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: Monadnock and Upper Valley - In the past, I have generally stayed away from thick aquatic vegetation while bass fishing. It wasnt that I didnt realize warmwater fish species are attracted to vegetation because it provides shade, oxygen, food, and a place to ambush prey from, I just didnt feel like dealing with all the snags and wasted time removing vegetation from my lure, as well as the fish I continually seemed to lose once hooked. That all changed a few years ago when I started using some different lures and leaning more towards the superlines. These superlines (Berkley Fireline and Stren Microfuse are two of those available) are fantastic for fishing in vegetation as they are incredibly strong, dont stretch, have a thin diameter relative to the same pound test in monofilament, and cut through vegetation very easily when snagged or when fighting a fish. Any superlines in 15-20 lb. test should do the job, although I know some anglers that use up to 50 lb. test when fishing in thick vegetation. For bass fishing in vegetation, I like to use a weedless frog or 5-6 plastic worm or senko-style lure. Frogs that I have had good luck with include the SPRO Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog and the Tru-Tungsten Mad Maxx Frog. These baits cost about $9 apiece and less expensive Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops name-brands are also available and work well. These lures are virtually snag-proof, and you can cast them a long way. Either reel them in a steady fashion or alternate between fast reels and stops. To fish a plastic worm or senko-style lure, I simply thread it onto a hook so that the lure covers the straight part of the hook, making sure the lure sits straight when I am done. I use a weedless hook such as those available from Eagle Claw in a size 1/0. By keeping your rod tip high and reeling at a moderate pace, the worm will swim across the surface of the water and over and around vegetation. A good trick with this technique is to stop reeling as the bait reaches any open spot inthe vegetation and let it sink. Often, a bass that has been following the lure will take that opportunity to strike. |
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Reported by
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Gabe Gries, Regional Fisheries Biologist
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