When I'm in the pads, I throw a double willow leaf spinnerbait, and reel it to where the blades are making a wake up top, hold your rod tip high. Or a buzzbait.

I always have a weightless soft plastic with me rigged up ready to go, if I bass misses your spinnerbait, throw that soft plastic right on him, and let it sink, twitch it a little.

I have also used a bait from a small company in South Arkansas that I like alot, the getsem. http://www.riverbottomlures.com/ The one with the paddle tail can be fished on top like a buzzbait, and makes alot of flop and flash.

I second JayKendrick. If the pads are not coming up and there are just old stems you can throw a grandebass rattlesnake (4.5 inch) on a split shot rig. I usually set mine up with the weight about 14 inches above the bait. Pull it slow with periodic stops. If the pads are starting to come up you can throw a texas rigged lizard on a 1/8th oz weight. Just pull it along and let it glide thru the stems.

I'd first stay back out of the pads and throw a Baby 1- or another shallow crank that you feel confident with, but only if the pads haven't come in yet and you can get it through them without hanging up too much. Especially if the water is a little stained. If you have more than 2 feet of clarity, you might try a Big O Crankbait (the old balsa model w/o the rattles.) I 100% agree with waking a spinner bait and t-rigged ultra-vibe speed tail. Flipping/pitching a good looking jig is always a great way to catch big bass in the pads too.

But rather than what to throw I would ask where to throw. A fifteen acre pad field worked slowly will take a good bit of time, so you need to work the sweet spots and bypass the rest. Search for any irregularities in that field, like a laid down log, a creek ditch or any kind of travel path, old tires & other trash, anything that stands out as a unique ambushing cover spot for a bass to use.

Or stay out of the pads and work your lures along the edge of the field. Again, look for the differences in the layout of the field. Find the little points or coves within the field, cast your lure past the spot and bring it as close to the spot as possible, and work them from all different angles. I've gotten a lot of good fish without ever getting within 10-20 yards of the first row of pads and casting into and around them, but other times had to nose as deep in as possible.

Last piece of advice would be to watch for any kind of movement in the pads/stems. If you see a stem or pad moving around, flip that jig or worm in there as quietly as you can, let get to the bottom (if it makes it down w/o getting eaten first) wait a few seconds, give a few shakes... wait a few more seconds, and if you don't get bit, pick it up and make another pitch to the next closest piece of cover. Watch for clouds of dirt as a fish swims away if you get too close and remember that spot to come back to after a little while. Effectively fishing pads is sometimes tuff! But under the right conditions, it can be some of the most exciting and productive fishing you'll get into...

Good luck and let us know how you do in the tourney!

I'm with Pantera, he has given you the most helpful information. Obviously by the responses you can see that you can catch them in the pads on just about everything. I have fished pads a LOT and have done very well in them. It's more about eliminating water. Watch for the movements, if you catch one, pay attention to the little details about the location and look for it again. 15acres of pads will repeat itself a bunch, look for the pattern. I've fished where one day they're on the right side of the pads and the other on the left. It has to do with current, wind, sun, etc... Just be observant and pay attention.

The only other advise I'd offer that no one has mentioned...if at all possible, throw braided line and use a very heavy action rod. If you're fishing slow and weightless, more times than not by the time you figure out you have a bite, she'll have you all wrapped up and you won't stand a chance. Braided line will cut through the stems sometimes. The heavy rod will give you the needed backbone to pull them out.

Fishing pads is one of my favorite things to do. It's like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get :-).

Cameron

If the pads are up and thick, I have had a lot of luck with a Johnson's Silver spoon with a white or chartruse Kalin's grub trailer.

fluke and Spro frog.

Wacky Worm and Dropshot

Try a weightless LFT Ringfry or a GrandeBass RattleSnake. 4/0 wide gap hook is all the weight you will need. Cast out into the pads/stems and "dead-stick" it with an ocassional twitch. If they dont hit it they are not there!

Soft plastic frogs fished weightless. Try to bump the pads and keep them on the edge as much as possible. The cadence "pop...pop...pause" is hard to beat.

+1

Id have a jig, t-rig, and a pegged sweet beaver of some sorts tied on.

I ma not sure I saw this listed but I would use braid, it will cut throught the lily pads after you hook up. I like a weightless lizard but that is not as important to me as the braid. When I switch to that a few years ago my success rate in lily pads went way up.

If the pads are up and thick, try using just a Large Pork Chunk on a weedless 4/0 or 5/0 hook, drag it on top and when you come to an opening, let it fall and hold on. Also if a fish is chasin it, stop it on top of a pad and see how they try and bump it off.