Snot Grass

[PondBoss]

One of the local places I have to fish is just over run with that slimy, snotty weed crap. How do you fish it? Even fishing T-rigged plastics is no good. I'm kinda at my whits end here. The pond/lake is really good and has lots of fish in it, even some big ones, but fishing it seems to be more of a chore than it should be. Should I just not fish it, or just deal with the fact that after the initial fall I will be hauling in loads of junk on my bait?

Thanks,

Pondboss

[dhami013]

Well how are the weeds sitting? Are they at the bottom or just kinda drifting everywhere at unknown depths. If they're not too deep you can try running cranks through there. Shallow to medium divers.

I fished a large pond/small lake that had this problem. I used texas rigged I just jigged them so that they wouldn't touch the bottom. Also look for structure where there may be a gap in the grass. If I tossed it just outside of some structure or in those gaps I was getting into some good sized fish.

Top water is always a good choice in the evening and morning, but I mean that's basics.

Good luck to you.

[PondBoss]

The weeds are everywhere, all depths and is speratic at best. Don't get me wrong there are places to fish where you can come back with nothing on your bait and catch fish, but man oh man I just know there are loads of fish in all that junk. I was in my tube today and got passed by a LMB that would easily go 5 lbs, but couldn't fish for him because he just slipped into the junk and disappeared.

[zenyoungkoh]

Sounds exactly like one of the pond im fishing at! I use weed less flukes. Right now the snot grass are mainly on the bottom. There are some suspending ones but for some reason that i do not know, fluke tends not to catch so much of those nasty grass. I throw weightless trigged plastic worms, craw, swimbaits too. Crankbaits or most things with trebles dont work for me because the pond i fish at is only 2-3 ft deep.

[RoLo]

What you're referring to is a green algae called "Spirogyra".

It's a MONSTER, and avoidance is the best solution I know.

Roger

[PondBoss]

Guess I'll try going weightless with some flukes or trick worms. Avoidance sounds like an ideal plan, except it's really close to home and my land is 30 minutes one way. That being said, I guess I'll have to tolerate it and hopefully clean up in the bare spots and cross my fingers with weightless stuff.

Thanks guys,

Pondboss

[Jigfishn10]

I fish an old reservoir that has this problem. By mid-season I put away all my jigs and weighted t-rigs. Thankfully its a great topwater res. So it's either topwater, spinnerbaits or weightless trick sticks (wacky or t-rigged).

[NBR]

Try not to transfer that "Snot" to other lakes with your boat, live well or trailer. It is terrible stuff.

[J Francho]

I thought Syro Grya was a jazz fusion group

Yeah, it's filamentous green algae, nasty stuff. A drop shot rig will keep your bait out of the stuff.

[clayton86]

You could try mega strike to lube up your plastics as well to slide threw. What knot u tie can play an importance to iv noticed when fishing palomer knots where the tag end is going in line with the main line. The tag end will start a build up of that silky snot grass so I just switch knots and never use dou locks in the stuff either if you usualy do for certain set ups like I do.

[RoLo]

I thought Syro Grya was a jazz fusion group

I think your right, but didn't they change their name to "Green Slime"?

[PondBoss]

Went back today and threw the fluke. I never had to even put my tube in the water. I caught my limit on about 20 casts. When the sun went behind the clouds and it got dark the fish stopped biting. But it made for a good outing and a quick finish. Now I have loads of time for honey do's. lol

[dhami013]

I've never tried the fluke, I have some smaller ones good for a 1/0 hook. I think I'm gunna give them a shot soon.

[Jigfishn10]

Went back today and threw the fluke. I never had to even put my tube in the water. I caught my limit on about 20 casts. When the sun went behind the clouds and it got dark the fish stopped biting. But it made for a good outing and a quick finish. Now I have loads of time for honey do's. lol

Nice PondBoss, I glad it worked for you and it sounds like you had a great day. WTG!

[Marty]

What you're referring to is a green algae called "Spirogyra".

