Weedless bass lures aren't 2024
JBT1981 reply :
Nothing is 100% weedless, I get that. But when I bank fish for bass, I always bring back more 'salad' than fish. Weedless Ned rigs, lipless crankbaits, jitterbugs; unless I'm using a Pad Crasher frog or getting bluegill with a bobber, my lures get pretty fouled up with vegetation.
Short of buying a boat to get away from the banks, how do I avoid the weeds I get caught up on?
Todd2 reply :
A weightless soft stickbait....Texas rigged with the swivel keeping it in place has been working best for me in a shallow grassy pond I've been hitting after work.
Glaucus reply :
Weightless soft plastics and topwaters are the best way to avoid brining up weeds.
If something has a wire guard I look at it more like I'm going to be able to fend off wood, rocks, and other hard debris, but not vegetation.
JBT1981 reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:26 AM, Glaucus said:Weightless soft plastics and topwaters are the best way to avoid brining up weeds.
If something has a wire guard I look at it more like I'm going to be able to fend off wood, rocks, and other hard debris, but not vegetation.
Yeah, the wire guard ned rig heads advertised as weedless have so far been a no-go for me.
Glaucus reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:30 AM, JBT1981 said:Yeah, the wire guard ned rig heads advertised as weedless have so far been a no-go for me.
They are amazing for me in my rocky river. If I use the ones without the guard I get snagged almost instantly. Around grass and other vegetation wire guards won't prevent it from bringing that crap up. I view wire guards more of a deflection off the hard stuff my hook would otherwise dig in to.
JBT1981 reply :
I wanted to use something with a rattle or really anything that will draw attention to the lure since right now the water is so muddy.
WRB reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:16 AM, JBT1981 said:Nothing is 100% weedless, I get that. But when I bank fish for bass, I always bring back more 'salad' than fish. Weedless Ned rigs, lipless crankbaits, jitterbugs; unless I'm using a Pad Crasher frog or getting bluegill with a bobber, my lures get pretty fouled up with vegetation.
Short of buying a boat to get away from the banks, how do I avoid the weeds I get caught up on?
Weedless Ned rigs (jig), lipless crankbaits are not intended to be weedless, jitterbugs with treble hooks never were weedless.
Weed guards protect the hook point only, weeds/grass is collected by your line wrapping around the front of the lure, unless it's bullet shape to let stuff slide off it collects on the front. To remove what collects on the front of lures you need to clean off during the retrieve by ripping it or gently jiggling the lure. What collects on the hooks can be reduced by weed guards. Surface lures with hook on top of the lure that also have weed guards are your best weedless lures because they slide over the top weeds/grass.
Options; buzz baits, weedless spoons like Johnson Silver minnow, grass jigs bullet shaped in lieu of mushroom(Ned) heads, weedless rigged soft plastics.
Tom
Harold Scoggins reply :
Every little bit helps. Try using a peg stop in front of any exposed knot. I use them on spinnerbait/chatterbaits and cranks.
NittyGrittyBoy reply :
I have a weedy pond on my home from work as well, flukes and senkos are about the only successful things I've found to fish
Paul Roberts reply :
Well... the lures you describe should do the trick. It sounds like you need to fish more deftly. What this means is:
-Right weight lure for water depth, so it doesn't crash or bury.
-Right type and diameter line to balance that lure weight. Fluorocarbon lines sink, nylons are buoyant, and braids float. Thin lines will allow the lure to plummet faster. Thicker lines buoy them up.
-Know how deep your lure is. Best way to familiarize yourself is to do this where you can see it -clear water so you can see how deep your lure and line combo's get as you fish them. This "knowing where your lure is", sight-unseen, is also how you map out the water in front of you as you work a lure, allowing you to ID where trouble spots are. You can then avoid, or even fish, them.
-Maybe the biggest issue can be trying to yank your lure through when you feel or suspect weeds. Frustration will kill you; The weeds will win. If you yank, you're setting the hook into those weeds and will have a mess. Fish deftly through weeds. Walk the bait through. Don't yank, unless you know the coast is clear (see "mapping the water" above).
-Lastly, some weeds are easier to fish through than others. Some are solid enough to walk through, even bounce off of, pretty well. Others, are impossible.
If you can do these things, you can fish in the weeds, and enjoy it!
Brew City Bass reply :
No lure is truly weedless. Weedless just means it was designed to come through the weeds as best it can.
