Fishin' the Pads

[Dutch]

I usually like to use a t-rigged long plastic bait with some weight, but not too much. I drag it across the top of the pads and let it drop into the holes. Too much weight and it goes too deep into the old weed growth and I get weeds wrapped around the line. Not enough and it doesn't sink in the holes.

 

What do you use and how do you fish it?

[bigmac1984]

My favourite way to fish pads is with a frog. If the pads are thick, I use a floating frog, it they are a bit more sparse I use a rage toad or something like that that makes some noise going through the water.

 

Either way, you can't beat that feeling when one explodes on your frog.

[dave524]

Favourite way to fish pads.... heavy 9 wt fly rod and spun deer hair mouse with a mono loop weed guard. Drop it open pockets, twitch it in place... wait.... a couple more twitches wait .... roll cast pickup, false cast or two and hit another open pocket.

[ckrb2007]

Either a Live Target frog or a YUM Horny Toad weedless and weightless rigged.

[Whitemikeca]

I would start with a frog/mouse bait and if that doesn't draw them out then I use a 10" hammer worm t-rigged with a 1oz weight pegged. Caught some my biggest bass this year with the hammer worm!

[MCTFisher9120]

Snag Proof Frog 55lb braid and lot's of casts.

[redskullz]

Favourite way to fish pads.... heavy 9 wt fly rod and spun deer hair mouse with a mono loop weed guard. Drop it open pockets, twitch it in place... wait.... a couple more twitches wait .... roll cast pickup, false cast or two and hit another open pocket.

 

That is rediculously effective!! And sooooo fun! I fish the pads using a texas rigged yum 4.5" tubes....skate on the surface as slow as possible the let sink in openings.

[fish_fishburn]

My favorite way to fish pads is with a 5" flippin tube weightless rigged with a 5/0 offset Gammy hook rigged weedless. If this doesn't work a black or white Sluggo rigged the same way. Cast to the outside edge of the pads first if this doesn't draw them out drop it in the openings of the pads and just let it sit there for about a minute give a little shake and wait 15 seconds or so then retrieve and pick another spot. Sometimes it takes 4 or 5 casts into the same clump of pads to entice a strike, other times its the first cast and there on. And make sure your drag is cranked tight.

[Harrison]

If it is an isolated pad bed I will always start on the edges and work the bait horizontally like an unwieghtd plastic i.e yamamoto 8' grub. If nothin I will pitch the middle of the bed working my way to the middle with a weighted texas rigged plastic. I will bring the bait up to the under side of the pads and shake it. IF there is a fish in there, they can handle that for only so long before snapping.

 

If it is a large expanse of pads, I will throw a topwater frog, usually a hollow body like the Live Target. On the edges or in sparse pads a flappin shad or kicker frog work great. Must cover water and call the fish to you when fishing that amount of pads. To pick that apart is a waste of time in my opinion.

 

One general rule for me fishin pads is using braid. It will help you get fish up and out of the vegetation by slicing it.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Harrison

[Rich]

Whatever the bass in the pads are eating that day.. lol

[eman]

I like the Yum horney toad - natural or white has worked well this year. Hook is usually a 1/8" to 1/4 weighted swimbait style hook depending on weed thickness and water depth.

Is very versatile as you can fish it fast on top of water or fish it slower and drop it into pockets.

I also like texas ridded 7" power worms and chigger craws.

Alwasy braid, cuts the weeds nicely and has super strength.

[craigdritchie]

Short answer - it depends.

 

What is the weather, and what was the weather over the previous few days?

What time of day is it?

How much fishing pressure is there?

What month in the year are we talking?

Are you in a tournament, or can you use live bait?

 

Assuming we're fishing for bass ......

 

If the fish are really active I'll use something on top, like a Slug-Go or a Moss Boss, just because I love to watch those surface hits.

If the fish are neutral, I'll maybe use a weedless spoon or a weedless swimbait.

If the fishing is tough or the conditions are horrible, I probably won't fish pads at all. But if I had to, I would go deep into the junk and fish in the heaviest cover with a jig or a small worm - something small and subtle, yet heavy enough to penetrate the weeds.

 

Or use live bait - a leech on a weedless hook would be first choice.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Craig_Ritchie

[uglyfish]

Frog to work over the pads, then pull out the flippin stick and start pitchin! I like to throw chigger craws, or some sort of craw bait, trokar hook, peg a tungsten weight and start pounding the pads with as many cast as possible.

[greenfin]

SPRO and Live Target frogs works best for me on areas with floating plants. Also sometimes buzzbait around the edges of the pads.

 

Especially if the bass misses (short strikes) the frog, and if the weeds are not so dense, I would throw a buzzbait over the same spot. Almost always get the fish. Repeated attempt to cover short strikes with the same frog is often futile. Maybe the fish discovers that plastic frogs doesn't taste good and decided not to strike the frog a second time.