Mid Summer fishing. Weed edge ideas needed

[RandyFish]

With mid-summer upon us, fish are starting to settle into their "summer homes", which means some are going to be located off outside weed edges, particularly milfoil.

What are your most productive techniques, particularly plastics?

And since many of these lakes around Mpls. have foil, there is a "tiered" weed edge: milfoil will abruptly stop and then there will be a second patch of weeds such as cabbage.

Is your "outside edge" the edge of the 'foil, or the edge of the cabbage?

Also when you start fishing this type of area, are your throwing "into" the foil edge, trying to work the area literally in the weeds itself and then pulling the lures out, or are you simply working the edge of what can be described as a curtain?

is there a general approach to this type of cover?

RandyFish

[Captain B.R.K]

I was out this morning-mid afternoon trying to fish a deep weed edge, say 10-12ft deep. Threw a T-rig 7" power worm and didn't get a thing.

Maybe I don't have the technique down?!?

[Mark Christianson]

Yesterday I did great fishing deep weed edge with a T Rigged Power tube. This particular lake doesnt have much milfoil if any. (I personally have not seen any)

I worked the deep edge working parrallel most of the time and that seemed best. And it should be the better presentation because your lure is going to be working that entire edge as you come back to the boat.

Got lots of fish, lost a few on the way up to the boat, and busted 3 times.... I need to retie more often I think.

Tubes, craws and salamanders are my favorites. I have never been a fan of the worm type plastics.

Thats just me though.

[Slyster]

What presentation did you use? Slow? Horizontal/Vertical etc.. I love the worms.. I need to expand my horizons and get some of those other critters.

I am interested, too, in some thoughts on this summer bass questions.. I am afraid I can't add much myself yet.

[Mark Christianson]

I'd say slow. Cast it out as far as I could, let it drop to the bottom and just lightly twitch/reel up the slack. No big movements at all. I guess you could say it was horizontal at the end of the cast, and darn near vertical by the time I was back to the boat. I worked the entire distance back to the boat. And I got fish anywhere from the initial drop, up to a couple fish that were directly below the boat.

[Tom Wilson]

Randy,

I know that we've fished together before, but I gotta say that BLB has nailed it. The whole secret to fishing weedlines is not so much the lure, but the presentation. Plastic fishing is a science and the entire process is S-L-O-W. If you aren't catching fish on weedline where fish should be holding or where you know they are holding, the mistake that 90% of fisherman make is not in lure choice, but in presentation. I know I've said this before, but when you think you're fishing slow enough--slow down, and when you don't think you can possibly fish any slower, slow down. When fishing plastics (and most jig situations), you're not targeting active fish, your targeting slow lethargic inactive or passive fish...fish that will bite, but they're not gonna work for it.

Keep after em' man.

[Tom Wilson]

BLB,

You really should get you a roll of 10lb power pro and try it on one of the lakes you have a lot of confidence in. You'll not break that so much and re-tying is down to an absolute minimum. (I guess, that's if you aren't using a braid already)

[RandyFish]

Tom....I tip my hat to any man who a) who catches fish like you do, and b)does it in a bad-bleep boat that gives yellow testimony to the state's dairy cows. HA! HA!

I do think the slow down part of the equation always kills me...maybe that is why I have found flukes so effective -- I have no choice but to let them fall at their own speed!

On the lake where we met last time, I have located a "sheer" foil edge....basically northeast of the access, across open water, along the north-south running shoreline outside of a channel mouth.

This edge drop is like a canyon (down to 15 feet with no weeds), and I really want to sit on the edge and trying dropping a jig past along the side of the wall...and then bounce it along the bottom.

Either that, or follow Ray's advice and jig worm it.

Bass Fishing is truly the sport of choice for those men with Adult ADD

Are those inactive fish usually near bottom? I would assume so knowing your success with a T-rig....and do you still stick with worms most of the time?

Any color as long as it is ....JuneBug!

Randy Fish

[Mark Christianson]

It was 30 lb power pro.....

My own fault. I had neglected to retie for quite a long time.

The first time I broke, I just made a quick retie, and I broke again. I shoulda inspected the line before retying a bit closer. After I broke the second time, I ripped off about 15 feet of line and cut it.

My own dumb fault.

I dont use mono for any bass fishing any more.

However, this is the first year I have gone to 30lb.

I figured with the small diamater, why not go a bit stronger. Also, on bait casters, I hate the smaller diameter line, because it bites down into the spool when you set the hook.

Issues, issues, issues....

[Tom Wilson]

BLB,

I tried the 30lb last year on my baitcaster's and have now downgraded to the 20lb. I find this makes very little difference in bites, but it just fishes so much better. I am sure that you know how to tie the double palomar knot that they recommend using, but I have found an absolute secret to tying that knot. There are 2 things that I do every time and I have not broken a knot all year unless I was really hung and just pulled it enough to break it, versus going in and getting it. Not a lost fish due to breakage yet. #1 I do NOT wet the knot before cinching it down. Many of you will argue with this, but I'm telling you it makes a huge difference in knot slippage and does not affect the braid. #2 when you cinch the knot down tight--pull it as tight as you can using both the line and the tag end--then take only the tag end and cinch it down seperate of the line--I gaurantee you that you will feel it slip and cinch down tighter than you had it by pulling both lines together. This also tightens the outside loop down tight against the line loop and locks it down so hard that it just cannot slip out. Try this I gaurantee you will feel it.