At every lake I fish there's parts where not even a spinnerbait would come through without a clump of salad on it. Either I use a frog here, or a punching rig / flipping rig.
scaleface reply :
Do you know what kind of weed you are dealing with ? If its Chara, You will probably need to go with a weightless worm or frog . There are no other choices that I know of . I fish around and over it with a spinnerbait and buzzbait but not through it . Thats from a boat though .
fin reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:16 AM, JBT1981 said:Short of buying a boat to get away from the banks, how do I avoid the weeds I get caught up on?
From what I've seen at the lake I fish, 99% of people with boats still only fish the banks. A boat's just going to put you on the other side.
OkobojiEagle reply :
light weight spinnerbaits fished over the weeds... light weight sled rigged plastic fished slowly through the weeds.
oe
MickD reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:50 AM, WRB said:Johnson Silver minnow,
Tied on, not with a snap, is the most weedless lure ever invented. It works really well crawling over lily pads, too. I had forgotten it, nice catch, Tom. Gotta find some real white pork strips! The kind in the jar that has the cap that rusts on when you don't use them for a while. So soft they do not catch any vegetation, just fish.
NorthernBasser reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:34 AM, JBT1981 said:I wanted to use something with a rattle or really anything that will draw attention to the lure since right now the water is so muddy.
Insert worm rattles in your plastics?
Fishin' Fool reply :
Bury the hook point back into your plastics the best you can. This will help make regular plastics mostly weedless.
JBT1981 reply :
So I spent a few hours at a lake today with my MH baitcaster, some 20# mono, a 3/0 EWG hook and a slew of 5" plastic worms. I'm only now trying to catch something other than panfish, so I haven't really messed with a Texas rig.
It performed very well in the veg! I had three strikes on it from under the algae piles it was sitting on (I missed due to early hook sets, I think), but I was able to catch a largemouth with that setup!
Going back to the idea of making noise: I'd read that some people set up a Texas rig with a bead between the eye of the hook and the bullet weight to make a slight noise. Any thoughts?
JBT1981 reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 5:25 AM, scaleface said:Do you know what kind of weed you are dealing with ? If its Chara, You will probably need to go with a weightless worm or frog . There are no other choices that I know of . I fish around and over it with a spinnerbait and buzzbait but not through it . Thats from a boat though .
No, I'm not really sure. I'll have to look around on Google.
Brew City Bass reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 9:20 AM, JBT1981 said:So I spent a few hours at a lake today with my MH baitcaster, some 20# mono, a 3/0 EWG hook and a slew of 5" plastic worms. I'm only now trying to catch something other than panfish, so I haven't really messed with a Texas rig.
It performed very well in the veg! I had three strikes on it from under the algae piles it was sitting on (I missed due to early hook sets, I think), but I was able to catch a largemouth with that setup!
Going back to the idea of making noise: I'd read that some people set up a Texas rig with a bead between the eye of the hook and the bullet weight to make a slight noise. Any thoughts?
Yep! I use a brass bullet weight and a glass bead rigged just like you said, it takes away from the weedless factor a little, but it does at noise.
WRB reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 9:20 AM, JBT1981 said:So I spent a few hours at a lake today with my MH baitcaster, some 20# mono, a 3/0 EWG hook and a slew of 5" plastic worms. I'm only now trying to catch something other than panfish, so I haven't really messed with a Texas rig.
It performed very well in the veg! I had three strikes on it from under the algae piles it was sitting on (I missed due to early hook sets, I think), but I was able to catch a largemouth with that setup!
Going back to the idea of making noise: I'd read that some people set up a Texas rig with a bead between the eye of the hook and the bullet weight to make a slight noise. Any thoughts?
When you say 5" plastic worm, what worm?
3/0 EWG hook is a big hook for any 5" worm, 20 lb mono is heavy line for bass fishing T-rigs, especially small soft plastic worms. Standard MH bass rods bottom out at 4-5 lbs lifting weight.
I am not a fan of heavy 3/0 EWG hooks for T-rigs.
Brass n glass the painted brass bullet weight and 8mm tempered glass faceted bead is a good combo.
4 1/2" to 6" worms are finesse size usually used with smaller lighter wire hooks 1/0 or 2/0 size, 1/8 to 1/4 oz weights using 8 lb to 12 lb mono or FC line.
Tom
Catt reply :
There's only two ways to fish vegetation, above it or below it!
