Milfoil

[joseph radunz]

So this may be a stupid question but - does anyone else have to deal with Eurasian water milfoil?
I ask because with the discussion of a population of bass that live in the weeds. I’m curious to know how presentation of lures are handled in this situation. I know you’re looking for holes and pockets but most times once that crap takes hold it’s nothing but a thick mat that you could practically walk across. Is it simply a waiting game, waiting for activity levels to rise to poke their faces out of the stuff? HEAVY lures to punch through? On top of the mat and base only?
Been thinking about this all winter, we’re close to a month out from open water. Crossing my fingers!
Thanks for your thoughts.

Joe

[Team9nine]

A lot of our reservoirs used to be filled with it, but as John can tell you, its public enemy #1 in the eyes of weed sprayers - lol. We still have some waters with it though, and I’ve fished that stuff for about 35 years now.

Early in the year, Rat-L-Traps, sp’baits or Chatterbaits slow rolled over the tops of the milfoil while it's still growing up is a great pattern.

As the weeds grow and the temps warm, move to the inside weedline as spawn approaches. Almost anything can work then.

Post-spawn can be topwaters over or in holes, or jigs or Texas-rigged plastics punched into thinner areas. Milfoil likes to top out in early summer. It looks super thick, but it shades out everything underneath and creates caverns and tunnels where the rest of the plant can’t get enough sunlight. This pattern could hold for weeks or months.

Eventually, bass get to the outside weedline and then its traditional jigs, worms or deep cranks along the deep weed edge, looking for points or pockets in the weeds, or hard bottom areas just outside the weedline.

Fall, once waters start cooling and the milfoil starts thinning or dying back, is great topwater time. Buzzbaits or “rats” can both be great, as can poppers. If they won’t come up, spinnerbaits through lanes and openings can ge good.

Like any type of cover, knowing the structural features underneath the milfoil can be key to picking out the most productive weedbeds, or areas within a weedbed. Bottom transitions, or abrupt depth changes (breaklines) can be some of the best areas, along with traditional bars or inside turns. Inside turns are particularly good in prespawn.

[John Bales]

Joe, I would rather have to take an extra few minutes trying to motor through that tall thick crap on my way to the outside weedline than to see those in control that think they are doing us a favor come along and kill everything in the lake, including a lot of the adult fish. I wish I had a tall thick weedline to fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will have to invest in a flipping stick and some 3/4 to 1 1/2 ounce weights, some flippin hooks and something similar to the sweet beavers to stick on the hook. Northern pike lakes will have the bass up to 4lbs buried in the stuff. Its just like trolling but slower to find out where they are at. Points or inside turns mostly but the spot thay will be at will always be something different in those areas. A little more depth under the matt. A thicker area or clump, a thinner area, always what is different. You will have to actually do the work to find out. A whole bunch of fish can be under this stuff in one little spot , just like they can be on the outside. The best thing is that you dont really have to wait for them to become active. The part in the green book that says if you put a lure in front of a fish's face at Zero speed, he is very likely to suck it in. That's what you are trying to do. I will tell you this. You will know when you find them. It can be just as fast and furious as it is when you get them outside the weeds. They will all be in one little spot. When you do catch that first one, you want to work it well because there are other with him. It is a way to fish that if you have that environment, you want to learn how to do this. Like anything else, it takes practice and time on the water. Get the right tools and do it. Wait till the heat of the summer and that way you know to work just the outside thick stuff or as far as you can reach on a pitch. It is a blast. John

[MuskyAddict]

It’s a great question Joe. You and I fish the same waters and struggle with the same invasive species. I’m sure you’ve seen this too but I’ve notice on Tonka and other MN natural lakes that the zebras (another invasive species) weigh down the stalks of milfoil (American and euro Asian) and knocks down the plants so that there are holes or a horizontal breakline across the top. It’s helping and may keep the sprayers away. Let’s hope.

Ken

[joseph radunz]

Thanks for all the input!! Looks like a new aspect of fishing to put some time into. Might have to get some new gear to add to the collection too!
Ken, I’ve seen home owners on tonka hire crews of 5-6 guys that physically scuba dive down and pull out the milfoil in front of their houses. Have also seen the giant conveyor belt cutters that yank it out. I’m good with all that if it keeps the sprayers out!

Joe

[John Bales]

Spraying poisons into our lakes is not healthy for fish or humans. Our fisheries here are paying the price and somewhere down the road, humans will pay. No one really knows how this stuff is destroying the ecosystems of a lake. I see the results in the actual fish catching and it is not good. Still waiting for some of the big names in fishing to step up to the plate and get something going. Have heard one of the Van Dam's were supposed to start something but nothing so far. John