Heavy Cover Bassin

Heavy cover such as weeds, moss, lily pads, reeds, brush, and timber may appear anywhere in a lake, but not all areas are equally productive. The following are things to look for in these particular areas.

VARIETY of COVER: Points: A long, stumpy point that continues into deeper water is always a likely spot, but if you find one with brush on it you're really in business. Also highly productive are points with extensive weed beds reaching to the surface. Bays: Any bay that is located close to deep water in the main lake, provided it has cover, is worth checking out. Especially ideal is a break in a steep bank, where a small cover results. The bay does not have to be deep or big to give up fish. A tiny weed choked cove can harbor and produce bass all day long, so don't pass it up as too small. Rip-Rap: Look for cover along rip-rap for an often overlooked spot that can pay off big. If the cover you're thinking of fishing isn't in a bay, on a point, or along rip-rap, that doesn't mean it won't produce. But there are still things you can look for to help you decide whether an area would be productive. Look for anything that makes the cover different from the rest. If it is a weedbed, are there any logs in it? How about stumps or lily pads? Combinations of two or more kinds of cover are better than just one type. In any kind of cover, springs, feeder creeks and underwater humps, ledges, and channels all add to a spot's potential. Plants: In reeds, lilies,or weedbeds, the plants often form pockets and openings in the cover. These are especially productive on overcast days, and you should always get in a few casts under such conditions. Also good during low light conditions are the edges of the cover, particularly where it forms a point. Under bright sunny skies, bass move deeper into the cover, becoming reluctant to venture near the edges or openings. The brighter the conditions, the heavier the cover you should fish. Openings in the weeds may make catching bass easier, but a lack of them doesn't mean a weedbed won't hold fish. Don't overlook a weedbed because you think it's too thick to harbor fish. Remember that your seeing the tops of the weeds, where the foliage is at its fullest, but underneath among the stems, there is plenty of room for fish. Standing Timber: Areas of standing timber and stump fields are prime bass spots. Buzzbaits worked close to the cover are a wellknown bass getter, and spinnerbaits take their share of fish in the timber as well. Shallow minnow type baits can be dynamite when twitched and allowed to rest near a stump or log. Stick baits and standard topwater lures also will work when fished in a similar manner. On Tough Days: In cases of really tough days, it's time to pick up a flippin stick. Although it's not everyones favorite way to fish, flippin is often the most productive method when bass get lockjaw. Flippin is also a prime technique for fishing reeds. Once the knack of tossing your jig-n-pig or plastic worm into a small opening in the cover has been mastered, you can flip into almost any kind of cover. Unless you're flipping, reeds growing high out of the water are hard to fish except along the edges. Crankbaits worked parallel to reeds sometimes can pay off, as can spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, fished in a similar fashion. A Few Lures For Heavy Cover: When fishing weeds or lily pads, for several generations a favorite of anglers has been the Johnson Siver Minnow, with a pork frog added to it. A plastic spoon such as Heddon's Moss Boss will also take fish, and comes through moss better than other lures. However, the metal weedless spoons offer the best trade-off between castability and performance. Perhaps the most overlooked, and one that is seldom thought of is a pork frog. Fished alone on a weedless hook. a large pork frog is hard to beat in thick weeds or moss. Once you've got a bass hooked in thick cover, you've got to get him out. Keep your rod high and keep the fish coming. Try to get his head out of the water when you set the hook, and then keep it out, skating the bass over the top of the cover. If the fish is allowed to dive into the entanglements, it could be all over. Be wary of the bass's movements, and snub its attempts to head for the bottom. Heavy cover fishing is a bit different than fishing open water, and so are the rewards. A huge sow bass busting a hole in the weeds to engulf your bait is one sight you'll never forget.