Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..
Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
My 17-inch smallmouth bass taken from Malabar Farm in June. One inch shy of a Fish Ohio.
My 17-inch smallmouth bass taken from Malabar Farm in June. One inch shy of a Fish Ohio.
As I ripped off the July calendar, I exhaled slowly at the thought that summer is sliding away faster than I like.
Annoyed and curious, I checked when the sun would begin to set noticeably earlier. I figured it would be a good incentive to spend a few more evenings outside before it was too late.
This is a crankbait with a lip; nothing covers water faster and it's the speed that triggers the bass to strike, out of reflex as much as hunger.
These are two styles of topwater frogs. Their legs mimic the movement of real frogs, causing the bass to lurch after them.
Skirted Jig: The most versatile lure in a tackle box, it's meant to mimic a crawfish in its original design. But through the years it has morphed into a broad category of lead headed bass lures that can mimic crawfish, shad, bluegill and just about anything a bass will eat.
This is a Spinnerbait. It's best for shallow areas with cover, this lure has a smooth, flowing action that mimics a swimming baitfish. The blades vibrate and flash, attracting the attention of bass
This is a Texas rigged plastic worm. It's all about the basics with this style bait: a juicy bright worm that can stay on the bottom where the big bass are hanging out.
This is a Carolina Rig plastic worm. Great for beginning fishermen, this specific rig is designed to help fishermen catch bottom feeding fish, particularly bass.
My 17-inch smallmouth bass taken from Malabar Farm in June. One inch shy of a Fish Ohio.
This is a crankbait with a lip; nothing covers water faster and it's the speed that triggers the bass to strike, out of reflex as much as hunger.
These are two styles of topwater frogs. Their legs mimic the movement of real frogs, causing the bass to lurch after them.
Skirted Jig: The most versatile lure in a tackle box, it's meant to mimic a crawfish in its original design. But through the years it has morphed into a broad category of lead headed bass lures that can mimic crawfish, shad, bluegill and just about anything a bass will eat.
This is a Spinnerbait. It's best for shallow areas with cover, this lure has a smooth, flowing action that mimics a swimming baitfish. The blades vibrate and flash, attracting the attention of bass
This is a Texas rigged plastic worm. It's all about the basics with this style bait: a juicy bright worm that can stay on the bottom where the big bass are hanging out.
This is a Carolina Rig plastic worm. Great for beginning fishermen, this specific rig is designed to help fishermen catch bottom feeding fish, particularly bass.
My 17-inch smallmouth bass taken from Malabar Farm in June. One inch shy of a Fish Ohio.
Quick research showed that by Aug. 30, the sunset in Ohio will occur 11 minutes earlier than it currently does. Not a huge time shift, but just enough to add another spark of determination to get in some more fishing; bass fishing to be exact.
Why bass you may ask?
Well it’s been a while since I had felt any on the end of my line, probably almost a year and a half. That was until one fine evening in June when I casually and without aim, flipped a worm into one of the ponds at Malabar and got hit almost immediately.
I cranked back, set the hook and reeled in a beautiful bass.
Full of spunk, this guy gave me a nice little tussle and I hoped it would be noteworthy. A little lean, he measured 17 inches long, only one inch shy of Fish Ohio status.
Miffed, I decided I should make an effort to concentrate on bass fishing a bit more this year and reel in a record. Besides, they are fun and put up good fights, not to mention it is always a delight to have bass in the freezer.
The other good, solid reason to spend some time bass fishing, is the sweet new pole I picked up on a recent belated birthday trip to Cabella’s. A nice light weight rig perfect for bass fishing, a new gear bag and needed tackle, I am eager to get back in the game.
At this time of year, catching a bass has everything to do with location and presentation. Most unseasoned fishermen will warn you away from the “dog days of summer” for bass fishing saying the heat makes them not eat.
Reality is these fishermen have not been fishing in the proper places, at the proper depth and with the proper (most effective) lures.
