Lily Pad Strategy

[bassnbucks]

I have been having a hard time landing fish from the pads. I mainly use a Spro Frog. I have been trying to let them have it for a second before seting the hook, but 90% I miss. I have tried weedless jigs with good luck but still get snagged alot.

Also if using a frog on the pads, do you pop it? Rip it across and let it sit on an open spot and wait for a hit? Just reel slowly and wait for a hit?

I have got hits doing all three, just wondering some other ideas that work well for other people.

[solbes]

Johnson silver minnow tipped with a Gulp leech usually works for me. I go right through the slop with no issues.

I also use a Scum Frog from time to time and have only marginally better hookups, maybe 20%? I usually do a twitch for 5-10 seconds and then give it a pause for 3 or 4. Usually get hits on the pause. Both are a fun way to catch those bass.

[BobOmaha]

Just a thought... look at your hooks closely. Nearly every one (all brands) of frogs seem to have the hook points turned inward and down in relationship to the body as they come out of the package. It's extremely difficult to get a good hook-set that way.

I like to make sure that the hook points are square, or parallel to the body AND turned slightly upward. Doing this has certainly increased my hook-up ratio.

You also didn't mention what, or what #-test line you're using... I've done OK with mono - as long as they aren't overly long casts. But the longer the cast you're making, the heavier line #-test and/or braid line will also increase your hook-up ratio!

Hope this is good advice for you, and helps... 'cause it's a TON OF FUN catchin' 'em that way!!

[bassnbucks]

Im using 20# power pro braided line. Thanks for the info.

[ShoreGuy1984]

You need to be using 50# braided line, at least. I use 65# Power Pro and have few issues.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I agree on the line weight. 50lb. plus, I see lots of people go into the pads under powered.

My main pad lure is the frog.

I like Spro Jr. frogs. The Spros have great hooks, are durable and are heavy which helps with casting as well keeping the bait from getting pushed away in a rush of water when a fish strikes. Generally In thick pads I work the frogs painfully slow. I shake the rod tip and move the frog only about 6" at a time then let it sit for a few seconds and continue. If I hit open water Ill swim it a little and let it sit for a while before swimming it again. Even When sitting on pads Ill shake the frog without moving it. Many times I have had fish attack the pad my frog is sitting on. Learning to not be so trigger happy with frogs can be tough but is necessary. Many times fish will just attack to wound a frog or attack where they think it is without them actually seeing it. If you can learn to hold back on the hook set you'll get lots of fish that missed the frog the first time and come back for the kill.

Ill fish them In sparse cover and opener water too but usually much faster with a walk the dog technique.

Most my frogs have beads or rattles added to them so they make more noise. When I threw scumfrog branded frogs I would add small chunks of plastic to help with casting and to keep them from getting pushed away like I mentioned earlier.

[luckycrank]

3/8 - 1/2 jig

[Daze Off]

Could not agree more with the heavy braid recommendations and also the rattles inside the frogs. Cadence depends upon not only the density of the pads but also the weather conditions/fish mood. Have to try them all until you find the one they want that day. I also use more Jr's than reg. Bronzeyes.

Always a good idea to not set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish. Hard not to pull the trigger right away though.

Lastly, the hooking % in general for this type of bait in the thick stuff is not great to begin with but the above can help improve it.

[RumRiverRat]

A MH or H action 6'6" to 7'6" rod with 80 or 65 pound Braid.

I use Lake Fork Ring Fry and Senko style baits Weightless Texas Rigged.

Pitch the Bait into a hole in the pads or at the edge of the pads and let it sink, then raise it a foot or 3 and let it sink again.

Be prepared to horse them out of the heavy cover.

[Nick Kuhn]

Do you mean 50-65 lb? I don't know of any bass reels that will hold much 80lb braid.

[RumRiverRat]

Do you mean 50-65 lb? I don't know of any bass reels that will hold much 80lb braid.

I do not use a Low Profile Reel.

I use an Abu Garcia Ambassador 6500C3.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

A low pro can hold plenty of 80lb if anyone would choose. Whats the diameter? 20lb? If I had to ballpark it Id say well over 50yds is possible. We're talking bass in pads, drag cranked. Basicly all the line you need is a good cast so about 100'.