I prefer Texas Rigged plastics because of their versatility. It's common practice to fish weightless plastics in vegetation but many times I'll go weighted up to 1/8-1/4 oz. It's heavy enough to flip-n-pitch to holes in the cover but I can still buzz it on top like a frog.
JBT1981 reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 10:26 AM, WRB said:When you say 5" plastic worm, what worm?
Gary Yamasenkos. Green pumpkin with a red flake.
Koz reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:34 AM, JBT1981 said:I wanted to use something with a rattle or really anything that will draw attention to the lure since right now the water is so muddy.
Teckel Sprinker Frog
Bluebasser86 reply :
Weedless is a very misleading term. Most often when a fishing lure is described as "weedless", it's not really very "weedless" at all, but actually snag resistant.
Just the nature of vegetation makes it impossible for any bait to come through them very well unless it avoids them completely because they'll either wrap around the line and follow the line down bait and drape over the top of the bait, or they'll wrap around the bait itself when it drops down into the weeds. Any bait that rotates will often foul easier because it wraps the weeds around itself and fouls. This is why most baits that work well for fishing down in vegetation have very few moving parts and appendages.
AlTheFisherman313 reply :
Are waders out of the question? if your fishing near an area where its applicable you can get out maybe 4-5 feet out maybe further depending on the area and hit the "deeper" weeds or the edge of the bed. That presentation is pretty effective for me, granted I use a kayak.
A kayak can be had for $300 for a basic model so if your comfortable with that, either a kayak or waders will help you access a totally different area of the water column, assuming buying a full blown boat is out of the question.
Bank fishing and weeds go hand in hand, because you drag your lure so shallow your gonna pick up something, unless your talking about seriously weeded fishing grounds, In that case your lure selection is weedless topwaters, like frogs, or like stated before unweighted plastics or even a texas rig with a smaller bullet sinker to "finesse" the worm in the weeds. Bigger sinker means bigger surface to grab grass.
Also someone mention about the "hook tuck" on the top of the rig. That is a must on any texas rig. Hook should slide free when bit, but have enough of the hook into the top to keep it flush with the worm.
Pickle_Power reply :
The lake adjacent to my town is extremely weedy for the first 15 yards off the bank. It's the stringy type of vegetation that breaks apart easily and grabs onto everything. Soft plastic buzz frogs like the Yum Tip Toad and Stanley Ribbit are my best friends once the veg gets thick. Zoom Super Flukes also play a big role. A Texas rigged plastic is literally the only option once we get into mid-June here.
WRB reply :
Spoons are one of the most under rated and over looked bass lures.
Johnson Silver Minnow is most popular and recognized weedless spoon in this category followed by Heddon Moss Boss. Both work good but Nemeric Red Ripper has become my go to weedless spoon because it's well made with very sharp hook, silicone skirt and rattle. The 1/2 oz size medics threadfin Shad in silver or gold.
I learned to bass fish using a weedless spoon casting from shore, very versitile lure that can slide over weed mats, swim in open pockets and slow rolled at any depth including along the bottom.
Tom
Catt reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 1:42 AM, WRB said:Spoons are one of the most under rated and over looked bass lures.
Johnson Silver Minnow is most popular and recognized weedless spoon in this category followed by Heddon Moss Boss. Both work good but Nemeric Red Ripper has become my go to weedless spoon because it's well made with very sharp hook, silicone skirt and rattle. The 1/2 oz size medics threadfin Shad in silver or gold.
I learned to bass fish using a weedless spoon casting from shore, very versitile lure that can slide over weed mats, swim in open pockets and slow rolled at any depth including along the bottom.
Tom
JBT1981 reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 2:44 AM, Catt said:
A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.
On 6/3/2019 at 3:16 PM, AlTheFisherman313 said:A kayak can be had for $300 for a basic model.
I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!
So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?
And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?
Catt reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 2:53 AM, JBT1981 said:A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.
Johnson's spoon ????
The top 2 are 1/4 oz & the bottom one is 1/2 oz.
Ya fish em on top like a solid body frog!
Mobasser reply :
Catt and WRB are right on about the Johnson Silver Minnow. These are one of the great weed spoons. They've been catching bass since the 1920s I believe.
On 6/4/2019 at 2:53 AM, JBT1981 said:A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.
I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!
So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?
And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?
