leaves in an oval shape.  They virtually cover the water surface with only slight openings here and there.  Tough fishing these, but worth it as there are always fish under them and on the edges especially at dawn.

I am going to try a rig with 15 or 20Lb test line.

[Bass XL]

3 words: spro bronzeye frog

[32251]

3 words: spro bronzeye frog

Got one. Been getting some action on it.

Another issue in the pads is the way these fish strike in the thick tenticles of the pads.  They strike hard and pull back and just hold it.  I have had worms cut in half and worms pulled off the hook several times.   They will grab the bottom half of the worm and settle back and wait.  Soon as they settle back in there is no dragging them out without some strong line and a stiffer rod.

I am going to rig up some worms with a second hook down at the tail and see what happens when they just hit the tail.

[BassHunter69]

I use a weightless Texas rigged 6-12 worm & just work it slowly on top like you would a frog pausing it when you pull over a pad. Some times I just reel it steadily just under the surface letting the tail do it's job.

well you could add a small split shot near the head of the 12 inch worm makes the head hang just a lil so it moves more like a snake

[Jayman139]

And if none of the above things work....do what my good friend Dundee does......... Dynamite,,,,

[Tin]

Go heavy, heavy rod, line, and a heavy bait. Also look for something different, like a few pads away from the rest or a different type of lily. -or- Just pitch a bait into the holes or around the edges and hang on.

[justfishin]

For the pads in the Lower Potomac I use a 7' Team Allstar Big Boy, Abu Garcia 5601 reel and 25lb test XT mainly because of the Zebra Mussels that attach themselves to the stalks. This setup works well for me.

[Guest avid]

I love fishing horney toads in over, under and through the pads.

[gatrboy53]

speed worm buzzed across top .or swam thru. trick worm w/split shot 12'' above hook reel up to root base and when you bump base skake it several times,let it rest then reel up to next pad base.

my latest pad catcher is a 3/16 oz. swimmin jig w/ ultra vibe speed craw trailer.dont set the hook when you feel the bite just keep reelin and the fish will hook himself.