# Fishing in Lilly pads?



## tcwatson16 (Sep 20, 2014)

Does anybody have any advice on how to fish in an area that's completely over run by lilly pads? Because I've lost about 100 lures trying.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Um...yep....sounds like you are fishing lily pads. No big secrets here ... fish the edges.... or weightless worms rigged weedless and heavy braid slowly swim it around (not over the top...make it swim around each pad)....go slow so I will swim around them. 

Scum frogs same way....slow and the line will make it swim around each pad instead of over.

No trebles and long casts deep into the pads is asking for trouble.

For thick lily pads I use my 8.5 ft extra heavy extra fast jig rod with 50 lb braid.


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## Snookered (Jun 16, 2009)

tcwatson16 said:


> Does anybody have any advice on how to fish in an area that's completely over run by lilly pads? Because I've lost about 100 lures trying.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 that's some of my favorite freshwater fishing.....you HAVE to go weedless with burying a hook in the plastic, whether it's a frog, mouse, worm, or my favorite the 3X jerkbaits by strike king....

after you're weedless, throw your bait out on a pad and stay on it....jiggle it around on the pad a little, then slowly and gnetly pull it up to the edge of the pad, and slightly off.....expect the explosion right then.....
snookered


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## Eat Sleep Fish (Apr 19, 2012)

Topwater and weightless plastics are great ideas for sure, especially targeting little pockets of open water but I have another great tip you should try. If you are fishing somewhere as thick as you say in pads I would be flipping. Get some bobber stoppers, a 1\2oz-1oz tungsten bullet weight, some good flipping hooks with a bait keeper and put on your favorite soft plastic and start punching that bait through the pads wherever you can. Make sure you cover an area well because sometimes the bass can be picky and wont take it until you drop it right in front of their face. I recommend a 7' medium heavy rod (or longer if you like) or possibly heavy action with a minimum 35lb braid on your reel of choice because you will need some backbone and the strength of that braid to horse in even a small fish especially if they tangle up in the weeds and pads. Now imagine a 5lb+ bass plus 3-4lbs of pads and muck, you'll want some power in your rod and line if you have to wrestle and drag them in. Now I don't mean go spend 300$ on a setup that's unnecessary but make sure your rod and line are up for the job, I caught a 7lb bass flipping weeds and because of the high bank and low tide I had to pull the fish up by the line itself so I was very thankful to have strong line. I am including a link to my channel on YouTube where I walk viewers through on how I rig my flipping setup, it has served me well and caught me some of my biggest bass. 




Good luck out there hope this helps!
-Tight Lines!


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## HollyH451 (Jun 2, 2014)

Great video.


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

A Zoom Ribbit, 50 lb. braid and a East Texas Grass rake. Fish it erratic and if you can make yourself wait and let your rod load up before you set the hook.


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## tcwatson16 (Sep 20, 2014)

Thanks for all the responses. I went yesterday and fished a frog over the pads and did really well. The only problem I had was getting the hook set down.


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## Eat Sleep Fish (Apr 19, 2012)

HollyH451 said:


> Great video.


 Thank you!


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## Eat Sleep Fish (Apr 19, 2012)

tcwatson16 said:


> Thanks for all the responses. I went yesterday and fished a frog over the pads and did really well. The only problem I had was getting the hook set down.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Part of that might be timing and trust me I know sometimes it is hard not to rip that rod back when you see them blow up on the frog. You don't want to wait to long where they swallow the frog or not wait enough and miss the hookset so it takes some practice, just like any technique with fishing. Keep practicing and throwing that frog and you will become a master with it. On all my frogs I cut the skirts back a little and sometimes I will bend the hooks up a bit from the body for better hookups. Lake Fork Tackle makes a frog trailer hook you could try but it will hang up more and catch on more things as the trailer hook is totally exposed. I would be sure to be using braid as well with the frog for the cover you are fishing. If you are fishing mono it will tend to stretch and that could prevent a good solid hookset. I will fish flourocarbon with frogs sometimes just depends on the cover I am fishing.


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

Let the rod load up before you set the hook.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

I'll use a Top Toad w/30lb power pro on a 7' heavy Denali. Sometimes I'll break out the 65# braid, but only if it's dictated.

After the hookset, reel like a sumbich to keep the fish from playing you through the stems. If you do get wrapped, you can always go pull it out. Messes up subsequent chances but tons of pads mean tons of opportunities.


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## Blacktip Shark (Mar 7, 2010)

whsalum said:


> Let the rod load up before you set the hook.


New myself on freshwater fishing... What do yall mean by "letting the rod load up before setting the hook."?

Thanks
Blacktip Shark


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

Back in the old days, the Weedwing with a 4" or 5" shimmy tail worm and the plastic spoon were the best for me.
Throw either on the backside of a log or pad, flop over the edge and hang on.

The plastic spoon was made from thick plastic and had a thick rubber skirt to match the pattern of the spoon. Name is Moss Boss.

*Surface gurgling with the Panther Martin WeedWing*
Panther Martin opened the vault and returns their popular WeedWing to active duty. This spoon-buzzbait-like lure can be used to target different types of fish in a range of situations, either retrieving it for some top water action, or slowly dragging it along the bottom for less aggressive fish.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Blacktip Shark said:


> New myself on freshwater fishing... What do yall mean by "letting the rod load up before setting the hook."?
> 
> Thanks
> Blacktip Shark


Avoiding premature e-jerk-ulation... count down before setting the hook to ensure the fish has it good. Some days it takes a 3 count, some days a 10


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## chucktx (Sep 12, 2011)

loading up= setting the hook when you feel the fish. the rod has "loaded up" when the fish starts pulling. hope that helps.


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

You almost always hear or see these fish before you feel them. When the rod gets heavy and you feel weight it is loading up. The toughest thing to learn is to make yourself wait to set the hook.


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## Blacktip Shark (Mar 7, 2010)

I appreciate the information... 

Thank you.

Blacktip Shark


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

7-7.5' telephone pole, 50+lb braid, weedless frog. let them run after sucking it down and try and break their neck when you set the hook. My goal is try and get them to the top on the hookset and then reel fast enough to keep their head on the surface. After a good day, my ribs will be soar from the base of my rod.


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## Csafisher (Nov 16, 2010)

This ^^^. I use frogs and sometimes buzz baits and spinnerbaits if it's not thick. Also really love throwing a texas rig, just make sure it's weedless.


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

Just like a flounder hook set let him take it take a dip or light a cig then cross them eyes!


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Barbarian said:


> 7-7.5' telephone pole, 50+lb braid, weedless frog. let them run after sucking it down and try and break their neck when you set the hook. My goal is try and get them to the top on the hookset and then reel fast enough to keep their head on the surface. After a good day, my ribs will be soar from the base of my rod.


Yeah, that's pretty much it


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