Use a heavier weight and stout rod/line to punch you t-rig through the vegetation. A weightless worm rig can be fished on or near the surface, and allowed to slowly sink into pockets and openings in the weeds.
Todd2 reply :
You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes? I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.
ClintIsKING reply :
The one private pond I go to when I'm short on time is about 60% weeds. Weightless craw has been my go to and I've been killing it with them. One cast I'll be covered in weeds, the next few minimal.
Mobasser reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 8:56 AM, Todd2 said:You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes? I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.
I like to use a 4" plastic grub, or a shortened plastic worm. A skirt, as in Catts photo is good too.
Glaucus reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 2:53 AM, JBT1981 said:A few people have mentioned these. Are they like the in-line spinners you can use for crappie? Because those suckers pick up EVERYTHING for me even when I try to keep the rod tip up so they 'ride higher' in the water column.
I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!
So, I caught my Largemouth yesterday on a Texas rig with a bullet weight (I don't recall how heavy the weight was). I think one of the responses here mentioned doing a T rig weightless. Wouldn't that make it get caught up more in the weeds since it's lacking the conical 'nose' to pry through the weeds?
And wouldn't it be better to have the extra weight to punch through the veg?
No, the weight will catch far more weeds.
MN Fisher reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 10:39 AM, Glaucus said:No, the weight will catch far more weeds.
Put a bead in front of the weight and it'll reduce the salad pickup...it's worked for me.
Catt reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 8:56 AM, Todd2 said:You guys always fishing a spoon with a trailer or just bare sometimes? I'm out here in my shop thinking....and tying on a Silver Minnow that hasn't seen the light of day in a while admittedly.
I always have some type of trailer attached ????
On 6/4/2019 at 10:39 AM, Glaucus said:No, the weight will catch far more weeds.
The nose of your plastic or the bullet weight does not "catch" weeds, your line coming through the grass bends it into a V shape around your line.
Glaucus reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 6:25 PM, Catt said:
I always have some type of trailer attached ????
The nose of your plastic or the bullet weight does not "catch" weeds, your line coming through the grass bends it into a V shape around your line.
The weeds fall off a lot easier and come up much less plentiful on weightless plastics.
rod snapper reply :
Today while fishing, i observed that there are many weedless lures, but there is not a single algaeless lure, except perhaps a topwater-frog. I decided this because i saw my spinnerbait plowing through leaved vegetation without any problems, but when it hit any algae, it was instantly fouled. Algae is sticky, weeds are not. The two distinct green, water things are often confused.
sorry, just a ramble
-Rod Snapper
Catt reply :
On 6/5/2019 at 2:19 AM, Glaucus said:The weeds fall off a lot easier and come up much less plentiful on weightless plastics.
Not necessarily ????
Y'all gonna have to accept the fact if ya fishing grass ya gonna be picking some grass period!
Most anglers can patiently work weightless plastics through grass but as soon as ya add weight that try to force it through.
Fishes in trees reply :
The notions about weedless spoons are good. Back when I was a meat fishing bush hippie I read a book "On Slider Fishing" by Charlie Brewer. He described a technique called "polishing the rocks", but it really applies to any bottom of any pond, lake, strip pit, whatever. He means coming as close to the bottom as you can without touching it, or hanging up. Takes a while to learn, but if you're a bank fisherman, it is the ticket to more fish, most of the time.
WRB reply :
The early weedless spoons like Silver Minnow used a pork rind strip as a trailer, tough but soft and weeds or grass doesn't stick. Always check the Silver Minnow spoon hook for sharpness and sharpen it!
A Hitchhicker Spring or CPS works good to attach a straight tail 4" to 5" soft plastic worm (split the tail 2") or whatever as a trailer.
The trick with weedless spoons is control how it lands by slowing the lure down just before it hits the water, you want a light landing not a crash landing and raise your rod tip while starting to reel so the spoon stays on top swimming if fishing weed beds.
I don't use a trailer with Red Ripper spoon.
Tom
the reel ess reply :
Weightless Trick Worm! I also like a paddle tail swimbait like the Zoom Swimming Super Fluke with the lightest bullet weight in your box. I can't tell you how much time I spend pulling weeds and snotty algae off my jig. But if you deliver it to a good spot, there's a good chance of getting a bite on the first drop.
