Presentations for shallow, weedy bays

[walleye17]

I fish a lake that has a shallow, weedy bay in the NW corner of the lake. The crappies have been pretty active the past few weeks, but the weeds are really starting to grow, so there's only about 1-2 feet of water from the weeds to the surface right now.

I wanted to get some ideas as to what has worked for people fishing water like this. If I drift a slipbobber, it usually gets fouled up by some weeds that are closer to the surface. Casting Beetle Spins or Thumper jigs seems like it is a little too fast of a presentation right now. Same thing with micro raps.

Any ideas?

[Rick G]

I have a lake that fishes in much the same way. The only thing that I have found to work without getting fouled up much, is to use a small weighted clip on bobber, and a small "size 6 or 8 works well" plain hook. Use livley crappie minnows and let them swim freely under 12-20in of line, or so the minnow can't swim into the weeds. Do not use a split shot while doing this, it tends to drag the minnow inot the weeds to much.

[irishwalleye]

Don't give up on the Beetle Spins just yet. You would be surprised how slowly you can work them. Mine were effective in less than 1 foot of water this weekend. Even my 3-yr-old was getting it to work. If you work them like a jig they fall extremely slow.

[FisH_SLaYer24]

I have had good luck by taking a Thill Gold Medal Stealth Float and put them in a fixed position about 18 inches above the jig head by using two BB sized split shot. It performs the same as a fixed float, but I feel I have a bit more control over the overall rig and it's a little more sensitive. I like fishing plastics on a collarless jig head when using this presentation. The best plastics I have used are the 2" power tubes and also the exude micro shad baits. For the ultimate performance, cast the bait out, let it settle, and then jiggle the bobber as you reel your bait in slowly to give it a lifelike presentation.

[sunniewally]

use a fly rod!! you'll have a blast. best time of year to fly fish. been doing it for 50

years

[OnAFly]

Totally agree. For a soft presentation and efficiency of being able to cover water, a fly rod will be tough to beat right now.