Frogs, Gambler Burner worms, Speed Worms. I'd say I have the best luck with the worms, 50-65 lb braid, 1/8 oz tungsten worm weight pegged. Thanks for the timely video, Matt!
Have you seen the Berkley Speed Boss worms? Just about completely sold out on TW, but I am watching for them to re-appear. That double tail is intriguing.
I like the Texas-rig worm in pads here in Florida, but I prefer the Speed Worm style instead of the larger curly tail. I think that larger tail can wrap around stems more easily. Also, the Speed Worm U-Vibe style can be fished throughout the water column. My favorite way it to roll it either on the surface or a few inches below, hop it onto the pads, and let it drop into holes. I mainly throw the Zoom U-Vibe and the Gambler Burner, but I am waiting for the Berkley Speed Boss to come back into stock, as that's a profile I really want to try. I also like the swim jig, swimbait and of course a frog, but all have been outdone in the pads by the Speed Worm for me this year. Colors are simple: Green Pumpkin-ish with some glitter, Junebug or Junebug Red if the water is tannic. Thanks for another great video!
I 100% love fishing pads, grass, weeds, especially emergent vegetation. the dirtier and the junkyer the better. Extra thick, I'm talking places most people will not go in a boat, Count Me In!
Thanks for that helpful information!!👊🏻 I like to fish pads and always looking to better myself at doing it. With these tips I think I can up my game!!!Stay Safe & God Bless!!!!
Funny you did this on pads because I was just talking to my cousin about this yesterday because we fish a lake that has pad fields and he always wants to avoid them but I was telling him that there were a bunch of fish in them!
🍺Thanks for the pad tips Matt. Here is Washington state the pads have not yet fully emerged, but it’s a excellent time to cruise those pad areas. It allows you to personally see the depth, irregularities, ditches, lay downs, rocks etc much more easily. Then once the pads are fully grown you have a great idea of where to target your efforts. You can also see cruising pre-spawn and spawn beds as well.👍My 20 pound mixed bag the other day came by doing just that. 😎They wanted a Texas rigged worm fished slowly on the bottom especially the smallmouth.🤠
Northern iowa here, Clear Lake to be exact, the invasive curly leaf pond weed and moss make it tough to throw about anything other than frogs or a pegged Texas rig lure. Appreciate the video Matt.
I have a lake with heavy curly pondweed areas, I always had no luck there with various baits, I thought it might be too thick to hold many fish, and curly pondweed isn’t usually addressed in grass fishing videos. Today I went with a heavy jig and Zman Goat trailer- and found good fish! I just let hit hit bottom and hopped it back.
One of the lakes I fish has some monster sized lily pads on it. They are several feet across and clog up nearly every corner and pocket of this small lake. Underneath the pads is just a tangled mess of stems and vines. Needless to say, I love fishing those pads. I pitch a heavy jig into the gaps and just treat it almost the same as if I'm pitching heavy hydrilla. I use my flippin' stick and braid with a 3/4 oz or bigger jig. Also, sometimes I'll throw a swimjig as well. I find that they do slither through that pad field really well.
I have a love/hate relationship with pads, and have an area on one of our lakes that is infested with them, that I will be visiting this weekend. I like to throw an small, skinny swimbait, light weighted with a very narrow bullet weight, as opposed to a belly-weighted hook, as the belly weights seem to snag up in the pads and weeds, and the bullet tends to cut it's way through them.
My favorite lake has pads in it and yes they do head right to the pads when you hook them. Straight 65 pound braid cuts right thru the pads. I use a jig and frogs.. good video.
🇺🇸👍👍 this is my first time using a frog with a baitcaster I haven't had no luck yet because gas prices here are 525 a gallon Elkhart Indiana but I'm going to keep trying we have a lot of lily pads here and some big ones🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Hopefully the next time I get to get out on my lake the pads are grown up, I've only been out 2 times so far and last time they weren't any🤞 Always some BIGS hiding in the pads and I love a frog 🐸 bite🎣
I've been watching one of my favorite creeks become more pads than water as the weather has warmed and water levels have dropped. Between that and the hydrilla covering the bottom, every fish is a challenge to land when you're bank fishing. Good luck!
The Texas-rigged curly-tailed worm with a pegged weight, maybe? I usually throw a frog around my lake’s lily pads (not much success). I’m going to give the swim jig or worm a try.
