Question about fishing the mats

[Rpgbass]

I have fished some lakes, that have extremely thick weed or grass mats 4"-8". These are very large areas, about the size of a football field or smaller. Usually in about 2 to 4 feet of water. My question is are bass likely to be in the center of these mats or around the edges. P.S the grass is almost woven together, I could use some tips on fishing this type of cover[img][/img]

[OhioBass]

I'd say throw a frog......

[singerloo]

poppers, weightless plastics, anything that goes just over the grass...

The bass might not even be there, they might be in deeper water.


seaphantom

[bruce]

[glow=green,2,300] FROGS, FROGS and FROGS!!!!!!! [/glow]

For matted vegetation you just can't beat a frog. Â*I use the Snagproof Tournament Series frogs. Â*They have good weight for casting distance and don't take on water as bad as others I've tried which keeps them on top and not sinking down and burying in the weeds. Â*Throw em' out and just work them back. Â*Water 2-4 foot deep with a mat is a good depth for bass to hang out. Â*I catch tons of big bass on a lake that I fish here in Wisconsin using the frog on the heavy grass mats. Â*

Scott

[mike0062466]

One thing I would do for sure is to have another rig at the ready with a soft plastic, such as jerkbait, Senko or worm. Lots of times the bass will bust through the vegetation and miss the lure, but create a hole in the mat. Immediately throw that plastic into the hole and let it sink, making sure to keep your eye on the line looking for movement, which indicates the bass has engulfed it.

This past summer, I was doing some similar fishing, but in duckweed, not a thick mat like you describe, using a Strike King Grass Frog. One evening, looking through my tackle, I noticed that both of the frog's legs had been bitten or torn off. I was ready to throw it away, but then I realized that it didn't matter, that the bass couldn't see through the mat, all they could do is detect the movement. So I continued to use the frog.

Of course, the moral of the story is to not throw away usable stuff. Under these conditions, the lure doesn't have to be pretty or perfect.

[Rob Mak]

i really don't have the mat problem-vegetation what vegetation-but either a frog or a lizard worked t-rigged over the surface and dropped in to holes.



marty a truer word has never been spoken.


zooker

[macgyver]

[quote author=Marty link=board=news;num=1105481409;start=0#4 date=01/11/05 at 19:39:35]One thing I would do for sure is to have another rig at the ready with a soft plastic, such as jerkbait, Senko or worm. Lots of times the bass will bust through the vegetation and miss the lure, but create a hole in the mat. Immediately throw that plastic into the hole and let it sink, making sure to keep your eye on the line looking for movement, which indicates the bass has engulfed it.[/quote]

Well you don't need to throw a different bait, if you are already fishing the weightless plastic, even a fluke or of course a Lizard

This past summer, I was doing some similar fishing, but in duckweed, not a thick mat like you describe, using a Strike King Grass Frog. One evening, looking through my tackle, I noticed that both of the frog's legs had been bitten or torn off. I was ready to throw it away, but then I realized that it didn't matter, that the bass couldn't see through the mat, all they could do is detect the movement. So I continued to use the frog.

Another reason to use your plastic bait, be it worm/senko/Lizard/fluke and fish it on top of the mat instead of the frog.


I started using Lizards, and flukes quite a bit on the mats for a couple of reasons.
1. The first and formost is that, the hooksets will go up double or higher using a standard t-rigged, non weighted plastic.
2. Easier to get over, logs/branches/obstacles then a heavier frog is.
3. When you do come upon the "Holes" in the vegetation, you already have the bait you were gonna use as a back-up already there to sink/slow fall down into the hole.
4. Easier to add scent to helps it slide over the vegetation, especially since it's lighter.

Try this with both a frog, and say a 6"Lizard ;D Throw them up on shore from a boat, another shoreline, waders, however you can accomplish it. Then twitch your rod tip to have it hop into the water, or on top of the mat.(many times I find some space between the shoreline, and the mat, of clear water, no mat. Once your bait hits the water, move it quickly across the water to the mat, with a series of quick jerks, or rod sweep. Always thry to keep your rod in the 10-11 o'clock position when attempting to "HOP" it across the mat. This rod position helps to allow a lot less snags, since you're attempting to pull it UP and over the humps, instead of the sideway sweep, which keeps the line lower, making it harder to slide OVER the humps/snags. Hop the bait twice by using your rod to pop it free, and fly a couple of inches 2 times, and then PAUSE. Let the bait sit for a few seconds and then repeat. The fish is as Marty stated, following a sound/vibration, so any color/style/type of plastic will work. But when you come to a hole/edge allow it to sit, and fall, sometimes having to wiggle the semi-slack line to get it to go down into the water. So why not use what you like as for a plastic here, and instead of "Throwing a Back Up bait", it's already there. And if you want to add rattles to it you can. Just keep using lots of scent, to help it slide over the vegetation. I bet the fish won't notice the difference if it's a frog or whatever. But you sure will on the better hookups. Don't get excited to yank the hook to soon. Again, you need to see you line moving after the explosion, or feel it. They will miss several times. So just keep twitching it back even after a miss, because the fish will chase it under the mat. I've had some miss it 2 or 3 times, and still catch them, since I never yanked it away from where they were.

