We have a nice power lake that has good Bass in it. was the spawn is over the grass takes over. like 20 feet out.

how would you guys fish this?

Over, under, around, and through, depending on the type of grass, how thick it is, what mood the fish are in, etc. There will almost certainly be fish in it, but it’s about how you can fish it efficiently until you find where they are and what they are eating. Pictures would help as would a little more info.

For me, I have tons of curly pondweed and milfoil. Also get a good few pads (spatterdock). Some of the lakes have a ton of chara which is more annoying than useful to me. If you have places where there are clumps of grass and paths through it you can fish moving baits mid level decently well. If you are topped out and matted then you’re either throwing stuff on top (frogs, spoons, etc) or you’re punching down through it. Then of course you have the front edge which can old fish at any depth from surface to bottom and gives options there too. The fish will use all of it at different times and all the tactics will work at some point, but it just depends on what you can do efficiently.

11 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Over, under, around, and through, depending on the type of grass, how thick it is, what mood the fish are in, etc. There will almost certainly be fish in it, but it’s about how you can fish it efficiently until you find where they are and what they are eating. Pictures would help as would a little more info.

For me, I have tons of curly pondweed and milfoil. Also get a good few pads (spatterdock). Some of the lakes have a ton of chara which is more annoying than useful to me. If you have places where there are clumps of grass and paths through it you can fish moving baits mid level decently well. If you are topped out and matted then you’re either throwing stuff on top (frogs, spoons, etc) or you’re punching down through it. Then of course you have the front edge which can old fish at any depth from surface to bottom and gives options there too. The fish will use all of it at different times and all the tactics will work at some point, but it just depends on what you can do efficiently.

DITTO!!

Mike

19 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Over, under, around, and through, depending on the type of grass, how thick it is, what mood the fish are in, etc.

Double ditto.

I'd start with a Senko on a jig, letting it fall both on the edges of the grass, in the openings, and where it's not as thick.

I'd also T-rig it with whatever soft plastic you like and let that fall into the grass.

They might be there one day and not the next. Heck, they might be there one hour and not the next. And they might be in one area of grass and not the next. Assume nothing. Keep plugging.

Weightless and weighted texas rigged plastics, Frogs, and swim jigs.

All I fish are big shallow lakes with tons of grass, and the Everglades. Things I have learned over the years is that not all grasses are the same.

1. Look for the greenest grasses you can find. They are pumping O2 into the water.

2. An isolated clump are better than a huge clump, because bass will congregate there rather then spread out throughout. You may catch several off one clump, usually about the same size.

3. Grasses close to moving water are great ambush points for bass.

4. Grasses close to visible structure can be home range for bigger bass.

5. After the spawn, grass lines close to significant depth changes are great places for bigger bass usually deep recovering.

6. Two or three different types of grasses together are better than just one type of grass in mass.

7. When fishing always watch the grass stems that move when not caused by the wind. Something alive is there, might be a bass, might be a gator or snake.

8. When the sun is high look for the thickest greenest clumps and punch the area. Bass are seeking shade and bigger ones will control the prime areas with the most shade. Specially in summer.

9. Lilly pads fields will all face the same direction in stiff winds. Make sure the V at the top of the stem is facing you and your baits will come through the field without hanging up. Facing the wrong way will be a pain in the ass.

I hope these tips help, they are always on my mind when out in the swamp.

I'd start off with a topwater. Maybe a buzzbait, or a popper if there is some open water. If the bass aren't coming up then I switch over to a fluke, weightless senko or straight tail worm, or a small swim jig.

I dont know what it is about lakes close to me but they dont have normal grass. They get choked with chara algae and snot grass. A lot of people avoid it. I accept that I'm going to have to clean my baits often but there will be lots of fish in it. There is "always" something to cast at. Cuts, juts, lanes,,. I catch bass all day long in this aggravating stuff. I mostly fish spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, weightless worms, frogs, toads and various top waters. Getting the trolling motor stuck in it is a common setback. I have to oar out a lot.

Zoom horny toad, loads of fun

On 5/28/2026 at 7:35 PM, geo g said:

Lilly pads fields will all face the same direction in stiff winds. Make sure the V at the top of the stem is facing you and your baits will come through the field without hanging up. Facing the wrong way will be a pain in the ass

Dude

Thanks

Never thought of that before

It really depends upon the type of grass and the location. Is the grass all submerged or is it also above the water? If above the waterline, some grass you can easily run through with things like a spinnerbait, bladed jig, or soft plastic swim bait. Frogs are also great there.

