Lately, I have been fishing in the "weed" beds around the edges of the pond.

Water lilies, hyacinth, reeds and submerged grasses and plants.

The bass are thick in these areas at the moment, and some of them are nice size, up to five pounds.

I've had some take the bait (usually a Rage Tail craw) up close to the boat.  I've also have them grab it as it hits the water, at the end of the cast.

What have I learned.  Short casts are best, not because they will yield greater production, but because they disturb fewer bass when you hook up.

Catch a bass at the end of a sixty foot cast, and you've disturbed bass in that sixty feet of bottom.

The second part of the lesson learned is to cast to the outer edges of the weed first.  The bass usually head to deeper water.   Why have a bass bulldoze its way through twenty feet of bass holding water before you get a chance to catch what may have been lurking there.

Now, the question is, will I be able to follow the above lesson?

My problem is that I live in the now.  Not the past or the future.  That being the case, whether it is a shot on the golf course, or a cast, I attack it like it's my last, with little regard for what is the prudent course of action, likely to yield better results in the future.

Next time out, I'll find out how disciplined I can be.  I'll give it my best shot, but no guarantees.

I had back too back 4 pounders today in 4 foot of water with 2 foot deep of algae on a rage tail frog. The last 4 lber jumped out of the water to hit it 3 foot away and went headfirst into my frog with perfect accuracy, and it was 7 foot away from me .Funny thing is the first one all it did was kinda slurp it.Talk about diff attitudes among big bass.Bass and thick weeds/algae or w-e go together like peas and tators

Good lesson learned indeed FR....I agree with your examples and explanation too. I have often followed the same pattern to achieve the best results especially outside edges of grass, WAY Outside on the first cast or flip because just because we can't see the grass line, we shouldn't assume it ends right where we visually see it. And it seems that the sweet spot for the larger fish is often on the outside edges.

Thanks for the reminder..

Big O

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