Fishing Over Lilly Pads

[mcliff]

Hi there. I was just wondering what is the best lure for fishing on a pond with heavy lilly pad cover? The pond in question has heavy coverage on top, and heavy weeds just below the surface as well. I will have to fish above water if I don't want to catch vegetation all day long. Any suggestions?

Mike

[scbassin]

Boze Sumo Frog

[OHIO]

A frog of your choice would be the best option.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Also a weightless trick worm twitched just below the surface can be deadly!

[Marty]

I was just wondering what is the best lure for fishing on a pond with heavy lilly pad cover?

There is no best lure. I would say if you are fishing outside the pads, you can use any lure you can get away with. Spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits, soft plastics and topwaters. For the actual pad beds I would use soft plastics, dropping them into holes between pads and dropping them at the edges. I would also use topwaters, perhaps buzzbaits if there is room between the pads or weedless, like the soft plastic toads and frogs that buzz on the surface or one of the floating topwaters, such as hollow-bodied frogs.

Pad fishing can be a lot of fun, productive too.

[mcliff]

Thanks for the replies! Can't wait to get the canoe back in the water next weekend and give the frogs a try.

[endless]

Also don't be afraid to toss out a wacky worm on the outside of the lilies. The ponds I fish are mainly lilies with a few sunken trees on the edges of the ponds. I had no luck on any topwater frogs or poppers but the plum apple senko was the trick. I tossed it right in front of the lilies edge and was landing bass. I caught ten on that day with a 4.9 and a 3 pounder. The pond I

[mcliff]

Also don't be afraid to toss out a wacky worm on the outside of the lilies. The ponds I fish are mainly lilies with a few sunken trees on the edges of the ponds. I had no luck on any topwater frogs or poppers but the plum apple senko was the trick. I tossed it right in front of the lilies edge and was landing bass. I caught ten on that day with a 4.9 and a 3 pounder. The pond I

I'll give that a shot as well...just need to find a spot with a clear enough path to run the worm through.....

[Fat-G]

Spro Frog!

After seeing how MASSIVE the King Daddy version is the other day, I want one!

[Whets Lines]

Go out and get some 4/0 EWG hooks and a package or three of Rage Tail Shad. Throw them into the lilies and hold on.

Whets

[The Bassinator]

fluke

[webertime]

Flukes work great. Rig them with the 4/0 EWG point inside the pocket of the lure. When you get to the edge of the pads, let it drop and sink slow. Bubblegum color was designed for this type of fishing.

I also use a cigar shaped rubber Zara spook type lure called a Reel Magic. It was very weedless, once again with a large hook pocket for the 6/0 EWG. They are no longer available but I still have a bunch stockpiled. Not sure if another company has something like this. The "walk the dog" motion in the pads is deadly.

....Bill

Those look like a softer Yum Money Hound

[Sherlock 60]

Try a weightless Senko along the edges and in the gaps. Use braid.

[secretagnt]

best advice I can give you is a frog , a swimming senko ,,,, a money hound ... but by all means USE BRAID ... You never know what is lurking under there ,,,,,,

[bwell]

Those look like a softer Yum Money Hound

Exactly what I was thinking...

[SmokeRise1]

I use Rage Tail Shads and Rage Tail Toads for this. There is nothing like dragging one of these guys over pads and then having a bass whollop it as soon as it drops into clear water. As mentioned braid is a must since you may have to pull a bass out of the middle of a patch.

[SausageFingers]

Try a Rage Tail Eeliminator

[Punkinseedfyretailz]

throw a mad maxx. i also really like a yum money minnow in the lillies.. throw it weighted and just work it through the pads. this is a great way to catch pike too

[Punkinseedfyretailz]

don't be afraid to throw a ten inch worm either, on 30 lb braid, it will cast it far enough, put a swivel on it for extra weight if you want.

[RoLo]

In a weedy lake with lily pads on top and submerged weeds underneath, I'd stick with the "most weedless” lures in my box..

Getting the lure to the bass is more important than brand, shape or color, especially where visibility is obstructed by plant-life..

For example, a solid toad, a Johnson weedless spoon or a T-rigged paddletail. Unlike the consensus though,

I wouldn't choose a Stick Worm, because noiseless lures aren't the best choice where bass vision is limited.

Roger

[endless]

In a weedy lake with lily pads on top and submerged weeds underneath, I'd stick with the "most weedless” lures in my box..

Getting the lure to the bass is more important than brand, shape or color, especially where visibility is obstructed by plant-life..

For example, a solid toad, a Johnson weedless spoon or a T-rigged paddletail. Unlike the consensus though,

I wouldn't choose a Stick Worm, because noiseless lures aren't the best choice where bass vision is limited.

Roger

What about if choose to go with a stick worm and what to get some of the worm rattles like these?

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-XPS-Worm-or-Tube-Rattles/product/37706/-903231

Or how does these rattle work period with any worm in the lilies, weeds, or in general?

[RoLo]

What about if choose to go with a stick worm and what to get some of the worm rattles like these?

http://www.basspro.c...t/37706/-903231

Or how does these rattle work period with any worm in the lilies, weeds, or in general?

Don't get me wrong, I think the world of plastic worms, and would be hard put to name a greater bass lure.

However, if you're fishing a combination of emergent and submergent vegetation, a stick worm isn't the best choice.

1) An unweighted stick worm has very poor weed-penetration

2) Bass have limited vision in heavy cover, where noisy lures have the edge over quiet lures (bulkier is better too)

3) Compared to buzzbaits, weedless spoons and solid toads, a stick worm offers very slooow lateral coverage

If a stick worm is fished as a dropbait with no added action, an inserted rattlebox wouldn't get much chance to rattle

Roger

[Sam]

All of the responses are correct.

I would suggest the wacky Senko; trick worm; weedless hooks for everything plastic.

Using heavy pegged bullet weights to get your bait through the pads can work.

Frogs and rats.

Look for openings among the pads and if there is any "wood" in the pads.

Is there any other "grass" with the pads?

Remember, bass like change and they will hang around areas that have changes such as wood, different types of grass, rock from large to small, etc. Fish between the pads and the shoreline.

If possible, walk to the area where there is an opening between the pads and shoreline and fish that area, too.

Pads are translucent so the light can penetrate the pads and the bass can see what is on top of the pads.

Fish slow and watch for any pad movement behind or to the side of your bait. That means the bass is stalking your bait.

Pad fishing can be painfully slow but keep at it and sooner or later you will have a big blow up.