Soft Bottom Baits 2024
BrackishBassin reply :
I've done a lot of experimenting this year with different baits as I've tried to learn more about freshwater fishing. I'd see a new bait or hear about one and then go buy one to try it out. Quite a few of them have been duds. For example, I picked up some jigs thinking they'd work great, but I haven't caught a single fish on a jig yet.
In an attempt to avoid spending a bunch of money on stuff I don't need, I'd like to get some opinions from you guys regarding the baits you fish in soft bottomed lakes/ponds that have a lot of grass in them. There's relatively little cover that I can access (fishing from the bank and the trail around the lake is 7 miles long) so it's mostly open water stuff with an odd log or laydown here and there.
So, if you guys could pick 3 baits to use in the situation I described above, what would they be and why? Thanks!
burrows reply :
Spinnerbait to easily get threw the grass swim jig for the same reason and a wacky rig on a circle hook I find a circle hook to less likely get hung up in grass.
scaleface reply :
My favorite grass bait are weightless soft plastics texas rigged .The thicker the slop the better .I use a heavy flipping hook to give a little extra casting weight and be strong enough to bring in six lbs of bass and 6 lbs of grass .
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 10:02 PM, Cheesefrank said:Spinnerbait to easily get threw the grass swim jig for the same reason and a wacky rig on a circle hook I find a circle hook to less likely get hung up in grass.
So, I bought two of the Booyah Boo jigs and had no luck with them. Could I throw a swimbait trailer on them and fish them as a swim jig?
S. Sass reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 10:07 PM, scaleface said:My favorite grass bait are weightless soft plastics texas rigged .The thicker the slop the better .I use a heavy flipping hook to give a little extra casting weight and be strong enough to bring in six lbs bass and 6 lbs of grass .
I agree I have some ponds that are almost solid covered with growth in the bottom and for me the texas rigged worm or almost any soft plastic works excellent.
Small things like learning how to twitch the rod to keep the bait clean, how to rig the plastic, like making sure to keep the tip of the hook slightly buried into the bait, and patience will help a lot.
You could also go with just about any swim style bait like a spinnerbait, crankbait, jerkbait, and just about any swim or glide bait that you could control depth.
On 12/18/2016 at 10:47 PM, BrackishBassin said:Could I throw a swimbait trailer on them and fish them as a swim jig?
Yes that is a perfectly fine way to rig them up and fish them. Jigs are a great bass producer but soft bottoms or a lot of coverage sometimes does slow the production. A swim jig is a great option then.
burrows reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 10:47 PM, BrackishBassin said:So, I bought two of the Booyah Boo jigs and had no luck with them. Could I throw a swimbait trailer on them and fish them as a swim jig?
Yes you can. You can swim any jig. Football jigs swim better in rocky situations and an arky style can swim threw grass.
Mike L reply :
Try a swimmimg stick bait of your choice...Senko, Sluggo, Fluke, Cut R etc.
Or a creature bait of your choice...Rage Craw, Brush Hog, Rage Bug etc.
You can use all of them in, through and around anything you got.
Mike
roadwarrior reply :
"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
TnRiver46 reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 10:07 PM, scaleface said:My favorite grass bait are weightless soft plastics texas rigged .The thicker the slop the better .I use a heavy flipping hook to give a little extra casting weight and be strong enough to bring in six lbs of bass and 6 lbs of grass .
^^^what he said!!!!
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 11:40 PM, roadwarrior said:"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
Appreciate the links, but I read over those and I'm looking for more specific information. Thanks!
On 12/18/2016 at 11:16 PM, Cheesefrank said:Yes you can. You can swim any jig. Football jigs swim better in rocky situations and an arky style can swim threw grass.
Many thanks! I'll look at getting some swimbaits to use as trailers.
roadwarrior reply :
Okay. Try a Rage Tail Menace rigged with a bullet weight weedless. Swim it just off the bottom and at various depths. Pop the bait when you hit anything. The bait comes through grass very well.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 12:24 AM, roadwarrior said:Okay. Try a Rage Tail Menace rigged with a bullet weight weedless. Swim it just off the bottom and at various depths. Pop the bait when you hit anything. The bait comes through grass very well.
Thanks!
CTBassin860 reply :
Throw a craw or a twin tail grub on the back of a swim jig.Bass hammer them.Once you start getting hit you'll get the confidence in them.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 12:52 AM, MassBassin508 said:Throw a craw or a twin tail grub on the back of a swim jig.Bass hammer them.Once you start getting hit you'll get the confidence in them.
Thanks! I've added that to my list of things to try out this spring. I've already got two of the Booyah Boo jigs (one in green pumpkin and the other black and blue). Just going to have to pick up some swimbaits for them.
Yeajray231 reply :
Don't give up on the jig... That'd be a big mistake.. spring through fall the rage chunk is a perfect fit for your booyah baby boo jigs. Green/brown works everywhere. Also black.
Try a Rapala original floater . And rip it down so it just barely ticks the top of the weeds. Or small twitches on the surface..
Get the GY double tail hula grub and fat ika. These are serious baits and catch fish all across this country. I like fishing the hula grub weightless the most.. but will also fish it t rigged or on a stripped weedgaurd jig if need be. The fat ika rigged skirt up is probably my favorite soft plastic. Rarely gets hung up and every color works. Skirt up with a 4/0 extra wide gap .
