I will pitch the thick stuff but am looking to expand on techniques in and out of the milfoil. I’m really loving the c rig but it’s pretty cumbersome

A ribbon tail worm on a Northland Cabbage Crusher.

57 minutes ago, MontanaBasser said:

A ribbon tail worm on a Northland Cabbage Crusher.

Thanks! You prefer that to an ewg or hybrid hook with the point texposed?

If it is clumps, I run a vibrating jig through it. Spoons across the top. If it isn’t topped out a wakebait or buzz bait over the top. Swim jigs where you can. And pitch the edges with Texas rigs or neko rigs. And punch through the thick stuff when you know where the bass are holding.

Oh we in my wheelhouse now. My favorite technique is a heavy double willow spinnerbait. 3/4-1oz. Toss it in the milfoil, no matter how thick. It’s almost like punching with the spinnerbait. Then just rip it out. Keep ripping. Short, violent rips. Then let it fall and rip it again. It’s my favorite thick milfoil technique.

2 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

Thanks! You prefer that to an ewg or hybrid hook with the point texposed?

Normally I would reach for an ewg but two seasons ago I was having trouble with the vegetation off the end of my folks dock. There was milfoil but there was also this thin vine like stuff underneath it. No matter what I tried, my rig would come back dragging enough to ruin my presentation. I had the cabbage crushers from a mystery tackle box and decided to give them a try. They come through everything. Since then I reach for them whenever I need to thread through some cover.

19 minutes ago, MontanaBasser said:

Normally I would reach for an ewg but two seasons ago I was having trouble with the vegetation off the end of my folks dock. There was milfoil but there was also this thin vine like stuff underneath it. No matter what I tried, my rig would come back dragging enough to ruin my presentation. I had the cabbage crushers from a mystery tackle box and decided to give them a try. They come through everything. Since then I reach for them whenever I need to thread through some cover.

What weight do you like?

I'd have to put them on a scale to tell you for sure. My guess is they're 3/8ths.

I like to pitch the deep stuff all summer. It grows out to about 13' on my favorite lake. In spots where it doesn't grow out as deep, I like to work the outside edge with a chatter bait or an Ol' Monster worm at night. These are generally hard bottom areas that are fairly steep.

On 6/7/2026 at 11:01 AM, casts_by_fly said:

And punch through the thick stuff when you know where the bass are holding.

This is how I fish it later in the summer time. Big mats of milfoil with pads on top. I look for holes and cast right into it with a Texas rigged plastic. Have to use a MH bait casting setup with braided line in this situation otherwise you will not pull a sizable fish from this mess. I think its more open underneath near the bottom and that's where the fish are.

It's hard work fishing this way and I can only do it for a couple hours. Around August 1 last season is when I started doing it. This method produced my biggest largemouth by length of the season in 2025.

weightless Caffeine Shad... pull it along the top then let it shimmy in the openings.

Milfoil is my absolute favorite grass on earth to fish. It beats hydrilla 10:1 for me. It is crisper and baits come through it better and I catch more big bass out of milfoil than any other type of grass when I can find it.

Free rig with a 3/16 to 3/8 oz sinker on the edges with a big worm will get you into the giant fish in a hurry. Try to cast to the top of the canopy and work it like a ledge down the edge to the hard bottom and then work the hard bottom a bit. Just gentle lifting and dropping or popping the bait free is all that’s necessary.

Bonus points if there’s sunfish beds honey combed on the edge of the milfoil. 🤤🤤🤤

Obviously this depends on how submerged it is. I love ripping a rattle trap, Baby 1-, or bladed jig over the top of it if I can. If it's a little higher up in the column, twitching a Fluke or a swim jig are good options. If I have to go over the top, a buzzbait or frog is always fun.

If I have to go through it, a Texas rig with the appropriate weight to consistently get through it is the way to go. Size your rod accordingly to how heavy the milfoil is.

12 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

weightless Caffeine Shad... pull it along the top then let it shimmy in the openings.

Sssshhhh...

Deeper beds like 8-10ft I like a T-rig or C-rig big worm. If they're more actively feeding or it's windy I'll fish a spinnerbait right over the top making sure to make contact with it. If it is real thick and coming up to the surface as a mat I'll punch it.