Pond is getting a lot of FA. What kind of lure works best, I have been using tube jigs but it is getting to be more cleaning lure off than fishing. Is there a weedless jig that works?

The best, but nowhere near perfect, lure in my box for FA ponds is a rubber worm with a weed-less hook. Don't use any weights. And, expect to be picking off the FA most every cast.

Fishing around FA mats is a lessen in patience more so than fishing itself.

These are probably the best out there. They get a lot of action, don't collect much FA, but are not known to really put fish in the basket!

I completely agree. The single best lure in my experience is the weightless, Texas rigged Senko. YouTube has great videos on how to set up this rig or I can give you more details if you want. There are cheaper imitators you can buy that do the same thing. Save a buck or two on the lure and splurge on high quality 2/0 or 3/0 wide gap hooks. You need sharp hooks to pull it out of the plastic and into the fish.

Ok, that reminds me, 40 years ago I used to put a small finish nail in the head of a plastic worm for weight, hook had to be big enough to fit around the nail. Thanks for the advice.

I still do this when necessary, as do others. We call it pegging the worm. Not needed for Senkos, though, as they're heavy enough to cast but neutrally buoyant enough to fool fish. Definitely my go-to lure when I want to put meat in the boat while culling LMB.

I've always been a fan of a grass frog or rat if I'm around anything floating on top ( FA, MILFOIL, HYDRILLA, COONTAIL, ETC. ). The thicker the crap, the better. Hooks are tucked in to the sides and it floats high. Just keep the water out of it to maintain boyancy. Break up a plastic worm into small pieces and stuff a few inside to add some sound and floatation. I would throw it on a heavy action rod, rigged with braided line and 10 foot leader of 20# test mono so it floated on top and not sink like flourocarbon does. The explosion will almost make you mess yourself when they bust it. Just don't set the hook too quick. Wait until you feel the fish, then cross his eyes! And here's a hint, if you hear BG sucking underneath it, the bass will be there.

If I'm culling LMB, my go to lure is a 1/32 oz jig rigged with a 4 inch power worm. Junebug, motor oil and red shad colors work really well. The slow fall is hard for bass to resist. Giant BG like it, too.

Downside: It's an ultralight lure requiring ultralight rod & line. Not so great in areas with heavy weeds or wood.

Senkos, flukes, and frogs for me.


I use green Berkley 10# Nano braid for light jigs. It's got the diameter of 6# line, so it throws easily on small spool spinning reels. Being in thick slop, it doesn't need a mono/fluro leader. I also like knowing that if the jig breaks off, it usually happens at the bend in the light wire hook so LMB don't swim away with a jig and worm in their mouth like they can do when the knot breaks.

I tried nano braid but was disappointed at how quickly it frayed. Mono didn't do that, not sure why nano did.

You might say that I'm frayed of nano braid, but you have to say it quick.

Where did it fray?

Everywhere on the line that was cast out and retrieved through the line guides. Don't know if the line guides were at fault, but they never gave any trouble to mono.

After just one day of fishing, nanobraid had to be replaced.

Ok, I was just curious. I'm still on the 2 spools I bought several years ago, and hadn't experienced that.

What kind of reel are you using?

IIRC, $25 cheap Garcia reels. They're on my 5' light action rods. I only use Nano on these two rods because I was tired of not being able to set a hook without the mono breaking above the hook eye.

I'd only brought up braid because you mentioned light line being problematic in weedy water.

I use very small ultralight reels, so maybe that's the problem, it winds the nanobraid too tightly.