Flycasting tackle is also inappropriate, as most rods are too forgiving. Baitcasting tackle is the way to go because these reels' gears and revolving spools provide good cranking power. If you don't use baitcasting tackle and must fish with spinning gear, your job will be more difficult. A good angler can compensate somewhat by tightening the drag, casting carefully, attentively fishing out every cast, and power-wrestling any hooked fish. Using large shiners, for example, especially when they can swim deep under floating mats, is a long-established Florida tactic for big bass.
Water dogs are good around weeds, too.
Using smallish hooks and striking quickly on a pickup helps keep bass from being deeply impaled. Lures for bass in the weeds run the gamut depending on circumstances. In sparse, emergent weeds and over submerged weeds, you can fish with some multihooked plugs, including shallow-running crankbaits and minnow imitators, as well as lipless rattling plugs and surface plugs. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits also work here. You may need to angle your rod tip up when working subsurface swimmers to keep the hooks from snaring weed strings, and it's often better to use suspending plugs rather than those that pop back to the surface.