By Luigi De Rose
Follow the Potomac River this week and the majority of the anglers were fishing weed flats. Keying on the heaviest matted grass and flipping and pitching seemed to be the best. Here are a few tips on how to excel while fishing the weed beds.
Quick Tips:
- Yellow braided line. A real key when following the bait as it drops through the weeds. Many hits only reveal a jump in the line. Bright braid will detect any line movement. It really does well on overcast days.
- Run a black marker over the bright braid for about 1 yard (1m) from the bait to avoid spooking anything.
- Try segmented coloured braid. Originally designed for walleye trolling and jigging, its really good for this style of fishing. Depending on the brand, these lines change colour every few feet or yards (m). This way you can keep track of the bottom as your bait falls.
- Use a neoprene bobber stop to peg the heavy weight. Saves time and won't harm the line.
- Use a snell knot on straight shank hooks for better penetration.
- Use a hook with a "keeper" on the shank. This keeps the plastic bait straight and always ready to fish.
- GPS is a vital tool so use it. Not only good for structure, use it to mark key areas for another pass. Grass beds can all look the same but by using your GPS, you can always relocate a spot on a spot.
- Pick baits with small thick bodies without a lot of tiny, dainty legs. Thick bodies hold a heavy hook well. Dainty legs only get tangle in stringy weeds. Big craws, a paddle tail or a thicker ribbon tail is best.
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