I do think 80 is a little overkill. I normally run 65, running 50lb right now cause I was in a pinch. Its holding up better than I thought I wouldnt think of going less than 50lb though.

[Deitz Dittrich]

TUTF is right.. you could do it.. but much over 50 is over kill. Yet, I think I have 65 on one, just because..

[delmuts]

A low profile reel will hold more 50# braid than you think. I don't remember What the dia. is on 50 , but with PP the 20# is the same as 8# mono and the 80# is the same as 20#.

[Nick Kuhn]

A typical low profile reel will hold ~90 yards of 50lb braid. It would probably only hold 45 yards of 80lb. Braided line is very tough to break once it gets over 30lbs. I'm willing to bet trying to free yourself from a hefty snag your rod will give out before 30lb line will.

[delmuts]

That's why i keep a pc. of wood in the boat! Only thing safe to wrap the line around and not get hurt or wreck something.

[thatoneguy]

I'm pretty new to fishing the heavy stuff for bass, but I've done a lot of it the past six weeks or so with 30 lb PP, and haven't had any trouble at all yet. That stuff seems impossible to break!

[Fever]

I've had the most success with the good old white mouse. MY hookup % is around that 75% range. I hate the spro frog... I really like the paint jobs on these frogs but lets be completely honest that is a classic case of the lure catching the fisherman rather than the fish. Bass don't in anyway see what is on top of that frog... they ONLY see the siloutte rendering those fancy paint jobs completely useless other than catchin your eye as you walk down the isle in the baitshop... then you pay 8.99 for the dang thing. Besides- the bass never seem to keep in in their mouths long enough and therefore I don't hook up. I use 7ft MH baitcasters with 50 lb power pro. I've also had some success using heavy 3/4oz pegged bullet sinkers and a t-rigged creature bait flipped into pockets.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I love the spros but agree completely about the colors. You gotta look at the bottom. Want a brown frog? Well buy a brown spro and guess what? The bottom is black. Want a green frog? Oh, the bottom is yellow...

[NTW]

Fever - you do well with white? I have a white frog and it doesn't seem to get bit...on the other hand the black one I have seems to do real well. I've been thinking it is a water clarity or cloud condition deal but so far I haven't been able to pin it down.

[going4it]

Bought my first spro and love it. Plastic is thicker and more durable I feel. Caught 5 out of 8 blow ups so I cant complain one bit. Def glad I trimmed the streamer legs though. Way to long. I think that helps a lot. Even had a 19 incher off a dock. The owner came out and said thanks for letting her swim again. Nice to have good home owners out there that dont complain about ya fishing next to thier docks.

[RumRiverRat]

Nice to have good home owners out there that dont complain about ya fishing next to thier docks.

They can complain all they want they do not own the water around their docks.

[LegattoAD]

I think the biggest beef dock owners have with us is the bad apples who'll snag the $1000 custom cover on their ski boat (among other things), cut the line and leave it.

Speaking from experience (as a boat lift bass structure owner not a ski boat owner ), it does make for an awfully rude surprise when you find a 4/O T-rig the hard way.

[Fever]

I've noticed that on Clearer lakes the white clearly does better. On green algae or otherwise cloudy, stained, or dirty water black is my go to. I really only use black or white for topwater because of what I said in my previous post. The Bass see only the shadow or silloute of your topwater. Try it yourself sometime. Go swimming then look up at the surface. Color is FAR less important than shape, size, and hook up ratio - body composition, angle of hooks, and sharpness of hooks. (one thing I think most anglers ignore too much). I never thought of trimming the leggs on my spros. That may help as I too thing they are too long. Over all though I think the body is a bit too hard. The bass just don't hang on to them compaired to the Mossy mouse. After a blow up I count; one Mississippi, two Mississippi and then feel the weight of the fish then THWWAAACCCKKKK! cross its eyes with with a big hookset. On the spro usually I have to dive out of the way as that dang thing is screamin back at me at 50mph.

[NTW]

I agree with your description of what is important 100%. One modification I did make to my Spros was to trim the leg skirts. My experience with Spros and hook-ups has been far better than what it sounds like yours is, except for the days I have caffiene.

I don't fish much clear water so there ya go...