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:18 AM, Yeajray231 said:Don't give up on the jig... That'd be a big mistake.. spring through fall the rage chunk is a perfect fit for your booyah baby boo jigs. Green/brown works everywhere. Also black.
Try a Rapala original floater . And rip it down so it just barely ticks the top of the weeds. Or small twitches on the surface..
Get the GY double tail hula grub and fat ika. These are serious baits and catch fish all across this country. I like fishing the hula grub weightless the most.. but will also fish it t rigged or on a stripped weedgaurd jig if need be. The fat ika rigged skirt up is probably my favorite soft plastic. Rarely gets hung up and every color works. Skirt up with a 4/0 extra wide gap .
I just feel like the jig, when I fish it like I thought they should be fished (sitting on the bottom), is just sitting in the bottom of 4 feet of grass where nothing is going to see it. Is that not the case?
CTBassin860 reply :
Jigs are 50 percent of my arsenal.Pich up the 3.5 inch Havoc Pit Boss too.I can throw Black/blue with confidence any time of day spring through fall
Yeajray231 reply :
Bass like to hangout in those weeds.. and ambush. The jig being pulled through the grass gives off vibrations to the bass's lateral line.. if its really thick I would use a more compact trailer like a beaver style bait.
CTBassin860 reply :
I throw a 1/2 oz Terminator with the Pit boss both black and blue when I'm playing in the heavy stuff.Most of the time it's getting hit on the fall.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:23 AM, Yeajray231 said:Bass like to hangout in those weeds.. and ambush. The jig being pulled through the grass gives off vibrations to the bass's lateral line.. if its really thick I would use a more compact trailer like a beaver style bait.
Alright, thanks! I figured (incorrectly, apparently) that they'd have to be able to get their eyes on it to want to bother with hunting it down.
CTBassin860 reply :
Swim jigs Im throwing a kvd with rattles and a craw imitator.
BrackishBassin reply :
So, so far I'm seeing...
Jigs with trailers (various suggested), fished on the bottom or swam
Soft plastics galore (primarily what I've been fishing)
Moving baits that allow me to control depth (crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.)
You guys including chatterbaits in with the general jigs? Been wanting to try fishing one of those too. Heard they're good for cold weather and murky water. Both of which I'll have an abundance of for a while.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:31 AM, BrackishBassin said:So, so far I'm seeing...
Jigs with trailers (various suggested), fished on the bottom or swam
Soft plastics galore (primarily what I've been fishing)
Moving baits that allow me to control depth (crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.)
You guys including chatterbaits in with the general jigs? Been wanting to try fishing one of those too. Heard they're good for cold weather and murky water. Both of which I'll have an abundance of for a while.
It is a bladed jig so I would.Its a topwater bait though.
gmoney13 reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 9:57 PM, BrackishBassin said:I've done a lot of experimenting this year with different baits as I've tried to learn more about freshwater fishing. I'd see a new bait or hear about one and then go buy one to try it out. Quite a few of them have been duds. For example, I picked up some jigs thinking they'd work great, but I haven't caught a single fish on a jig yet.
In an attempt to avoid spending a bunch of money on stuff I don't need, I'd like to get some opinions from you guys regarding the baits you fish in soft bottomed lakes/ponds that have a lot of grass in them. There's relatively little cover that I can access (fishing from the bank and the trail around the lake is 7 miles long) so it's mostly open water stuff with an odd log or laydown here and there.
So, if you guys could pick 3 baits to use in the situation I described above, what would they be and why? Thanks!
Spinnerbaits, Jerkabaits, and Senkos. They are all around good baits. If water is not crystal clear, spinnerbait all the way.
trick worms reply :
I'm a fan of trick worms
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:33 AM, MassBassin508 said:It is a bladed jig so I would.Its a topwater bait though.
Chatterbaits are top water? How? Smallest I've seen are 3/8 ounce. That's definitely going to sink unless you're really cranking on it.
WRB reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 9:57 PM, BrackishBassin said:I've done a lot of experimenting this year with different baits as I've tried to learn more about freshwater fishing. I'd see a new bait or hear about one and then go buy one to try it out. Quite a few of them have been duds. For example, I picked up some jigs thinking they'd work great, but I haven't caught a single fish on a jig yet.
In an attempt to avoid spending a bunch of money on stuff I don't need, I'd like to get some opinions from you guys regarding the baits you fish in soft bottomed lakes/ponds that have a lot of grass in them. There's relatively little cover that I can access (fishing from the bank and the trail around the lake is 7 miles long) so it's mostly open water stuff with an odd log or laydown here and there.
So, if you guys could pick 3 baits to use in the situation I described above, what would they be and why? Thanks!
Discribed your tackle so we can make lures choices that work with what you fish with.
Tom
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:56 AM, WRB said:Discribed your tackle so we can make lures choices that work with what you fish with.
