Cabomba, Fanwort

Seasonal Techniques

Spring—A submersed perennial, invasive cabomba sprouts from seed or overwintering portions in the late spring. Newly emerging cabomba will create vertical, yet open structure to be fished with swimbaits, crankbaits and Carolina rigs.

Summer—Grows rapidly throughout summer, forming dense, impenetrable colonies. Cabomba quickly forms an impenetrable mat. Heavy punch baits are required to get below this species. Otherwise, fish the outside edge as this plant doesn’t grow much deeper than 5 feet.

Fall—Growth slows after flowering and seed production is initiated. Cabomba mats seem to persist longer than those of native annuals like slender pondweed and southern naiad. Refuge for fall baitfish makes this a prime location for picking off schooling fall bass.

Winter—Little visible cabomba will be present in winter; however some stems may persist along the bottom. Try fishing small, dying clumps of cabomba with a jig.

Habitat Value

Fish—Cabomba provides shelter and cover for fry and juvenile fish species as well as some bait species.

Waterfowl—Cabomba provides little benefit to waterfowl species.

Identifying Features

What It Looks Like—Fan-shaped, oppositely oriented leaves make identification of Cabomba quite easy. The native, less aggressive biotype is said to be tinged red, whereas the invasive biotype is said to be red only on the underside of each leaf. An “aquarium” biotype also exists, exhibiting only green leaves.

Where to Find It—Cabomba tends to prefer quiet, stagnant sloughs with little water movement. Look for backwater areas and sheltered coves to hold cabomba.

Max Depth—0 to 5 feet

Similar Species—Cabomba may appear similar to milfoil, however leaves are opposing whereas milfoil leaves are whorled around the stem.

Drawbacks

Cabomba has caused water use issues in TVA reservoirs, and current options for management make it somewhat costly to control. Cost to manage: $$$ out of $$$$$.