Southern Indiana area just north of louisville, KY.

What do you use to fish for bass in a 1 - 1 1/2 acre pond that is COMPLETELY covered in algae? Water would be clear if not for the algae. Private pond that was stocked years ago and rarely fished. Gets alot of water run off from farming fields when it rains. Has nice sized bass and blue gill. Not overgrown with seaweed. 20' deep in the middle. Mostly shaded. No obstruction in the water. Fishing around 7pm eastern time. The fish are healthy and not under weight.

I had a little luck with a purple/brown worm on the bottom. I think I was using a texas rig. What would be optimal in this situation?

I once heard that sometimes fish may actually need to be "trained" to hit a bait hook in ponds such as these. Is there any truth in that? Yes I'm a newb!

Wow! Great lead-in info.

I'm assuming this algae is the slimy pale green type that floats creating a surface mat? When you pull some out, and wring it in your hands, you see it is fibrous? Or are you talking about a green water color (suspended algae)?

I'll assume you mean the filamentous type.

This stuff really gunks up a lot of lures so, if the stuff is a continuous mat, you pretty much need to go as weedless as possible -T-Rigged plastics and surface frog-type lures like the ScumFrog.

My guess is there are bass near the surface under this stuff so you may not have to fish the bottom. But, a heavy skirted jig could be punched through in places and allow you to fish beneath.

If there are breaks in the mats then other lures may get in and draw fish from beneath -a spinnerbait or buzzbait might be good. One thing I used to do in ponds like this was fish a keel streamer (very weedless) on fly tackle, fished in short pulls. This was VERY effective amongst all that algae.

Some areas will be better than others, the reasons not so apparent if you can't see past the algae. Just keep that in mind as you probe.

Keep your lures relatively clean as you fish -just get used to picking the stuff off.

Yes, Yes, Yes,'

top water weedless frogs !!!!

Jeff

IMO the Lunker City Salad Spoon is the best scum lure out there.

This is a wierd algae. It is more grainy than anything. It isn't stringy. When I pick the lure up out of the water it is covered in tiny chunks of algae. I hope that makes sense. It is not like a seaweed algae. All baits run right through it with no problem I believe visibility is the issue. This stuff covers the ENTIRE pond. Just like a surface mat.  I'm not sure how much depth it has though. I think it may be a surface algae.

Paul, I assume this is what you mean by fiborous?

Bear with me I'm new to this and I don't know my algae yet.

My terminator spinnerbait didn't have much effect. It may be my technique though. I am still learning to use it.

I will pick up a frog and try that out.

How do you fish with a frog? Do you slow reel it, fish it like a jig, or a little bit of everything?

No, fibrous would be hair like. It might be Duckweed, a floating bright green algae that looks like tiny lily pads -sort of. Maybe Cujo will pipe in here.

One great way to fish a spinnerbait, especially when trying to cover water in search of aggressive bass and hte best banks, is to retrieve just below the surface so the blades make a wake. A Colorado bladed tandem is best for this. Try this over shallow areas and parallel with the shore. If they won't go for this, then I'd go to the T-rig and frog, which are slower but should interest some fish.

Fish frogs slowly, swimming them with pauses. Sometimes sharp pops really draw fish.

With all of the different brand frogs which ones work really good and which ones don't?  Or do they all work similarly well?

I also fish a couple different ponds that are covered with moss and lily pads.

Thanks,

This is a wierd algae. It is more grainy than anything. It isn't stringy. When I pick the lure up out of the water it is covered in tiny chunks of algae. I hope that makes sense. It is not like a seaweed algae. All baits run right through it with no problem I believe visibility is the issue. This stuff covers the ENTIRE pond. Just like a surface mat.  I'm not sure how much depth it has though. I think it may be a surface algae.

I agree with the previous posts that suggest that this might be duckweed. This is one of many photos you can find.

In addition to fishing methods already suggested, I'll recommend trying one that I have a lot of fun with. Retrieve a weedless topwater through it at medium speed. Often a bass will crash through it, sometimes taking the lure, sometimes missing it. After a miss get a soft plastic ASAP and let it drop into the newly created hole; watch your line, the fish may very well take this followup presentation.

With all of the different brand frogs which ones work really good and which ones don't?

Most people find the Spro Bronze Eye Frog to be the best floating frog. A lot of folks trim the skirting on the back by a half inch or so to get better hookups.

I have never used a hollow bodied frog. Guys say there great?

I hand pour my own soft plastic frogs and the feet make noise

when you reel it back.. works awsome !!!!

Texas rig them weedless & weightless..

It may be duckweed. I will have to examine it a little more closely to be sure.

Thanks for the tips. I will hopefully get to try them out tomorrow!!!

Hollow bodied frogs are the way to go or you can try my little trick assuming there is no vegitation under the algae.  Toss a lure out to catch some algae (i prefer a jitterbug because it wont sink and will definetly catch some algae) and pull the lure to make a hole and toss a wacky rigged worm in the hole and twitch her around the bass will come to it

Throw a popper within 2' - 5' of the shoreline and work it back over the shallow pond rim.  Be sure to let it sit for 10 seconds or so before you start the retrieve.

A hollow bodied Bronzeye fished the YOU envision a struggling animal of any kind swimming to get out of the water. Sometimes steady retrieves work best. Other times stop & go is better. You can also walk-the-dog with these frogs! Very effective!

BUT, don't forget the Senko! These worms are heavy enough to penetrate the surface clutter slowly....then they fall. Dynamite presentation!  

It is duckweed. No vegetation under neath. I haven't had a chance to get a frog yet.

I did try a white worm. It was the only color I had. I tried bottom fishing and top fishing. Those fish don't like white. Not having much experience with a worm probably didn't help.

I did have some luck with some a two piece rapala shad crank bait. 4' to 5' depth. Blue and silver. I retrieved it fast to make it go deep. Seemed to work at least today.

I need to learn to use a worm better.

Is there a good book for how to use the different lures? I'm reading everything I come across on the net but it would be nice if someone wrote a descent fishing book. Any recommendation on a good fishing technique book?

It is duckweed. No vegetation under neath. I haven't had a chance to get a frog yet.

I did try a white worm. It was the only color I had. I tried bottom fishing and top fishing. Those fish don't like white. Not having much experience with a worm probably didn't help.

I did have some luck with some a two piece rapala shad crank bait. 4' to 5' depth. Blue and silver. I retrieved it fast to make it go deep. Seemed to work at least today.

I need to learn to use a worm better.

Is there a good book for how to use the different lures? I'm reading everything I come across on the net but it would be nice if someone wrote a descent fishing book. Any recommendation on a good fishing technique book?

I don't know much about books but the articles here will cover pretty much everything http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/features.html#lures

and videos on youtube might help to

I need to learn to use a worm better.

Fish it slow, like you might a live worm, and keep in contact with it. The bass will teach you the rest.

Hey, since this is duckweed, it isn't all that hard to fish through. Lots of options out there for ya'. Pick a few and don't get carried away by the bait monkey -yet ;D

As for books I always recommend the In-Fisherman Handbook of Startegies: Largemouth Bass. Great reference material for understanding bass and bass waters, as well as a good introduction to tackle and techniques.

weighless worms if you can get it to fall threw the matte and always weedless topwaters (frogs or rats)