fishing off shore

Question
I live on Lake Norman, NC, and i have a very good cove that i live in that has many bass, crappie, and catfish. It is many trees, weeds, etc. that fish use for cover. I would like some advice on different baits that i can use around the cover, in shallow water. I don't need to cast much more than ten feet from the shore. Also i have a problem with getting my bait caught on the branches and rocks.


Answer
Hi Spencer,

Weeds and cover are the eternal double edge sword for fisherman.  They attract fish, but make it difficult to catch them.

For Bass, I'd recommend a Texas rigged plastic worm.  That can be worked through nearly any type of cover.  Surface lures, or a weedless frog can be worked over cover.  

For Crappies, you may want to look into a long 12-14' crappie pole.  This way you can reach out from the bank and place a jig or minnow right into specific pockets in cover and pull them straight up and out of snags.  There aren't many (or any) good weedless crappie baits out there.  Small weedless hooks are available for minnows and that could be another option.

It's frustration, but embrace the cover.  It's why the fish are there!

Good fishing,

Marc