This seems like a question I just can't seem to find the answer to anywhere.  My neighborhood pond has a nasty bottom and every time I throw a texas rig, jig, anything on the bottom... every time I reel in the lure it is covered with green mossy muck... is there a specific term for this?

 

I've tried using a drop shot.  Are there any other recommendations you all have in this scenario? (types of lures, strategies, etc.?)

 

I know I can utilize baits that target the middle of the water column or topwater, but I don't want to be limited to those if at all possible. 

 

If you were faced with this, what baits/lures would you use?

i have a pond i fish some times just as you explained. i dont even bother with anything texas rigged and just focus on mid and top lures. works well too. i even tried weightless texas rigged and still came up with gunk all over the bait.  maybe someone has a better answer...  

I have a similar farm pond out at the house. I’ve tried a lot of different things to present a lure close to the bottom with pretty limited success. I have had luck with a drop shot from a boat but that’s the best I’ve come up with. Still catch a lot of gunk but also catch some fish. Outside of that I’m not sure that I’ve ever caught anything but moss off the bottom.  

 

I know you don’t want to limit yourself, but if you’re able to catch fish higher in the water column, I’d roll with that.

 

The main pond(110 acre reservoir) is just like this in a lot of the lake. Some of my favorite presentations when I’m bass fishing there is a t rigged weightless senko, 1/4 oz dirty jigs finesse swim jig with a 3.8 keitech or rage swimmer on it or a keitech on a weed less 1/8th oz owner beast hook, flukes, frogs, chatterbaits, and really shallow running squarebills. Takes some getting used to but I can fish all of these Without getting gunked up too often

I'm stuck fishing a bunch of ponds and small lakes with this issue.The single best bait/hook combo I've found that comes through this mess better than anything is the 4.2" Megabass Hazedong Shad on an Owner Twistlock Light 3/32 oz belly weighted hook. This particular hook is an important part of the equation, IMO. The total combined weight is 10 grams, or just under 3/8 oz, so you can sling it nicely with a baitcaster. It can be fished just about anywhere in the water column depending on how you retrieve it. It also happens to be a fish catching machine as it represents an easy to swallow meal having just about the perfect shape and size. My best producing color has been Green Pumpkin/ Blue followed by Numa Ebi followed by Moroko.

Northlands Weed Wedge. Hard to see in the pic but the weight is wide. May help it sit on the gunk instead of bury in it. 

Mojo rig with a thin cylinder weight

 

And you can rage rig just about any soft plastic with the hook mentioned by @PhishLI or the Weed wedge above, because they don't nose down into the bottom. 

 

 

I have a couple of city park ponds that have that snot grass in it, during the warmer months. Seems like no matter what I threw, it would wind up dragging some of that muck with it, so.....What you might try is the Megabass Dark Sleeper, I use the 1 oz size for most thick stuff,and yup it will end up with the moss on it sometimes, but at least I can get it to where the fish are.

 

I've had some success with a 6" roboworm with a 1/8 oz bullet weight pegged, so that's another option.

7 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I'm stuck fishing a bunch of ponds and small lakes with this issue.The single best bait/hook combo I've found that comes through this mess better than anything is the 4.2" Megabass Hazedong Shad on an Owner Twistlock Light 3/32 oz belly weighted hook. This particular hook is an important part of the equation, IMO. The total combined weight is 10 grams, or just under 3/8 oz, so you can sling it nicely with a baitcaster. It can be fished just about anywhere in the water column depending on how you retrieve it. It also happens to be a fish catching machine as it represents an easy to swallow meal having just about the perfect shape and size. My best producing color has been Green Pumpkin/ Blue followed by Numa Ebi followed by Moroko.

 

Good advice here, I've used this same hook with Keitechs on mucky bottom farm and golf course ponds.

I was also going to suggest a paddle tail swim bait on a screw lock weighted hook, since you can slide those just above the bottom and stay out of the muck. I use skinny dippers, but there are lots of choices.

Ill go along with moving baits and also a suspending jerkbait...for soft baits I think id maybe stick to zman stuff weightless since its buoyant and should help it not settle into the junk..maybe a fluke style bait or even a creature style bait that's wider and will hold it up on top

Weightless fluke . Just have to do the best   you can .

1/16 Charlie Brewer Snagless Spider head/hook with a 4 or 5 inch finesse worm (robo, slider, etc.)

 

1/16 mojo weights with finesse worms, also

Great tips guys.  Much appreciated, this was my first post and glad I've got somewhere to go when I'm having issues!

I’ve had a similar experience at a small pond. I just limited myself to anything not on the bottom. Hopefully someone has an answer...

Snot and slime are what it's called here and this is the time of year for it. Suspending jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and float and fly are the best options in the cold water months.