Bass off the weedline

Have been mostly a weedline fisherman most of my life-I do great in june but things slide in july and august. Do bass move off of weedlines at this time? I seem to hear that people are fishing pads and deep rocks with football head this time of year. Oh docks too.

Tim – I run into the same thing. Seems like bass really concentrate on the weed lines in June then disperse as the summer progresses. I still find fish on the weed edge this time of year, but deeper cleaner bottoms seem equally as productive… especially if you’re around pods of bait.

Thanks Jeff

Rocks equals crayfish.

Some rocks have been on. However we fished a tourney on Tuesday and the lake was way off.it should of taken 20lbs for 5 and it took 12lbs. The fish were buried in the weeds. Find some clean foil and flip it with a 1 oz tungsten weight and a creature bait.
Good luck Matt.

matt what do you mean by clean foil?

i am envisioning “punching” the middle section of the weedline?

Clean milfoil to me is nice looking foil with no slime on it and a clean bottom so if you pitch your jig out in the holes of it and it comes back with slime on it move on. Typically when you find a good clean spot with foil or cabbage and it’s clean means the bottom is harder witch will hold more fish as it tends to be a little cooler. And if you find one big bass chances are there is a school of them in that area right now.

Great tips and clarification Matt-I really have never been into pitching that heavy stuff, might be another reason I struggle this time of year.

U bet Tim. Do yourself a favor and grab a flipping stick and make that your only rod for a morning out.it may be tough to get confidence in it but once u hook one it’s unreal. Creature bait with 1oz tungsten weight pegged up a little bit. Or a big black and blue jig tipped with a smaller craw looking creature (black)
You will have a blast. U can pitch holes in the pads to. But same thing look for good clean deeper pads.

I have flipped under docks and I get that that gets the lure UNDER the dock which is key-could’nt you do a side arm cast? (not good at flipping) I toss texas rigged senkos at pad openings with some success-so yesterday I used spinners and senkos and that worked great but it was cloudy and had a good wind blowing right into the pads (got a nice thick 30” pike too)-I could see same spot no clouds no wind then I could see using the heavy jig.

last week I was fly fishing working under the trees and weed edges caught a few. guy in a sharp looking skeeter was reeling quite a few in all deep. Im casting skipping jig deep tomorrow.

OK matt is it the bass that don’t like the gunky milfoil or is it your 1 oz solid tungsten weight that does not play well in the gunk? Do you first pick the spot and find the right lure or are you stuck on one lure and then go looking for a spot?

Eclipse bass — all caught skipping Senkos or Caffeine Shads waaaaay under docks and pontoons to the back shadows.

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Nice Fry! Can i ask what setup you use to skip with?

I have tried it with some success. I use a med. spinning rod with weightless wacky hooked senko on braid. Never have tried skipping swimbaits.

For lighter lures I use a 6′-8″ Medium Extra fast spinning rod (weightless Wacky Worms). Same for Caffeine Shads/Fluke/Jerk Minnows up to about 1/8, 3/32 oz but I usually use a screw-lock swimbait hook (Berkley Fusion or Owner Twist-lock in 4/0). They skip a loooong ways.

Heavier than that I use a baitcaster – 6′-9″ Medium Heavy Fast… 3/8 Strike King Skipping jig and Rage Bug trailer, 12-20 lb line. Key here is Daiwa with “SV” spool (Zillion, Tatula). Anything else I’ve used ends up in a rats nest.

I will have to try the swimbaits. And i have the same issue whenever i try skipping anything on the Revo. instant birdsnest.

thanks for the help!

Rage Swimmer and Keitechs are a couple swimbaits that skip very well… def need a MH to skip those IMO.

Another fun one is the Zman Pop Shadz – it’s a floating soft-bait but it’s a popper. Can skip it way back under the docks and retrieve like a popper on early mornings… be prepared for an explosion on the way back!!