Tom
Beetle spins (small ones I use for perch in saltwater, 1/8 ounce)
2 Booyah Boo jigs (green pumpkin and black/blue)
2 crankbaits (both shallow, one bluegill pattern and the other red craw pattern)
3 jerkbaits (one bass pattern, one bluegill, one random white/pink I found at the lake)
1 Buzzbait (fire tiger color pattern, small pond magic one from Booyah)
Various plastics (senkos, lizards, flukes, baby brush hogs)
Various hooks (1/0 offset worm hooks, 3/0 EWG, octopus hooks, weighted wacky rig hooks)
Bullet style weights (1/8 and 3/8 tungsten, 1/4 lead)
2 frogs (walking style, white/black and yellow/green)
1 super spook junior (mullet pattern, use for saltwater as well)
2 yo zuri minnows (crystal minnow and mullet pattern, use for saltwater as well - these are pretty big baits for freshwater imo, both are 6")
2 lipless crankbaits w/ rattles (one bluegill pattern, one red/green craw pattern)
I've got one spinning set up (7ft ML w/ 2000 size reel, spooled with 15lb green braid) and one baitcasting set up (6' 9" MH, reel spooled with 50lb green braid). May have another baitcaster after Christmas. If so, it'll be either a 6' 6" or 7" M and I was planning on spooling the reel with either 30lb green braid and/or 12lb mono.
snake95 reply :
On 12/18/2016 at 9:57 PM, BrackishBassin said:So, if you guys could pick 3 baits to use in the situation I described above, what would they be and why? Thanks!
The situation you described is what I primarily fish. There are many many baits that have worked for me, but here are my top 3:
1. Senko or similar: T-rigged.
2. Craw: T-rigged.
3. Paddletail swimbait on a jighead.
4. Ned rig.
5. Also, I love to crank and wind and cover water where there are no obvious targets, and as @Yeajray231 says, its hard to beat the versatile original Rapala (and also the jointed and shallow shad rap). Worth considering that these float and you can control the depth by stopping and preventing snags.
The Senko is much-loved by others and the links provided by RW are great - over time I've gone back to read them again and again and thanks to them I'm getting better with the stickbaits, but honestly still not my top producer. For me, Senkos T-rigged weightless are great for chucking at those targets you identified, great for tossing as a follow-up bait on a second rod. I tossed them into active bluegills late summer this year and after the splash that sends the 'gills running, there comes the familliar tick-tick of a bass picking up the bait. Great for weedy ponds because they don't accumulate many weeds.
I personally have had luck with a T-rigged craw on a 3/0 to 5/0 EWG an none on a jig - but that might just be me. (I'm fairly new to bass). The craw is so versatile because it can fall and flutter in front of a target, can be hopped and swam to flutter its craws, and dragged slowly on the bottom. I love to fish them with a light weight or none at all and reeled across surface fast to churn and then stopped to flutter down a bit. I like Yum's mighty bug and Christie Craw but the Rage craws are probably great too.
Paddletails can be rigged Texas too and straight retrieved, with or without a sinker. I like and have caught on the Keitech Fat Impact or Zoom paddletail fluke. They can make a good crankbait replacement, but are weedless and even when rigged on a swimbait or boxer jighead, they can be "weed resistant." They are more versatile than cranks in a way, because they can be stopped and let flutter down, or hopped on the bottom, or churned on the surface over shallow cover to create a wake and bascially work as a weedless topwater. I can't tell you how many times I've had them picked up off the botom by bass when I've "deadsticked" them and let them just sit and twitch on the bottom.
Hope these suggestions help...
There are many, many baits that I'd also fish in this situation. In the later spring and summertime, I love to fish topwaters and haven't met many I can't catch fish on - moving baits: buzzbaits, walking baits (KVD sexy dawg and Rapala Skitterwalk), and whopper ploppers stand out for me.
The ned rig has been incredible for me in local shallow ponds - follow the directions on Glenn's video to a "T" and you will be surprised. My best morning this summer on one pond was 10 fish in 4 hours, at one point, 4 bass in 5 minutes! Not snag proof, so that's a consideration.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 1:45 AM, BrackishBassin said:
Chatterbaits are top water? How? Smallest I've seen are 3/8 ounce. That's definitely going to sink unless you're really cranking on it.
Chatterbait run below the surface in the top of the water column."Topwater" not all topwater lures float.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 2:28 AM, MassBassin508 said:Chatterbait run below the surface in the top of the water column."Topwater" not all topwater lures float.
I had no idea. Thanks!
On 12/19/2016 at 2:19 AM, snake95 said:The situation you described is what I primarily fish. There are many many baits that have worked for me, but here are my top 3:
1. Senko or similar: T-rigged.
2. Craw T-rigged.
3.Paddletail swimbait on a jighead.
3.
