Slop Fishing

[Ben W]

I just read a thread on slop fishing and had a few questions myself but did not want to hijack it. My local pond has the same conditions with the slop, and there are many pockets in them too. I have only caught one bass at this pond, but it was my PB. I have never caught anything with my weedless jig(crayfish color) or my scum frog(Green with yellow/green flake legs). My questions are: (1) How exactly are you supposed to retrieve the frog? (2) How do you fish a jig? My cousin gave me these lures and others for Christmas, I know their good, but I haven't caught anything on them due to the lack of knowledge on them.

Thanks,

Ben

[-ebby-]

when i use scum frogs i try to make it look as natural as possible, i like to twitch it on the edge of the weeds or one of the pockets. I like keeping it in one spot for a while and just twitch it a couple times to make some small ripples. I also have my best luck on a hot calm day midafternoon. I am no help on jigs though

[Paul Roberts]

Ben, usually (not always), if they're in shallow slop, you'll know it. If they are actively feeding in there, they move water and vegetation around. It's often subtle water movement, "nervous water", wakes, stems moving, etc... . Sometimes there are loud surges. Listen for these! Likely there is a pod of gills and some bass at that location. Take a little time to observe, as you fish. Mentally mark locations where you see or hear feeding bass. Look for openings, or thin mat area, when you get there, and fish them carefully.

Often, bass in shallow slop are easily spooked. So keep quiet. Decide where to place your casts and retrieve into potential strike zones.

Retrieves aren't always critical in the slop. In open water, retrieves, how the lure looks, can be critical. But in the slop, where the bass' visibility is obscured, how the lure looks at all times is not so critical. True slop lures are pretty simple and don't do much, except not get fouled up. It's at the edges and pockets where more triggering from the lure is needed. This is where the buzz frogs, walkers, fluttery jigs, and specialized spinnerbaits (like the Grass King) shine.

As suggested by ebby, making a lure look alive, and teasing with it, makes sense and is fun to do. But, often, you just have to help them find your lure, and slower retrieves often help the bass find target and capture that lure. It may take some probing around to find the fish, and accurate casting and slow retrieves to help them find the lure. If the cover is dense you may need to make closer spaced casts, and a louder lure is good like those with a popper head that can create more disturbance. But, if there are enough openings, or the mat material is thin enough (algae) a more subtle tapered head works and you may see wakes come from several feet away. That's always cool.

I also fish a weedless jig in the slop too, if there are openings, and at the edges. But it has to be a very weedless design. I like the Mango jig, in 1/8oz, by Nichols, out of Indiana. Great lure. I cast in line with some openings and then retrieve the jig fairly rapidly (not enough to put em down if they are spooky) with the rod high over the mats until I hit a pocket, then slow to a swim when I hit the pocket, and let the jig and trailer do its thing.

If you're in a boat, or a high bank from shore, you may be able to punch heavy jigs vertically through the denser mats. I'm usually either in a float tube, wading, or on relatively level bank, so I'm limited to fishing more horizontally.

Slop fishing is often relatively easy not too much is required in the retrieve/triggering department. If you are not catching then they may not be in there, or they are hunkered down and inactive. Look elsewhere, then try again later.

Oh yes, a word in advance: When you get an explosion, don't react! It's hard to do, but wait for the bass to find, catch, dive, and crush that lure. It takes a couple full seconds to happen. Then set the hook, get the head up, keep it up, and wind em in. Levelwind gear, a MH rod minimum, and at least 14# line are required. You'll know if your tackle is up to par soon enough. Might need to go shopping.

[bigbasser121]

I fish a pond thats covered in 1-4 inches of slop. I can hook pretty much anything weedless and just drag it real slow over the slop and stop it sometimes and bass will come right up out of the 4 inches of slop and grab it.