When you get thick grass like hydrilla, look for openings and drop a weightless or lightly weighted bait in there. If it gets really thick, even the bass can have problems getting through there. But they will sit on the edge of or just in those grass lines waiting to ambush prey.

In my experience, bass gravitate towards different types of grasses in the same lake based on both weather conditions and seasonality.

The lake I mainly fish here in Iowa is choked out with curly pond weed and chara grass. Tops out mostly to the top of the water. Grows from the bank and in isolated clumps. It’s dang near impossible to fish anything with a treble hook. Leaves so many lures off the table. But a Texas rigged worm, a swim jig a flipping bait weedless too waters all are super productive. Fish the edges, the holes the clumps. Look for areas you can find 2 different types of vegetation growing together. Bass love that. Pay close attention to grass or pads or cat tails moving when your air aren’t near them. You can learn a lot and see bass coming or moving to approach a bait.

I only fish 1 heavily grassed lake and throw a spinnerbait through the channels and a wacky rig on the front edge....... keeps me entertained.

23 hours ago, scaleface said:

I dont know what it is about lakes close to me but they dont have normal grass. They get choked with chara algae and snot grass. A lot of people avoid it. I accept that I'm going to have to clean my baits often but there will be lots of fish in it. There is "always" something to cast at. Cuts, juts, lanes,,. I catch bass all day long in this aggravating stuff. I mostly fish spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, weightless worms, frogs, toads and various top waters. Getting the trolling motor stuck in it is a common setback. I have to oar out a lot.

thank you, that is what i am going to be facing.

On 5/28/2026 at 6:35 PM, geo g said:

All I fish are big shallow lakes with tons of grass, and the Everglades. Things I have learned over the years is that not all grasses are the same.

1. Look for the greenest grasses you can find. They are pumping O2 into the water.

2. An isolated clump are better than a huge clump, because bass will congregate there rather then spread out throughout. You may catch several off one clump, usually about the same size.

3. Grasses close to moving water are great ambush points for bass.

4. Grasses close to visible structure can be home range for bigger bass.

5. After the spawn, grass lines close to significant depth changes are great places for bigger bass usually deep recovering.

6. Two or three different types of grasses together are better than just one type of grass in mass.

7. When fishing always watch the grass stems that move when not caused by the wind. Something alive is there, might be a bass, might be a gator or snake.

8. When the sun is high look for the thickest greenest clumps and punch the area. Bass are seeking shade and bigger ones will control the prime areas with the most shade. Specially in summer.

9. Lilly pads fields will all face the same direction in stiff winds. Make sure the V at the top of the stem is facing you and your baits will come through the field without hanging up. Facing the wrong way will be a pain in the ass.

I hope these tips help, they are always on my mind when out in the swamp.

this is great information, I appreciate the time you put into this to help me out!

14 hours ago, Banned User said:

Dude

Thanks

Never thought of that before

thank you.

if i decide to punch what am I looking for?

3 hours ago, Papa B said:

if i decide to punch what am I looking for?

The greenest thick clumps with at least 2 to 3 feet of water below.

I never fish in the grass without one of these tied on.

Tom

On 5/31/2026 at 6:42 PM, Kayak Koz said:

It really depends upon the type of grass and the location. Is the grass all submerged or is it also above the water? If above the waterline, some grass you can easily run through with things like a spinnerbait, bladed jig, or soft plastic swim bait. Frogs are also great there.

When you get thick grass like hydrilla, look for openings and drop a weightless or lightly weighted bait in there. If it gets really thick, even the bass can have problems getting through there. But they will sit on the edge of or just in those grass lines waiting to ambush prey.

In my experience, bass gravitate towards different types of grasses in the same lake based on both weather conditions and seasonality.

the grass is very thick, and has moss over the top.

17 minutes ago, Papa B said:

the grass is very thick, and has moss over the top.

If there's vegetation at the top, I love to start and stop a frog over those mats and have the bass blow up on it. Just make sure you're using a heavy rod with 50+ pound braid because you'll be hauling in a lot of grass with each catch. Also, don't set the hook too soon. Let that bass turn and go back down and clear the mat. You're hookup rate probably won't be that good, but you'll have a blast.

The other option is a heavy punching set up.