Freshwater Lily Pad Fishing

[jsuber]

Lily pads are not just for frogs, but the Bass beneath them. Next time you decide to skip on past all that grass and lily pads you might want to stop and think about all the life under those freshwater security blankets. Fish like to hide under them to keep away from those freshwater Red Barons like the Blue Heron and their biggest winged nemesis the Osprey and the Bald Eagle. While they hide under this canopy of vegetation from their hunters, they are hunting those prey that are hiding in the underwater jungle from them. What better way to approach the biggest and evolutionary smartest largemouth lions than with a kayak.

Sliding across the tops of the lily pads and easing through the grass with little or no noise, is the kayak. Its sleek design affords Bass Hunters a stable platform like the sit on top kayak with a rod holder mounted just at arms length in front of the angler while he propels his roto-molded plastic boat into a Hodge Podge of grass, and lily pads. Slowly dipping the paddle on one side and lifting to dig into the other with the touch of a surgeon as to not make a lot of noise.

With the advent of the Horny Toad, Spro Dean Rojas Frog, and the Scum Frog to name a few, fishing these forest of tangles and snags has been reduced to haven of areas to catch fish. I watched this past weekend as I fished a kayak fishing tournament out of Lake Blackshear as bass boats were churning through acres and acres of water lettuce with two anglers pitching frogs into the green abyss in search of the elusive largemouth in muddy water and a down pour of rain. I noticed that the boats were limited by fallen trees and cypress stumps and I was merely limited by the width of the openings for fields of forage. I was able to work my way back into a labyrinth of cypress trees to find clear water filter by miles of what looked like monkey tails and duck weed.

I was able to cast these plastics that resemble the long ago rubber ducky that garnered its place in history in our childhood bath tub. These new plastics have embedded double hooks that are hidden by the plastic bodies that are formed to resemble a small frog that is a desirable entrée in the largemouth bass dinner menu. The other options are the Zoom Horny Toad that requires at least a 5/0 hook that penetrates its nose, and come back up and down the back. It easily slides across the pond garnish as you retrieve it with a steady slow reel, or work it with a choppy action that indicates a wounded frog trying to make its way home. Some even make a slow drag, reel up the slack, and then make another dip in the rod and slow drag in.

Keep working that grass for the payoff which begins with a largemouth bass feeling the vibration of you pulling that frog across the lily pad horizon and that bass aligns itself up to penetrate that grass and open its mouth just as it breaks the vegetative bubble and chomp down on the artificial frog. Let him have it, and lean back into some more explosive action as the bass shakes its head and freight trains its way to safety. Its up to you to have the drag set just right as this underwater submarines blast pass grass and stumps and trees looking for safety from something that is trying to steal its prey and bring it into the arms of impeding danger. The excitement will be overwhelming, and your heart will be racing, no matter how many times you have hooked up with these largemouth bass. Give yourself a pat on the back as you pull this mighty beast from the water, take your self a nice photo, and release it for another day. Then repeat.

[Jumptrout51]

You coulda' said all that in 11 words or less.

Example: Kayak fishing, pulled a toad across lily pads. BAM!!!Fish on!!

[bman]

I think he is applying for that GAFF staff writer position.
When are you getting a 2 person Yak?

Seriously- well written Suber!

[Olebiker]

You forgot a piece - the part where you cuss up a blue streak when you discover that the bass that blew up on your Horney Toad was really a big ol' jack fish and you left your pliers back in the truck.

Don't ask me how I know this.

[Barhopr]

Yeah, but did you catch anything? Suber, man you need a woman something fierce

[Charles]

I don't know if it's me or the lure design, but when I have tried these frog lures with the double hooks I have had a horrible hook-up/strike ratio.

But I still have a few and may yet try them again. Another thing I've been thinking of trying is a weightless Texas rigged big plastic worm fished across the surface of emergent vegetation like a snake.

[Tom Keels]

I don't know if it's me or the lure design, but when I have tried these frog lures with the double hooks I have had a horrible hook-up/strike ratio.

But I still have a few and may yet try them again. Another thing I've been thinking of trying is a weightless Texas rigged big plastic worm fished across the surface of emergent vegetation like a snake.

I'm with you on that. Never had much luck at all on any frog with the "weedless" hooks. I switched up to a floating worm texas rigged and did just as well.

[dawghouse1]

Reading that for some reason brought to mind the quote from Blazing Saddles. Something about Mr. Lamar using his tongue better than a $20, well you know. As far as needing a woman, the amount of time you get to fish you sure don't need one. Thanks for the great read.

[TroutTrent]

Me and my son Austin went to some ponds out in Quincy with the Horny Toad tied on last week and he pulled out a 8lb'er off the bed(and not with Austin's approval was released to fight another day)-will send pics as soon as I figure it out,,,,Should have seen the blow-up on that frog!!!! then about two cast later he missed one that looked aroud 10lb's Went back a few day's later with Onekeeper and the 10lb'er was still there,,,,,,but not wanting what we had for her, anyway a long story short is Bass do love dem frogs

[jsuber]

I seen lots of boats working them frogs at Lake Blackshear and everyone italked to the day before said it was too early. I remembered someone telling us that at Lake Moultrie last year but it didn't discourage those 9 lb bass. I lost 10 fish on Saturday nad have no idea if they were Mudfish or Bass, but it got my spirits up.

[bman]

Ok, Suber what gives?
Just writing for fun or to submit somewhere?

[Jumptrout51]

He's testing his critics before he goes national.

[jsuber]

I was just inspired after a tournament this past weekend. Nothing much.