I usually fish for smallmouth bass as I live about 4 miles from the Susky and about 2 miles from a major trib. SM haven't been hitting much lately (post spawn I guess) so I've been catching a few LM at the local pond. Today took the family out to a large lake and spent some time in a canoe searching for some LM.

Here is where the problem lies:

Every since I've started targeting SM, rocks seem to be the dominant structure and cover where I find the fish. I lost quite a few rigs until I got the hang of it. Well today it was all weeds/vegetation. My usual tactics went out the window as every thing I threw got snagged in the weeds (tubes, in-line spinners, topwater poppers, etc..) At the local pond I use a T-rigged senko that seems to perform pretty well but the larger lake has much more vegetation and even the senko came back with loads of gunk.

So.. if you went from fishing a flowing water/rocky environment to a larger lake/reservoir filled with weeds and vegetation what changes would you make to your fishing techniques? I'm kinda clueless without current as that has been my main factor when reading the water/locating fish.

Yep, lakes and ponds are different from the rivers and streams for sure.  You're not going to be able fish the inline spinners in weedly places and even a lot of cranks won't come through the thickest weeds.  

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by getting snagged.  If you've got your bait t-rigged it shouldn't actually get hung up too much.  Just keep the point buried in the plastic.  When you feel it get hung, try to work it free slowly.  If you're talking about pulling up weeds along with your bait...well that's just the nature of the beast.  If you're not snagging some weeds, you're fishing in the wrong spot!   Pulling weeds off your bait between casts is just part of the ball game.

You have identified the major difference between smallmouth and largemouth fishing: cover vs. structure. Largemouth relate to stucuture, too, but a variety of cover out of current also appeals to the green fish.

Largemouth are lazy. Slow presentations often entice a bite from big bass. I suggest focusing on soft plastics, specifically 6" Senko, Fat Ika and Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo tubes. In low light, jerkbaits appeal to LM as much as smallmouth. Grasslines seem to be particularly attractive to the green fish, much more so than to their bronze cousins.

That's kind of like me but switched around,  this is usually the time of year I start fishing for brown fish.  I love those float trips on the Greenbrier and New River.   8-)

Try a splitshot. 20lb braid w/ 8lb fc leader bout 2ft long. Downsize ur hook a little, and use 1/16 or 1/8 oz pegged finnesse cyliner or bullet split crimped on the top of the swivel. This rig will glide through the grass (pond weed/ hydrilla/ stinkweed/ coontail/ pads) really well, and the braid will chop em' up like a weed eater when you get a fish on. It is more or less a real light weight c-rig w/ stationary weight and no beads

That's kind of like me but switched around,  this is usually the time of year I start fishing for brown fish.  I love those float trips on the Greenbrier and New River.   8-)

I'd do love fishing the Greenbrier, doesn't get much better than that.  I waded two miles of River one day near Alderson and me and my buddy caught 70+ smallies between us.  It was unbelieveable.

I'm heading up to the Greenbrier River two weeks from now, and I can't wait.  Nothing beats the Greenbrier in summertime for some fine smallmouth fishing.  

I will be on the Greenbrier the whole week of the 4th of July.  We float from Talcott to Hinton, (15 miles)  usually catch 100+ smallies each.  Last year we had a 300+ day between 3 of us on 1/8 oz. buzzbaits on this float.  Man, was I wore out!!

Try a splitshot. 20lb braid w/ 8lb fc leader bout 2ft long. Downsize ur hook a little, and use 1/16 or 1/8 oz pegged finnesse cyliner or bullet split crimped on the top of the swivel. This rig will glide through the grass (pond weed/ hydrilla/ stinkweed/ coontail/ pads) really well, and the braid will chop em' up like a weed eater when you get a fish on. It is more or less a real light weight c-rig w/ stationary weight and no beads

I think I need to up my line; I usually use 6-8# mono on spinning tackle for the smallies. I haven't tried braid as of yet although I've heard several swear by it. With mono would 10-12# test work or do I need to go higher? This would also explain some of my problems with the weeds. I'll also try the C-rig after I respool with heavier line.