Late summer is a great time to catch bass if you know where to look. Here’s where you should go to catch bass and which are the best times to head to the water for a successful day.
Late summer means water temperatures have peaked. As the water temperature increased, so did the fish metabolism and feeding activity. However, late summer tips for bass start taking into account that you can get too much of a good thing and that bass may start seeking cooler water areas. When out on the water for some late summer fishing for bass, keep these tips in mind.
Shade
When considering where to fish for bass during the heat of the day while late summer fishing, look for places where fish can escape direct sun. The best fishing tips for bass during this time will include techniques for utilizing docks, lily pads, floating aquatic grass mats, overhanging tree limbs, or even under boats in marinas. Bass fishing casting methods like skipping, pitching, or flipping jigs are efficient at targeting fish in these shady area.
Topwater
Although topwater lures could possibly trigger hits all day, late summer tips for bass always note that lower light periods, mornings and evenings, can be dynamite! When aquatic vegetation allows, hard plastic topwater lures with multiple treble hooks can help keep that bass “buttoned.” For extremely weedy area, weedless lure offerings such as topwater frogs reign supreme. With the heat of summer, frogs are active too, and it doesn’t take hungry bass long to locate “froggy” areas. Another of the best fishing tips for bass is when you get a hit on a topwater frog lure, wait just a second before setting the hook. This is much more difficult than it sounds because the hook setting instinct during a topwater explosion is strong.
Slow
Because fish are actively feeding in warmer water, the faster “reaction bite” is usually less of a factor. When thinking of summer fishing, it is hard not to think of soft plastics such as ye old rubber worm. It can be rigged in a variety of ways. If it isn’t picked up on the initial drop, let it set on the bottom for a few seconds before making it creep across the bottom. If that doesn’t work, try rigged with a shaky head for little hops around structure in the cooler depths. Soft plastics worked in a lazy swimming retrieve can also be irresistible.
The best fishing tips for bass in the warmest summer water stress the fact that bass can become, well, stressed, if the water has become a little too warm. Where the water is a little cooler such as in deeper holes, in shade, or during early mornings and late evenings, now becomes very attractive to fish and anglers. The bite at night can be fantastic too, that is, if you don’t mind dealing with mosquitoes or tripping over things. When renewing your fishing license, pick up some bug spray and a flashlight, just in case.
