How To Catch Bass In The Summer: Best Tips For Trophy Fish

Fishing for trophy bass becomes harder as the weather heats up during the summer. However, you still need to find a way to go home with the biggest bass you can find.

If you have a hobby in fishing or if fishing is your source of livelihood, this piece might interest you. After reading this piece, you will not only learn the tactics on how to go bass fishing, but you will also learn some tricks that will help you get your net and cooler filled up even in summer. So with that being said, let’s dive into our guide on how to catch bass in the summer

How Does Bass Fishing Work In The Summer?

Bass is a name used by various species of fish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine water species. Based on your preference, there are different types of bass fish. We have Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Striped, White, Yellow, and Peacock Bass. You’ll also find the Black and white Seabass. You’ll find Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass more than others.

It’s common knowledge that all fish, including bass, are cold-blooded. As a result, they become stressed in heat. This is similar to how humans get uneasy and cranky under the hot sun. During this period, fish tend to move to the cooler parts of the water.

So the best tactic for summer bass fishing is to go out early and fish before the water temperature rises. You’ll also need to pay attention to the type of bait that you use. Reaction baits and live bait may be good alternatives to try out.

As a fisherman, you also need to note that the summer is not the time to dawdle. You’ll have to figure out the best strike zone. Usually, these zones are shallow, shady, and cool. Fish are more likely to stay in the strike zone longer because it will be cooler than other parts of the water column.

No doubt, summer bass fishing can be quite challenging and tactical, especially if it’s your first time. Therefore, you need to be prepared so you can get the best results.

How To Identify Bass Fishes

Bass has a distinct appearance from other marine species. As a result, they can be easily identified amongst other fishes. Generally, they are silvery white with dark horizontal lines along their sides. Also, they have streamlined bodies that help them swim freely in water, and their fins support their exceptional buoyancy.

They can sense sound and vibrations, which helps them to find prey and adapt easily even when the water is dark. Sensing vibrations make catching bass difficult without a proper plan or approach.

They can also eat diverse prey instead of relying on just one type of prey. Therefore, you can try out different bait types to see which is most effective in attracting them to bite.

Watch this video to learn how to identify bass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ucff17–U

Best Temperature And Tips For Summer Bass Fishing

Bass can tolerate both high and low temperatures well. As a result, when you go on summertime bass fishing, you must focus on the shallow, deep, cool, and shady parts of the water to increase your chances of coming across big fish.

Like humans, these fish look for ways to stay out of the heat and find comfort in murky water. Deeper regions of water will probably be cooler than other parts. The best temperature range for fishermen to consistently catch bass is 50 – 60F; 50 – 55F (pre-spawn); 55 – 60F (spawn).

Factors That Determine And Affect The Behavior Of Bass

Generally, bass are very predictable fishes. They are known to behave the same way depending on two main factors; the water temperature and the food supplies.

Other factors that can affect their behavior, include; water flow, moon phases, density and floating vegetation, current, depths, wind, rain, barometric pressure, oxygen level, clear water, and temperature ranges.

Best Summer Bass Fishing Lures

Summer bass likes to eat, but they put in less effort to catch their prey. To be able to capture bass in summer, you have to know which lures will be most effective. For your next fishing expenditure, consider the following bass fishing lures:

Shoreline lures

Frogs are a good choice of shoreline lures for the early hours of the morning. Another good lure choice is the walk-the-dog type of water lure. If you can position yourself parallel to the shore, you can cover the shoreline range faster and efficiently. A spinner bait or lure is also a good choice for shorelines in the early mornings.

Deep water lures

As soon as the temperature starts to heat up, it is time to fish deeper. Spinnerbait fishing lures can be used for deepwater fishing. Crankbaits are another great lure for deep waters. The bass will search for ambush points along the deeper water levels, so you must also find and focus on the likely ambush points.

Other Summertime Bass lures

Fluke

When the temperature is high, bass fish tend to hide and cool off in the grass. A great way to bait them is to throw weed flukes into the grass.

Top water frog

This is another good lure option for fishing in heavy vegetation. Also, frogs with hollow bodies, cupped mouths, or frogs without cups can be used as baits to catch big bass in summer.

Jigs

Big or small jigs are also good baits to catch bass in summer. Generally, bass eats anything that fits their mouths, like ducks, snakes, mice, and baby alligators.

Top Spots For Summer Bass Fishing

Depending on the atmospheric condition, bass anglers may easily assume that bass fish will reside in the deeper water. This is not a foolproof technique because there are several spots where this specie of fish can lurk around. Before you throw your fishing line blindly, check the following spots;

1. Stump Flats

Most artificial reservoirs have plenty of stumps around the pockets and coves of water. Anglers should supervise these areas with quality sonar units and ambush these fish from all sides of the stump.

2. Mouth of Creeks

From the map, it is easy for anglers to discover the mouth of creeks and ditches. Observant anglers would also find small baitfish along the area. They can use it to can target open water bass with lipless cranks.

3. Points

A point is a long shallow edge in every lake that sticks out into the water. Usually, due to the weather, summer bass would station themselves along these points to find food. Anglers can ambush by pinning up lipless crankbaits to easily attract fish to this spot.

It is also important to note that the landscape of the lake often determines these points. Hence, anglers should study the point before attempting to bait.

