I like them to settle very slowly after they hit the water on a cast. Another tip that will improve your night fishing is to make sure you’re familiar with the area you plan to fish before the sun goes down. Especially in clear water, bass are more likely to feed at night than they are during the day. I can almost assure you that 99 percent of the bass population prefer to be above the bottom of this zone. On deeper, clearer lakes and reservoirs, smallmouths and largemouths alike might reside in far deeper water. Deep Water is where largemouth bass go on "summer holiday" in reservoirs to avoid the reduced oxygen levels of hot, shallow water. Based upon my observations, between sundown and 10 p.m., the bass are moving and gathering. Most bass inhabit the same waters as the bait fish and recently hatched schools of forage fry. For 20 years, I had a 5-acre pond behind my house. Which jerkbait to use for summer bass fishing. The longer days, hotter temperatures and direct sunlight can send bass from the shoreline areas to deeper summer haunts. Fishing Big Worms for Big Bass Weeds have grown by summe… They’ll stay there until the food supply in the area no longer meets their needs. When I turned the pump on, it created an artificial current. For the good side, summer is the most predictable of all the seasons, and bass patterns are the most stable. By tearing up the weeds and pads, you dislodge lots of small organisms and start a feeding chain. That could alarm the bass that are looking for an easy meal. The popular notion that they do so to avoid the summer heat is simply untrue. The move to shallow areas starts with bass that do not migrate into the main water body. It’s absolutely deadly and will catch bass any time of the year when you have healthy green vegetation, though it’s at its best during the dog days of summer. bass on a typical southern or mid-western reservoir might tend to spend their days and nights at a depth range of 10-18 feet, with occasional excursions to the shallow cover areas and food shelves to feed. At the beginning of the warmwater period, there are times when bass feed voraciously, putting on weight after the spawn. Casting a crankbait out into the current created by the pump, I caught bass after bass. As real summer progress and warm-water temperatures escalate from the near "ideals" of springtime conditions (upper 50s to lower 60s) things often change in a hurry on the bass-fishing front. This technique is great almost anytime. 2) ROCKS: If you have rock in your lake, this is a key Winter time feature.Rock offers safety to smaller baitfish during the cold water months, attracting bass like a magnet. They will reach 3 to 4 inches by October in most of the southern impoundments. O’Dell knew the right depth was critical to catching bass in the summer and was familiar with angling different depths to find bass. Big bass are a lot like deer in that they typically become nocturnal during hot weather. My go-to is a Rapala X-Rap 4 ¾. “Super deep on a … I gradually increase how hard I’ll twitch the bait until I’m moving it about 6 inches at a time. Sometimes if you want to catch the biggest summertime bass you'll need to think deep. Get best fishing times with lunar fishing calendars, Daily Limit: Robertson blooms after gloom, Small crankbaits can heat up cold water fishing, Nominations open for 2021 Bassmaster High School All-Americans, Leroy Brown monument finds a home in Eufaula, Tommy Martin’s 5 tips to flip and pitch summertime bass. “Deep is relative depending upon the body of water and the clarity of water you’re fishing,” Gleason explained. There are specific times when Elite Series pros turn to fast-action worming — here’s how they decide between the two most popular tail options. I call this method “Glen’s Secret” because I’ve kept it to myself until now. Again, once the sun goes down, generally after 8 p.m. in the summer, the … Crankbaits must be reeled in more quickly in deeper waters, which can wear on a fisherman's arms and hands. It’s not until later that they’re ready to feed. To a bass angler, "going offshore," means fishing deep humps, ridges, creek channels, or holes in open water where they cannot physically see cover. As a result, they’re relatively short and stocky. For largemouth bass, the case is no different. You’ll have to get out there and unlock the secrets of your lake to find out. Secondly, all bass do not, in fact, move to deep water for the summer. The “magic hours” may vary somewhat for you, depending on where you live. This means waters with varying bottom compositions of mud to rock and ranging from 4 to 20 feet deep. Then they find a new feeding area. As summer approaches, bass tend to go to deeper waters during the daytime to avoid the heat. The majority of bass in each lake make predictable moves throughout the year, such as shallow to spawn in the spring. Prop baits are among my favorites. This group … First, it brings food to them. Generally they don’t go deep in the summer. One summer I decided to conduct an experiment with current. If you’re interested in night fishing for bass, the best advice I can offer is that you not get started until well after dark. To see the entire July/August 2011 issue of Bassmaster Magazine, click here. Summer bass fishing can be tough. Membership Includes 1 Year Bassmaster Magazine, Plus $50 in free gear. More than any other season, summer has its good and bad sides. Landlocked Atlantic salmon: (a) spring: 3 ft – 15 ft deep; (b) summer: below the thermocline (> 35 ft deep); (c) fall: 15 ft – 35 ft deep. They move with baitfish schools and tend to be longer and slimmer than ambush feeders. MID-DAY LIVE BAITS – When the sun reaches its apex, bass will go into deeper waters and root around in the weeds. It’s a terrific method after dark when the moon is almost full. I used the big shiners to keep small bass away. When the late-summer sun is high, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bradley Roy pitches plastics to cover in less than 3 feet of water. It usually takes about 30 minutes for things to get going. According to Hackney, all you’ll need to catch summer pond bass are spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and big