It's a MONSTER, and avoidance is the best solution I know.

Roger

I fish a pond that has loads of Spirogyra mats and I've caught numerous good fish from the openings. Many of those fish came in buried in the crap, but it goes with the territory. However, it's probably easier with a canoe than a tube.

[Fishing Rhino]

I thought Syro Grya was a jazz fusion group

Yeah, it's filamentous green algae, nasty stuff. A drop shot rig will keep your bait out of the stuff.

You beat me to it. The drop shot is great when the muck is at the bottom. The only trick is setting the distance between the sinker and the hook. If the bait comes back with the stuff on it, increase the distance until it's clean. I started fooling around with it this year, and it has opened up acres and acres of fish holding bottom that I had previously avoided.

Come mid to late summer, I have my doubts. Gas gets trapped beneath layers of the algae, floating it to the surface. By then, the algae is brown/black/purple and when it floats, the gas bubble makes it look like a miniature cypress knee sticking above the surface. At that point, the stuff is suspended at all depths in various places. It's so thick in places it looks like the bottom has floated to the surface of the water.

[RoLo]

I fish a pond that has loads of Spirogyra mats and I've caught numerous good fish from the openings. Many of those fish came in buried in the crap, but it goes with the territory. However, it's probably easier with a canoe than a tube.

I hear ya, fishing open holes that are free of spirogyra is one approach to avoidance.

Peeling snotgrass off the lure after every retrieve tends to downgrade the fishing experience.

Fortunately I have a choice, and try to avoid waters infested with that crap.

Like an excerpt from 'Ghost Busters', I hate getting "Slimed"

Roger

[PondBoss]

I tell you what, I've got these fish figured out using the Fluke. (green pumpkin/black fleck and Arkansas shiner) Went twice today for about an hour each time and got 9 keepers. Had a few other bites that didn't work out the way I'd like them to, but 9 fish on 13 bites ain't bad. Especially since I broke off 2 of them.

[kms399]

try a 5" trick stick rigged backwards on a 3/0 hook and slide the bait over the knot. and megastrike never hurts either as a lubricant or an attractant.

[PondBoss]

I have tried the stick worms, and they have not done well. I've only been able to conjure up one bite and a couple of follows. The fluke seems to really be the ticket. But who knows? Maybe tomorrow they will be smashing the stick worms, after all it is fishing. lol What is the differences between a trick stick and a senko?

[dhami013]

I have tried the stick worms, and they have not done well. I've only been able to conjure up one bite and a couple of follows. The fluke seems to really be the ticket. But who knows? Maybe tomorrow they will be smashing the stick worms, after all it is fishing. lol What is the differences between a trick stick and a senko?

How are you fishing the fluke? And what's your set up?

[zenyoungkoh]

Try a spinnerbait. I used it in this pond infested with snot grass and weeds. Pretty weedless compared to a crankbait and i did rather well!

[PondBoss]

I'm fishing the fluke on a 7' MH casting rod using 30lb Spider Wire with a 3 ft 14lb Vanish Fluorocarbon leader . Using a walk the dog retrieve with long steps.(2 count) It is probably walking and working anywhere from on the surface to 2 feet deep depending on how it wants to swim.

[Jigfishn10]

I'm fishing the fluke on a 7' MH casting rod using 30lb Spider Wire with a 3 ft 14lb Vanish Fluorocarbon leader . Using a walk the dog retrieve with long steps.(2 count) It is probably walking and working anywhere from on the surface to 2 feet deep depending on how it wants to swim.

That's good stuff right there, I'm gonna try that at the res I mentioned. Thanks PondBoss.

BTW, I'm embarassed to mention this, but I never fished a fluke before, I'm assuming you were fishing it weightless? T-Rigged or exposed?

[J Francho]

I'll answer.... I only t-rig around docks or submerged wood. Otherwise, nose hooked on a wacky hook. If the weeds are so bad, you can't get through, I use something else.