Lizards

[mike0062466]

No arguments, Liz, your points are well-taken. But I do like to use frogs at times.

[Rob Mak]

marty
cause watching a bass blow up on a frog is more exiciting...


zooker

[Infisherman1]

You could fish a horny toad on a 4/0 or 5/0 hook across the mats. And as marty said, be ready with a soft plastic to throw in there, I'd go with a fluke, it has a nice slow fall.

[fredhatch]

All good points, also if you use a teardrop sinker on the end of your line with a worm about 1' above. This will give you the weight to drop through the mat and present your bait right in front of them. I will agree though, nothing like watching a bass blow up on a frog. 8)

[macgyver]

[quote author=flfireman link=board=news;num=1105481409;start=0#10 date=01/13/05 at 17:18:01]All good points, also if you use a teardrop sinker on the end of your line with a worm about 1' above. This will give you the weight to drop through the mat and present your bait right in front of them. I will agree though, nothing like watching a bass blow up on a frog. 8)[/quote]


Personally it makes no difference to me if the bass is blowing up on a frog/buzzbait/jitterbug/popr/lizard/whatever, it's the actual blowup that we all love, not the bait. I love topwater, any topwater as long as they are hitting.

Lizards

[gallenl]

If the top water action is not happening,T-rig a tube and use stout tackle and look for openings or thin spots and alow the tube to punch through...Make sure to use a rattle,if nothing happens on the fall.Just shake it and wait a second.If they are home,you will know.

flippin4it

[reddscott]

Running a senko across them.. works great

[ryan7261]

Inside Moves: The key is less in being a junior botanist than in figuring out how to fish the various formations. Start with those weeds closest to shore. In the spring, bullrushes and reeds are spots to try. The water here is relatively shallow. Many spring lakes have a 2 - 5 foot interior lane bordered by a weedbed on the outside and the shoreline scub weeds on the inside. This is often open in the post-spawn period before the weeds have had much chance to grow. If you hit a lake with this inside opportunity, you can just plain nail the bass in here.

Horizontal Presentations: When fishing weedbeds, be sure too keep an eye out for transitions. You're looking for irregularity, for fringiness - breaks in the weedlines, pockets, and in particular, weedy points of 4 - 10 feet that extend far out into gravel or sand or mud. These are the terrific bass producers. Mid-bay weeds are very good spots, too, particular if they form a bit of a hump or the tip of a point. The best of these bays tend to be part of a larger diverse system, with drop offs on the outside and thick weeds on the inside. Spinnerbaits can also be used for fishing weedlines, as can crankbaits. These lures can be retrieved over the weeds or beside weedlines. Spinnerbaits over weed tops is a great spring presentation, and a good searching technique throughout the season. With summer, minnow imitating plugs become increasingly important - particularly when fish are aggressive, such as in the hours before a storm. Mann's Minus One, which runs just below the surface, is a great bait for working weed tops. This crankbait has a nice wide swing to it that somehow seems particularly appealing in the weedy areas. If weed tops are down 4 or 5 feet, stickbaits can be really productive. Start with Rapalas or Zara Spooks, particularly during spring or summer mornings when the water is quite still. Smithwicks Devil Horse or buzzbaits can be a better choice when there is a bit of a ripple. If the fish won't come up, try working a neutral density stickbait like a Rattlin' Rogue. This bait can be adjusted to almost the exact depth you need and will stay at that level for the entire retrieve. The neutral density aspect lets you slow things way down, which helps when things are slow. For finicky fish, a switch to soft texture can help. Many anglers prefer, when possible, to combine a wind drift with soft plastic jerkbaits, which seem to not need a slow treatment like a plastic worm. (Worms often requires a Carolina Rig in the weeds.) With Slug Gos, Power Slugs, and other jerkbaits, you can get away with no weight at all, working the bait so that it darts in the pockets and weed lanes. Start with dark colors in these circumstances, as they provide a strong, full contrast against the lit background.

Vertical Presentation: Summer bass often drop deep along the weeds during the mid day hours. Look for hydrilla, millfoil, or other thick weeds that grow all the way to shore. If you find edges in 10-20 areas, your in business. Edges over 15 feet give up fewer bass, but the ones you get will be nice ones. This is when you need some weight. A jig head with a worm trailer is a choice that doesn't get a lot of press. The long trailing worm can be particularly productive. This bait is a good, deep swimmer. That is, when you cast it, you don't want to hop and drop it as much as pull and pause it.

There are a number of other ways to fish the dense stuff - whether with plastics or with Johnson Silver Minnows and pork strips which you skitter across the tops of the weeds. It is odd fishing in the sense that getting the bass into the boat is not the most glorious struggle - it's reminiscent of getting the dog into the door at the vet's office. The peak of the experience is the strike, but that is some thrill. You'll have more fun missing these strikes than any others you'll ever get. Guaranteed


Robby.

[Rpgbass]

;DHey thanks again guys! Once again more excellent ideas wich I will definitely try.