worms. In a shallow lake, deeper could mean 8-feet … Summer is a great time to create your own feeding area. While productive depths during the early summer are dependent on the lake, I like 6 to 12 feet of water. During the height of summer, bass may move as deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially in clear water. More often, though, the bass are selective about when and where they eat. These fish are shallow-water oriented and spend much of their time in, or near, secondary creek channels. This deep, cold layer has a more gentle temperature drop toward the bottom. As their name indicates, they ambush their prey and rely on short bursts of speed to catch what they eat. Pop the lure slowly and let it rest every 5 feet or so as bucketmouths will follow a lure and pounce once it appears the prey is tired and appears to be a sitting duck. Some lakes don't have humps in 20 feet of water or even have 20-foot depths, but another thing is that in some lakes the bass don't move deep during the summer months. That's when they start to move out to deeper, cooler water where they stay until the shallower water starts to cool again in the fall. On the bad side, bass can become lethargic and difficult to catch at times. Bass like current in the summer for several reasons. Now deeper is a relative term. In this article, Lucky Tackle Box writer Andrew Schadegg talks about how to catch bass in deep water, which is especially helpful for summer and winter bass fishing. That takes time and dedication, but it’s more than worth the effort. If you’ve ever wondered what happens to all the big bass once summer comes along, you’ll be interested to know that they shut down almost completely during the day, when most anglers are on the water. The majority of ponds experience little to no fishing pressure, resulting in a lot of big, uneducated bass. When that’s happening, anyone can catch them. You need to slip in slowly and quietly with your trolling motor on the lowest speed. I left it on overnight so the fish could get used to it, and then I went out the next morning to do a little fishing. During this time, bass feed very little and become thin and weak. This is when there’s no shortcut to time on the water, observing conditions and learning about the daily habits of bass on your favorite waters. I've learned never to say never, but I'll go out on a limb with thermocline. This is due to the water quality, thermocline and water clarity. Those that are adept at fishing deep water structure can score big. There’s something about a feeding opportunity they can’t ignore, even if they’ve just eaten. Bass do not normally go deeper than this during the Summer And, 10-18 feet is not normally considered to be `deep' water. Catching winter bass out of the depths isn’t as easy as racing your boat towards deep water and casting out a line. As anglers beat the banks, stumps, and weeds in coves, many deep holes remain virtually untouched. The color of the bait is really dictated by the water conditions. I spent hours widdling my list to only the best tips I have learned through decades of bass fishing and learning from experts in the field. In the heat of summer, anglers sometimes need to "go offshore" to find the bass. After a long cold winter virtually all fish species start congregating in their winter areas to make the annual spring move to shallow water. Put yourself within easy casting distance, anchor, wait and watch. The bass come in to eat the bluegill. Topping out at 4 to 5 inches, a threadfin will remain a potential bass food its entire life, particularly where fish in the 7-pound-plus category cruise. After the spawn, individual bass establish themselves in one of two groups: ambush feeders or schoolers. Some have speculated that the bass’ eyes are adjusting at this time and they’re trying to gain their night vision, but I don’t think so. In fact, many bass do not survive spawning rituals. In summer, moving water and bass go together. The temperature of the water will determine how deep the bass go during the fall and winter. If the water is clear, I generally go with a lighter more natural pattern, whereas with murky water I choose a darker color or something neon. As these schools of bait become larger and larger, they offer a more attractive option to offshore bass. The reason bass start to suspend in the late summer has to do with the baitfish population. The period from sundown until then is usually unproductive. Over a period of 40 days in May and June on a single 50-acre lake, I caught 82 largemouth that weighed 10 pounds or more. By late summer, bass fishing is not for the faint of heart. Summer is the easiest time to catch Largemouth Bass. Here in Florida, in the months of May and June, those hours can be magic for big bass. In bass fishing, you need only concern your efforts from the thermocline upward. They move into the heaviest cover they can find, usually near deep water, and sleep through much of the day. The best times to fish are early morning, the last two hours of daylight, cloudy days and nighttime. The predators — usually starting with bluegill — move in and begin to feed on the smaller forage. Instead of fishing only during the early morning or early evening hours of summer, using a deep-diving crankbait is an effective way to catch bass. Quite simply largemouth bass like heat. If night fishing isn’t your idea of fun, you can still catch summertime bass during the day if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to do it. You might think that I was catching the same bass repeatedly, but that’s not the case. The last thing you want to do is disrupt the solitude of the darkness by stumbling into your area after dark, running your boat into a stump, making a lot of noise, flashing a light across the water or otherwise alerting every bass in the area to your presence. Some lakes have a thermocline during the summer months. It's all about confidence when you're fishing deep water and if you try this over the summer, it will make a lot of things "click" for you that you can definitely carry over into your bass fishing. Most of the young-of-the-year threadfin are 2 inches by late summer, the perfect bass meal. If you can