Try a Speed Worm style worm; pegged is good. I use either a 1/16 or 1/8 weight (I'm in Florida, so shallow water is the rule). It can draw strikes using a simple cast-and-reel back technique, and can be fished along the bottom, in mid-water or even as a topwater (my personal favorite). Very versatile and productive bait. Good luck!
@@Rage1732 The Zoom Ultravibe worm or the Gambler Burner are good choices. The Zoom is cheap and comes in two sizes. I like green pumpkin or watermelon or something close, with some glitter. If the water is tannic I like a Junebug or Junebug Red. Good luck! Edit: If you don't like the smell of garlic, avoid the Gambler. :-)
Great channel. ZMAN Goat and Goat toad cause they float on a 3 to 5.0 hook. Great gurgle sound and bubble trail. Question- how to get out of or avoid the sharp V on the pad? I have lost several baits due to getting hung in there. Any tips?
Fishinf in a lake in Tennessee with a bunch of pads that were unavoidable. I saw a bunch of fish in there. When i caught a fish i ended up losing it when reeling it in through the lily pads. Do you have any tips to not get your lure and hook stuck on the stems. I ended up losing 2 due to then getting caught on the pads
My lake in Michigan is very clear natural lake with marl type bottom. We have a lot of 6-8’ wide, pretty dense pad borders with 4-8’ deep, clear water below them. Beside a frog, should I try to throw a jig or a punch type bait ? With the wind the boat tends to be moving wrapping line up… always huge drop off to 15-30’ of water so anchoring gets tricky. Any advice appreciated.
Do you set the hook immediately on a strike with a frog, or wait a second or two? I lose half my strikes with a frog, I see the bait go under water on the strike, set the hook, nothing?
Hey Tom, I throw a frog a lot. I try to wait 2 seconds before setting the hook, especially when using braid. It's hard to not set the hook when you see the strike but those extra couple of seconds gives the bass a chance to turn and will increase your hook ups...Hope this helps.
@@MattStefanFishing No lilly pads in the Cal Delta. A lot of hyacinths though. When I was young, I fished tournaments on the Cal Delta for years. Now, only occasionally.
What can be said man… I LIVE for pad season!! Absolutely noth’n like watching a pig make a huge V-wake coming out of the pads to crush your plopper/frog/buzz! And throwing a frog into the junk, and watching it get smashed oowwwee!!!! Makes my ears warm! Don’t get me go’n on duck weed🤣
I used to throw that with an Uncle Josh Pork Frog (metal lid of course) back in the day. Kissimmee chain..black 3/4 oz. as I recall. I cannot even fathom how many fish have been caught on a Johnson Silver Minnow or Sprite spoon.
One of favorite Lilly pad baits is a weightless Texas rig lizard reeled on top of the Lilly’s as well as swimming a speed worm
thats a good one
I would never have thought about a buzzbait in pads. Thanks for the tip.
it works great!
Frogs, Gambler Burner worms, Speed Worms. I'd say I have the best luck with the worms, 50-65 lb braid, 1/8 oz tungsten worm weight pegged. Thanks for the timely video, Matt!
Have you seen the Berkley Speed Boss worms? Just about completely sold out on TW, but I am watching for them to re-appear. That double tail is intriguing.
@@oldeschoolbob1022 yes, but haven't tried them yet.
they are awesome!
thanks for sharing!
@@dhjhawk I haven't either. They're fairly new. I've been watching TW for a few months now, but supplies have stayed very low.
I like the Texas-rig worm in pads here in Florida, but I prefer the Speed Worm style instead of the larger curly tail. I think that larger tail can wrap around stems more easily. Also, the Speed Worm U-Vibe style can be fished throughout the water column. My favorite way it to roll it either on the surface or a few inches below, hop it onto the pads, and let it drop into holes. I mainly throw the Zoom U-Vibe and the Gambler Burner, but I am waiting for the Berkley Speed Boss to come back into stock, as that's a profile I really want to try. I also like the swim jig, swimbait and of course a frog, but all have been outdone in the pads by the Speed Worm for me this year. Colors are simple: Green Pumpkin-ish with some glitter, Junebug or Junebug Red if the water is tannic. Thanks for another great video!
awesome! good info thanks for sharing!