Thanks! I've had my most success with the soft plastics. Looking to expand my repertoire. Definitely going to try the jig head/swim bait combo.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 2:14 AM, BrackishBassin said:
Beetle spins (small ones I use for perch in saltwater, 1/8 ounce)
2 Booyah Boo jigs (green pumpkin and black/blue)
2 crankbaits (both shallow, one bluegill pattern and the other red craw pattern)
3 jerkbaits (one bass pattern, one bluegill, one random white/pink I found at the lake)
1 Buzzbait (fire tiger color pattern, small pond magic one from Booyah)
Various plastics (senkos, lizards, flukes, baby brush hogs)
Various hooks (1/0 offset worm hooks, 3/0 EWG, octopus hooks, weighted wacky rig hooks)
Bullet style weights (1/8 and 3/8 tungsten, 1/4 lead)
2 frogs (walking style, white/black and yellow/green)
1 super spook junior (mullet pattern, use for saltwater as well)
2 yo zuri minnows (crystal minnow and mullet pattern, use for saltwater as well - these are pretty big baits for freshwater imo, both are 6")
2 lipless crankbaits w/ rattles (one bluegill pattern, one red/green craw pattern)
I've got one spinning set up (7ft ML w/ 2000 size reel, spooled with 15lb green braid) and one baitcasting set up (6' 9" MH, reel spooled with 50lb green braid). May have another baitcaster after Christmas. If so, it'll be either a 6' 6" or 7" M and I was planning on spooling the reel with either 30lb green braid and/or 12lb mono.
What's the baitcasting reel?
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 2:40 AM, MassBassin508 said:What's the baitcasting reel?
I've got a Black Max I bought as a combo.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 3:05 AM, BrackishBassin said:
I've got a Black Max I bought as a combo.
Silver max combo was my 1st BC combo.I took the reel apart and wrecked it.Only reason its not still being used.What's the gear ratio on the black max?
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 3:13 AM, MassBassin508 said:Silver max combo was my 1st BC combo.I took the reel apart and wrecked it.Only reason its not still being used.What's the gear ratio on the black max?
It's a 6 something, can't remember exactly.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 3:05 AM, BrackishBassin said:
I've got a Black Max I bought as a combo.
Silver max combo was my 1st BC combo.I took the reel apart and wrecked it.Only reason its not still being used.At 6.4:1 Thats a good all around.28 IPT. Keep in mind that when buying a BC the IPT is more important than the gear ratio.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 2:19 AM, snake95 said:@Yeajray231
The ned rig has been incredible for me in local shallow ponds - follow the directions on Glenn's video to a "T" and you will be surprised. My best morning this summer on one pond was 10 fish in 4 hours, at one point, 4 bass in 5 minutes! Not snag proof, so that's a consideration.
The Ned rig is another set up I'd like to try. Just need to get my hands on some of the mushroom jig heads. I tried with some saltwater jig heads I had but they were waaaaay too heavy. Every cast I pulled back an entire yard's worth of grass.
snake95 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 2:29 AM, BrackishBassin said:Thanks! I've had my most success with the soft plastics. Looking to expand my repertoire.
OK that's good to hear. I didn't fish soft plastics much until this year, and just following this board has had a huge effect on my success.
I love crankbaits, rattlebaits -- really all types of hard baits, but I find that learning to fish soft plastics has really been key to success in the kind of water you are describing, because they don't get hung up in all that grass.
The flukes you have can take the place of the hard jerkbaits -- in fact they can be even more versatile because they will still attract strikes as they flutter down when you park them. I have had luck jerking them close to surface and when the bass are active and hitting baitfish near surface, skittering them on surface and letting them flutter down can be effective. You may need some larger EWG or straight-shank hooks for them than you have on your list, though, 3/0 will be OK but 4/0 and 5/0 can also work. I find the hook itself can provide a good weight balance for a fluke. On that note, you might have luck with those yo-zuris - not as many hits as with smaller baits, but bass as small as the lures will hit them for sure.
Regarding the 30 lb braid on a baitcaster - you'll get the full range of opinions on that here, and from guys far more experienced than I am, but as a rookie I find 30 lb braid to be too light for a baitcaster. Again, that's a function of experience and opinion - but I know others on the board would also go heavier.
On 12/19/2016 at 3:20 AM, BrackishBassin said:The Ned rig is another set up I'd like to try. Just need to get my hands on some of the mushroom jig heads
Ned rig has been a miracle worker in soft-bottom ponds for me. I don't believe in wonder lures, but this is the closest I've seen to that.
A surprise for me has been that lighter is usually better - I mean really small and light - 1/16 or even smaller. They offer ones with weedguards and you can get creative and rig sort of Texas-style - but I usually just bear with it in terms of the weeds. There have been some good threads on this subject that you can find. I'll try to link.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 3:21 AM, snake95 said:OK that's good to hear. I didn't fish soft plastics much until this year, and just following this board has had a huge effect on my success.
I love crankbaits, rattlebaits -- really all types of hard baits, but I find that learning to fish soft plastics has really been key to success in the kind of water you are describing, because they don't get hung up in all that grass.
The flukes you have can take the place of the hard jerkbaits -- in fact they can be even more versatile because they will still attract strikes as they flutter down when you park them. I have had luck jerking them close to surface and when the bass are active and hitting baitfish near surface, skittering them on surface and letting them flutter down can be effective. You may need some larger EWG or straight-shank hooks for them than you have on your list, though, 3/0 will be OK but 4/0 and 5/0 can also work. I find the hook itself can provide a good weight balance for a fluke. On that note, you might have luck with those yo-zuris - not as many hits as with smaller baits, but bass as small as the lures will hit them for sure.
Regarding the 30 lb braid on a baitcaster - you'll get the full range of opinions on that here, and from guys far more experienced than I am, but as a rookie I find 30 lb braid to be too light for a baitcaster. Again, that's a function of experience and opinion - but I know others on the board would also go heavier.
