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Old 12-03-12, 09:41 PM   #1
bwhite
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Default Frogs and SUPER THICK algae growth?

Fishing a lake with tons of grass and the top eventually gets covered with the really thick algae growth on top (I mean like what seems like 2 inches thick). There are really not very many open holes in this canopy just edges. So I was wondering if it is a waste of time throwing a frog in the middle of this slop ir just hit the edges. Is the thick snotty stuff too thick for frogs?
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Old 12-03-12, 10:08 PM   #2
lilmule
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No but bit cold now,for decent top water action.Also it has to work across what ever it is without it gaining much in weight,some do some dont,those that dont collect work better.
For algae one that rides high and not side to side but rat action,meaning straight.
Horny toads ribbets will collect on the hook tie on eyelet.Its a search for sure but get one that goes across without collecting much it will work in it or on it.
Your last name Hite-so is mine,or is it White?
Im thinking a micro deps will.
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Old 12-04-12, 12:59 AM   #3
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I would stick with a hollow bodied frog for that exact application when choosing a frog. There are several good ones and everyone has their favorites. I dont like a faster moving buzz type frog like the Horny Toad or Rage frog for algea that is that thick. It's too hard for the bass to zero in and engulf the faster bait in that stuff. A slower approach is needed. One lure I found that works great for the thick algea is a 4-5 inch t- rigged tube bait. Pitched into the slime, it come through remarkably clean and the bass seem to just love it. The shape of the large tube pretty much slides cleanly across the algea.
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Old 12-04-12, 08:51 PM   #4
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Quote:
So I was wondering if it is a waste of time throwing a frog in the middle of this slop ir just hit the edges. Is the thick snotty stuff too thick for frogs?
I definitely think it's not a waste of time to at least give this a try. I don't know if the lure matters, as long as it comes through the stuff cleanly. Obviously the fish can't see the lure but can sense the movement.

Maybe with stuff that thick it will be difficult for the fish to zero in and strike, but you might get opportunities for a fish crashing through the slop and then quickly tossing a soft plastic into the newly created hole.

I think almost anything is worth trying since preconceived notions can hinder success at times.
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Old 12-05-12, 03:10 PM   #5
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You'll get some explosive strikes from the bass fishing over the algae mats you describe. Too bad the fish push the bait up and away and miss the bait a lot. You'll need to find a frog that has a little weight so that it sits a little deeper in the algae. But this means you'll pick up a little more of the green stuff. It's worth the trade off.

Another idea is to look for a bait that will punch through the algae.
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Old 12-05-12, 03:37 PM   #6
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take the time to clear you a few "holes" in there. They may not last long, but would probably be worth the effort a day or 2 after you clear em, stop the ole frog right in the hole and get ready
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Old 12-05-12, 03:44 PM   #7
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FWIW: I fished a lake last May with a horrible algae bloom (same thing you're talking about) and being a frog guy I start with my Spro poppin' frog. All he did was collect algae so I tied on a regular hollow body and he simply plopped on top of the algae (the bloom wasn't anywhere near as thick as you were describing) I couldn't get any real motion out of him. A little chugging action and that as about it.

It's worth a shot though as you might hit pockets where he'll work.

The guys who won the tournament were using jigs and pretty all the rest of the fish that were caught were caught on something weighted that could break through algae.
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Old 12-05-12, 10:55 PM   #8
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I certainly don't think it's a waste of time to throw a frog in that situation, and I would argue that it's not too cold to use them. Some of the best topwater action you can find is in cooler water. Most people think that once the water cools off towards the end of fall they need to put up the topwater baits. But believe me, the topwater action doesn't end nearly as early as most people think, in fact I don't think it ever totally stops.
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Old 12-06-12, 09:55 AM   #9
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I agree it never stops around greenery one can always get bit just not in numbers at cooler times of the year.Only month I havnt caught fish topwater here is January,I came close had one on this last year but barely nipped it,but in my opinion it also takes something green in the water,we had some small bunches of emerging lilly pads that eventually got bitten back.To some extent other species like buck brush will work.
Ive fished several T lately as a non boater,still pack a 1/4 oz frog as small tree frogs are still around the bank,yes dec but east facing banks they are out and basking on.I even tossed one down at pickwick as grass still topped but no takers.Pesky seagull wanted it,later we were running 52 mph and got passed by two geese,didnt know they flew that fast.Was season opener I think many decoys that actually flapped their wings.Ps duck blinds can be a pattern if in enough water,but irate duck hunters can be another problem.

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Old 02-16-13, 10:20 PM   #10
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I deal with this every year. The algae blooms every year on my local 20 acre neighborhood pond. People around here call it "rock snot", and it's just as you described it: up to 4" thick, and it comes in huge mats. There's not much hope for punching lures through it. However, I do get lots of bites using this method: burning a soft plastic "toad" style bait across the surface, pausing to let it sink through holes in the matt. Make sure that when you rig the bait with a round bend hook, you bury the knot inside of the lure so that the algae doesn't get caught on the the hook eye or tag end of the line.
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Old 02-17-13, 10:12 AM   #11
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My understanding is the main problem with algae is oxygen depletion.

Bright sunny days encourage algae growth. Chemical runoff from lawn and argicultural fertilization also aid in algae growth. Like other aquatic plants, algae contribute to the oxygen supply by day, and then consume oxygen at night. Plus, algae can die, drop to the bottom and decompose, which consumes even more oxygen from the water.

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If you're fishing a lake that has pockets of algae, it's not as much of a problem. The water gets oxygen mixed from waves, incoming water or even boat traffic. The lake I fish gets algae blooms in the middle of the summer when we've had several warm days in a row with clear skies and relatively low wind. The location of the algae blooms often occur in shallow bays where the water surface isn't shaded from trees and is protected the from waves created by either boat traffic or wind.

I tend to think the bass suspend in the shade under these algae mats only during the day while the algae produces oxygen. Further, I usually don't find bass schooled up in bunches under these mats, just one or two. In this situation, I don't spend much time fishing the algae mats. If I'm working a shore-line and come across an algae mat I will make a couple casts into the middle of the matt and work the edges, but I move on pretty quickly.

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If you're fishing a small pond that gets covered with algae, that is a different situation. Algae can completely choke a small pond killing fish. I would tend to look for areas that might have higher oxygen levels in the water: anywhere with moving water like an incoming stream, or even a drainage pipe. Look for areas where the wind is causing some small waves that will mix the water and increase oxygen. Even a boat ramp or swimming area might cause enough disturbance to increase the oxygen levels in nearby water enough to attrach bass. If the algae is indeed depleting the oxygen in a ceartain area, the fish will seek out water with higher oxygen levels, perhaps even suspending in the middle of the pond.

Since this is typically a summer problem when the water is warm, I would look for any areas that do not have algae but hae some other type of shade where the bass can get out of the sun.

There have been some great technicque suggetions with how to fish the algae mats. Try them, but keep in mind if an algae mat has consumed all the oxygen in the water, there may not be any bass under them at all.
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Old 02-17-13, 10:17 AM   #12
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Great info Iowa. I've never had luck fishing over algae. That explains it.
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