The dog days of summer can make bass fishing difficult, as the fish head for deeper water. There are several classic locations and lures you should try when fishing for largemouth.
Check deep sections of creek channels, the main river channel and areas with submerged structure, such as old roads. Points that jut into the main body of water and rip rap on an embankment are favorite locations. Cliffs with uneven surfaces hold more fish. Look for crevices, ledges and rock slides. Fallen trees or brush also make excellent sanctuaries.
Points with large rocks, flooded timber or brush hold more bass than those with no cover. In the summer, bass feed on these points and then recede into deeper water. Points with irregular shapes and steep drop-offs hold bass better than points with straight edges and gradual drops. Outside bends of creek channels are generally deeper and hold more bass.
Brushy flats can be excellent feeding areas, as can green vegetation on newly flooded areas. Shallow shoreline flats, submerged points of an island and large docks with many posts near deep water hold bass well. Areas with thick overhead weeds keep the water cool and hold bass all summer. Rocky reefs with clean sand bottoms and scattered boulders hold bass on the shaded side of the boulders. Weed lines with ragged edges make excellent bass habitat. Water-dwelling trees hold bass near their extensive root systems.
Summer weather affects bass. Cirrus clouds that precede a cold front indicate bass will soon be feeding heavily. The feeding frenzy may peak just before thunderheads arrive. Lightning and thunder will drive bass into the depths. Stalled fronts may cause overcast skies, and bass will feed during low-light conditions. Clear skies filter out few of the sun's harmful rays, causing bass to move into deeper water. White, fluffy cumulus clouds may indicate that bass will feed normally.
Calm conditions enable bass to see objects in the water. Wave action refracts light, making it more difficult for bass to see movements on the water's surface. Winds stir plankton, upon which minnows feed. Steady winds in one direction may stockpile plankton on one side of the shore. Minnows will gather where the plankton is heaviest and bass will follow.
Plastic worms are a favorite lure of many bass anglers. These work best in warm waters. Some plastic worms look like eels, salamanders, lizards or small snakes.
Spinnerbaits attract bass with flash, action and color by imitating natural food. The spinnerbait employs the best of two baits, the spinner and the jig. You can customize these baits by replacing blades or skirts or adding attractants.
Crankbaits with their frantic wiggling are hard for bass to resist. They fall into three categories: minnows that float or sink, plugs that float and dive and vibrating plugs that sink.
Surface lures, or topwater baits, work well on calm summer mornings and evenings. There are propeller-type plugs, poppers and chuggers, buzz baits, topwater crawlers, stickbaits, surface wobblers and artificial frogs.
Live bait is also effective for bass. Nightcrawlers, minnows, frogs, grasshoppers and crayfish suspended or inched along with bobbers can prove deadly.
Once you figure out the pattern, a combination of bass location and lure presentation needed to make the fish bite, you can catch bass more easily. The pattern may change from day to day or several times in one day. Sometimes there is no discernible pattern and luck seems more necessary than skill. Regardless, the largemouth bass remains one of the most popular game fish and spending time in pursuit of it is a great summertime activity.
