Learning how to effectively fish in thick weeds without losing your rigs is one of the most important lessons that every beginning or intermediate fisherman needs to learn, and it is not nearly as hard as it looks once you learn the basics. Everyone who has spent much time fishing in the hot summer has experienced the frustration of knowing that the best fish are in the areas with the most weeds and not being able to reach them. By getting the basics of fishing in thick weeds under your belt, you will soon find yourself bringing in the fish of your dreams without losing lure after lure in the process. Let's take a look at why several fish species enjoy hanging out in the thick weeds so much, as well as the most effective methods of conquering this area of your favorite watering hole.

Why Fish Love Thick Weeds

There are a number of reasons why so many types of fish flock to the weedy areas of waterways during the hotter months. Most fishermen do not realize that the biggest attraction that thick weeds offer fish are the higher amounts of oxygen that are available in this part of a body of water when things start heating up. The shade that is offered by thick weeds also keeps the water relatively cool during the day, and a dense patch of aquatic vegetation is a great hiding spot for smaller fish who are trying to avoid being a larger fish's lunch. There are also all sorts of natural sources of food wherever you find thick weeds growing in the water, including insects, mollusks, grubs, minnows and frogs.

Techniques for Fishing in Thick Weeds

There are a few basic techniques that can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to learning how to fishing in thick weeds. No matter what type of lure you are using, it is very important to add some type of live bait to the hook so that you can attract your preys attention through the weeds. Worms and small minnows seem to work best. The trick to avoiding getting hung up is to cast your rig into the most open area that you can find and then reeling it in fast enough to keep everything above the tangled weeds. The major sports fish like bass and walleye will come right up out of the weeds to strike. When they do, it is up to you to set that hook hard, as the fish is going immediately try to bring you back down into the weeds below. You will know that it is time to set the hook when the water really starts roiling after a strike. After a little practice, start trying to let your rig fall down a bit as you are reeling it in and the cranking it in quickly so that you are skimming just over the main clumps of weeds in the area. With a little bit of technique and practice, you will have your technique down in no time.

Equipment for Fishing in Thick Weeds

The first thing that every fisherman who is new to fishing in thick weeds probably needs to do is to put a much heavier line on his fishing reel. This is because you are often going to need to fish straight through a tangled mess of weeds once you get him on the line, and you need to a strong enough fishing line in order to get the job done. Do not worry about a fish being able to see the line as you are reeling in your lure, as the thick weeds will make it difficult for him to see anything clearly until it is too late. Next up, you will probably need to invest in some new fishing lures. Different lures work better for different types of fish, but your best bet is to stick with simple rigs like buzz baits, weedless spoons and spinners. It is a good idea to buy fairly cheap lures when you are first getting used to fishing in thick weeds as you are bound to lose a few more pieces until you get your technique down.