My favorite lake to fish is a very small lake in Southern West Virginia. There is a branch off of the main lake that goes back to a run in about a 1/2 long. This entire branch is electric only. It is a good mixture of wooded structure along with some grassy areas. Almost the entire body of this part of the lake is boardered by about 10 or 20 yards of Lilly pads that grow right against the bank. You can hear fish smacking right along the bank, but I cannot identify if it is Bluegills or Bass. I have been successful fishing this in the following ways:

 

1) Running a spinnerbait parallel to the lillies with long casts

 

2) Running buzzbaits along the lilly pad edges

 

3) Running Crankbaits and Jerkbaits parallel to the lillies with long casts.

 

 

I have never had luck flipping creatures or frogs along the lillies. 

 

 

How would you fish this lake? 

 

 

 

Images attached at the bottom. 

How about punching right through the lillies or trying a frog right through the top of all that crud?

i've fished Plum for several years. you can cath them on frogs and hitting the edges with spinner/buzz

 

but the last 3 or 4 years ive started going against the grain. i fish structor on the lake, off the bank. carolina rig and drop shot.

 

the pointon the right (going into the electric cove) has a lot o rock out deep. the point on the lef is good also.

 

another area ife done well is the corner of the dam where the boat dock is. the chunk rock from the dam goes WAY out into the water.

 

i know it isnt as fun or exciting, but ive been much more consistant like this.

 

 

 

last, id tell you to try and hit the 3-4 feet of open water between the bank and the pads. try fluke or a finesse work with a 1/16 oz weight.

I would live with a big flipping stick! Cover enough water with a Rage Craw or something and you're bound to get bites eventually. You also could try going right through them by upping your tackle and punching. 

My Lake is very similar.

 

1. I also would run a spinner bait along side the lilies

2. Throw a weightless wacky senko

3. Long cast 30lbs test weedless frog into the thick of the lilies.

4. Maybe later in the evening use a hula-popper in between some of the thick parts.

 

 I have not had much luck with drop shot rigs in grassy areas.

Get IN the lilly pads!

Since it has so much pads I would concentrate on isolated patches or spots where two or more types of cover come together. By the way structure is a change in bottom contour Such as points, flats, and humps. Cover is anything bass will use as a hiding spot. In your situation wood and pads.

I have tried frogs on top of the lillies without much success, but it could be the fisher and not the fish. I did try flipping grubs and such along the tops of the lillies right along the bank but no luck. I fish out of a bass raider with a trolling motor so I don't wanna get too deep into the lillies and get stuck. 

 

 

I did order three packs of flukes and I have yet to take them out. I think I will try flipping them or hitting gaps between lillies in the water. 

 

 

I caught several good sized bass down at the very end of the electric only branch as far as I could get throwing buzzbaits in the lanes of water between the patches of lilly pads. Especially right at dark. 

I would hit the rushes in the background of pic #2. I bet there are a few fish up in them. there are also what looks to be over hanging trees as well, thats another good place for fish. also as the others have said a frog would be a good start.

Early on I would work the edge quickley with top water, spinnerbait, swim jig,weightless plastic, maybe a swim bait. As the sun moves higher start pressing in on the vegetation. Flip n pitch. Swim jig.