Okay guys, I have a simple but perplexing question for you. There is a statepark in my hometown and the lake there is somewhat small, but not too bad. The lake I am referring to is Watkins Mill Lake in Watkin's Wollen Mill State Park in Excelsior Springs Missouri. I want to know or gain the knowledge of how to fish the submerged weed beds. It seems that the water isnt too deep usually about 10 ft, but around these moss beds is probably closer to about 4'-5'. Now, I know you wouldnt typically fish that shallow of water, but my train of thought is, the submerged moss is great cover, there are bait fish everywhere and for the most part its in the middle of what could be considered coves, so why wouldn't a largemouth be hanging out there ? I typically use a spinner and a chartreuce spinner is what I ws using last time out and I caught my largest bass of the season. The largemouth I caught there last time was just under 5 lbs. (I attached a photo of the 4 lb 12 oz largemouth I caught there last week) I want to land larger fish more consistantly, and I want to know how to fish these moss beds and other cover the lake provides.

Any tips?

- N.

You can catch bass in as little as 6 inches of water. Fishing 4-5 feet is pretty normal... That's even a little deep for me the way I fish a lot of my local lakes.

Well yeah that would be the norm, but really I am more curious on how to pull the bass out of those big moss patches under the water. I would think jigging would be the first choice, but I didnt know if in that enviroment certain lures or techniques would work better.

Specific lures/ baits:

Rage Tail Shad, Menace, Toads, Space Monkey and Smokin' Lizard

Norman Fat Boy, KVD 1.5 and 2.5

GYCB Kreature

Kietech Swing Impact Fat. Shadalicious, Hollow Belly and GYCB Swimming Senko

NorthStar and GMAN Swim Jigs/ Rage Tail Single Tail Grub or Menace

Senko and Fat Ika

Haven't fished Watkin's Mill a lot but it's a tough lake from the few times I've fished it. I like buzzbaits and spinnerbaits over the grass, squarebills along the edges or ripped through the weeds if I can. A weighless fluke or senko settling lightly into the weeds can be pretty deadly too. If you can find holes in the weeds with enough water under the weeds a Havoc Pit boss flipped into the weeds is a good way to catch the bigger fish.

If the weeds top out on the surface, you could fish a spoon or frog on top and work it into any openings and along the edges. If there is water above the top of the weeds, you have a huge selection of lure types you can fish in that zone. Ripping a lipless crank off the weed tops and edges will get you a reaction strike from both bass holding on those edges as well as some that are burried in the weeds.

If you're fishing from a boat, you can flip or pitch a jig or T-Rig into openings and on the edges for active fish, or punch a good sized jig through the canopy of weeds to reach the bottom for inactive fish.

Choose your line according to the presentation you'll be using. Except for top water, you can get away with heavy line as line visibility isn't much of a concern.

You used the term moss in your original post and I assume that is a general term for weeds. If not, actual moss is a real pain to fish as it clings to everything from your knot to the tail of your lure. It's also difficult for fish to navigate, so keep that in mind.

Lipless cranks, swim jigs, flukes,spooks, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits.

Try the double fluke rig or swimming a jig through the weeds.

No, its actually moss, form the boat it looks like it is about 1' down into the water and they look like huge just balls of mass coming from the ground up, you would think it is a mine field of moss. When I drag a lure through it my lure is covered in vibrate green slimey moss. The whole lake isnt this way, mainly just back on the coves. There several weed beds but mainly moss in the coves.