Photo Credit: flpoa.org

by WNJ Correspondent Matt McCann

Bass fishing continues to be productive in the summer, but the dog days can cause the fish to shut down a little bit. They may not be as eager to bite as they were in the spring. While it can be a little more challenging to catch them, it can be very fun at the same time.

What the bass are doing:

When spring turns to summer, the water temperature continues to climb as the air temperature does. Bass are very active in warm water, but sometimes the water gets a little too warm. This is especially true when we experience heat waves and a lack of rain. Just like people seek relief by flocking to air conditioning and fans, bass want to cool down as well.
 
They do this by staying in the deepest part of the lake where the water is coolest. In shallow lakes, the bass will flock to cover in the form of docks, lily pads, weed beds, or fallen trees. This cover provides a little shade and the water around it is slightly cooler.
 
Even trees that line the shoreline and cast a shadow into the water can be considered cover, and especially under willow trees. Bass will move out of the cover and deep water at night and early in the morning before the sun starts to heat things up.

Lures and techniques:

Topwater lures work great early in the morning, at dusk, and at night. Poppers, buzzbaits, and walking stickbaits like the Heddon Zara Spook are effective topwater lures. Topwaters are the most exciting way to catch bass because they jump out of the water to grab the lure as it floats on the surface of the water. As the day progresses into late morning, the bass stop striking topwater lures and retreat into deep water or cover to escape the heat.

A Texas-rigged plastic worm.
Photo Credit: fishing loft.com

A deep diving crankbait works well because it can get down in the deep water where the fish are. When there is no deep water and the bass are hiding in cover, you can’t beat a soft plastic worm rigged Texas-style, so that the hook is turned and inserted back into the worm. This allows the worm to slide through cover without getting snagged. When the fish bites and you set the hook, the hook pushes through the worm and the mouth of the fish.

You can cast it under docks, between lily pads, under trees, or wherever the fish are hiding. Finally, some lakes in the middle of the summer get completely covered by duckweed or other floating vegetation, making it nearly impossible to cast without snagging a gob of junk every time. This is the perfect time to use floating frog lures like the Bigfoot and Little Bigfoot. These lures are made of soft plastic and come with the hooks positioned in a way where the lure glides over the junk without snagging it. You can hop the lure on top of the thickest mat of weeds.
 
Bass can sense the presence of the lure hopping on top of the weeds even if they can’t see it. The legs of the Bigfoot and Little Bigfoot have little paddles on them that make them swim and leave a wake trail, similar to a buzzbait. This gives the lure an added action if you swim it in open water. Bass will strike the lure through the weeds, often gulping a mouthful of weeds along with it.

Because of this, it’s important to use slightly heavier tackle than usual because you’re not only reeling in the fish, but usually a heavy glob of weeds as well. Lighter green and white colored lures work best when it’s cloudy. Darker green and black work best when the sun is shining bright. The reason for this is the silhouette the lures cast on the water as a bass is beneath it looking up at it. By contrasting the color with the lighting conditions, you make the lure stand out.

Frog lures like the Little Bigfoot can go over weeds without getting snagged.
Photo Credit: landbigfish.com

Matt McCann is a New Jersey native and specializes in freshwater and saltwater fishing in the Garden State.

Previous Stories:

• Fishing the Garden State: Seasons of Bass Part 2 - Spring
• Fishing the Garden State: Seasons of Bass Part 1 - Winter 
• Fishing the Garden State: Battle of the Fishing Superstores
• Fishing the Garden State: The Wonderful Winter Warm Up
• Fishing the Garden State: No Respect Around Here 
• Fishing the Garden State: The Annual Run
• Fishing the Garden State: Don't Take any Lip!
• Fishing the Garden State: The End of a Jersey Legend?