Don't let the opportunity pass you by. 

A couple of years ago I tried fishing the pad beds as soon as the pads started to appear.  Only a small fraction had reached the surface in four to six feet of water.

Some were just below the surface some only a few inches from the bottom.

I set some floats around the perimeter of the beds, then worked my way around the perimeter, fan casting into the beds.

I was using a space monkey rigged weedless on an Owner keel weighted hook.  I'd allow five to ten seconds before beginning my retrieve.  Many times, there was a fish on when I took the slack out of the line.

If it wasn't taken on the drop, it was amazing to feel the bait scratching its way through the pad stems at the bottom.

Some of the best fishing I've experienced has been when the pads are just starting to show.  Plenty of cover for the bass, but you don't have to cast to tiny holes, or punch through the thick "leaves" to get the bait to the bottom.

Try it.  I think you'll like it.  Swimming a drop shot rigged weedless should yield plenty of action.  Haven't tried it yet, but plan to this year.

Thanks Rhino.I'll remember that.

Pad beds are the best place to fish in my home lake right now...thanks for reminding us why.

Yup, early pad beds are fish magnets.

My favorite tactic is to throw an 1/8oz bushwhacker spinnerbaits through them.

Yup, early pad beds are fish magnets.

My favorite tactic is to throw an 1/8oz bushwhacker spinnerbaits through them.

X2 that and weightless flukes twitched and dead sticked

Rhino's right on with this.

I've hit this a quite few times on my home lake. When you get some pads reaching the surface and the bulk of them still red and reaching for the top, it can be magic time. Only lasts a week, maybe 2. The more the warming trend, the shorter it will last. Years ago I would absolutely kill them on a medium silver minnow. Then I progressed to a Timber Spin. Then for several years it was a Sluggo. Now it just depends on the mood of the fish. I believe, at least on my home lake, that the pads grow in harder bottom transition areas leading to and adjacent to spawning flats. The bite is without a doubt always better in the afternoon. My best day ever came in this condition nailing a 6, a 5, and two 4's on 5 casts on a Timber Spin. Caught at least 10 over 3 that day and several smaller ones. That was almost 20 years ago. Surprised I still remember.

Am I that old? :-[

Rhino's right on with this.

I've hit this a quite few times on my home lake. When you get some pads reaching the surface and the bulk of them still red and reaching for the top, it can be magic time. Only lasts a week, maybe 2. The more the warming trend, the shorter it will last. Years ago I would absolutely kill them on a medium silver minnow. Then I progressed to a Timber Spin. Then for several years it was a Sluggo. Now it just depends on the mood of the fish. I believe, at least on my home lake, that the pads grow in harder bottom transition areas leading to and adjacent to spawning flats. The bite is without a doubt always better in the afternoon. My best day ever came in this condition nailing a 6, a 5, and two 4's on 5 casts on a Timber Spin. Caught at least 10 over 3 that day and several smaller ones. That was almost 20 years ago. Surprised I still remember.

Am I that old? :-[

I'm glad you mentioned the weights.  On average the fish pulled from the beds are heavier than those anywhere else, by a wide margin.

This one got away just after the pic was snapped.  But, you can tell by the boil it was no dink.

No dink for sure!

I noticed the Red pads also. I think that is key.

For sure, Rhino. Young lilies are some of my favorite cover to fish. I like like throwing Super Flukes, Senkos, or bumping small spinnerbaits and buzzbaits through them when they are just starting to reach the surface.

Would a frog (spro) be OK to use early over pads or is it just a summer lure?

Would a frog (spro) be OK to use early over pads or is it just a summer lure?

Give it a try, then try working a bait along the bottom (very slowly, at least to start), and see which works best.  I never thought about trying a frog, but I will in a few weeks when the beds begin to sprout.

To my way of thinking, frogs are great when the pads are thick, and it's tough to work a bait along the bottom since the line sits across the tops of the pads. 

The way I describe fishing the beds can only be done when they are starting to grow toward the surface.  It has been more productive for me than any method after the pads are fully grown.

My favorite time of year for all species! Depth can be as little as 1' or as deep as 4' in my local lakes with large flats and wetlands.

Some other suggestions:

*nose-hook thick 4" tube - jerk and pause

*Spook or other topwater jerk plug (they'll attack from six feet away!!

*Tri-wing buzzbait with plastic double tail trailer

*YUM Mighty Bug (no wt., texpose)

*Ugly Otter or Sweet Beaver (5")(no wt., texpose)

*Lake Fork Shad, Houdini Shad or Zoom Super Fluke (nose hooked, jerked and paused)

*3" X-Rap

*6-8" swimbait (soft plastic)(even pound & 1/2 LM eat this big motha!)

*1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig with Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer (swim with a slow retrieve as you would a spinnerbait)

(All the above are prime targets for pickerel this time of year .)

F

Right on with the depths. Have got quite a few fatties the last couple years on 4.5" Shadalicious, Sexy Shad color of course. Had a few good bites from toothy critters also where all I got back was the chewed end of the line. Did get a 41' musky 2 years ago. Great battle. 3 feet of water, 12lb line and pad stems everywhere. Took a while but I got him.

thanks a lot.. here in PA, i have a lake close by that is still pretty frozen but in the summer it is lily pad city... ive never fished it early on but how soon after the ice melts would you think the pads would be growing like you said?

Florescent chartreuse and pink seem to work best this time of year especially for picks and pike! Handle with TLC and never let one get close to your lap when getting the hook out !!   LOL

Florescent chartreuse and pink seem to work best this time of year especially for picks and pike! Handle with TLC and never let one get close to your lap when getting the hook out !!

OUCH!!

Its been in the 40 to 50 degree range, is that right for young lillies to start growing, I know of A LOT of coves on my lake that are chock full of pads in the summer

Its been in the 40 to 50 degree range, is that right for young lillies to start growing, I know of A LOT of coves on my lake that are chock full of pads in the summer

If you've got a "fish finder" it should show you when they have begun to grow.  I'd check the pad beds to see what type of return I get on the display.  When it changes, the bottom has changed.  Barring any geologic event, the most likely cause of that change is vegetation growth.

The most vital information you can have pertains to the bottom, be it structure, composition, or vegetation.  Study the display carefully.  It will tell you what is happening beneath your boat, once you learn to read it.

I love fishing a swim jig in the lily pads and flipping a Berkley Power Hawg or a Chigger Craw.  Great times can be had fishing the lily pads early.

SJ