Just as stainless steel can stain, weed-less doesn't mean weed-free.
tcbass reply :
I just posted this reply in a hollow body frog thread but could help you out with your shore fishing problems. The Whopper Frog is pretty much 100% weedless:
Best thing I did to start catching fish on frogs was to modify them and turn them
into Homemade Teckel Sprinker Frogs aka the Weedless Whopper Plopper. All it is is a paddle tail frog.
Prior to this I fished for about 8 years with regular hollow body frogs and only caught some fish and I can successfully walk the dog. Fishing the same lakes and locations with the Homemade Sprinker frog shot my success up to like 90% over regular hollow body frogs and they are cheap and easy to modify. It’s also super easy to use. Just cast and reel in. You can pause but most of the time I catch fish on a straight retrieve.
Here is the link on how to make them. I think once you do this your success could be so great you may never throw another regular hollow body frog again.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/205493-initial-thoughts-review-of-teckel-sprinker-frog-vs-booyah-toad-runner-vs-homemade-teckel-sprinker-frog/?tab=comments#comment-2331638
Turkey sandwich reply :
There's some good stuff here! One note I didn't see mentioned with the spoon - they can often cause line twist and are often better fished with a swivel to leader connection. Yeah, the swivel and knot may catch some muck, but a weedless spoon is still really versatile.
Also, with weeds, it's important to distinguish whether you're fishing matted vegetation, weed beds, or just pulling in green muck from a super fertile pond or lake. They all lend themselves to slightly different approaches.
Also, I think a few guys hinted at it, but learning to "feel" your way through weeds with a T-rig, C-rig, or jig is an important skill and is probably one of the most effective ways to fish through or around nasty stuff. If you want more info on that, do a search for T-rig or jig fishing. I feel like if you condense what's on here, @Catt has written several books on fishing heavy cover with jigs and soft plastics and that would be where I'd start.
WRB reply :
Weedless spoons don't spin they wobble back and forth, if they spin one thing is wrong. Tie direct using braid without anything adding weight to the line tie to pull the front down and kill the swimming action.
Flutter and structure spoons are a different lure and can spin.
Tom
Catt reply :
Excuse me but a Johnson Spoon will roll especially when fished on the surface.
I aint talking on the surface like "waking" it just below the surface but skittering across vegetation.
Grass = Bass!
Bass in grass means ya gonna be picking it of your lure period...deal with it!
scaleface reply :
On 6/5/2019 at 3:01 AM, rod snapper said:Today while fishing, i observed that there are many weedless lures, but there is not a single algaeless lure, except perhaps a topwater-frog. I decided this because i saw my spinnerbait plowing through leaved vegetation without any problems, but when it hit any algae, it was instantly fouled. Algae is sticky, weeds are not. The two distinct green, water things are often confused.
sorry, just a ramble
-Rod Snapper
A common nuisance is Chara algae . Most people mistake it as a weed but it has no roots . Locals call it Fox Tail .Lures can not be ripped free of it .Very difficult to bring a lure through .Still , it holds fish . I catch lots of bass around it mainly on a buzzbait or spinnerbait fished close to it or over it but not though it .The only lures I have used to fish through it are weightless worms and weedless frogs . A Johnson spoon might work , if not allowed to sink to deep , I just havent tried it .
JBT1981 reply :
On 6/6/2019 at 8:56 PM, scaleface said:A common nuisance is Chara algae . Most people mistake it as a weed but it has no roots . Locals call it Fox Tail .Lures can not be ripped free of it .Very difficult to bring a lure through .Still , it holds fish . I catch lots of bass around it mainly on a buzzbait or spinnerbait fished close to it or over it but not though it .The only lures I have used to fish through it are weightless worms and weedless frogs . A Johnson spoon might work , if not allowed to sink to deep , I just havent tried it .
There's a lot of this stuff around my neck of the woods!
zell_pop1 reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 5:56 AM, MickD said:Tied on, not with a snap, is the most weedless lure ever invented. It works really well crawling over lily pads, too. I had forgotten it, nice catch, Tom. Gotta find some real white pork strips! The kind in the jar that has the cap that rusts on when you don't use them for a while. So soft they do not catch any vegetation, just fish.
I have one of those jars. Really rusted, wasn't sure if I should try to open it or not.
Catt reply :
I tell you what!
That bad boy right there is pretty weedless, Owner's Flashy Swimmer 1/4 oz & a Rage Swimmer.
Fishing_FF reply :
On 6/8/2019 at 10:25 PM, Catt said:I tell you what!
