I've been catching bass in my pond's Potamogeton, a kind of pond weed. It looks like this and I cast into the openings:

There are big bass in it. Here's one the Kid caught:

I've been using a chunky 7" Deps Sakamata with a 5/0 hook:

Prior to using the Dep's Sakamata, I was using T-rigged worms, but those stopped working suddenly. Any suggestions on other big, slowly falling lures? That seems to be what they want.

For throwing weightless I always try (in addition to the fluke and trick worm and senko) mag speed craw, mag speed worm, the heavy poop baits (pick your favorite).

My experience has been that with weightless plastics - where in the column it is and how fast it’s moving and what it’s doing matter a lot. It could be that they are digging the slice and dice or a minnow ish thing right now so might just be worth throwing various weightless minnow baits for a while and mainly trying different sizes.

Another fun rig is the donkey rig which allows you to fish two minnows at once and looks amazing in the water - surely you could adapt it to fishing a pair of any soft plastics and even could mix and match profiles to figure out stuff faster.

The mag speed worm and craw both have the added bonus of fishing like a whopper plopper/buzzbait and they catch well on the surface in addition to swimming mid column through reeds and grass and wood and also crawling along the bottom for bites. Caught many giants on both. Both fish weightless extremely well.

Also worth a shot are large straight tail worms like the manns jelly worm (8-12”) and the Zoom Mag Trick worm - both of which tend to get bigger than average bites and have unique action in the water weightless.

16 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

It could be that they are digging the slice and dice or a minnow ish thing right now so might just be worth throwing various weightless minnow baits for a while and mainly trying different sizes.

I'll do that. Thanks for the thoughtful suggestion.

17 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

mag speed worm

I'll rig this too.

18 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

The mag speed worm and craw both have the added bonus of fishing like a whopper plopper/buzzbait and they catch well on the surface

You are the horn of plenty, Pat. Thanks!

19 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Also worth a shot are large straight tail worms like the manns jelly worm (8-12”) and the Zoom Mag Trick worm - both of which tend to get bigger than average bites and have unique action in the water weightless.

I have some Jelly worms and I think I'll toss some giant Senkos too, both wacky and T-rigged. Thank goodness the Pond Weed snaps when the bass rip through it. If they were in the big lily pads, I'd be losing lots of fish. I wish I could see in super slow motion how they free themselves with fibrous plants. I hooked a beauty last night and she ran into an overhanging bush on the shore. Sure enough, in a second, she was freed before I could persuade her into deeper water.

This will come thru those weeds. T rigged or stuff weight inside.

This is my big fish bait of choice for fishing around vegetation when it allows for it. Plenty heavy to fish weightless, or add a bullet weight. I usually opt for a 1/4oz tungsten.

https://www.bigbitebaits.com/product/craw-tube/

If there are bluegill around the Deps bullflat is a deadly approach on a weighted swimbait hook. If you need something with a bullet weight I like the reaction innovations spicy beaver or missile d bomb.

It may sound counter-intuitive but I love throwing a heavy spinnerbait into thick pondweed. 1oz spinnerbait and let it fall to the bottom. Then begin the retrieve and rip it and time the rod starts to load up with weeds.

Bronco bug on a bkk weighted permalock hook.

21 minutes ago, Jerkbait22 said:

If there are bluegill around the Deps bullflat is a deadly approach on a weighted swimbait hook. If you need something with a bullet weight I like the reaction innovations spicy beaver or missile d bomb.

This lure is new to me and I just ordered some. They won't be here by tomorrow morning, but I look forward to fishing them down the road.

11 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

Bronco bug on a bkk weighted permalock hook.

I own Bronco Bugs and will try them too!

11 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I own Bronco Bugs and will try them too!

You can try them weightless too and they will fall really slow. I like the weighted hook or a little lead wire wrapped on the shank of an EWG but I'm also usually fishing them pretty deep.

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

For throwing weightless I always try (in addition to the fluke and trick worm and senko) mag speed craw, mag speed worm, the heavy poop baits (pick your favorite).

My experience has been that with weightless plastics - where in the column it is and how fast it’s moving and what it’s doing matter a lot. It could be that they are digging the slice and dice or a minnow ish thing right now so might just be worth throwing various weightless minnow baits for a while and mainly trying different sizes.

Another fun rig is the donkey rig which allows you to fish two minnows at once and looks amazing in the water - surely you could adapt it to fishing a pair of any soft plastics and even could mix and match profiles to figure out stuff faster.

The mag speed worm and craw both have the added bonus of fishing like a whopper plopper/buzzbait and they catch well on the surface in addition to swimming mid column through reeds and grass and wood and also crawling along the bottom for bites. Caught many giants on both. Both fish weightless extremely well.

Also worth a shot are large straight tail worms like the manns jelly worm (8-12”) and the Zoom Mag Trick worm - both of which tend to get bigger than average bites and have unique action in the water weightless.

Ditto!

Especially the comments about the Mag Speed Worm and Craw.

Mike

17 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Especially the comments about the Mag Speed Worm and Craw.

I don't own a Mag Speed Craw, but I'll try another craw weightless.

Another thing I'm sure you have and might alreadey be throwing into it is a spoon. A Johnson's silver spoon with a 4" grub on the back give or take. Throw it back into it and hop it across the top of the thick stuff (popping a high rod tip making it splash on the surface) and then when you get to an edge or hole just drop the rod tip and let it flutter down in for a second or two. Then give it a pop back up to the surface. You're in shallow enough water that any bass you're throwing over will be able to see and feel it. You should be able to get some reaction strikes.

@Swamp Girl You might have some luck with a Zoom Unitoad using a light weighted swimbait hook. Me & a buddy been fishing these sorta like Wakebaits around sparse lily pads & grass, killing it and letting it sink in the openings.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Zoom_Uni_Toad_Swimbait/descpage-ZUT.html?from=gshop&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11473504443&gbraid=0AAAAADkexy5neHTcni0aI6y0p14vAe_jR

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

A Johnson's silver spoon with a 4" grub on the back give or take.

I hadn't considered this and I own some. Thanks!

13 minutes ago, wdp said:

You might have some luck with a Zoom Unitoad using a light weighted swimbait hook.

I LOVE the look of this lure. I already placed a TW order this morning, but I'll order some Toads next time.

Maybe try a fairly large Cover Scat. These heavy compact lures work well in this kind of weed.