find moving water, you’re well on your way to finding and catching bass. He began to redevelop his game plan to locate catfish. Don’t mess it up by casting into the area too early. I marked each big bass I caught before releasing it, and I only caught one of the 10-pounders twice. Here in Florida, in the months of May and June, those hours can be magic for big bass. I put an electric pump in the pond and ran a hose out toward the middle. Largemouth bass start suspending more as the days grow longer and the surface water warms. I fish them weightless or with a 1/8-ounce sinker. Summer is defined as the period between mid-to-late June and late-Septembe.r. Cast them out and let them sit for 30 seconds or so before twitching them very slightly. Fall is defined as the period between early-October and mid-December. Make a long cast with a football jig like the All Terrain Tackle Football Head, let it free spool on the fall, and then slowly drag it back to the boat. My favorite baits for this method are soft plastic craws and tubes. Work around sunken logs, weed mats, and floating structures. JOIN TODAY! It’s a trick I use to activate bass when fishing is slow. Your first cast needs to be right on the money, and you need to be there without the bass knowing about it. Before summer, bass are only concerned with one thing: reproduction. If the rock is deep, the bass will lay along the bottom edge where the water is warmest. This is especially true of big bass. One of the key summer feeding periods on some of my favorite waters comes between 5 and 7 p.m. For a complete guide to catching bass during the summer and in warm weather, you need to read these 32 great tips to skyrocket your bass catching success. A good rule of thumb is that largemouth bass can be found in the first 5 feet of water in the summer. Make 'em the 'grand days'. Several days before the full moon is a good time to catch nighttime bass on surface lures. What time are bass most active during the fall? One of the key summer feeding periods on some of my favorite waters comes between 5 and 7 p.m. Current also tends to carry more oxygen than water that’s not moving. At least until it reaches the area of 97° or 98° … Below is a breakdown of the lures and equipment we use to target Summer bass. Learn about the right lures, baits, techniques and approach to catching bass … I caught most of the bass on 10-inch golden shiners. Once you’ve gotten everything stirred up, it’s time to get into position. They all came between 5 and 7 p.m., and I never would have found or caught them without learning their habits by going out day after day and observing. Most of your strikes will come on the initial fall. Once I turned to pump off, eliminating the current, the bite fell off dramatically. On many occasions I’ve seen them resting on or near the bottom with just one gill moving and one pectoral fin holding them in place. If you can’t find (or create) current on your favorite bass water during summer, you might try fishing at night. After spawning, many bass will head for more offshore or deeper water to spend the summer. As the summer progresses, baitfish like threadfin shad and blueback herring begin to school up in larger and larger schools, preparing for the fall. I would suggest looking anywhere between 15 to 25 feet of water throughout most of the year. It’s easy to get caught up in the season, especially if you are a bass angler. Any current is helpful, but if the current is constant and reliable, it’s even better. Don't be surprised if you find bass stacked up in current and catch 100+ fish a day, and who knows, there might even be a GIANT bass in the mix! My biggest nighttime bass weighed 12 1/2 pounds and hit a topwater bait. To do it, you need a boat with an outboard motor, an area with weed cover that you know holds some bass, and a little patience. Don't let the pressure steer you away, summer is prime time for bass. Ambush feeders are loners and take up residence in a specific place. They stay shallow — typically less than 8 feet — until hot summer days push water temperatures into the high 80s. Learning to catch bass in deep water is intimidating. Best lures for deep water conditions When trolling in deep water you might have over 100 yards of line between the rod and the lure. Try it, be patient and let the bass come to you. When I swam up to them and touched them, they darted off quickly, so I know these bass were not sick or dying. This helps to keep the fish active. I’ll cover that in more detail later. On many waters in the upper Midwest, for instance, the pivot point from shallow to deep is a natural breakline, or drop-off, at 9 to 12 feet. Some will have one very shallow and others may have two. Start by driving into and through the vegetation, churning it up and generally disturbing anything that lives there. Pond bass are notorious for being fairly indiscriminate feeders. Again, once the sun goes down, generally after 8 p.m. in the summer, the bite will likely shut off for a couple of hours. Food is … Dispel the myths of the supposed `dog-days of Summer'!!! The best thing you can do is spend lots of time on the water and tune in to what the fish are doing and, just as importantly, when they’re doing it. Instead, wait until you see some bluegill moving in to feed or until you see signs of bass feeding on the bluegill. In the early 1980s, I enjoyed my best summer of trophy bass fishing. In Florida, where I live, summer seems to last six months or more. FIND BASS DEEP. Note that in northern "natural lakes" largemouth don't find it necessary to retreat to deep water as they do farther south in deeper reservoirs. Especially with natural lakes where there is ample aquatic vegetation. A lot of their activity depends upon the moon. Schoolers join together with other bass to feed as a group. The biggest weighed 13 1/2 pounds, but I lost one that would have weighed at least 16 pounds. There's no doubt in my mind that it has made me a more well-rounded angler and it will do the same for you, too. For the six to eight weeks prior to summer, bass build nests, seek mates, mate, and then protect their young. Yes, I believe bass sleep. 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