4. Weedbeds

Many bass fish hide under grass and weed bags during the summer. Similarly, weeds also attract smaller baits which bass can feed on. To ambush these fish, bass anglers can utilize floating worms. Lipless crankbaits can also be used to attack these fish.

Tactics And Tips For Summer Bass Fishing

If you want to learn the best fishing tips and tactics on summer bass fishing, then keep reading this piece. Here are some of the best tips to utilize for summer:

1. Utilize Fish Finding electronics

Electronic fish finders and maps are helpful when finding summertime bass. A boat-mounted fish finder is the best in the market. However, a cheaper alternative would be a castable fish finder. Anglers can also use deeper fish finders as they can be placed on boats, ducks, bans, or through the ice.

2. Fish at Specific times of the Day

There are certain times of the day when fish get comfortable. These periods are usually during the reduced light hours like early morning or late afternoon. Anglers can set ambush 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset.

3. Observe the Shoreline

If you can’t afford fishing electronics, keep your eyes on the shoreline. The shoreline would give you a good idea of what is happening underwater.

Look out for steep hillsides around the bank or for flat land. While the former indicates deep water, the latter implies shallow water. These clues can help when finding drop-offs and bluffs.

4. Big Bass schools with Small bass

Big bass are harder to trick. However, you’ll have more luck when they are in a pack with smaller fish. The trick is to fool the smaller bass with jerk bait and glide bait, then the remaining big bass gets excited and goes after the bait too.

5. Ambush the Shallow Areas

After spawning, many bass fish will stay in the shallow water. In this region, they would fish on bluegills, crawfish, catfish, and juvenile perch while staying below docks, rocks, and grass. Anglers should target shallow waters and adjacent deep waters, as bass can head deeper if they feel threatened.

6 Cast your bait close to the rocks

Bass usually cling to rocks. You should set your lure parallel to the rock when swimming or from a boat. Don’t cast on the rock, rather, hold the bait alongside. Anglers should also swim their bait for long in the rock regions as these fish tend to linger there.

Watch this video for more tips on how to catch big bass in the summer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpB7JQpg9AM

Tools For Summer Bass Fishing

Crankbaits

Crankbaits can work throughout the summer as they are highly beneficial when body metabolism increases and fish become aggressive. The crankbait provides anglers with excellent surface-trotting ability. When selecting lures, consider crankbaits as they’re good for spring and summer use.

Alternatively, choose a deeper dive during a season of fishing or trolling (lipless works well for vertically jigging). Crankbait fishing is a perfect way to target a fish amid the water column, between 10 to 15ft under the surface of a troll. Often trolling involves experimenting with several speed variations.

Underwater Lights

Underwater lights should also be considered during summer bass fishing. The lights can draw the attention of the bass fish to your boat. As a result, consider going on your next fishing trip with minimal lighting. For instance, Red lights will cast a minimal amount of light radius into the water.

Bass are conscious of bright lights, fish in the dark or go on minimal lights. When fishing, be conscious of the sounds you make. Bass have really good ears; any sound or noise you make can scare them away.

Make use of Rattles

Rattles often draw prey near during summer. It is advisable to fish quickly. Cast your net quickly and allow the fish to have only a glimpse of your bait before you draw them in.

Best Places To Find The Best Schooling Bass

In summer, you can find bass majorly in reservoirs or natural lakes. They can also be found in other water bodies like rivers and the seas. During your fishing tour, you should look at these places to catch more bass fish:

Are Summer Bass Smaller Compared To The Bass Caught In Winter?

The weather usually affects the size of fish that fishermen will find. As the water grows hotter, so does it affect the functionality of fish. If you enjoy bass fishing, you may want to know the size difference between fish caught in the summer and those caught in winter. So, are smaller fish dominant in summer?

Yes, there are more smaller fish in summer compared to big bass. Small fish can withstand the intensity of the heat since their body needs a small amount of oxygen to function. Due to their tolerance for heat and warmer waters, they often hang around the higher water surfaces than the big bass.

Keep in mind that when the water is hot, there is less oxygen in it which also slows down metabolism. So, fishes tend to feed less and conserve their energy. As a fisher, you need to slow down your trolling technique and fishing pressure. Why? Fishes are usually less interested in chasing your lure across the warm waters.

Is It Possible To Catch Bass Even in Winter?

It is common knowledge that bass fishing is best for warm weather. You may wonder, ‘is it possible to find these fish in winter?’

Yes, it is. You don’t have to put your rods and nets away just because it is winter. Fishes are cold-blooded, which means they can survive in cold temperatures. So, winter can be a great time of the year to catch fish – even bigger species. Although they would not be as active as they are in summer. These fish do not actively chase food because their energy is low. Plus, their body temperature will be the same as the environment, which will also slow their activities.

The things you need to do to make fishing in the winter easier and enjoyable are keep warm, look for the best fishing location, select the best lures of the season, slow down the movement of your lure, be conscious of water temperature changes, be patient and finally fish in both the shallow and deeper water.

Key Insights & Takeaways

Catching bass in summer can be demanding, stressful, and exciting if you know the way around it. On hot days, bass becomes very predictable. This can make bass fishing very easy. The main thing to do is to consistently figure out the movement patterns of bass depending on the time of the day and the intensity of the heat. On hot days, the shade is where you should head. With the helpful tips in this piece, you will understand that the hot season shouldn’t hinder you from fishing for bass.

Frequently Asked Questions