bro that was me and a random Asian couple I met fishing down there. I wouldn't really swim in it but walking out in bare feet to get past the shallows a bit won't hurt you -_-. Ya the lake is gross but we aren't having a water fight while drinking the damn water hahahaha
If you get a cut or open skin around your leg and water gets in, some paracite could get in and cause infection etc. I'd personally never wade that water.
just curious what are you using? I've been using power bait minnows and find the lily pad area way too weedy.
I will post some pics in a bit of what I'm using, and it doesn't matter with poppers. You can fish them shallow and deep water. The fish seem to like it when you skip them over the pads then pause it for a bit in the clearings. Walk around the lake and find any pads with sections of clear water and fish them, you'll be surprised where the fish hide. Don't stay in one spot long, if you miss a few fish, move on and fish other part of the lake. Then come back and fish the areas where you missed fish, they usually will come back.