That bad boy right there is pretty weedless, Owner's Flashy Swimmer 1/4 oz & a Rage Swimmer.
Yes, hard to beat a flashy swimmer!
5 foot of water below me with the hydrilla topped out. The deeper edges have a foot or two of space between the top of the water and hydrilla. A quick flick of the rod clears the flashy swimmer. Only reason there is a little green stuff on the lure in the photo is because the fish got dragged across the thick mat surrounding my kayak.
Mobasser reply :
Well, the 7acre quarry lake that I fish has been weeding out more and more over 3 yrs. I've still been able to catch fish here, mostly with a t rig. Thanks to this thread, I dug out some Johnson spoons I havnt thrown for a while. Stopped at Academy today and picked up some new trailers chart, blk, and white. I'm off work Monday ( smashed my toe at work pretty good, so I'll be fishing them Monday morn at sunup. Used to love fishing these spoons, and caught most all my fish by keeping them very near the surface, rod tip up, and bringing them across the thick weed areas. They cast like a bullet too. I'm ready for em
scaleface reply :
I had an idea for the Johnson spoon that i have not tried yet . Clip the weedgurad short , somehow get a barb in it for a keeper then attach a worm weedless ;
Mobasser reply :
On 6/9/2019 at 10:04 AM, scaleface said:I had an idea for the Johnson spoon that i have not tried yet . Clip the weedgurad short , somehow get a barb in it for a keeper then attach a worm weedless ;
Have you ever used the old Mr Twister worm hooks with the barb on the hook eye? They worked good. Something like that might work for the worm on the Johnson spoon
JBT1981 reply :
Well today I bought a 1/4oz copper color Johnson silver minnow and caught my largest Largemouth ever (I'm new to fishing, so it's a big catch for me LOL). I cast it just past the weeds into some clear water, and as I reeled it into the weed beds, the bass took it and dove right down.
I pulled him out of the weeds praying the line wouldn't break. I actually cast it without a grub or anything!
That was fun!
Mobasser reply :
On 6/9/2019 at 10:23 AM, JBT1981 said:Well today I bought a 1/4oz copper color Johnson silver minnow and caught my largest Largemouth ever (I'm new to fishing, so it's a big catch for me LOL). I cast it just past the weeds into some clear water, and as I reeled it into the weed beds, the bass took it and dove right down.
I pulled him out of the weeds praying the line wouldn't break. I actually cast it without a grub or anything!
That was fun!
Good catch! Now you'll become a big fan of the old Silver Minnow!
tcbass reply :
On 6/9/2019 at 10:23 AM, JBT1981 said:Well today I bought a 1/4oz copper color Johnson silver minnow and caught my largest Largemouth ever (I'm new to fishing, so it's a big catch for me LOL). I cast it just past the weeds into some clear water, and as I reeled it into the weed beds, the bass took it and dove right down.
I pulled him out of the weeds praying the line wouldn't break. I actually cast it without a grub or anything!
That was fun!
Congrats on your PB!
Catt reply :
@JBT1981 ????
bayvalle reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 2:53 AM, JBT1981 said:
I'd love a kayak, but I don't think it would fit too easily on my Corolla!
I started with a Lifetime Tamarack angler 100 for $164. Only 40 lbs. You can lay in on top of pool noodles on the roof of your Corolla and strap is down thru the windows. I've been fishing over 50 yrs and Kayak fishing has changed my fishing experience. Warning it's additive, I ended up buying a Hobie, selling my bass boat and fishing more than ever.
scaleface reply :
Yesterday was a tough day for me .The algae keeps getting worse on this little lake . After several hours of fishing I had 20 bass caught and two over fifteen inches . Texas rigged Lizards have caught the bulk of the bass on laydowns away from the scum . Then , for the first time I tried the Stanley Ribbit . I've had them for several years just never tied one on .I ended up catching five bass with it and three over fifteen inches . At first i lost a bunch of fish . Caught only one of my first seven hits but I figured it out .These lures came through the scum great and the hits were viscous . Now i need to figure out what hook I like .
Pickle_Power reply :
On 6/12/2019 at 8:49 PM, scaleface said:Yesterday was a tough day for me .The algae keeps getting worse on this little lake . After several hours of fishing I had 20 bass caught and two over fifteen inches . Texas rigged Lizards have caught the bulk of the bass on laydowns away from the scum . Then , for the first time I tried the Stanley Ribbit . I've had them for several years just never tied one on .I ended up catching five bass with it and three over fifteen inches . At first i lost a bunch of fish . Caught only one of my first seven hits but I figured it out .These lures came through the scum great and the hits were viscous . Now i need to figure out what hook I like .