I 100% love fishing pads, grass, weeds, especially emergent vegetation. the dirtier and the junkyer the better. Extra thick, I'm talking places most people will not go in a boat, Count Me In!
Couldn't agree more!
Thanks for that helpful information!!👊🏻 I like to fish pads and always looking to better myself at doing it. With these tips I think I can up my game!!!Stay Safe & God Bless!!!!
Glad to help!
You have no idea how much I need this for this week fishing east of Chetek. Thanks Matt!
Glad to help!
Funny you did this on pads because I was just talking to my cousin about this yesterday because we fish a lake that has pad fields and he always wants to avoid them but I was telling him that there were a bunch of fish in them!
dont avoid them haha!
Love pads Thanks Matt 23 lbs bag yesterday up here.
Good stuff!
🍺Thanks for the pad tips Matt. Here is Washington state the pads have not yet fully emerged, but it’s a excellent time to cruise those pad areas. It allows you to personally see the depth, irregularities, ditches, lay downs, rocks etc much more easily. Then once the pads are fully grown you have a great idea of where to target your efforts. You can also see cruising pre-spawn and spawn beds as well.👍My 20 pound mixed bag the other day came by doing just that. 😎They wanted a Texas rigged worm fished slowly on the bottom especially the smallmouth.🤠
Awesome! great point!
Northern iowa here, Clear Lake to be exact, the invasive curly leaf pond weed and moss make it tough to throw about anything other than frogs or a pegged Texas rig lure. Appreciate the video Matt.
thanks for sharing!
I have a lake with heavy curly pondweed areas, I always had no luck there with various baits, I thought it might be too thick to hold many fish, and curly pondweed isn’t usually addressed in grass fishing videos. Today I went with a heavy jig and Zman Goat trailer- and found good fish! I just let hit hit bottom and hopped it back.
One of the lakes I fish has some monster sized lily pads on it. They are several feet across and clog up nearly every corner and pocket of this small lake. Underneath the pads is just a tangled mess of stems and vines. Needless to say, I love fishing those pads. I pitch a heavy jig into the gaps and just treat it almost the same as if I'm pitching heavy hydrilla. I use my flippin' stick and braid with a 3/4 oz or bigger jig. Also, sometimes I'll throw a swimjig as well. I find that they do slither through that pad field really well.
awesome! thanks for sharing!
I have a love/hate relationship with pads, and have an area on one of our lakes that is infested with them, that I will be visiting this weekend. I like to throw an small, skinny swimbait, light weighted with a very narrow bullet weight, as opposed to a belly-weighted hook, as the belly weights seem to snag up in the pads and weeds, and the bullet tends to cut it's way through them.
sounds good!
Great video and really appreciate all the tips!
thanks for watching!
I’ll try this when I find a place with lily pads. Thank you!
good luck!
My favorite lake has pads in it and yes they do head right to the pads when you hook them. Straight 65 pound braid cuts right thru the pads. I use a jig and frogs.. good video.
thanks for sharing!
Great bat pick all should be great to use . Thank you for sharing 👍
Thanks for watching!
Great video. Hoping the next few weeks to get my first frog/top water bite of the season. Keep the tips coming!
so much fun!
🇺🇸👍👍 this is my first time using a frog with a baitcaster I haven't had no luck yet because gas prices here are 525 a gallon Elkhart Indiana but I'm going to keep trying we have a lot of lily pads here and some big ones🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Good luck!
I know it is an older bait but I still love throwing the Slug Go in the pads.
thats a good bait pick!
The stalks of the bottom of lilly pads produce oxygen... Thick in areas in the summer on Lake Chesdin. Great spot for spawning bass.! #RippinLipsInc
good info!
Hopefully the next time I get to get out on my lake the pads are grown up, I've only been out 2 times so far and last time they weren't any🤞 Always some BIGS hiding in the pads and I love a frog 🐸 bite🎣
I've been watching one of my favorite creeks become more pads than water as the weather has warmed and water levels have dropped. Between that and the hydrilla covering the bottom, every fish is a challenge to land when you're bank fishing. Good luck!
they should be close to it!
One the things I miss about being up north are the pads….not that they aren’t down south but near me in south east TN not very come on at all
yeah lots of pads up north not so much in TN
The Texas-rigged curly-tailed worm with a pegged weight, maybe? I usually throw a frog around my lake’s lily pads (not much success). I’m going to give the swim jig or worm a try.
