Needed An Aquatic Weedeater

May 19 2025

Tim Macmanus

Fry

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
21

Reservation Number : 43519
Property Name : Bluebonnet Ridge
Reservation Date : 05/19/2025 AM -
Total Fish/Sizes : 5 LMB - 4 @ 1.5 lb or less, 1 @ 4.3 lbs
Lures Used : Whopper Plopper; Chatter Bait; Senko - Blue, Watermelon Red, Pink; CrickHopper; Frog

First time to fish Bluebonnet Ridge and Mesquite Valley Lake. I would agree with Scott Wheeler that Bluebonnet Ridge, the big lake, is basically not navigable with a trolling motor. Even though a 7-10mph wind was blowing, there were very few ripples on the big lake due to vegetation covering the top of the water. Looked smooth like no wind. I did not even get on the lake because of the amount of vegetation I could see. I could not even fish top water from the shore due to the amount of vegetation the hooks would catch when reeling in the lure. Casted whopper plopper 3 times from the shore and quit. No way you can fish anything below the surface on the big lake. Went to Mesquite Valley Lake, upper smaller lake, and first cast was off the dock. Caught a small one on the first cast. Got the boat launched and caught 3 more smaller bass – 1.5 lbs or so – from the boat on various parts of the lake. Decided to quit fighting vegetation in the trolling motor and put boat back. Went almost all the way to the dam on the dock side of the lake. Fished Whopper Plopper and Blue senko from the shore. It had just started raining lightly and threw the senko. Line starting moving sideways 2 seconds after the worm hit the water. Turned out to be a 4.3 lb bass. WOW!!! Not much fight but my personal best as I am a fairly new guy to the bass fishing experience. I will not go back to fish here until the vegetation subsides in November or December. If you have a kayak, I think you could navigate but not sure how you fish that much vegetation. Even on the small lake, I was pulling vegetation off half of my retrieves. Love the property but too much work to fish it right now. Thanks to PWF and the owner for allowing us to fish here. This is a really cool place.

May 19 2025

Brad Wemhoener

Fingerling

Member Since :
2020
Number of Posts :
99

Tim,

I don't know if they are still being sold, but 3-4 years ago, I bought a MossHawg trolling motor attachment that eats thru private water lake grass like an aquatic weedeater. If you can find one, they make our lakes fishable throughout the summer. 
 

Happy hunting for the MossHawg and tight lines!

Brad

May 19 2025

Tim Macmanus

Fry

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
21

Originaly Posted By Brad Wemhoener

Tim,

I don't know if they are still being sold, but 3-4 years ago, I bought a MossHawg trolling motor attachment that eats thru private water lake grass like an aquatic weedeater. If you can find one, they make our lakes fishable throughout the summer. 
 

Happy hunting for the MossHawg and tight lines!

Brad

Thanks Brad. I will see if I can find one. That would be a great piece of equipment to have. Hope I can find it.

May 20 2025

Robert Lundin

Keeper

Member Since :
2002
Number of Posts :
370

Originaly Posted By Tim Macmanus

Thanks Brad. I will see if I can find one. That would be a great piece of equipment to have. Hope I can find it.

I put a weedless prop on our Minne Kota 55 lb thrust trolling motor. I picked up three of them on the clearance isle in Walmart. So we never have a weed problem on the prop but do get weeds collecting on the shaft. The second thing is use snag proof top water baits. The Zoo Pop and Zoo Dog. They stay weedless and have a good hookup ratio.  I found them on discount tackle for the best price. This way you don't have those hanging treble hooks which are a pain.  Also I used a buzz toad setup that worked well  at Bluebonnet.  
So if you can't find the Mosshawg the above may help. 

May 22 2025

Tim Macmanus

Fry

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
21

Originaly Posted By Robert Lundin

I put a weedless prop on our Minne Kota 55 lb thrust trolling motor. I picked up three of them on the clearance isle in Walmart. So we never have a weed problem on the prop but do get weeds collecting on the shaft. The second thing is use snag proof top water baits. The Zoo Pop and Zoo Dog. They stay weedless and have a good hookup ratio.  I found them on discount tackle for the best price. This way you don't have those hanging treble hooks which are a pain.  Also I used a buzz toad setup that worked well  at Bluebonnet.  
So if you can't find the Mosshawg the above may help. 

Thanks Robert. I will get the new prop and order the Zoo Pop and the Zoo Dog. Appreciate the input very much. 

May 23 2025

Travis Franklin (Mansfield)

Fry

Member Since :
2020
Number of Posts :
45

man I feel your pain there, big lake is impossible to fish,, a few weeks ago I had really good luck to the right of the boat launch area hitting pockets. The smaller lake up on t ehill that has the nice dock is not to bad. I walk all the way around te bank at least 3x and do pretty well. Always fishing sooft plastics texas rig. weedless. Good luck