Thanks! I'm still trying to decide what to do about the line. I had mono on my baitcaster before I spooled it with the 50lb braid, but I get tired of tying on leaders all the time. Won't have that issue if I go straight mono.
I also think that the 50lb braid is a bit of overkill considering the heaviest I use on my saltwater set ups is 30lb and the fish I'm targeting are significantly larger than any bass I'm going to come across. However, it does seem to be easier to manage than the mono was, and I have the other half of the spool left, so maybe I'll just put 50lb on the new baitcaster as well.
Think I'll wait until I have the new set up in hand to make that decision though.
WRB reply :
OK, you have both a ML spinning and a MH baitcasting outfits with braid line and good detailed explanation of your tackle. You are setup to bass fish nearly any standard lures and rigs. It comes down to where to fish and what lure presentations will be effective where and how you fish.
Grass and laydowns to me me are both cover elements, the lake terrain, bottom, dam, points, dock pilings etc., being structure elements. For simplicity let's look at bass location as being the spawn cycle and balance of the year. Bass spawn in wind protected areas with shallow water 1' to 6' deep as a general rule in small lakes. During the spawn most of the bass population will be near this type of areas. Before and after the spawn most bass will be located near the points close to the spawning areas or in deeper water near the dam. I always like to start fishing near dams and points except during the spawn. Start there.
Select lures and use presentations that allow the lure to work properly where you fish.
You can't use crankbaits in weeds effectively, use weedless lures. Fishing from shore limits how and where you can fish, you are fishing uphill so select lures and presentation that work well uphill.
Surface lures are good choices and deep diving lures are not a good choice where and how you fish. Lures that tend to snag on the bottom easily are not good choices.
ML spinning tackle;
Rapalas floating/diving F13 original minnow in silver black back.
Split/slip shot or mojo rig using 1/8 oz cyclinder or bullet weight and Carolina keeper with 1/0 hook. 5" to 6" inch soft plastic worms that float and use 8 lb mono ( 3' to 6' long) with 14" to 20" leader length from weight to hook. Rig the worms weedless.
Weighless 5" Senko with 2/0 weedless wacky hook, use 8 lb mono leader, 3' to 6'.
Attach leader to braid with Uni-Uni knot.
MH baitcasting tackle;
Spinnerbaits, buzz baits, super spook, for open water and nail weighted Flukes and hollow body frogs for grass areas.
Carolina rig using 1/4 to 3/8 oz bullet weighs with Carolina keeper and 12 to 15 lb 6' mono leader, Uni-Uni know and 3/0 hook. 6" to 8" worms and baby brush hogs, eight 14" to 20"* above hook.
This should keep you busy next year and catching bass day and night.
Good luck.
Tom
* longer leader lengths are OK if you can effectively cast from shore.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 4:03 AM, WRB said:OK, you have both a ML spinning and a MH baitcasting outfits with braid line and good detailed explanation of your tackle. You are setup to bass fish nearly any standard lures and rigs. It comes down to where to fish and what lure presentations will be effective where and how you fish.
Grass and laydowns to me me are both cover elements, the lake terrain, bottom, dam, points, dock pilings etc., being structure elements. For simplicity let's look at bass location as being the spawn cycle and balance of the year. Bass spawn in wind protected areas with shallow water 1' to 6' deep as a general rule in small lakes. During the spawn most of the bass population will be near this type of areas. Before and after the spawn most bass will be located near the points close to the spawning areas or in deeper water near the dam. I always like to start fishing near dams and points except during the spawn. Start there.
Select lures and use presentations that allow the lure to work properly where you fish.
You can't use crankbaits in weeds effectively, use weedless lures. Fishing from shore limits how and where you can fish, you are fishing uphill so select lures and presentation that work well uphill.
Surface lures are good choices and deep diving lures are not a good choice where and how you fish. Lures that tend to snag on the bottom easily are not good choices.
ML spinning tackle;
Rapalas floating/diving F13 original minnow in silver black back.
Split/slip shot or mojo rig using 1/8 oz cyclinder or bullet weight and Carolina keeper with 1/0 hook. 5" to 6" inch soft plastic worms that float and use 8 lb mono ( 3' to 6' long) with 14" to 20" leader length from weight to hook. Rig the worms weedless.
Weighless 5" Senko with 2/0 weedless wacky hook, use 8 lb mono leader, 3' to 6'.
Attach leader to braid with Uni-Uni knot.
MH baitcasting tackle;
Spinnerbaits, buzz baits, super spook, for open water and nail weighted Flukes and hollow body frogs for grass areas.
Carolina rig using 1/4 to 3/8 oz bullet weighs with Carolina keeper and 12 to 15 lb 6' mono leader, Uni-Uni know and 3/0 hook. 6" to 8" worms and baby brush hogs, eight 14" to 20"* above hook.
This should keep you busy next year and catching bass day and night.
Good luck.
Tom
* longer leader lengths are OK if you can effectively cast from shore.
Hey, you ever tried the FG knot? I use that as my leader knots. Learned it for saltwater and just continued using it when I went to fresh.
budgetbassin reply :
Weightless Zoom Trick Worms and Super Flukes with a twitch and pause retrieve around the grass. If there is any mats, throw a small frog such as a Pad Crasher Jr.
