where i fish(MI) i generally have alot of lilly pads around....thick lilly pads, they are usually 2-4 feet of water.  I get alot of hits in the pads on my initial cast.  but after that it's hard going.  my poppers have a hard time getting through the really thick stuff(which is most of it).  I just picked up some zoom toads and some yum toads.  so my question is..other then these lures, what is good for sishing this kind of heavy cover?  i know there are some nice bass hiding in them cause i'v seem them jump out of the water about 2 feet from shore....with 30 feet of lilly pads between me and the shore.

sooo...suggestions, comments, tips.....pro advice is welcome

thanks

-Seeker

a 7.5 to a 10 inch weightless worm reeled over top the lilly pads can be deadly and exciting.  

One of my favorite lures for fishing lily pads or thick weeds that you can't get throught without something heavy is the scum frog or bass rat. They aren't weighted and are weedless, so they cruise over the pads really well. Plus you still get the excitement of fishing a top water bait.

I grew up on the Johnson Silver Minnow. Not so popular anymore, because it's tough to set that huge hook. But it's a classic, and I've caught a lot of bass, pike, musky on it. Just attach a twister tail, a balloon (don't laugh-it works) or pork rind. 

Try using a heavy jig to punch through the pockets.  We had lots of success with that this summer, you have to be patient and hit all of the areas though.

I'd try a tube with a heavy weight, or a worm or creature bait.

Fish a buzz bait & be careful you don't get your arm broke.

A BIG red worm or salamander.... look for movement around the pads and cast to these areas.... drag it slow on the top..... in my experience the fish don't move very far from there territory... keep casting in the area of movement. Use a tough braided line and be prepared to do some serious rowing cause the lilly fish get hung up real good!

For me, I usually probe the outside edges with a spinnerbait first. Then (time of year permitting) I'll switch to a buzzbait and cover most of the pads with it (even right through the middle of it). Then I'll switch up to a tube and work the points, pockets and holes. Hope this helps!

My favorite two methods are the frog or rat twitched over the tops, making a several little quick twitches and then stopping, like a mouse scurring around, of a little slower and longer with the frog.  

Just remember, don't jerk, make sure you have a fish on first, even though a fair size bass will scare the crap out of you when he bust at it.  He may have to make a couple of strikes to connect, if you jerk it very far, he won't try for seconds.

If they don't take that, then I bust through with a heavy jig (mostly black with blue but in spring I will use brn orange or grn orange) on at least 20 lb line.  I also keep a 1/4 jig rigged to flip it in any hole you see a pad missing.  The slower fall triggers more strikes.

I like weedless topwaters and a variety of soft plastics. For the latter, work them around the pads, letting them sink into holes and at the edges. Plastic worms, senkos, soft jerkbaits, have all worked well and I'm sure anything else that can get into the holes will work well also. Lily pads have always been one of my favorite types of cover.

I like to use a 6 to 8 inch either

anns Jelly Worm or A zoom trick worm fished texas rigged weedless. A lot of times Ive noticed in my logs if there is a stump or a boulder in the pads that frequently its a good place to throw a worm to

I agree with Muddy Man.

A trick worm dragged across the top of the pads will produce strikes.

I have also caught bass using a Berkley Gulp! green pumpkin humpback worm.

I like a frog or rat in lily pads.And don't set the hook until you can feel him.Better have heavy mono,braid,or superline on,though.Aweedless plastic (trick worm,senko,etc.) works too.Fish it weightless.