[kcritch]

Shore fishing is tough in those weed choked lakes for sure. This year seems to be a little weedier than most too. If you haven't tried a T-rigged weightless Senko type bait then that's the first thing to add to your box.(also called Yum dingers, stick baits, etc.) You can fish them in weeds pretty well, float them on top, slow sink them into any holes, or twitch them like a soft jerk bait in the open water spots. 4" and 5" in Green Pumpkin work best for me. Second don't discount the topwater frogs (hollow body or swim bait type) just because it's sunny. I've caught plenty that way at all times of the day. If there are pickeral where you are fishing they will hit those as well. I don't know what kind of lakes you are fishing but a good idea would be to target smaller ponds as those are a bit easier from shore and get on the rivers. Read the reports on the Passaic, the Raritan, etc and you'll get tons of info. The rivers are much more productive from shore (or wading) in the summer for me. 4" senkos Trigged or wacky rigged on a 1/0 worm hook for smallmouth is a great easy starting point.

Read up on this site, keep at it and you'll be catching in no time. Good luck.