Slop Fishing Secrets: How to Catch Big Largemouth Bass in Thick Cover

Why Does Slop Hold Big Largemouth Bass?

Slop acts like a magnet for largemouth bass, luring fish in to set up shop under its expansive surface canopy. There are a number of reasons slop is so attractive to bass:

1. Food - Slop attracts a wide range of bait fish to its darkened recesses, which in turn provides a bountiful menu choice for largemouth bass. Slop also provides ambush points, either along the edges or deep within, giving bass an advantage when hunting for their next meal.
2. Protection - Although bass will roam and actively move, the majority of the time these fish like to hunker down and wait for a meal to swim by. Much the same way bass relate to docks or fallen timber for safety and security, slop provides this same sense of protection.
3. Comfort - Slop also offers shade, which during those dog days of summer, is a welcome relief when setting up shop in this dark and much cooler water.
   

My Top Three Lures for Slop

My approach for fishing slop revolves around three lures - each one allowing me to to dissect specific areas of the slop mat effectively and thoroughly.

Hollow Body Frogs for Explosive Topwater Strikes

A hollow body frog, with its upturned weedless hooks, collapsible plastic body, and streamlined profile, is a true workhorse when it comes to slop. Designed to be slowly twitched or dragged over the top of slop, these baits signal to any opportunistic bass that are waiting below that dinner is being served on top.

Tips for Covering Slop Effectively with a Frog

Work a frog over the entire mat, with each additional cast shifted to the side by a couple of feet. A tactic like this will ensure you are strategically covering all of your bases.

Largemouth bass, when sensing movement overhead, will bust through the slop (generally with good accuracy), sucking in both slop and lure before retreating back into their darkened lair. Always wait a second or two after that surface strike before setting the hook. This will ensure the fish has turned and the frog is in a prime position to make those hooks stick.

Although not a frog, the new Furenzy Mouse from Lunkerhunt works in the same manner. I had a chance to test this bait out earlier in the week and I am definitely impressed, landing a four-pound largemouth bass from a strip of slop tight to shore and with an overhanging tree above.

Flipping Jigs for Targeting Slop Edges

A flipping jig, relatively weedless and designed for thick cover, is an excellent choice when working slop. I will pitch this bait to the slop edge, letting it drop straight down on a slack line. Largemouth bass that have positioned themselves on these slop edges, or a few feet in, will see this crawdad or frog imitating lure and suck it in in the blink of an eye.

Accuracy is key and perfecting your pitching proficiency is recommended. A splashless entry should be the goal with each underhand cast, working efficiently along the slop edge and shifting over a foot or two each time. Keep a close eye on your line (and bait if the water is clear) as these edge-holding bass are fast and stealthy.

Best Trailer Pairings and Jig Weight Tips

I keep it simple when pairing up my flipping jig with a plastic trailer - choosing either a crawdad or small swimbait. Both of these relatively slim baits create a great profile, produce a tempting swimming action and are adept at triggering bites. A half-ounce jig gets the nod the majority of the time, but I will move up a weight if the wind is gusting or if my slop mat is over deep water.

Texas-Rigged Soft Plastics When Bass are Under the Mats

The final bait in my slop arsenal is a Texas-rigged soft plastic. I will use this bait when pitching to 'holes' in the slop mat as well as when a bass short strikes my hollow body frog. A slim profile is preferred to ensure penetration, so a crawdad or thin creature bait are two styles of plastics I stick with. Using a Tungsten worm weight, which is smaller in size than traditional lead, will help get your bait through the slop easier as well.

Another tactic I employ if no visible holes are present in the slop mat is to lob my plastic offering some 15 or so feet in the air, which helps my bait 'punch' through the slop via speed and inertia. One-ounce worm weights or even heavier are needed when employing this tactic.

My Proven Three-Step Approach to Fishing Slop

Step 1.) I always toss a hollow body frog first, keeping my distance from the mat itself. This allows me to cover the majority of the slop bed. If I hook a fish or two, perfect! If I miss some fish, I will then pitch a Texas-rigged soft plastic to those blow ups.

Step 2.) Once I have adequately covered the slop mat with a frog, I'll switch gears and lob a soft plastic bait to high percentage covered areas or any open holes I can see. Inactive fish often won't strike a surface bait but they have a hard time turning up their nose at a crawdad or creature bait dancing tantalizingly in their lair.

Step 3.) My final tactic is to pitch a flipping jig to the slop edge itself, working my way along the mat and picking off those active fish that are strategically positioned to strike.

Advanced Slop Fishing Tips and Tactics

Look For a Mix of Cover

Slop may all look similar but some is much better than others. Look for mats with a mixture of cover, and even better if that slop is adjacent to docks, wood, or other emergent (or hidden) structure. It is this variety in cover that will often pull more fish in.

Isolated Slop Mats Can be Key

Massive slop mats can be time consuming to fish, especially when everything looks the same. And although I will tackle any slop I come across on the water, I pay particular attention to isolated slop mats that are smaller in size. Mid-lake mats that appear randomly will often hold more fish as it is the only cover around for bass to take shelter under. These isolated mats are also easier to fish more thoroughly.

Other Slop Variables

Look for variances in the slop itself and target those high-percentage spots. These include wind-blown edges, mats that form over a different structure type (think rock), and slop that is less thick than others. Duck weeds mats are one of my favorite to fish as largemouth bass have no trouble breaking through to strike a topwater bait.

Always Follow Up Missed Strikes

If a bass strikes at your frog but misses, immediately follow up with a Texas-rigged soft plastic bait to the now-formed 'hole' in the mat that the largemouth left behind. Most fish will stay in the same location, and a pitch with a plastic will often get hit immediately.

Catch More Slop Bass

Be sure to target slop mats this season, utilizing the tactics and techniques I have touched upon here. Not only is it a fun and exciting style of fishing, but slop is an overhead structure that always holds hungry largemouth bass.