How to fish the bass in Mid Summer
-What is the best baits -
1. Characteristics of Midsummer Bass
The intense summer heat is a major enemy for bass. Just like humans, bass can experience a phenomenon known as "summer fatigue," causing them to become sluggish.
As a result, while bass are widely dispersed in early summer, they start to hide in spots with lower water temperatures once midsummer arrives. When targeting bass in midsummer, focus on cool areas where the water temperature tends to drop, such as deep areas with low temperatures, shades without direct sunlight, and spots with inflows or backwaters.
2. Deep Areas
During this season, bass tend to gather in deep areas where the water temperature is closer to their comfort zone due to the high temperatures. Since bass are generally in a less active state because of the high water temps, rather than a finesse approach to make them bite, it's more effective to use lures like deep diving crankbaits to trigger reactionary bites through erratic side-to-side movements.
A recommended staple deep crankbait is the Deep-X series from MEGABASS. Available in four models diving from 10 to 20 feet, they transition from a wobbling & rolling on the descent to a tight wobbling & rolling on reaching maximum depth, with this change triggering bites. Even after 15 years since its release, it remains a popular standard deep diving crankbait.
The JACKALL Digle series allows for long casts while quickly reaching maximum depth, making it useful for searching wide areas when you want to explore a broader range.
If you need to dive even deeper, the IMA IK-800R2 is a good choice. It can reach 16 feet when cast at maximum distance and trolled for about 50 feet after a full cast.
On the other hand, if you feel the need to tempt bass in the depths more naturally, rig up a drop shot or Carolina rig.
While drop shots have the weakness of being poor around cover, they allow you to make bass bite more naturally than a Texas rig and target a consistent depth range, making them effective for attacking vertical structures and structure that is less likely to snag.
The slender profiled Flash-J from Fish Arrow in a compact size is perfect for finesse fishing. Bass will also strike these bite-sized minnows that dive down. The classic Hazedon from MEGABASS is made thin vertically, with its tail quivering and attracting the interest of bass.
With good bottom contact and the ability to efficiently search a wide area, a Carolina rig can tempt them out even more naturally than a drop shot. Crawling a Bellows Craw or Bellows Gill from GEECRACK along the bottom is also recommended.
3. Shades
In midsummer, in addition to rising water temperatures, the sun also becomes stronger, so bass often stay in shaded areas where the water temperature is slightly lower and out of direct sunlight. Shades can be found everywhere, forming under bridges, floating debris, and various other places.
Floating debris often newly appears due to weather and wind conditions, and can be expected to have low pressure, so it's a good target. Rig up a Texas rig or weightless-rig or better weedless performance.
For lures imitating crustaceans that allow bass to efficiently replenish nutrients, options include the Bottle Shrimp from MEGABASS, where the arms powerfully push water with a slight delay to rod techniuque, and the Escape Twin from NORIES, whose two thick paddles firmly displace water without being swept away by the current.
For the free-rig, The IMAKATSU Javallon, with its high-water resistance, separates significantly from the weight during its fall. The wavy, flashing motion at the moment the weight hits the bottom triggers the bass's predatory instincts.
Also, a key factor in shade fishing is targeting the shade formed under overhanging trees along the shore. In such spots, bass lie in wait even during the day, aiming for insects falling from above. Discern what kind of insects are being preyed upon in that field and select an appropriate bug bait.
In fields with a lot of cicadas, try using a Siglett from MEGABASS. Not only does it look just like a cicada, but the two internal rattles even mimic the sound, going "jijii...jijii..." in a dead ringer for real cicada cries. It comes in three sizes, so choose based on the types of cicadas in the field.
When it's difficult to get close to cover, a hard bug bait like the BUG DOG can be effective. It revolutionized the conventional wisdom of insect lures which were typically soft lures, making it possible to achieve distance. The wings on the back portray a realistic insect, and with a stable floating posture, it lands without overturning, as if a real insect just fell.
For bass hiding in the shade of underwater weeds, the use of sinking bug-type soft-plastic is also an option.
The Wamwam Flare from JACKALL has the characteristic of making minute undulations with its legs while slowly falling when rigged weightless and standard rigging, or exhibiting a long, gentle backsliding action when rigged backwards, allowing you to precisely target tight cover.
4. Points with Current and Backwaters
Areas with dams or drainage from ponds and streams with fresh, cold-water inflow, or spots with underwater currents that are not visible to the eye, become favorable areas for bass as the water quality is clear, temperature is lower compared to surroundings, and dissolved oxygen is abundant. However, invisible currents do not flow throughout the day, and water flow is created by factors like gates being open or dams releasing water due to elevation differences and discharge volumes, and the flow also changes based on the terrain, weather, and wind direction. Read the water flow in your own field, taking into account the surrounding environment.
Backwaters are also a standard point for targeting summer bass. In reservoirs, backwaters refer to inflows in the uppermost reaches. Backwaters and inflows have low water temperatures and abundant dissolved oxygen, drawing in not only bass but also other creatures like baitfish. Especially in summer dam lakes, backwaters are almost always prime spots.
It can be expected that other fish will also gather around good water. The first baitfish that comes to mind for bass is bluegill. The GillroidBaby from IMAKATSU is easy to use as a bluegill swimbait that can catch fish just by casting and employing a stop-and-go retrieve. Other recommendations include the most popular bluegill glidebait in Japan, the BullShooter from DEPS, and the Chibitarel Deadrise from JACKALL which portrays a dying bluegill with a vertical swimming action.
5. Topwater
During the high-activity periods of morning and evening when air temperatures are still relatively low, even midsummer bass may be more sluggish in the morning compared to spring and fall, so relatively slow-drawing topwater plugs like poppers and crawler baits that match their slower movements and keep their gaze above eye level can be effective. Bites can also be visually observed, making it exciting and enjoyable!
In high-pressure environments, use a popper to entice bass with delicate popping sounds. A standard choice is the POP-X from MEGABASS. Its restrained pop sound draws in bass.
For slowly reeling crawler baits, the IMA KATSU Aventa Crawler RSR moves a short distance at dead slow speed, portraying weak or small creatures on the surface, while the Volcano Gripper buzzbait, with its enlarged blade for improved hook-ups, has a strong water displacement that can be reeled slowly and lift bass from one level deeper.
6. Conclusion
The hot midsummer season is an uncomfortable period for bass. If you think about where the cool spots are for bass, conversely, it can be considered a chance to pinpoint target areas. This article took a broad look at midsummer fishing in general, but by digging deeper into each aspect like cover, inflows, and deep areas, you can develop more strategies and deploy tactics that set you apart from others.