JRammit reply :
Nobody mentioned a drop shot.. With a long enough leader, it will keep your bait above the muck and dead grass
wdp reply :
I really cut my teeth fishing some densely covered lakes - tons of grass & lily pads. Finally found the best baits and set up were as follows:
7ft MH rod with fairly stiff tip, but not too stiff.
30 lb braid line, I prefer power pro.
5" senko type stick baits
5" soft plastic jerk baits, I prefer Zoom super flukes.
Buzz frogs, I prefer Stanley Ribbit & Zoom Horny Toads.
Couple packs of 5/0 EWG Gamakatzu hooks.
The great thing about these baits, they'll all work on that 5/0 EWG hook and you can change baits quickly on the fly. If the bass won't hit the topwater frog buzzed around the vegetation, then you can easily switch to the fluke or the senko. Some of my best days were when I'd twitch a fluke or senko into gaps in the grass or lilies, then dead stick the bait & let it flutter down.
CTBassin860 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 7:56 AM, wdp said:I really cut my teeth fishing some densely covered lakes - tons of grass & lily pads. Finally found the best baits and set up were as follows:
7ft MH rod with fairly stiff tip, but not too stiff.
30 lb braid line, I prefer power pro.
5" senko type stick baits
5" soft plastic jerk baits, I prefer Zoom super flukes.
Buzz frogs, I prefer Stanley Ribbit & Zoom Horny Toads.
Couple packs of 5/0 EWG Gamakatzu hooks.
The great thing about these baits, they'll all work on that 5/0 EWG hook and you can change baits quickly on the fly. If the bass won't hit the topwater frog buzzed around the vegetation, then you can easily switch to the fluke or the senko. Some of my best days were when I'd twitch a fluke or senko into gaps in the grass or lilies, then dead stick the bait & let it flutter down.
If your going to give me the tip give me the tip.Do t keep it a secret.Mod.mod Fast,fast or xfast?
wdp reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 8:14 AM, MassBassin508 said:If your going to give me the tip give me the tip.Do t keep it a secret.Mod.mod Fast,fast or xfast?
As others on here have stated, the problem with giving rod tip actions is that they really can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. I prob like a little bit stiffer rod tip for flukes, senkos, etc. than most people do. To me, it gives me a little bit better hook set. But my point was you prob want a little bit flex in rod tip to work the bait, but not too much. Personally, I go to diff sporting good stores & pick up a bunch of diff rods until I find one I think will work good for whatever presentation I want to fish with the rod.
Big thing is, you can get couple packs of all the baits I mentioned plus couple packs of the EWG hooks and they'll all work on that same hook, rigged weightless and texposed. Plus, you can use the same rod/reel set up. So in the end, not an overly huge investment.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 7:56 AM, wdp said:I really cut my teeth fishing some densely covered lakes - tons of grass & lily pads. Finally found the best baits and set up were as follows:
7ft MH rod with fairly stiff tip, but not too stiff.
30 lb braid line, I prefer power pro.
5" senko type stick baits
5" soft plastic jerk baits, I prefer Zoom super flukes.
Buzz frogs, I prefer Stanley Ribbit & Zoom Horny Toads.
Couple packs of 5/0 EWG Gamakatzu hooks.
The great thing about these baits, they'll all work on that 5/0 EWG hook and you can change baits quickly on the fly. If the bass won't hit the topwater frog buzzed around the vegetation, then you can easily switch to the fluke or the senko. Some of my best days were when I'd twitch a fluke or senko into gaps in the grass or lilies, then dead stick the bait & let it flutter down.
So, plastic, plastic, and plastics? 
On 12/19/2016 at 7:15 AM, JRammit said:Nobody mentioned a drop shot.. With a long enough leader, it will keep your bait above the muck and dead grass
I do throw a drop shot, but I guess I categorize that as a plastics presentation in my mind. I tend to lump Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, and drop shots together because they've all got a soft plastic.
Montanaro reply :
Soft jerkbaits, chatterbaits, shallow shallow crankbaits.
And jigs work in grassy soft bottom areas when you throw them into laydowns and work them above the gunk through the branches
JRammit reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 6:42 PM, BrackishBassin said:
So, plastic, plastic, and plastics?
I do throw a drop shot, but I guess I categorize that as a plastics presentation in my mind. I tend to lump Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, and drop shots together because they've all got a soft plastic.
I wouldnt... Those are three completely different presentations, even if you use the same lure on each.... Weightless plastics are plastics too, but you wouldnt fish them in the same situations as the 3 techniques you listed
Speaking of weightless, here's something you can try.. One of my favorite techniques that I don't think anyone else uses.... A tandem hooked weightless worm.... I make my own worms specifically for this, but any strait tail worm will work (Roboworm or Zoom trick worm both do the job).... Hook size depends on the sink rate you want, I use #6 or #4 bait holder hooks..... The worm is nose hooked with the first hook and skin hooked with the second... The smaller hooks give the worm full range of motion, you can make it swim with a jiggle of the rod, or dart eratticly with gentle jerks.... Either way, the worm really comes alive, and the sink rate is so slow on a pause it's almost suspending..... Great for shallow water or bank fishing, and killer over the top of submerged weed beds!
snake95 reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 4:03 AM, WRB said:Select lures and use presentations that allow the lure to work properly where you fish.
