Grass and weeds are growing like crazy and it’s great!  No, I’m not talking about the lawn. I’m talking about coon tail, ribbon grass, deer tongue, lily pads and all the other aquatic vegetation there is. I know these aren’t the proper names for these weeds but that is not the point of this article.

 

There seems to be a lot of fisherman that cuss at the weeds instead taking the time to fish them. Weeds are very beneficial as they produce oxygen, clean the water, provide cover for small fish and ambush points for larger fish. All this make weeds great fish holding cover. I’m not just talking about bass; all species will hole up in some type of weeds before the summer is out. 

Shallow weeds are obviously the most common but also the easiest to deal with because you can see what’s going on. Thick mats of weeds on the surface are most commonly fished for bass and northern pike and take a two bait approach. 

Floating baits like a scum frog are worked slowly across the mat; the fish will strike the bait as it passes overhead. These floating frogs are very exciting to use but can also be aggravating since the fish often miss the bait. 

This is where the second lure comes into play. Have a Texas rigged soft plastic bait like a tube rigged and ready to go so if the fish misses the frog you can immediately pitch this into the opening the fish made. Many times the fish will still be there and inhale your lure. 

Other weeds on the surface like lily pads and what I call deer tongue will hold many different species. These weeds grow to the surface on a stem with a floating leaf or pad on the water surface. This produces a canopy providing shade and cover and often grows in slightly deeper water. It is not recommended to throw a crankbait into these stem type weeds but other than that you can fish them much like you would in open water. 

Submerged weeds can be a little trickier than the surface weeds but are worth the extra effort. If you’re fishing with a jig for walleyes, bass or panfish the best tip I have is to watch your weight! You want to use as light of a jig as you can for the conditions and depth that you’re fishing. Too heavy a jig and you’ll be hanging up in the weeds. Too light and you’ll not reach the weeds at all, this is especially true in windy conditions. 

Jig fishing in the weeds takes a little practice and a sensitive rod. I highly recommend a Falcon rod. Crankbaits are great lures for submerged weeds but again a sensitive rod and a little practice is required. You want the lip (diving bill) to contact the weeds but not the hooks.  If you’re constantly hanging up in weeds either reel slower or go to a more shallow diving bait. On the other hand if you cannot feel the lure touch the weeds at least once in a while then go to a deeper diving bait. 

For the rest of the summer and into the fall weeds will be my first stop when looking for fish.  Take the time and learn how to fish in the weeds instead of cussing at them and you’ll catch more fish. Until next time keep your lure wet.