Fishing In Heavy Weeds

[Facepalmmaster]

What I mean by this is how do you fish in heavy UNDERWATER weeds, not the grass stuff or whatever. In New Jersey (or at least everywhere I fish), there is heavy weeds covering most of the water except for the edges and the top foot or foot and a half of water. I realize that I can use texas rigged worms or other soft plastics and floating lures, such as frogs and poppers and such, but is there anything else I can do? Its hard to use just a few kinds of lures.

[RoLo]

We all know that weeds are an asset, but too much of a good thing can be a bane.

If you could specify the plant species, I could be more specific.

In any case, if you're just looking to penetrate the thickest mats and densest submergents,

an excellent weed probe is the "Dirty Jig 1oz No-Jack Punchin Jig"

dressed with any loud throbbing trailer.

I should add though, that bass can also be overwhelmed by weeds,

because they like areas that offer decent visibility and decent elbow room for hunting.

On lakes that are predominatnly weed-choked, bass usually gravitate

to airy, more open areas of the lake with a 50/50 density.

Roger

[Catt]

With 1 ½’ of water above the grass I can’t think of any lure you can’t use except maybe a deep diving crank.

You can flip/pitch/punch it with worms, creatures, craws, grubs, spider jigs, or tubes

You can fish on top with frogs, poppers, chuggers, rats, soft stick baits, hard stick baits, swim baits, jerk baits, worms or spoons

You can fish it with spinner baits or shallow cranks

So where’s the problem?

[B-Dozer]

With 1 ½’ of water above the grass I can’t think of any lure you can’t use except maybe a deep diving crank.

You can flip/pitch/punch it with worms, creatures, craws, grubs, spider jigs, or tubes

You can fish on top with frogs, poppers, chuggers, rats, soft stick baits, hard stick baits, swim baits, jerk baits, worms or spoons

You can fish it with spinner baits or shallow cranks

So where’s the problem?

I agree with all that catt is saying, and add sometimes popping a lure free of weeds will trigger a strike. Sometimes it seems like the only time I get a hit on a lipless crank is when that happens,spinnerbaits as well.

[Nitrofreak]

I agree with catt and ROLO both have really good advice, me personally I like to use lite swim baits usually in shad colors and hop them along the top of the grass and let it fall and lay on top of the grass close to the outside edge for a few seconds IF the grass is really thick.

[CWB]

My favorite lake is similar to what you describe. As the year progresses, the weedgrowth gets to the top in spots, is thick enough to walk across in others, and in sparse enough to fish most baits in in others. There is a mix of milfoil, coontail, which both get pretty thick, and braodleaf cabbage.

There is also plenty of pads and reeds also. I attack each area separately.

As Catt said, if you have 1.5 feet of open water, just about anything will work. as Roger said a detailed description of the weeds would help as some types look thick but are actually matted over and sparse enough to flip into.

Usually the clearer the water, the thicker the weeds. My lake is gin clear and the weedgrowth gets pretty thick in spots. I would love if it only came to within a foot and a half of the surface. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, plastics like the rage Eeliminator speed worms, you can find what works best for you. many more baits to choose from. My favorite is the Rage Shad as it will work over the top and through the thick stuff.

Good luck!