Lilly Pads

[chuck pool]

guys there is a lake not to far from me that is loaded with bluegill and red ears have fished it several times with little luck the thing is it is solid lilly pads you cannot get close to the bank of the pads how do you know where to look and how to fish them? 4 ft is about the deepest part other than maybe a little deeper in the boat trail also lots of stumps

[Slip Sinker]

...Ive never fished a lake that is completely covered in pads but some areas Ive fished come close.

1. for me i start fishing the north end of the lake particularly early and later in the season it is usually the most productive in the way of solar energy and food production... where there is food the Gills are close. where there is the most food there are more Gills. 
2. fish the most densest areas of the pads packed with underlying grass and weeds... pitch slip bobber rigs into the open pockets and edges. if wood is present the better.
3. use a kayak for stealth and positioning.
4. use thin Braid to cut thru the stalks when you hook the monsters... ive landed 30" N.Pike with 4# braid in 18" of water using this approach. after landing the fish i looked about the area and it actually appeared like a weed whacker went thru. fishing the heavy stalks is no place for mono. it wraps and stretches around the stalks releasing the fish.
5. try fishing in the hottest sunniest part of the day and concentrate around those heavy cover edges. surprisingly i have done my best!
6. don't forget the bank... it is the most defined edge in any fishing swim. i caught many fish in a foot of water or less.(out of spawning season of course)
7. i found the tiniest baits to be the best in this approach

i had a great time fishing the slop last year

 

The N.Pike was caught on a Micro UL slip bobber rig in 18” of water in the heat of the day tossing and pitching to  heavy weed and pad edges

[chuck pool]

I meant almost solid pads I try to fish the few open places but no luck

[Slip Sinker]

1. ...Hows the initial fish population in this BOW? are other fisherman catching fish?
2. are you fishing from Shore, Kayak or Boat?
3. What was your initial approach and why did you think it failed?

in my kayak ive fished thick stuff you couldnt drag a boat thru and found fish in 1 to 4-0 FOW fishing short rods with drop shot or slip bobbers... so it is possible. fishing long rods is a possibility but awkward at best in a kayak. ive fished some really heavy slop at times just an accurate flip from the side of the boat is all that is needed.

are you a Kayak fisherman?

[chuck pool]

I fish from a boat fished the outside edges of the pads slip bobber and crickets . Saw lots of fish other people had caught . It is a 6700 acre lake very little water over 8 ft deep

[dick tabbert]

Chuck you may have to throw the conventional  method out the door. I've never fished heavy cover like your talking about but see if you think this might help there has to be some small opening somewhere.

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrUph9KX7iU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7cMSgFHaIk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv2_pb9kGaw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqPR8CEjm8A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH7J3mM-YM4

[Slip Sinker]

...great videos Dick

given he is very proficient at the long pole...

several of the vids appear to be better fished with a spin rig and slip bobber... along edges etc with longer parallel casts covering more water. he is putting fish in the bucket though.

same thing could still be accomplished from a kaya with short spin rods flipped to pad openings etc

[Allen Morgan]

I have to agree with Slip about this.  A canoe or kayak is your best option.  A smooth hull, with nothing to get hung up in the weeds.  If you only have access to a bigger boat, pull the trolling motor up, jack/tilt the main motor up (or remove it completely if you can), and just pole your boat along.

A long rod, dapping baits into the pockets, is probably the best bet from a bigger boat, while spinning rigs with slip-bobbers is best for canoes and kayaks.  Braid is a must, to cut through the weeds once you're hooked up.

There's at least a few small lakes near me that get completely choked up with weeds and pads in the summer.  I may have to take my kayak out there and see if I can catch anything.

[carl hendrix]

ONE OTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER;; A FLOAT TUBE !!  AND A PAIT OF SWIM FINS !!

  IN YOUR  SITUATION CHUCK;; ALSO THINK OF A B N M POLE;  THEY MAKE THEM 12;; TO 15 FEET LONG; OR MAYBE EVEN LONGER;; DIP A BAIT INTO ANY  OPENING;; MY BET IS;; WONT TAKE LONG TO FIND SOME BIG GILLS !!

[carl hendrix]

GUYS;; I JUST SAW THIS TYPE OF BOAT IN A ADVERTISEMENT;; SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT !!  GOOGLE--------- LOST CREEK BOATS !!