That's a good idea!
Try a Speed Worm style worm; pegged is good. I use either a 1/16 or 1/8 weight (I'm in Florida, so shallow water is the rule). It can draw strikes using a simple cast-and-reel back technique, and can be fished along the bottom, in mid-water or even as a topwater (my personal favorite). Very versatile and productive bait. Good luck!
@@oldeschoolbob1022 thanks! I’ll give it a try.
@@Rage1732 The Zoom Ultravibe worm or the Gambler Burner are good choices. The Zoom is cheap and comes in two sizes. I like green pumpkin or watermelon or something close, with some glitter. If the water is tannic I like a Junebug or Junebug Red. Good luck! Edit: If you don't like the smell of garlic, avoid the Gambler. :-)
@@oldeschoolbob1022 Thanks for the tip. I was actually looking at the Zoom. Great minds think alike.
I love dragging a line and frog thru floating cover ! It's my second choice from a whacky rig. Thanks for the tips.
You bet!
Great channel. ZMAN Goat and Goat toad cause they float on a 3 to 5.0 hook. Great gurgle sound and bubble trail. Question- how to get out of or avoid the sharp V on the pad? I have lost several baits due to getting hung in there. Any tips?
keep your line up and cast directly with the wind or against the wind
Nice tips 👌 👍
Thank you 😊
Fishinf in a lake in Tennessee with a bunch of pads that were unavoidable. I saw a bunch of fish in there. When i caught a fish i ended up losing it when reeling it in through the lily pads. Do you have any tips to not get your lure and hook stuck on the stems. I ended up losing 2 due to then getting caught on the pads
braided line helps a lot in the pads
I use that frog 🐸 that you have in the picture . Bass can’t refuse the leg action on it
its a good one!
@@MattStefanFishing ribbitz is the name just came to me . I use a screw in hook because the one it comes with isn’t so good .
My lake in Michigan is very clear natural lake with marl type bottom. We have a lot of 6-8’ wide, pretty dense pad borders with 4-8’ deep, clear water below them. Beside a frog, should I try to throw a jig or a punch type bait ? With the wind the boat tends to be moving wrapping line up… always huge drop off to 15-30’ of water so anchoring gets tricky. Any advice appreciated.
yep a punch type bait can work great especially if you have grass clumps blown in.
Thanks for the video. When using a Texas rig do you swim the worm or try to let it sink and drag it? How heavy of a weight?
3/16 - 3/8 and i generally swim it more than drag it in the pads.
How do you rig the grass pig or big easy? Than ks for to help us learn more. Hope you win next turnamant! Ok by.
i use this fusion 19 hook www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_Fusion19_Hooks_Swimbait_4pk/descpage-FHSW.html?from=MSFG
👍
Do you set the hook immediately on a strike with a frog, or wait a second or two? I lose half my strikes with a frog, I see the bait go under water on the strike, set the hook, nothing?
Hey Tom, I throw a frog a lot. I try to wait 2 seconds before setting the hook, especially when using braid. It's hard to not set the hook when you see the strike but those extra couple of seconds gives the bass a chance to turn and will increase your hook ups...Hope this helps.
if i know my frog is under i set the hook. id recommend going with a stiffer rod and make sure you use heavy braided line.
Wish I had some lily pads to fish. Lol
bummer!
No lilly pads in California:(
None! What about on the cal delta?
@@MattStefanFishing No lilly pads in the Cal Delta. A lot of hyacinths though. When I was young, I fished tournaments on the Cal Delta for years. Now, only occasionally.
What can be said man… I LIVE for pad season!! Absolutely noth’n like watching a pig make a huge V-wake coming out of the pads to crush your plopper/frog/buzz! And throwing a frog into the junk, and watching it get smashed oowwwee!!!! Makes my ears warm! Don’t get me go’n on duck weed🤣
they are a blast to fish!
All great baits in pads. Don’t sleep on a Johnson spoon with a twister tail. 😎
I used to throw that with an Uncle Josh Pork Frog (metal lid of course) back in the day. Kissimmee chain..black 3/4 oz. as I recall. I cannot even fathom how many fish have been caught on a Johnson Silver Minnow or Sprite spoon.
that what i started fishing with! only it was an uncle josh pork frog as a trailer
Pay Matt comment
thanks