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Summer 2020
Heavy vegetation is present on countless bodies of water. The forms of heavy vegetation will vary depending on where you are fishing. It may be lily pads, dense patches of milfoil or coontail, or possibly a vast mat of hydrilla. Many bodies of water have an abundance of dense vegetation, so dissecting it and determining what other key features the bass are looking for is important in eliminating water in a timely fashion.
Some other factors to consider include the depth or other forms of cover associated with it, such as a laydowns, rocks or boat docks.
The common rule of thumb is to always look for the green vegetation; this is because it is the healthiest and will have oxygen rich water around it. Brown, dying vegetation is usually in areas with poor water quality.
Whenever I’m fishing vegetation, I always am keeping an eye on two things, the first is current and second is adjacent secondary cover.
Current is the life blood to a bass; it brings them food and fresh water. Not only is finding vegetation near current key, but also determining exactly how that current is positioning the bass on the vegetation is how you’ll turn an ok day of fishing into a great one!
IN THE THICK STUFF
Using the correct gear is vital anytime you go head-to- head with big bass. There isn’t just one key piece of gear
you’ll need, rather it is the complete package of gear working together.
Using a heavy action flippin’ stick will aid in increasing your hookup ratio and help you turn the bass head the right way, so they don’t bury themselves in the cover. You still want to have a sensitive and light weight rod, so you can flip all day and feel those bites. I rely on the Witch Doctor Tackle
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