Fishin The Pads

[fishinwrench]

Sounds like it's time to take a jon boat, a garden rake or a tree pruner, and go make some holes.

[Tim Smith]

Sounds like it's time to take a jon boat, a garden rake or a tree pruner, and go make some holes.

But not too big a hole. A 3 foot hole is a great ambush site. Jerry's technique works best for me. Pull the fluke over the pad to the edge of the hole and then pull it over the pad and in. Braid is also essential and yes, there are some monster bass in there.

[holleybob]

If the water is up to or better yet on top of the pads fish the frog. On the solid body frogs with a single hook use a trailer hook with surgical rubber on the eye to keep it from flopping around. That should fix your short strikes.

Fluke or floating worm can work also.

If the water drops and leaves the pads above water your best bet is a plastic worm, craw or creature bait, 3/0 or 4/0 hook and a 1/2 oz sinker.. pegged. Ribbontail worms stick to the pads. paddletail or strait worms dont. I like a 10 or even 11 in paddletail in dark colors. Pitch dont cast... Punch through..., wiggle..wait...repitch.

I miss fishing pads.

[stlfisher]

I'd vote for a horny toad over the hollow body style as well. If they don't hit it on top...then swim it back below the surface...deadly in any shallow water situation.

[Nitroman]

" HEDDON MOSS BOSS " has lways been a " GO TO LURE " for me in the pads.

[countryred]

I used to hit the pad fields up on pool 19 as well as some other small lakes. I would have a lot of blow ups with very few hook ups on frogs and such. I started throwing a 4" tube with a 5/16 or 1/2 oz weight. Smoke purple flake with a dyed chart, tail seemed to look like a bluegill. You can reel it fast as well as drop it between the pads.

[bagofdonuts]

A light (1/4 oz) swim jig will come thru pads better than you think. I fish pads alot with them tipped with swimming fluke. Just keep it coming just below surface (think spinner bait) and it'll crawl up and over the pad, let it drop on the other side (that's when it usually gets bit). Braid is a must. Also caught some nice bass this spring in the pads on chatterbaits, but that bite has slowed.

[EddieRay]

I use frogs like a lot of you, but I pitch a jig and craw even more. Place the jig in the holes and tiny slots between the pads. If a bass is there, they will usually hit it on the way down or not long after it hits bottom. If a fish doesn't take it move the bait up and down randomly between the lake bottom and the bottom of the pads. I use braid with a fluorocarbon leader on my jig rods.

[John Andrews]

I fish soft frogs 99% of the time I fish. I found the cheap acadamy h20 frogs have a better hook up ratio than the others. Second choice is the booyah padcrasher. I see or hear the splash and say "here we go" and set the hook. I dont seem to miss many hook sets. There again I only use frogs, so I guess I am bound to get good at it.. Yes a HARD hook set is also a huge part of getting them landed. My last tip is, I know when they are grtting ready to jump. When I sense this I let the line go slack. for a second or two. They think they are free and head deep. Once they do put pressure back on them. Repeat till you tire them out. Biggest mistake I see from people is because of BASS fishing tv shows. WHATS THE HURRY people, enjoy the fight, you're not on the tour, it's not a timed event. There, for what it's worth. is my tips on froggin. It works for me, very well infact. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BASS WHACKIN

[jdmidwest]

Heddon Torpedo. You can be deadly accurate with it, work it a few short jerks in a pothole, and it has plenty of hooks to grab on. Nice action and noise. Black, Frog, or Firetiger are my favorites.