As we are moving into late summer, both largemouth and smallmouth bass are feeding vigorously, with their dominant food source being shad or other pelagic baitfish.
For us anglers, that means we should be looking to fish main-lake structures such as points, humps, and ledges. This is where groups of bass will congregate as they hunt massive schools of shad. Hunting bass will gather to offshore ambush spots and feast when a school of shad gets too close.
They are also swimming deep to protect themselves from the heat and allow for recuperation after spawning.
As water temperatures rise, the bass have two choices to keep from boiling: take shelter in cover or move out to the middle of the lake for deeper and cooler water. During the height of summer, bass may move as deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially in clear water.
At night, bass will leave their deepwater haunts to hunt in the shallows. The best night fishing locations are transitions where there is deep water close to shore.
Bass follow those transitions as they move up to feed. Drop-offs, points, channel bends, and ditches are all excellent night fishing targets. A good rule of thumb seems to be to suspend your bait just above the thermocline or the transition layer between the warmer surface water and the cooler deep water, where there is a sudden change in temperature.
Timing or knowing the time of day to fish for summer bass is one of the most important fundamentals for beginners. The best times to fish for bass will be during the cooler periods of the day, i.e. get out before sunrise or around dusk.
How do you catch bass in August?
Start big and aggressive with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and buzzbaits. Fishing crankbaits along weed edges is a proven summertime tactic for big largemouths. Crankbaits will also be ideal for fall bassing.
One of the most fundamental rules in bass fishing is to fish brightly colored baits in dingy or muddy water and light, subtle colors in clear water. The logic here is that a bass' visibility is hampered by silt, and colors like chartreuse, yellow and orange are easier to see.
When casting, make long casts parallel to the shore, next to isolated cover or across shallow flats. You can also try casting around floating docks or under bridges. Best results typically mean you stay close to the main lake or in major creeks.
Don’t be afraid to practice your retrieving methods. While a steady retrieval rate should never be underrated, adding a little variety (a slight jerk, a pause or even a quick stop) is a good tactic.
So what should you be retrieving? Well according to anglers, the best bass lures for summer are as follows:
Because bass are moving deep in the cooler, shady areas of the water soft plastic worms rigged either Texas or Carolina style, are the best choices. When fishing in shallow spots with heavy cover or vegetation the Texas rig is generally a better choice. The Carolina rig excels when used in deep water as a search lure.
These are great if you want to learn how to fish for big summer bass. Skirted jigs are among the most versatile lures, making them a great place to start when unsure of which lure to use based on conditions. They can be used throughout the year in almost any temperature, whether 50 degrees or 90 degrees.
You can flip a jig into heavy vegetation, cast it out near a structure, work it along drop-offs, or drag it along the bottom. The larger profile of a skirted jig tends to be the key when it comes to coaxing lethargic bass into biting during periods of hot weather.
These can be some of the best summer bass lures to use when fishing muddy or murky waters because of the flash and vibration they give off.
Try casting a spinnerbait along grass edges or near drop-offs, and then use a slow-rolling retrieve to bring it back toward the boat. These fishing lures are ideal for bumping around structure on sunny days when bass seek the shade provided by logs, branches, or thick vegetation.
These are a favorite for catching schooling fish located at various depths. The reason for this is that lipless crankbaits can be fished in either shallow or deep water just by switching up the speed of your retrieve.
For best results find a crankbait that resembles the most common baitfish at your summer fishing spot.
These guys are some of the best fishing lures for bass you can use around lily pads. Bass like the shade of lily pads on hot summer days, so “hopping” a topwater frog from leaf to leaf can be quite effective.
Now that you know which lures will work well throughout these last weeks of summer, gear up and take a little time to traverse your regular fishing haunts. Look around for the signs of where these hungry hunking bass may be hiding, because in the end the real key to finding late summer bass is to cover water, and lots of it.
So get out there and reel in a big one!
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