Techniques on Mossy Pond Fishing

I would like to talk about a couple different techniques on fishing a mossy pond for largemouth bass. First of all, there is usually a lot of clutter and the fishing will be a waste of your time without a descent casting skills. With that being said, mossy water can be a very effective environment for reeling in the prized largemouth many fisherman continue to search.

Recently my brother Jayce and I attempted a newly discovered moss-covered pond. If you’ve never tried fishing moss-covered water, the moss tends to gather along the banks and float throughout the pond until it reaches an obstacle or shallow water to delay the drift. This particular pond we fished with spinner baits of every kind to try to maneuver around the nasty mossy mess. As another option, I’ve also heard that top water plugs work splendidly in this type of environment, especially at sunset/sunrise, when the water’s the calmest. After many failed casts and an assortment of spinners, plastic worms, and divers we found a lure that was seemed to be favorite of the spot.

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A mid-sized mepps black and Chartreuse rooster tail. I have usually had good luck with any type of mepps rooster tail and it has been my go to lure on many occasions. The type of spinning action produced by these lures is by far superior to any other brand I’ve used in the past. When casting into the open areas of the pond, be careful not to let it sink too deep, otherwise all you will have is a big mess of moss to clean off your lure. After a few casts we had a strike! A mid-size largemouth, maybe a foot long, possibly a pound in weight. Not much, but at least we knew they were striking.

We discovered a successful lure so then all we needed to do was to thoroughly work the pond, testing the waters for more productive hot spots. Because the deeper end of the pond is the side where the bank is the highest, we shifted around to a less shallow area to allow for better access to the water. Before too long I was in the water trying to wrench free a 4-5 lb bass from the mossy wall in front of it. Again, the moss is very time consuming and can be tiresome, but if approached in the right manner can be an effective tool for catching fish.

After stringing the first fish we continued to maneuver around the pond, trying not to fish for too long in one place. Although it is probable and very likely you’ll find a place where more than one fish can be pulled out, usually a nest or feeding area. We caught five from the same side of the pond. It is in my opinion a much better idea to frequently change your fishing area, so as not to spook the fish. Casting to the outside of the wall of moss along the bank and reeling horizontally to the wall is a good way as well to get your lure spotted! Just remember, when fishing in a moss filled pond, you must keep your rod up and keep your lure on the top layer of water so to not get hung up in the mess.

The fish hit the lure the most when I casted into an open spot and immediately began reeling as soon as the lure hit the water. I would watch the line and keep my rod up focused on the small wake made by my spinner in using this to maintain the same depth. By keeping the shallow depth consistent, it makes the spinner more enticing for the fish. Remember also, if your lure is too shallow it will not spin. Too deep and you’re wasting time picking moss off your lure.

At the end of the day we had caught 10-15 bass! We kept the 8 larger fish to eat. The weight of the fish was on average at least 4-5lbs a piece, but I’ll let you be the judge on that.