Summer Fishing

Summer: Bass are gonna be on the move and looking for food to replenish the energy they lost after spawning. Bass will be very active during early parts of the summer but the bite will surely slow down as the heat sets in. When the water temps reach 80 and above the fish will seek out deeper water for the comfort of the cooler water. Bass really don't care what season it is as long as they can find a favorable water temp to chill in. If you can find the spots where the water temps are stable then that is the key to summer bass fishing.

I am a crank bait/topwater fisherman. I like to be a little more aggressive so this is a great time to power fish for me.

Early summer fishing is a bit different than the actual heat of the summer. This is the time when most lakes are at the peak for bass fishing. Most bass will be scattered and actively feeding. Where the bass will be holding during this time is not so predictable as when the summer really kicks in. Some will hold to one area all day where others will travel for miles! Make sure to cover a lot of water in the early summer months for your best chance to get hooked.

Early summer will also bring rain and higher water levels. This is where you want to look for recently covered brush and also any trees that may have fallen. Docks are also great cover for bass, but are much better when the water is higher than normal.

I like to rip a 1.5" crank bait around the shallows. This technique allows you to cover a lot of water quickly, and since they could be scattered you can locate where they may be holding a lot quicker. Spinner baits work well this time of year also. All sizes and blades will be effective. Rubber worms. Not a power fishing lure and probably my lest favorite but are very effective year round.If you tossed a crank at a dock for a while with no luck always try to flip a worm at it before leaving. I particularly like the drop shot for soft plastics.

Mid-summer Bass Fishing: Here it comes. The heat of the summer. I hate this time of year for fishing! Temps will rise to points that keep this guy and bass in a slow moving state with less energy. Bass are less active but easier to target at this time than they are in any other season. I like to be on the water by 5 am and off by 10. This is a great window for fishing the shallows. Nothing I hate more than sitting in the sun on my boat baking like a potato. The heat from the sun has not made it unbearable to the bass yet and should be the start of every fisherman's day. I love this time to throw on of my top water poppers.

As mid-day approaches when the sun has risen, most bass have made their way back out to deeper water near channels, drop offs, points, humps and ledges. I always seem to find them in deep water with lots of grass. I like to try to draw them up with a popper but the drop shot works well for me here. All these areas have one thing in common and that is protection from the sun. The 2 best places to target mid-day summer bass are in shaded areas and the deeper water. Bass just want to avoid the sun this time of year. The sun over heats the fish and also blinds them too! This is why bass seek out low light areas. The key is to target these areas with the right approach.

As I mentioned before I am a top water assassin! Early Summer mornings are great for this bite. There will generally be more bait fish in the shallows and when the sun isn't beaming down on these areas the bass move in to hunt. Low light and calm water make it optimal for that top water blow up on a Lou's Lure custom painted with the bleeding shad pattern!

If your lake doesn't have heavy matted cover and lily pads to toss at like mine does then you should be targeting docks and low hanging trees and brush. Any shade will work but docks especially. Skipping a rubber worm or a jig under docks and boats is a great technique this time of year. Remember that bass have very low energy this time of year and will only hit what is right tin front of them. Be sure to throw a bunch of casts and take your time casting under and around the trees and docks you find. Bass do not have much energy this time of year and may only hit your bait if it lands pretty much on them. Just make sure you cover the whole piece of structure!

I love to toss cranks! Deep divers are killer for locating them bass down in the deep cooler water. Use the crank to try to feel and see the bottom with the lure. You want to blast through like a rhino and bump and grind everything in your path. bass are gonna hold to the deep structure and cover so they can ambush your crank as it swims through. You can start with a smaller diving crank and work your way deep if you need to check the water column for depth.

When the summer days start to come to an end and the shallows begin to cool then you have great conditions for top water blow ups! I like to fish from around 5pm to sunset when the topwater chomp is at its best!

One thing you can count on if the fall bite is now approaching! The bass will feed heavy to bulk up for winter. Keep your gear out cause the bigguns' are about to bite!

#gethooked #louslures #fishingfiends