Clear Water, 14 ft Deep, Nice weeds, opinions???

[surfer]

I am looking to expand my techniques at this spot.

My home lake (Lake Conway, Orlando FL) is fairly pressured. It big and there is a tournament once a week during the summer. Right now the water is getting clearer for lack of rain. Visibility is at least 14 ft when the sun and wind cooperate. The picture below shows the clarity and the weeds. This spot is several hundred yards from the nearest shore and receives less pressure than the shorelines. I catch most of my bass here and I see 10x more bass here than I catch.

The weeds are typically about 5 ft tall with 10 ft spires coming up through almost to the surface and sometimes to the surface (see picture). While crank bates and flukes work, most of my fish come on either a watermelon seed color senko type worm or a black and yellow road runner with a tiny flutter blade under it (it's a pan fish bait, but bass love it here). When my lure is close to the boat I can see it, work it, and sometimes am lucky enough to see the attack. I am fishing mostly around the spires and on top of the matt that is 8 or 10 ft deep. I think it is 5 ft of hollow underneath the matt. I know weights can punch through it easily, but with the water clarity I have concerns with the weights.

How do I fish under the matt? What are some techniques? And in general what would you do?

[roadwarrior]

Perfect set-up for a GYCB Kreature:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1180909581

Note:

To fish the deeper grass, I would use a weight,

allow the Kreature to fall to the bottom and use

the same retrieve described in the referenced post.

8-)

[J Francho]

Jig.

[CWB]

Jig.

Now this is matted! In your Pic it looks like SOP for up here. Try a wacky rigged senko. Let it fall and if it stops, its a fish or give it a tug and it will keep falling. Tedious but it pays off. In the thick stuff try punching jigs or click on RW's link. Grass is the main structure in my neck of the woods.

[fishizzle]

drop shot weedless maybe with a worm rattle

or just flip all the holes with a creature bait and 3/4 oz weight florida rigged

that water color screams green pumpkin

[sambrochill]

I'd jig it.

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

I would also try some 6-9" lizards or a 10" worm... also might try an in-line spinner it will help keep those weeds off when your burning through it. I would also try a gambler Cane Toad. works great for buzzing across surface and the cane toad you can rig weedless.

[Bassn Blvd]

Long casts with the Zara Spook puppy.

[Muddy]

Plan ::A JIG!!!!!!!!!!!! Shakey Head Jig Head with either a 6 inch Brush Bug on it or a 7 inch Ripple tail worm

Plan B; 5 inch *** , t rigged without any weight

Plan C; Round Jig head, with a * ( Fat Ika) hooked with the tail down , giving the rod tip some nice sharp snaps on the drop

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Senko or trickworm with a nail in the rear end.Different look plus it does penetrate weeds a little.

[drmnbig]

Looks like the pond I fish here.   One of the best ways I fish grass like that is by using a Zoom finesse worm texas rigged with a screw in bullet weight.  The tails on the finesse worm stands almost straight up.  I also find that if I dip about a 1/2" of the tail in chartreuse spike it the fish seem to take it better.  

[jack1]

Locate the fish with a buzz frog/buzzbait.  Then pick it apart with a jig.

[eyedabassman]

All good idea's and I agree! But I like the senko and then go on from there.

[surfer]

cool.  thanks for all the advice and stories.  i will try a few of these next time i am out.

[tallydude]

I'd attach a hollow bodied swimbait with a weighted hook and swim it through the lanes in the rest.

[BassinBoy]

Wake a spinnerbait

Or any kind of t-rigged soft plastic

[BARON49_Northern NY]

A floating or buzzing frog would work early in the morning or on a cloudy day.

[basser89]

From top to bottom, I'd throw a buzzbait/toad/frog, spinnerbait, Senko style bait, Brush Hog and a tube. Obviously, not all at the same time!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[farmpond1]

I'd go with what he said, and what he said, and then what he said, until I found what the bass want. Then stick with that. ;D

[Uncle Leo]

I would rip a Rattle Trap through it. I get the opportunity to fish weedy lakes up North and experienced unbelievable strkes ripping a trap free of weeds.

[moloch16]

I would rip a Rattle Trap through it. I get the opportunity to fish weedy lakes up North and experienced unbelievable strkes ripping a trap free of weeds.

I'd try a similar technique but with a swimming jig.  Let the jig fall into the weeds and then rip it out quickly for a reaction strike.  Find one that matches the hatch (i.e. bluegill if there a lot of bluegill, or white if the bass feed on shad)

[zbass]

I'd go with what he said, and what he said, and then what he said, until I found what the bass want. Then stick with that. ;D

What he said!

[hjerk24]

Early morning BUZZER...or Popper...BLAM!!!!!!!!!

Blow Ups would be SWEET!!!!

Good Luck....

[JShrock07]

The way I pick apart the weedy areas of my favorite river is to start the day throwing a rage tail frog. If I start get some blow ups but no hook-ups I will have a senko or a shaky head rigged up ready to grab at a moments notice. As soon as I miss one I will throw the senko/shaky head right at the exact spot I got the blow up. Once I pull one fish out of an area I will mark that spot and continue to pick it apart with a wacky rigged senko, jig or shaky head. Most of the time, you will find a bass in the grass there are many more to be caught. Once you run out of fish start all over again.

[Stingray23]

I'd burn a spinnerbait right over those weeds. Its worked for me. if that doesnt work, slow it down with a jig or anything texas rigged. I prefer a tube. its easier to manuver through the weeds.