Let's talk milfoil islands!

[Slyster]

I like finding those isolated islands of thick milfoil surrounded by flats of sand or whatever.. and slowly fishing the edges with a weightless wacky rigged senko.

These islands get SO thick that there is no way I can get anything through it.. even weedless rigs... but I bet there are a LOT of more bass in there then I find out in the clear at the edges.

Anyone fish over these islands with topwater baits? Do they call up those embedded bass? What lures have you tried?

Any other ideas for fishing these 'underwater islands'?

[bassNspear]

Have you tried Swim Jig or Chatterbait.

[Slyster]

I have tried chatterbaits on the edges... with less success than the Senkos..

Did you mean had I tried around the outside edges?... or burning them across the top of the weeds (which I have not tried)...?

[Pherris]

I have found that pulling the chatterbaits over the tops of these does produce well. I would reccomend you give it a try. Good Fishing!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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These islands get SO thick that there is no way I can get anything through it

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your not trying hard enough my friend. OFten times there are quite a few bass in these clumps up on the inside...Its not easy to fish, I will grant you that. But it is possible. A texas rigged tube(usually a tungston sinker is needed of at least an ounce of weight.. sometimes even more. I have some that I use that are 1 7/8 oz. Make sure you have some stout gear, a 4 lb largie with 40 lbs of grass is not easy to reel in.

[bassNspear]

Quote:

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I have tried chatterbaits on the edges... with less success than the Senkos..

Did you mean had I tried around the outside edges?... or burning them across the top of the weeds (which I have not tried)...?

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Try and swim a jig over the top, let it fall into the little holes as well. I have had nothing be great luck when it comes to this.

[st.crioxfishin]

I do the same thing Deitz referred to on a small lake by my house. I have a canoe that I bring out there and just sit over the top of the big island matted weeds, drop a tube down and feel for a bite. I was actually out there in the evening yesterday but with the cloud cover they weren't positioned in predictable areas in the weeds and ended up catching 5 fish on a frog worked over the holes . Fish were out roaming instead of tucked in the thick stuff like they usually are. There is definately some piggies in that thick stuff, you gotta work for them though.

[ocf1]

St. Croix, Ive been on those lakes and know what you mean!

[Daze Off]

I'll add this - when I am in the real thick stuff - whether it is milfoil, pads, pencil grass, or reeds I use pretty much what Dietz suggested. If a standard flip or pitch does not do the trick and you can't upsize the weight, then try actually flipping your bait high (up to 10 ft) in the air and let it fall on slack line in an attempt to blast through the cover. Splash is not a factor in these situations generally.

Daze Off

[st.crioxfishin]

ocf,

you've been on this lake I'm talking about?

[ocf1]

If your talking eagan, most likely yes!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Big heavy jigs that rattle are a good option. Texas rigged baits with a pegged sinker are also good options. Like mentioned earlier tungsten is a great choice because of the smaller profile it slides in through the thick stuff easier. If you're texas rigging dont use a danty little plastic use something with lots of appendages or a big ribbon tail, anything that is going to give a large profile and displace water. Work the area slowly, you almost have to drop the jig in the fishes mouth if its really thick. Some good spots to look for are holes in the center, and points or inside turns on the weed edge. I like to work parallel with the weed edge casting the edge to keep my bait in the strike zone longest also making casts to any pockets I can see inside the weedbed.

[Slyster]

More specifically does anyone have experience or knowledge about pulling bass up to the surface using top water lures? The islands I am talking about come to within 2 feet of the surface (from 8-10 feet water) but don't reach the surface.. so nothing to snag on.

[ocf1]

IVe seen pro walk the dog over them.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly- thats really going to depend on the mood of the fish. If they are on, sure you can pull em out with topwaters... But even if the weeds dont go all the way to the surface I will often plop a heavy tube in there.

[RK]

Hiya -

I don't fish milfoil lakes very often (mostly stay up north where I belong), but do get into big mats of coontail this time of year. Similar in some ways...

As Deitz said, punching through with a heavy (1 to 1-3/4 oz)T-rigged tube or punch craw can work pretty well. Have sometimes even used the rod tip or a long pole to make a hole first, then drop the tube in.

Another thing you can do, which actually works really well, is what a friend of mine calls a "Bubba Shot" rig, as in, a drop shot rig some big dude named Bubba would use. Use 20-30# mono of fluoro (I bet braid would work though), a 1 to 1-1/2 oz sinker (Tungsten works, but so do big brass Carolina rig weights or lead bell sinkers. A bigger sinker may actually be preferable. The diameter helps punch a bigger hole in the mat), and a 4/0 or 5/0 wide gap hook with a tube, craw, or mud flap creature like a Berkley Beast or Brush Hawg 6-8" above the weight. Then you basically flip the whole mess into the mat. The weight will punch through, or you can sort of yo-yo it through the top layer, and the big weight will pull the bait down behind it. Once it's through the mat, you can work the bait in place for a little bit, then pick it up and drop it again. Great technique because it keeps the bait up off the bottom a little bit. Give the bait a little slack, let it sit, then lift gently to see if you feel dead weight or a fish chomping on it. I've used a Bubba Shot rig in rushes, cane, pads, and coontail, and it can work very well when fish are buried in the weeds after a front. Worth trying...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[brokenmotorguy]

I would agree that using heavy weights, soft plastics and "punching" the foil is the most effective method most of the time. We do this on Minnetonka alot and it works pretty well when the fish tuck themselves deep inside. We pitch it out, pull it back over a pocket and then let it fall as vertical as possible. It is slow and methodical but if the fish are tucked inside it is about the only way to get to them. Be sure to keep a good grip on your rod when doing this, Muskies and Pike also sit in these little openings and can practically rip the rod out of your hands or give you a pretty sore wrist. Be prepared for anything to be on the other end of the line when you set the hook!