Home lake opened in 2018, 220 acres. NE Game and Parks left most of the trees standing, and also created a bunch of brush piles throughout the lake. 

 

Most of the brush-piles are in 10-15 feet of water...tops of the piles are usually 6-9 feet below surface. Image below. 

 

What would you suggest?

 

Here is what I've tried:

• Rapala DT-6 / DT-8: fun way to catch them. Bumping the brush seems to help trigger strikes. 
• Rapala Shad Rap: same as above
• Drop shot: I get hung up a lot, can't seem to get the hang of it. 
• T-rigged plastics: good success lately.
• NED: tried yesterday...had to pay close attention to keep the bait just above the brush...otherwise it is snag-city. Super nice 3lb. LMB hammered the NED yesterday. That was FUN!
• Lead-head jig: 1/16th oz with a 2.5" gulp minnow...again, gotta be careful for snags, but I'm landing crappie, bluegill and LMB's. 
• C-Rig: tried running between or on the edges of the piles...but kept getting hung up. No luck with this technique.
• Squarebill: doesn't seem to run deep enough.

 

For manmade brushpiles I use Texas rigs but go with a lighter weight than usual. Usually I have a 1/4 to 5/16th oz weight but use 1/8 or 3/16 oz in snaggy brush piles  . I try not to let the bait go to deep inside to keep from hanging up plus I dont have good luck at getting bass out of brush or beaver dens. I start out by trying to barely tick the piles . After I'm done doing that then I let the lure probe deeper into them.

Swim jigs and spinnerbaits can work for these as well. Just let them sink down a bit before you begin your retrieve. 

if the water is reasonably clear, an 6-10' diving jerkbait that rides a foot or so above the piles. 

My answer for just about everything this year has been to throw a jerkbait at things but its worked so thats my advice.

 

I'd try 2, one in the 4-5 ft range to go over the tops and if you can accurately locate the piles get a deeper one in the 9 ft range and skim it close the sides of the piles. 

 

That strategy was very productive for me when a trig or spinnerbait/swim jig wouldnt do it. 

@scaleface thanks! I really like a 3/16th oz bullet weight for my t-rigs...paired with a 2/0 Gama EWG, this is one of my favorite ways to fish.

 

@fishballer06 I love me a spinner bait...and usually work the timber with this technique. I'll have to give the brush piles a try. I really need to pick up some swimbaits. That's one of the techniques I have not really embraced. 

 

@casts_by_fly & @Functional the water is fairly murky...1-2' visibility at best. I do have a box full of jerkbaits...haven't had much luck with them. I need to break them out and give the brush piles a try. 

@DaubsNU1 for me, water clarity doesnt make a big difference to decide to use one or not, unless its chocolate milk looking. I just adjust the color/reflectiveness/opacity according to water and sun conditions. 

1 minute ago, Functional said:

@DaubsNU1 for me, water clarity doesnt make a big difference to decide to use one or not, unless its chocolate milk looking. I just adjust the color/reflectiveness/opacity according to water and sun conditions. 

 

Agreed! I was a big fan of green pumpkin in this lake...Senkos, NED, etc. Primary forage is bluegill and crappie...no live bait is allowed. The old green pumpkin just produced. 

 

Recently I went back to blue-fleck power worms, and have had great success.

How about a Senko on a jighead, twitched just above the brush, or Senko on a weedless jighead poking into the brush?

I would see if the fish are just around it and if they are I'd use cranks, jerkbait, (moving baits).  If they are in the brush I'd toss a jig in there and rip them out.

18 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

How about a Senko on a jighead, twitched just above the brush, or Senko on a weedless jighead poking into the brush?

 

Senko's really work well on this lake. I love them rigged t-style, weightless with a Gama EWG hook. Pitch up next to trees...and just wait. I've caught some really nice LMB's that way. 

 

Problem I run in to here...wind seems to always be blowing...and waiting for that Senko to drift down is difficult. 

 

On a jighead, I like that idea!!

 

7 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

 

On a jighead, I like that idea!!

 

I got that idea from @Glenn and it caught a lot of bass for me this summer. 

@DaubsNU1- if you go with a senko on a jig head, look up the bass union weedless Ned heads. They are my default Ned head and are sized great for a 4” senko. A 5 also works on them. A 3/16 should be right for a 4” senko in 12-14’. 

1 jig head minnow cast it past the brush and slowly work it up and over the brush barely hovering it above the tip of the pile 

 

2 jig and trailer cast it past the brush and bang it around in there

 

3 burn a crankbait clipping the top of the pile

 

4 texas-rigged drop shot cast it past and slowly work it up and through the pile

 

I'd give each one of those 2 or 3 casts each and if you don't get bit after about 8 casts, move on to the next one..... 

My first thought is a beaver or craw on a free rig. We’ve been tinkering with a Gilly on the free rig and it’s been a winner in the brush as well.