There are many anglers who tend to move past weedy areas, failing to realize that big fish could be lurking below the weeds and slime. Too many anglers shy stay away from the weeds because they're afraid of getting their trolling motor packed with this slop. Experienced fishermen know how bountiful these heavily vegetated areas are, though, and will pick them apart with precision. Keep reading to learn more about how you can add this skill to your repertoire, as well.
You can use oars or a push pole—both great tools to have in your boat, regardless—to get far back into the thickest parts of weedbeds. Once you’re there, though, then what? Well, then your tackle will be the important factor.
A six to seven-foot heavy action rod with a fast tip is a must-have in these situations. You’ll need its strong backbone and sensitive tip to accommodate changes in the retrieve, such as shaking the rod to add vibration or reeling swiftly to skip the lure. Also, the rod also has to be strong because a three-pound bass can easily wedge itself into the thickest of weeds and often you’ll need to be able to pull both the fish and the weeds along the surface to the boat.
Your line will play a crucial role, as well. As we’ve touched upon in the past, braid is the way to go. I prefer to use 50-lb test, but some anglers I know load their slop rods with 80-lb test. It’s really up to you, though. Just be sure to not go much lower than 50-lb.
When fishing slop, long, accurate casts are important, since you’ll need to cover a lot of water to find the fish. Look for consistency in the weeds or a color change in the slime, and take notice of the way the lily pads line up. These subtle differences and the amount of attention to devote to them will be the key to establishing a successful pattern. Never be afraid to work the same area more than four times. Often times the fish will need to be aggravated in order to strike and it could take more than a few casts over the exact same spot to accomplish this task.
Whether it’s lily pads, thick weeds, or all-out slime, you can be sure there are still fish to be found nearby. The tips above are crucial for any angler looking to capitalize on the bounty of fish found in thick weeds and slop. Implementing them when you hit the water this season will help you to locate nice bass in any body of water.
