I haven't been fishing in weeded areas like lilly pads, or well vegetated areas of water like when i'm in a boat, but when i do get a chance to get by these areas of weeds i usually go with a worm either with it weighted or not. Then throw it right into the middle of say a patch of lilly pads and on across the top, then drag it very slow and let it drop and sometimes get a hit, or while its on top get a hit there also. That's how i fish weeded areas. how do you fish in weeded areas and your most effective lure and technique for doing so? in your op , i know there's numerous amounts of fresh water vegetation,but the one you normally deal with the most in your fishing . some people target cattails,etc.. i mostly favor lilly pads.

Frogs and zoom speed worms works for me. 

Frogs, Brush Hogs, Flukes, Rage Craw.

For punching through mat's...Sweet beaver or Rage bug.

Mike

I usually attack with a beaver and frog. Sometimes ill hit em with a swimjig

If its sparse lilies I like worms or brush hogs even spinnerbaits will work. Heavier cover it's frogs or zoom z hog.

Texas/florida rigged soft plastic or a weed less top water!

Weightless fluke

As long as the weeds aren't coming to the surface, I feel I can catch them ripping a hair jig through the grass. If the vegetation is coming to the surface and forming mats, I will punch with an ugly Otter or throw a frog.

I'm a jig guy in pads. I also throw weightless T-Rigged plastics also.

Most lakes in my area have lily pads and I have done well with t/ rigged plastics, frogs, jigs, and spinnerbaits.

anything t-rigged

^^ don't you mean florida-rigged?

In matted vegetation nothing works like a frog. A creature is great along grass edges or holes in matted vegetation. For some reason though, nothing gets strikes for me on the edges of mats like a jig.

senkos and zoom fluke stick weightless

hollow frog is best

hookups can be tricky

punching jig otherwise

are there any weedless hard lures

I know of some but I never really liked them I want something fast like a rattle trap or crank bait but be able to go through grass

Fluke

Yeah i guess a fluke is one i havent even thought about that

GYCB Kreature

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/11664-warning-you-might-get-your-arm-broke/

If you are talking just pads then you can fish a lot of stuff through there. It doesn't really limit my options as much as something like thick grass. Depending how sparse they are and how lucky you are feeling you can even work a squarebill or trap through them. The only real issue is catching a treble on the stalks. Those things are tuff and it can be hard to pull free. Generally though any plastics or jigs are good. Spinner baits and chatter baits along with hollow bellies also work well and will come through there no problem usually. 

anything t-rigged

This and frogs:)

are there any weedless hard lures

Squarebills, spinnerbaits, and lipless cranks come through grass well in my experience. Topwaters are always good around sparse grass.

Bass tend to strike up through pads, duckweed, etc (surface vegetation) usually without a great look at the lure, but based on seeing and feeling the movement anticipating something (frog, mouse, whatever) moving across the top. You can get hits flipping all sorts of weed less baits on top ranging from frogs/mouse baits to light t-rigged 7-10" worms to even light weedless jigs with big trailers. I've had 4lb bass blow up pads for jigs and weedless spoons drug across the top.

I like working edges with topwater whenever applicable, but most of my edge fishing is jigs and Texas rigged plastics.

1. Hollow Body Frog

2. Punch a jig

3. Spinnerbait or swimjig in the sparse areas