Fishing lily pads

[bassmaster1983]

I know spring is a long way off!!! My question is when is the time to start fishing pads? Is it too early to expect the bass to be there before they emerge? Or would it be alright to try as soon as possible? I hope this question isn't to off base. Last year I did pretty good around them once they were up. Another question-Should you fish in them or just outside of them as the day progresses for better results. Thanks.

Bob

[Rob Mak]

bob what state you fishing?
i would start fishing pads in late febuary to early march. the pads anit up at this time . and a spinnerbait run through them will get some good fish i would work channle edges first then move in shallow.

zooker

[mike0062466]

I have found bass in pad areas before the pads emerge. Where I am, they're there from pre-emergent right through the summer and fall.

[bassmaster1983]

Zooker
I live in western Pa. I fish mostly south of Erie PA.
There are a couple of lakes along the western side of the state.

[macgyver]

Pads provide cover, therefore anytime IMO. There are better times, such as when the sun is out, and the fish hide under them in the shadows, in the summer, but before they reach the top, they are still underwater growing providing cover, so even before they reach the top where they are visible they will hold fish. Lilly pads always seem to hold fish around here(Indiana), just not a whole lot of them, like in FL :P

Lizards

[Slayem9]

Like LR said, pads hold the food chain. More important in spring, is that mulitple species drive in to spawn much earlier than bass and don't think that only sunnies are there to raid the nests. Whatever species is attracted to partake of the cavier, you can be sure picks and bass are cruising around.

Feeding in general draws a crowd. When white perch spawn, yellow perch and crappie are raiding. When crappie are in spawn, all panfish swarm in. The interesting thing is that the soil that holds pads, is the same that draws the spawners.

In fact, you could say the spring bonanza gets underway a week before plants start to grow in the shallows and well into early summer. Prespawners are very active in and around areas that hold emergent weeds, especially pads. You might make long casts to the flats in only a foot of water and catch very aggressive fish on top and on soft plastics. Hard and soft jerkbaits rule this time of year, as do in-line spinner/big worm combos. I like to split shot 4"/ nosehook sticks and 4" hybrid, fat worms with a fast taper. This profile caught more fish last year than any other that I came up with in the laboratory.


Sam

[macgyver]

[quote author=senkosam link=board=news;num=1103145804;start=0#5 date=12/16/04 at 11:46:02]Like LR said, pads hold the food chain. More important in spring, is that mulitple species drive in to spawn much earlier than bass and don't think that only sunnies are there to raid the nests. Whatever species is attracted to partake of the cavier, you can be sure picks and bass are cruising around.

Feeding in general draws a crowd. When white perch spawn, yellow perch and crappie are raiding. When crappie are in spawn, all panfish swarm in. The interesting thing is that the soil that holds pads, is the same that draws the spawners.

In fact, you could say the spring bonanza gets underway a week before plants start to grow in the shallows and well into early summer. Prespawners are very active in and around areas that hold emergent weeds, especially pads. You might make long casts to the flats in only a foot of water and catch very aggressive fish on top and on soft plastics. Hard and soft jerkbaits rule this time of year, as do in-line spinner/big worm combos. I like to split shot 4"/ nosehook sticks and 4" hybrid, fat worms with a fast taper. This profile caught more fish last year than any other that I came up with in the laboratory.


Sam[/quote]


Any chance I can get you to go into business for a short while, and sell me some of the Baits ??? I truly love the shape and sizes of them, espcially with the tails as in plural 8) I'm very serious if you'd like to take an order I be happy to spend the money with you.

Lizards

[Slayem9]

LR, e-mail me. On a very small scale I might be interested. I sell glitter on my site to fellow lurecrafters, also on a very small scale and find it satisfying that my product is being used to help anglers catch fish.

Sam

[Rob Mak]

oh union city res and i forget the name of the other one on the state line with ohio.

zooker

[IL.bassin36]

I'll have to go with the vote of-there is no wrong time to fish them. When they're just stalks, spinnerbaits and ripping a rat-l-trap work well. Once they top out, Senkos, frogs and lizards for the thick areas- spinnerbaits and topwaters for the edges and sparse stuff.

[bassmaster1983]

Zooker'

The other lake is Pymatuning. It is more noted for walleye and muskie more so than bass. But this past summer I did ok around the pads after they were up. Mostly on buzz baits and frogs/rats.

[Rob Mak]

try a zoom horny toad with out weight make sure you check drag and use a wire leader-musky like frogs too.


zooker