Randy,

I still am catching most of my fish in 5 FOW or less. Don't neglect the lily pads on that lake, and also try that spot where you talked to me that morning, you will find a wall of foil there that drops at 6 feet, and then tapers off to 13 feet within casting distance. Most of your fish will come right off of the wall of milfoil, but in that spot fish it all the way to the boat, because they will often school up a quick shot from that wall of weeds. Yes, I still use worms quite often, but I have been throwing creature baits, and tubes alot lately. There is just something about creature baits that Bass just cannot stay away from. I like dark colors as you know, but I am really finding myself starting to lean heavily on watermelon combinations. Watermelon has now become my absolute confidence color, but when things are tough I still have a huge collection of red shad everything.

[Captain B.R.K]

Tom,

When you are fishing the shallow areas with lots of pads, what are you typically throwing? Are you using Scum Frogs? OR are you using jig-n-pigs/ T-rigs throw the pads?

Thanks,

B

[Tom Wilson]

Capt,

I will throw all of those at particular times, but 90% of the time I will throw plastics. I have really grown partial to creature baits, but I will throw worms quite often. The only time I will throw a jig is when the pads are really clean underneath. I personally feel like they hang up too much because of the weight of the head. Even small jigs hang up more often than Texas rigged plastics. Scum frogs are great but only when I'm fishing for fun, they do tend to antogonize larger fish, but I just don't trust it in tournament situations normally, however, I did catch a large bag once during an evening tourney on frogs. It's all about confidence.

[TNFL]

I tried T-rigging on a deep weedline point 16-17 ft. All I caught was 3 pike . I was even checking my graph noticing ins and outs - fuzzy (soft) bottoms that changed to solid black (hard). I threw out some marker bouys. but could still not get any bass. I did have my worm ripped or bit off 4 times, line bit off once and lost one fish before I could see it. What am I missing? Time? Patience? The GOOD SPOT?

The thing that bugs me is I saw a guy I knew at the landing and we put in and took out at about the same time. He said he caught 5 bass fishing the docks. (7pm - 9:30pm)

[Captain B.R.K]

Tom could I get your e-mail address, I have a few Q's for ya!

[Tom Wilson]

Capt,

You will have to e-mail me at work, as I have had a computer "systems" error on my home computer, and I it will be a little bit before I can get it fixed. You can e-mail me at [email protected] I am gonna be on Waconia tomorrow morning as well if that interest you, let me know. Ill be fishing before work.

[Mark Christianson]

Double palomar, eh?

No, offhand I can't say I have used it, and just a note, I busted a frickin line on my hookset this evening again.

What the heck?

Note, I fished opening weekend of bassin and literally caught over 150 bass, and never once broke. Biggest fish was just shy of 5 lbs. Several in the 18 inch area too.

I did a search on double palomar on google, and have not found a drawing. I am guessing you put the loop through the eye twice, and then finish up the knot like a regular palomar? Just guessing. I need to try something.

[Tom Wilson]

BLB,

I don't have a photo to show you, but I will attempt to tell you. Your are right, the D.P is simply a palomar that you go through the eye twice with the initial loop. Take the already folded line and go through the eye the first pass, then go around the eye and back through a second time. Pull out about 4-6 inches dependent on the size of the lure or hook, then tie the overhand knot, then pull the lure through the open loop just like a normal palomar. One thing to do though is to not let the loop hang free then and cinch it down--instead put your fingers in the gap and pull the loop down like you are tightening down the knot on your finger, then pull that down to the eye of the lure. This is what keeps you from burning the line as you are pulling less than a 1/2 of inch of line out now to cinch the knot. After that remember to pull the tag end seperate in order to cinch the knot down even harder. I hope this is understandable, but I don't know how better to explain it without it being seen in person. I just know that it works flawlessly. Good luck, let me know if you figure it out.

[BAIT956]

Tom, I tried your double palomar knot this morning. It worked great with 20# Power Pro and a double bladed spinnerbait.

I pulled over a dozen nice bass and a couple of pike fishing over heavy cabbage and coontail.

On the end of a long cast, it is impossible to prevent a decent sized fish from heading down into the heavy weeds. Often they must be horsed out. A good test for any knot.

No problems with the knot although I did retie once when the line frayed.

I have used the regular single palomar since the braids came out and have had no troubles, but the double version should offer even more strength.

Thanks for the tip. You have a convert.

I did have a little trouble in tying it. My fingers are not so nimble anymore, but with practice, the muscle memory will improve.

[ZOKU]

Frogs and T'Rigs or just wacky style... *shrug* I've had the most luck this year with any of those combinations.