When you fish a Texas rligged worm in heavy submerged grass/hydrilla, what sinker weight do you find that works best? My bait was hanging in hydrilla so bad that I started using a light weight, 1/8 ounce, bullet sinker. The problem with a 1/8 oz sinker is that when there is 10 mph or more wind, it is hard to cast something that light on a baitcaster.

5/16, 3/8 or 1/2 Texas Rig is what I use depending on wind and how thick the grass is.

If I am going to fish heavy grass this is what I use and how I do it.

This will help you get that huge fish you have been looking for. Nothing will beat it. It works everywhere, shallow mat but best on the deepest grass you can find. They will be grouped up under the hollow. If the wind is blowing you can get in there on the upwind side; put the trolling motor up and big motor up and walk the boat across the mat by rocking the boat from side to side. In the heat of the day they are burred up in the grass.

Rig a heavy drop shot rig:
5.0 heavy super line hook. Tied on 50# braid. Use a Palomar knot. Leave the tag end at 5 inches long. Tie a 1 oz. weight to the tag end. I just tie a knot in the end of the tag, then use a overhand slip knot to attach the weight. It doesn't take much to keep it on. When I am fishing grass with hardwoods and it gets hung on the wood I can pull the weight off and come out with the hook and fish. The hook is about 4 to 5 inches above the weight, so the tails of the bait will hang down and cover the weight.
Use a Gene Lawrue Hoo Daddy Jr. in Watermelon Neon. This is not Watermelon/Red although they look almost the same; but it makes a great difference.

It will drop in the grass and come out of the grass with no hang-ups.
Fish vertical to slightly in front of the boat. Directly over the bait is best on the deepest grass. Drop it in slowly and soft so it is traveling slowly when it touches the bottom. The Bass hate anything sneaking in on them. Hold it there with a tight line for about 5 seconds without any movement. They don't want it bouncing up and down. This gives them time to swim through the hollow under the grass and nail the bait.
Vertical presentation and moving along the outer edge of the grass line, making pitches out in front of the boat so by the time it gets to the bottom you are directly over the bait for the hook set.
HAVE FUN!!

Typically, the heavier the grass, the heavier the weight. I usually go for a 1/2-1oz weight in heavy grass.

Where did you find hydrilla that thick ?

Thanks very much for the replies. Donald, I have fished the very rig you describe, but I'm normally fishing from the back seat, behind a partner that is fishing a Texas rig. Under these conditions, fishing a heavy drop shot rig (Bubba rig) has proved to be almost impossible. I guess I just need to keep trying different weights on the Texas rig, in the heavy submerged grass we are fishing, to see if anything will come through it other than the 1/8-ounce sinker. I recall fishing a Carolina rig in another lake with a half ounce sinker that came through fine, but the grass was not clumped up like the lake I'm fishing now. Thanks again.

The problem isn't the bait that you're using, it's the grass you're fishing. Try moving out just a little deeper until the grass thins enough for your bait to come through easily enough. I'll promise you that there are fish out there.

I fish one just heavy enough to go thru easily. Depending on what bait it could 3/8 all the way to 1-1/4. A senior won't need the heavy wait but a bulky beaver style will. Don't think because a 1-1/4 goes thru fast that they can't eat it.

You want to fish efficiently and in very heavy grass I'd error on the side of using too heavy of a weight. A one ounce heavy drop shot as Mr. Harper posted or a one ounce pegged Trig is where I'd start.

If you don't use a heavy enough weight, you will get frustrated with the lure not getting through the grass.

Unfortunately, heavy grass is getting more and more rare around here.

That's good advice. Areas that may require a 1-1.25 oz. jig may only need a 1/2 - 3/4 oz. pegged tx rig depending on the soft plastic you choose. Most of the time you're looking for a reaction bite so in some cases the faster it falls the better. Seems like every day's a little different, don't be afraid to experiment. How bout them Cubs.

2 suggestions, with 2 rigs...

1) do as mentioned if fishing matted hydrilla. Use 1 to 1.5 oz weight Texas or drop rigged. You want it on the bottom, under the grass. Remember the good thing about hydrilla is that their are canopies under it. Flip it, Let it hit bottom and bounce it 2-3 times. If no bite pull it in and make another flip.

2) if you want to fish the lighter weight and fish the top of submerged grass and are a back seater, don't be afraid to fish the lake side of the boat if you think the boater is to shallow. Throw out deep and fish from deep too shallow.

Don't worry about it hanging.. As long as you're not getting it stuck and dragging grass in you're good. The fish will find the bait and the jerk to free it from grass will often trigger a strike

You have given me a lot of good suggestions. Appreciate it. Will be applying what you have said when we go again nest week.

1oz plus for heavy matted grass.