summer (post spawn)
Summer fishing, post spawn, is some of the toughest times to catch fish. Bass for the most part have moved off their beds and started heading to deeper water with a tendency to be suspended, making harder to get bites.
Fish will try to find deep cover around ledges, boat docks, rock piles and flooded trees and grass, making it muck hard to present your baits to them.
I find that during these months I have the best luck, pitchin soft plastics and jigs around tree tops and boat docks, letting them fall through or beside branches slowly, literally putting the bait in front of them.
Mornings and late afternoons the top water bite will realy start to get good. I like to fish buzz baits, frogs, poppers like the High Roller 2.75" poproller, walk the dog style lures like the High Roller 3.25" highroller, rip style propeller lures like the High Roller 3.25" riproller, another good choice would be the High Roller PT Spoon and even unweighted soft plastics, during this time. Flooded grass, weed lines and stump fields will produce some really exciting bites. Fish will lay in these areas looking up, just waiting for the opportunity to blast up and take what ever swims over head.
Another good place to fish during the hot summer months is deep main lake points and ledges, fish will have a tendency to gather on deep water points waiting for bait fish to swim by. With this in mind try fishing deep running crankbaits that mimmic bait fish and fish the point from all angles. Also in the early mornings you can find bass busting bait fish around the shore line of these points. If you are lucky enough to come across schooling bass busting bait fish in the morning get ready to catch alot of bass fast, because as fast as you come across this feeding freenzy it will shut off just as fast as it started.
One last thing to mention on summer fishing, Night fishing, on clear nights with a bright moon can be a blast. It will be a little cooler at night and fish will be feeding alot more at night. You can use a wide variety of baits from top waters to crankbaits like the High Rollers and spinnerbaits. But, if you really want to have fun then try one of my favorites at night (also great in the morning over flooded grass). The double fluke rig, you can cast it a mile which will let you cover alot of water and the bonus is you will catch doubles on a regular bases. You think it's fun reelin' in one bass, then try two at one time.
Main thing with summer fishing is patience, it will be hot and slow, but the fish will still bite, you just have to slow down, make every cast count and remember it's not always about catching fish, but being able to enjoy the beauty of nature and the freedom you have as an American to be able to be on the water.
Thanks to our armed service men and women for keeping us free.
