How would you fish these lakes

I’m really trying to hone my skills however with the dog days of summer if you will it is getting somewhat slower for me. There are 2 lakes that allude me and drive me nuts. Let me tell you the make up and what you would do? I normally fish lakes with some drop offs fairly clear lakes and a fairly well defined weed edge.

Lake #1 about 200 acres max depth 25 FOW thermocline at 14 FOW Lilly pads all around but to get to the Lilly pads about 20 feet wide from edge of pads is what I would call horrid goopy weeds milfoil, pondweed and gelatinases scum. At the edge of this deep edge no fish marked or found with NED rigs, Neko or cranks. Casting to pads is Frogs, buzz baits, chatter baits strike out. Docks almost impossible to get to as well.

Lake #2 700 acre lake weeds as far as the eye can see enough to hardly get your motor through. One deep hole 14 FOW no defined edges and nothing marked in deep hole. Tried neko, Ned, bass jig with craw junk fishing, buzzbaits impossible to many top weeds. Attempted to fish pockets but no luck.

I know this may sound like many lakes and I apologize not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence but these 2 lakes drive me nuts. Just trying to see if I should try something else. I give these 2 lakes 2 hours not much luck I’m gone. Also lake finder shows good numbers of bass

Punch Rig

Frog pattern grenade.

I have a city lake that has lots of BIG bass, i do well fishing edges and pockets in June, after that nothing but small fish, they are in thick pads and slop. I could go in there right now with a punch jig or frog and drag them out but its just not my thing. Its not even the pads as much as that stringy slimy weed that you would be cleaning off at every cast.You would also be cleaning froggie and with mr. frog you would work hard for a strike and maybe connect 1 out of 3 times. Sounds like they are beautiful lakes, if I had to fish them I would consider night fishing or fall fishing when some of that stuff will clean up. At night fish will pull out of that thick stuff & you will have the lake to yourself too-Good Luck

When punch jigging how would I go about the best target area? I like your thinking Tim I don’t fish these lakes much and cleaning gunk off every cast is no fun.

mrpike1973 wrote:

When punch jigging how would I go about the best target area?

It has to be more of a mat with space under it for fish to roam. I find super thick pads with at least a few feet of water under them to work well. I have heard guys will do that with milfoil too. Anywhere where thicker pads meet thinner pads or pads meet milfoil or some kind of edge are great areas too.

Thanks Carter!

I have the same problem on those kinds of lakes. Lake #2 the only option would be to fish a Punch jig and cover lots of water. Once you catch a fish. Make a waypoint and toss out a buoy. I would pound the heck out of that area. Note the angle of the cast and try to duplicate it. Often lots of fish in those type of lakes can hold in a real small area and the angle of you cast can make a big difference. To be honest I would avoid that type of lake till fall when some of the weeds die of. Then fish it with a spinnerbait and buzzbait.
Lake # 1 – If the pads have any depth ( 2 feet + ) and are fairly clean a frog is you best bet. I’d have a follow up lure like a jig and pig or weightless stick worm to throw back in if you have a blowup and it misses the frog. It may be tough with all the scum outside of the pads. This is another lake I’d wait till the fall to mostly fish.
Both of these lakes sound like a low #’s lake with possibly a few Bigger fish.

Thanks guys in short yes not the best lakes to try but it just drives me nuts you know how it goes and yes I plan not to hit these lakes till fall. Sometimes a guy just gets hung up on something sometimes great advice fishthumper and all.

I would be going there early morning or late evening. I’m guessing these lakes get pretty hot by their size and stained water. I would throw a lot of topwater and frogs, as well as a punch rig. I would fine the pads and pitch it in between pads. Let it fall and sit. Then lift 6 inches to a foot, let it fall and sit. Think of it as vertical jigging except the vertical part starts where you line is sitting on the Lilly pad, if that makes sense. If you don’t get a bite after 20-30 seconds pitch it into another bunch of pads.

Punch rig. 7’6″ heavy fast rod, 50lb braid. 3/4-1.5 oz wt. To find the sweet spots, go out in spring and graph the whole lake looking for hard bottom areas and any structure. When the weeds are full grown in summer, fish will still be around structure.