You can't use crankbaits in weeds effectively, use weedless lures. Fishing from shore limits how and where you can fish, you are fishing uphill so select lures and presentation that work well uphill.
I'd say WRB's full response on this thread is a piece of Bassresource gold. I find that great stuff like this you can come back to again and again.
On 12/19/2016 at 6:42 PM, BrackishBassin said:So, plastic, plastic, and plastics
The common thread to the responses is plastics because as WRB said, you can rig them weedless. If you follow his posts, you'll know Tom is a veteran hawg hunter. I'm coming at your questions as a rookie bankbeater that approached this same question only about two years ago, and the short answer for me has been to follow Tom's advice - plastics presentations where you can bury the hook so it is weedless, or use a weedless hook (e.g. weedless wacky). There is a reason why half the lures in a tackle shop in bass country are plastics. I'd say the answers you are getting are more about dealing with weeds than about being plastic. A T-rigged craw is a different animal than a mojo-rigged (but weedless) worm. If you aren't fishing weedless, you need to be fishing close to the surface with a topwater or shallow runner, because snags are always a problem fishing from the bank.
Plastics are a diverse lot. In some areas, you might have sufficiently sparse weed cover that you can fish something that is not strictly weedless with confidence, and that's where I've found baits with a single hook and narrow profile like jigheads with paddletails can come through with limited weed accumulation. A crankbait or anything with trebles that gets into the weeds will be gunked up in no time.
I assume you have some relatively open water in places in the pond - I do in my soft-bottom ponds. Those are the pond areas I'm inclined to chance a Ned Rig or something that isn't weedless.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 8:56 PM, snake95 said:I'd say WRB's full response on this thread is a piece of Bassresource gold. I find that great stuff like this you can come back to again and again.
The common thread to the responses is plastics because as WRB said, you can rig them weedless. If you follow his posts, you'll know Tom is a veteran hawg hunter. I'm coming at your questions as a rookie bankbeater that approached this same question only about two years ago, and the short answer for me has been to follow Tom's advice - plastics presentations where you can bury the hook so it is weedless, or use a weedless hook (e.g. weedless wacky). There is a reason why half the lures in a tackle shop in bass country are plastics. I'd say the answers you are getting are more about dealing with weeds than about being plastic. A T-rigged craw is a different animal than a mojo-rigged (but weedless) worm. If you aren't fishing weedless, you need to be fishing close to the surface with a topwater or shallow runner, because snags are always a problem fishing from the bank.
Plastics are a diverse lot. In some areas, you might have sufficiently sparse weed cover that you can fish something that is not strictly weedless with confidence, and that's where I've found baits with a single hook and narrow profile like jigheads with paddletails can come through with limited weed accumulation. A crankbait or anything with trebles that gets into the weeds will be gunked up in no time.
I assume you have some relatively open water in places in the pond - I do in my soft-bottom ponds. Those are the pond areas I'm inclined to chance a Ned Rig or something that isn't weedless.
I copied WRB's response to a Google Doc so I can refer to it as needed. Definitely informative. But I've been taking notes from all of the responses I've gotten in this thread. Everyone involved has been really helpful.
I do know that the different types of plastic presentations are fished differently, but for some reason I don't tend to think of them as different lure choices. Guess that's something I'll have to change in my head and see if that helps.
If there's open soft bottom, I've yet to find it in my pond. I'm sure there's some on the lake, just haven't found it yet. The trail around the lake is 7 miles long, so I've got a lot of bank to beat before I can say, with confidence, where it is. I do know of a submerged forest, but it's 3.5 miles from the parking area. I know I'll make it around there at some point, just need to find the time. There's also a dam at one end that's got rip rap on it. That's the other spot on my list to try out once I've got the grassy areas nailed down.
wdp reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 6:42 PM, BrackishBassin said:
So, plastic, plastic, and plastics?
Well, when you said grass in the lake, the attached pic is what I imagined. That's a place I used to fish A LOT!!! Full of grass and lily pads, all matted on top. But after reading some of the posts in your thread more closely, sounds like most of the grass in your lake is on the bottom.
Looks like you're getting a bunch of good advice either way. So good luck in the spring when it warms up. ?
BrackishBassin reply :
On 12/20/2016 at 3:53 AM, wdp said:Well, when you said grass in the lake, the attached pic is what I imagined. That's a place I used to fish A LOT!!! Full of grass and lily pads, all matted on top. But after reading some of the posts in your thread more closely, sounds like most of the grass in your lake is on the bottom.
Looks like you're getting a bunch of good advice either way. So good luck in the spring when it warms up. ?
Gotcha. The lake I'm talking about can be seen over my shoulder in my profile picture. Very little vegetation on top, but the bottom is thick.
Jaderose reply :
I'm surprised that no one mentioned a lipless crank. (At least what I saw). A Treble hooked lure in the weeds? *GASP* Absolutely. If you have any kind of area between the water surface and the grass below, chuck a trap out there and burn across the top of that grass. Let it even flutter down into it and RIP it out of there. This is NOT a finesse technique...lol...but man does it catch some hogs
snake95 reply :
On 12/20/2016 at 6:59 AM, Jaderose said:If you have any kind of area between the water surface and the grass below, chuck a trap out there and burn across the top of that grass.
