Greetings from Blessed Bayou! As we get into the hottest portion of the year, many people may start to see the largemouth bass bite diminish within their lakes and ponds. Just as was the case with the Winter edition of my Angler Tips newsletter, this lull in bite can be traced back to temperature. While Springtime boasts the best fishing of the year due to rising temperatures causing a flourish of reproduction and subsequent feeding within your lake, Summer proves that there is such thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to temperature. The intense heat of the Texas Summer season has bass seeking refuge from the hottest portions of water within your lake. Below, I’ll dive in to what location, time of day, and baits are best to use during those hot summer days.
Among bass anglers there are commonly thought to be two different locations that make the best summer honey holes for bass. The first is the deepest portions of your lake, where the water remains the coolest. Similar to how to water stays warmer in the deep pockets of your lake during the winter, it remains cooler in the summer in those deep areas. The second is areas adjacent to the shoreline where shade from riparian vegetation (the vegetation that lines the perimeter of your body of water) or emergent vegetation provides shade. Therefore, if you are fishing in shallow water/along the shoreline but in a location that doesn’t have any shade, you are likely better served trying a different locale. With regard to time of day, I would highly recommend the early morning or the evening. Just as we are more active during this time in the summer, so are they. The last tip with regard to timing is to not be afraid of inclement weather. During the summer, events such as rainstorms can give much needed respite from the normal heat, allowing bass to be more active and mobile than normal. This will allow you to potentially utilize more types of lures from your tacklebox and catch more bass.
For lures to use, we should keep in mind which type of bass we are targeting: one that is looking for shade near the shoreline or one that is hanging out in deep drop-off and bowl areas. For bass using emergent vegetation as a source of shade, we recommend frog mimic lures, which usually have hooks resistant to getting hung up in shoreline weeds. For bass positioned in deeper areas, our lure of choice is a deepwater crankbait, which uses a lip to reach those cool depths where the bass will be located. For a versatile lure that can be fished successfully in deep and shaded shallow water areas depending on how you rig it, a plastic worm may be your ticket to a trophy bass. But don’t be afraid to experiment with different lures and find something that works for your particular body of water.
Ultimately, the key to summer fishing for largemouth bass is to remember that they are animals just like us and will do what they can to avoid being active in an environment that is uncomfortably hot. Tailoring your fishing attempts to meet the environmental conditions is a major part of being a successful fisherman. With these basic tips for Summer bass fishing, you have what you need to get started. So from all of us at Blessed Bayou, stay cool and good luck!
Tight Lines,