James Lindner: Mapping the modern weedline for summer bass

If you’re looking for largemouth bass in many of our northern, natural lakes, the approach is simple: Find the weeds, and odds are you’ll find bass. That being said, not all weeds are created equal. Different types attract bass in different ways.

Weeds grow in a variety of areas, including shallow, deep, and anywhere in between. Typical mid-depth to deep-water weeds that bass prefer include cabbage, coontail, and milfoil. In shallower environments, lily pads, bulrushes, maiden cane, duckweed, and wild rice can be bass magnets.

One thing I’ve noticed when it comes to weeds in Midwestern lakes is that they’re changing. Whether it’s natural changes, the introduction of invasive species, or man-made pressures, we are seeing drastic changes in weed growth.

Take Gull Lake in central Minnesota, for example. Around 30 years ago, the deepest weedlines existed in about 12 feet of water. Today, we are finding the deepest edges in around 22 feet of water, nearly doubling the overall depth and vegetation zone.

In the case of Gull Lake and many other water bodies, the introduction of zebra mussels has led to a major increase in water clarity, which led to a drastic increase in the depth of weed growth. In other lakes, we are seeing the opposite, as human interference or other invasive species are causing the weed growth to die off.

Targeting largemouth bass in weeds requires a specific approach. Individual scenarios and techniques are largely dependent on weed growth and time of year. Generally, weedbeds grow fast, so these situations can change quickly.

Lately, I’ve been catching bass way up on the flats by targeting the thickest weed patches I can visually locate. The best baits include Ned rigs and light jig-and-craw combinations.

Topwaters, shallow-running cranks, swimbaits, and swim jigs are also great options for covering expansive weed flats. Shallow weed cover, including lily pads, bulrushes, and reeds, also have been great options with frogs, buzzbaits, and swim jigs the top bait choices.

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In many areas, the deep weed edges are not well developed yet because of the cooler spring we’ve had. However, during the next few weeks, the deepest weed edges will develop, causing fish to pivot and use these throughout most of the summer months.

Top baits of choice throughout this period tend to be largely predicated on the mood of the fish. Warm, stable conditions will often cause bass to suspend over the weeds. In these conditions, swimbaits and crankbaits ripped over the tops of the weeds can be highly effective.

In more adverse conditions, heavy (½- to 1-ounce) Texas-rigged craw tubes and crayfish combinations can be necessary to get bites from bass holding tight to the bottom in thick weed growth.

As the deep weedlines begin to develop, one of the best pieces of advice I can provide relates to mapping. Specifically, I set my depth highlight to match the deepest weed growth on the lake.

Because every lake is different, based on water clarity and weed types, it’s necessary to do this on every lake I fish. Utilizing this highlight feature helps to identify key weed points, sunken islands, and flats that will concentrate bass.

Other areas to look along these weed edges include inside corners, sharp drop-offs, and transition areas to harder-bottom extensions, such as rocks and gravel.

Another consideration is boat position. Too many anglers charge straight into the weeds, spooking fish before a cast is even made. A more calculated approach – hovering just outside the weed edge or using your trolling motor to slowly parallel the vegetation line – can produce more bites. Spot-lock functions can help you hold position quietly while you pick apart promising pockets or lanes in the weeds.

If you fish for bass, you understand just how important weedlines can be. Working weed growth to your advantage is a key to success. Weeds offer some great opportunities for anglers, as well as the ability to experiment with many of the baits in our arsenals.