How to best paddle through weeds?

Hydrilla can be fun, especially when
thickly matted. Makes each blade pull weigh about 10 pounds, great for muscle building. Alligators love to sit on top of it sunning in the a.m.

Short strokes…
narrow blade paddle, skim the surface with the paddle like spreading butter on bread, nice short strokes, with just the edge of the paddle blade, make them FAST short strokes…keep your momentum…



YEP, I be fum da souf…we’uns got hydrilla heah!

lawn tractor blade
glassed to bow, or machete blade. If you don’t have time to glass, duct tape will work.

Not on hydrilla, mats on the surface,
goes 10-12 ft down, thick, thick, thick, but doesn’t stand up. I love the stuff, the fish love the stuff, skiers hate the stuff. Did I tell you I love the stuff.

lawn tractor blade

– Last Updated: Jul-14-06 5:18 PM EST –

glassed to paddle, or machete blade. If you don't have time to glass, duct tape will work. Unless, of course, if you love the stuff.

weeds
Here in Michigan the lily pads are starting to choke off sections of small lakes. Going through hundreds of yards of thick lily pads can be pretty tiring.



My take:



Build up momentum as you approach the weeds…take advantage of the last clear water.



Then go slow…don’t fight the weeds hard, it will just tire you out.



Place the (canoe!) paddle blade in the clearest water that you can find…there are usually open spots between the weeds - at least the weeds I deal with.



Pull the paddle out of the water slowly…again -don’t fight the weeds. If any weeds have wrapped around the paddle I can feel it immediately and then I just slowly rotate the shaft a few times until the weeds fall off



Whenever you get a break in the weeds - paddle hard (take advantage of clear water).


Are they lilly pads or water hyacinth?
Lily pads have flat leaves that float on the water, but are connected to a stem that goes to the lake or river bed (slow river). Usually, the flowers are white or yellow. Water hyacinth has curly leaves that are firm, not floppy like a lily leave, stand up, and the plant floats on the water. True lily pads aren’t that difficult to float through, but hyacinth can be tough.