I love the Ribbit, too. It is probably my favorite way to fish for bass in the slop. I hesitate a tiny bit after the bite before setting the hook. That seems to work for me on the majority of bites. I've always used a regular offset EWG hook but I may try one with a screw lock instead.
scaleface reply :
On 6/12/2019 at 9:53 PM, Pickle_Power said:I hesitate a tiny bit after the bite before setting the hook.
I finally started dropping the rod then count two Mississippis and that worked pretty well .
FishingGeekTX reply :
I hear ya. There are weeds, and then there are weeds. Even a light weight T-Rig will drag weeds/moss back every cast in heavy weeds. Don't be like me and buy a bunch of "weedless" lures, that's my big take-away.
Got an inline spinner weedless worm, the spinner collects weeds instantly (Obviously, silly me). Even got a softbody crankbait with 2 frog hooks, it basically collects weeds and brings them to you, very considerate lure. I'm a sucker for new lures, sadly.
But aside from a frog and weightless soft plastics, I found to my surprise a 1/4 ounce chatterbait /bladed jig comes through the weeds almost magically. When it stops vibrating, fast jerk...jerk..until it starts vibrating again, which it often does. No idea why it works. I now fish an area where it's not completely choked with the bladed jig after working it with a frog now. Note, that's the basic chatterbait NOT the weedless version (!).
And sometimes you can buzz a buzzbait over weeds if they are not right on top, giving you another topwater option if they aren't liking the frog, or if you want to cover water faster. Star reeling before it hits the water!.
People fishing from a boat in many areas, can find places to vertically fish. I suppose that's not as easy in shallow clear water though..in those cases, back to the above.
MurphD reply :
If you are referring to algae getting all gunked up at the line tie...drop shot is THE way to go.
The weight gets crudded up, but keeping the line semi tight to tight keeps the lure above and clean.
Mjmj reply :
On 6/4/2019 at 1:42 AM, WRB said:Spoons are one of the most under rated and over looked bass lures.
Johnson Silver Minnow is most popular and recognized weedless spoon in this category followed by Heddon Moss Boss. Both work good but Nemeric Red Ripper has become my go to weedless spoon because it's well made with very sharp hook, silicone skirt and rattle. The 1/2 oz size medics threadfin Shad in silver or gold.
I learned to bass fish using a weedless spoon casting from shore, very versitile lure that can slide over weed mats, swim in open pockets and slow rolled at any depth including along the bottom.
Tom
Tom,
I've been going nuts trying to find the Nemeric Red Ripper weedless spoon. Could you please tell me where I can find these?
Thank you
The Bassman reply :
On 11/17/2019 at 7:59 PM, Mjmj said:Tom,
I've been going nuts trying to find the Nemeric Red Ripper weedless spoon. Could you please tell me where I can find these?
Thank you
Misspelling led you down the wrong path. They're Nemire. Easy to google.
WRB reply :
On 11/17/2019 at 7:59 PM, Mjmj said:Tom,
I've been going nuts trying to find the Nemeric Red Ripper weedless spoon. Could you please tell me where I can find these?
Thank you
Nemire is correct a quick search shows the spoons out of stock somI hope they are in business? Try contacting Nemire directly.
Appoligize for the mis spelling
.
Mjmj reply :
Found them. They only come in 5/8. Figured I give them a try
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 6/3/2019 at 3:16 AM, JBT1981 said:Nothing is 100% weedless, I get that. But when I bank fish for bass, I always bring back more 'salad' than fish. Weedless Ned rigs, lipless crankbaits, jitterbugs; unless I'm using a Pad Crasher frog or getting bluegill with a bobber, my lures get pretty fouled up with vegetation.
Short of buying a boat to get away from the banks, how do I avoid the weeds I get caught up on?
I swear I get more weeds on the weedless shroomz than the regular ones.
Bankbeater reply :
I can't believe I missed this back in June. The vegetation in your pic looks like what is growing in some of the ponds that I fish. What I like to do with a shallow running, or mid-depth crankbait is run it right up to the edge of the slop and then stop reeling. Sometimes the bass will bite as the bait is floating up toward the surface.
related Fishing Tackle topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.