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What is all this green slime?

Question:
I am fishing a local lake that usually has a lot of grass for cover. Water visibility is about 4 foot. Its March and the water is 45 degrees and warming. Unfortunately there seems to be a lot of green slime on the weeds and bottom of the lake. I was told this is algae blooms. The fish seem to avoid the green slime areas. Will they hold in weeds that have green slime on them? At what water temperature or time frame will the green slime disappear? Where are the fish going to hold when the green slime is still there? Any thoughts on where the fish should be?

-Greg

Answer:
I hate that slime too. We use to call it scum. There are a bunch of different types called filamentous algae. They are single-cell algae that form ... well globs. I understand from biologists that fish don't shy away from these algae. In fact these algae provide habitat for invertebrates like bugs and worms that are eaten by fish. The problem is fishing around the stuff. Baits are almost always fouled by the slime, ruining the bait's presentation. Try using a drop shot rig -- a plastic worm or similar bait a foot to 18 inches above a dropshot weight. Instead of a vertical presentation like most dropshotting, cast the bait. This will often keep the worm off the bottom and and out of the slime. The slimy areas can be aggravating to fish, but don't rule them out if you have the patience to fish them.

Good fishing!

Steve Brigman