When people say that, or fishing whatever over 'grassbeds', does that basically mean fishing over aquatic vegetation like hydrilla or whatever? Or does that specifically mean grass?

Generally referring to any type of submerged vegetation.

That always confused me as well. So this year I tried it over hydrilla and weeds, sure enough it works. Pike were smashing my chatterbait when reeling just over the weeds, a few smallmouth as well. 

Slow rolling means fishing the spinnerbait slow enough that the blade(s) are barely turning. This term can be applied to a multitude of lures & in general means retrieving a lure slowly & steadily while maintaining a constant depth during the retrieve.
 

Over grass beds would mean whatever aquatic vegetation is there is growing profusely enough that it’s forming large areas with enough clearance between the top of the vegetation & the surface of the water over which a lure can be retrieved.

….at least that’s my take on those commonly used terms.  Great question.

39 minutes ago, LCG said:

Pike were smashing my chatterbait when reeling just over the weeds

The irony is that pike smash just about anything that’s moving.

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

The irony is that pike smash just about anything that’s moving.

 

True, but their love of jigs in the spring is the one I can't figure out to land or avoid.  It's costing me a dozen jigs a year.  

 

scott

4 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

True, but their love of jigs in the spring is the one I can't figure out to land or avoid.  It's costing me a dozen jigs a year.  

 

scott

Oh I’m very familiar with this loss of lures to the pack of pike.

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Oh I’m very familiar with this loss of lures to the pack of pike.

Everytime I land one, I demand a return of my hardware or I take my time with the pliers.

 

scott

 

I'm not an effective negotiator

 

References to fishing over "grass" or "weeds" is taking about any submergent plants.

slow rolling is all I do.  burning it usually causes my spinnerbait to lean to the side.  

I have been soundly defeated in friendly competitions by friends slow rolling a spinnerbait thru water willow, not over it. The grass stands well above the surface and they pull the bait along the bottom in 0-3’ of water 

 

fair warning : I’ve tried this for decades and caught basically nothing 😂 

It works over Rocks too  Bump the grass every once in a  while will trigger a strike too 

Thank you guys! This was super super helpful!

20 hours ago, LCG said:

That always confused me as well. So this year I tried it over hydrilla and weeds, sure enough it works. Pike were smashing my chatterbait when reeling just over the weeds, a few smallmouth as well. 

That's how I fish for pike now. And your description is apt...they smash Chatterbaits.

 

I try and mimic yellow perch