Ha - fair enough - good point and agreed @Jaderose. I also have had success in ponds burning those traps along above the bottom vegetation, and that's a good thought for the OP too. As you put it perfectly, it helps to have a little bit of clearance up top when you are in a pond fishing from shore. The narrow profile of the trap body helps too, compared to a squarebill.
fishwizzard reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 12:24 AM, roadwarrior said:Okay. Try a Rage Tail Menace rigged with a bullet weight weedless. Swim it just off the bottom and at various depths. Pop the bait when you hit anything. The bait comes through grass very well.
OP, I bet I fish some of the same waters you do, and this will work very well, maybe tying with flukes as my most productive LBM lure of last season. I like to rig them on an 3/0 Owner straight shank with a 1/16oz steel weight. The hook seems big and is murder on the plastics but I have never experienced such a high hookup rate. I use a steel bullet weight as I want it to be large enough to be a nose cone/bumper for the plastic, which helps prolong it's life. Using a Zoom Ultra Speed Craw makes for a smaller (and cheaper) variant of this technique.
I also like the aforementioned flukes and for heavier tackle, paddle-tailed swimbaits rigged weedless on a weighted swimbait hook. Like a Fat Impact 3.8" on say a 1/8-1/4oz hook. They cast far, get down quickly (and look good doing so), and can be slow-rolled along the bottom or burned shallow.
wdp reply :
On 12/20/2016 at 6:59 AM, Jaderose said:I'm surprised that no one mentioned a lipless crank. (At least what I saw). A Treble hooked lure in the weeds? *GASP* Absolutely. If you have any kind of area between the water surface and the grass below, chuck a trap out there and burn across the top of that grass. Let it even flutter down into it and RIP it out of there. This is NOT a finesse technique...lol...but man does it catch some hogs
Big +1 on this. Redeye Shad can be money with this senario.
N Florida Mike reply :
I've done a lifetime of pond fishing in shallow,weedy lakes.When I go,I always carry these baits:
•Zoom salty super flukes
•G Yamamoto senkos 4-5 inch
•Zoom trick worms
•zoom baby brush hogs
•Zoom z- hogs
•Zoom super speed craw.
• 7 1/2 and 10 inch culprit worms
These are all good.I use watermelon seed and watermelon red primarily in clear to moderately stained water.Darker water I use a lot of red shad,june bug,black grape and black.All t- rigged on a 3/0 wide angle hook,or 2/0 with the worm.The 4 inch senko I like 1/0.I use little to no weight,unless I'm fishing a deeper lake.
BrackishBassin reply :
Thanks everyone! I've definitely got some information to sift through and figure out a plan for the spring. Going to be hard to narrow it down to three lures/techniques with all the good suggestions, but I'll do my best.
If I manage to get out this winter, I've decided to fish jigs exclusively to try and develop a better feel for them. Just going to have to leave the plastics at home so I'm not tempted to rig one up after an hour without a bite. They're definitely my confidence bait, but like I've said, I'd really like to develop some other techniques to fall back on.
WRB reply :
On 12/19/2016 at 5:03 AM, BrackishBassin said:
Hey, you ever tried the FG knot? I use that as my leader knots. Learned it for saltwater and just continued using it when I went to fresh.
FG knot is excellent if you can tie it correctly.
fishing jigs in cold water from shore in a small lake with soft (mucky) bottom will be a challenge. If you insist on doing this then use a 1/4 oz jig with a 2" to 2 1/2" trailer in the deepest area you know of.
Tom
PS; thanks to everyone for the positive feedback, it's appreciated!
primetime reply :
Rage Rig with a flat bait like the Rage Bug or beaver can work well..I also like to use light shaky heads that wont sink to far, or a split shot to kick up the mud with a floating worm behind it...Trick worm behind a split shot or a grub almost always gets bit.
if Shallow just go weightless or light 1/16-1/8 weighted hook so bait falls flat if that makes sense.
Jagg reply :
Lot of grass and soft bottom? Tube, grub and craw. Jighead/open hook, light t-rig, swim jig. Also, floating Rapala minnow, Norman Thin N, other floating/diving cranks.
ErikmonBillsfon reply :
I have lots of mud or leafy bottom ponds in CT and I understand how soft bottom can restrict using a jig or bottom bouncing lure. Some of my ponds have thick slime or mud that will stick to jigs and shakey heads. I also encounter a thick layer of hydrilla on the bottom. For these shallow water situations I like to keep it moving over the weeds or slime. I like a Rapala xrap or flat rap that suspends and will stay clear of the sludge. I will use weightless flukes or senko style lures but I find moving kietech swing impact fats in 3-5 feet of water can come through the sticky stuff. This year I did really well on Texas rigged strike king rage bugs on the smallest size I can get away with. Other than that in the weedy conditions I will go on top with a livetarget mouse or frog, popper, spook. This year I will commit myself to get good at jig fishing the few places I go that have hard bottom, whether it be Sandy or rocky and throw alot more bottom bouncing lures. It's a lot harder to feel and be an angler fishing the bottom structure than simple cast and reel retrieves but I feel like it will make us a better all all round fisherman.
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