The “dog days of Summer” are upon us, and it can be very hot in many parts of the country, but the bass fishing can also be sweltering with the right approach and correct lures. This time of year, bass are heavily feeding to keep up with their fast metabolism, but you also need to time it right to get on the correct feeding windows and use the best lures for the job. Many lures will work, but these three styles are musts and will allow anyone to get in on the action.
Heavy on Soft Plastics
There’s something about soft plastic baits and the summer heat; they work splendidly and have a great action that appeals to bass. Sure, they work year-round, but they are almost a requirement in the hottest months of the year.
These soft plastic baits come in many shapes and styles, all with their own time and place. Still, the three best options that make it easy to catch bass are small finesse worms like those from Roboworm, ribbontail worms like the Berkley Power Worm, and soft plastic stick baits like the Yamamoto Senko.
A straight tail worm like a Roboworm in either the 4.5 or 6-inch size is excellent for a drop-shot rig, and they are among the most popular bass lures because they work so well. They can be fished traditionally on a drop-shot hook like the Gamakatsu Drop/Split Shot Hook and nose hooked for open water situations, and also Texas-rigged on small straight shank hooks like the Gamakatsu G-Finesse Worm Light Hook when Texas-rigging the bait for a more weedless presentation.
The possibilities for these worms are endless, and you can cast them to shallow cover like bushes and dock posts or fish deeper around bridge pilings and rocky shorelines and get bites all month long.
Another must for the summer is a Texas-rig with a ribbontail worm. They have worked for decades and continue to produce every summer. They come in several sizes, but a 7-inch Berkley Power Worm is a great place to start. Adjust your weight size based on how deep you are fishing and cast to any visible cover, but you can also find success simply dragging along the bottom, as the tail section will give it plenty of action.
The final plastic that should always be with you is a stick worm like the Yamamoto Senko, which can be fished on a wacky rig or weightless Texas rig. These baits are perfect for fishing around shallow cover like docks, open areas in vegetation, and around anything else you come across. As you cast the bait and let it fall, the simple do-nothing action is more than enough to attract a bass in August.
August is Topwater Time
A topwater lure is essential in summer since bass feed near the surface during hot weather. The action can be incredible first thing in the morning and right before it gets dark, as bass get in on their daily feeding frenzy.
There are many different topwater lures, but one of the easiest and most effective is a walking topwater bait. Often generically called “spooks” after the original Heddon Zara Spook, there are several choices from all the different lure brands. Their slender design makes it easy to get them to walk from side to side as you bring them in during your retrieve.
With so many to choose from, it can be hard to pick just one, but there are several excellent options, and one of the biggest things to consider is the size. A standard bait is between 4 and 5 inches long, but you can go larger or smaller if needed.
Also, color is not as crucial for topwater lures, and a simple white or bone color will work in most situations. Some of the more popular baits on the market are the Strike King Sexy Dawg, 6th Sense Dogma, and Berkley J-Walker. All are excellent choices for your summertime topwater fishing.
Fish these topwaters around visible cover like openings in the grass, right along the shoreline, and close to shade, where bass will hide in the hottest temperatures. While the morning and evening can often be your best bet, don’t be afraid to fish them in the middle of the day, as many anglers put them away, and the bass will still actively attack a topwater lure if given the chance.
Summertime Crankbaits
Another excellent choice for the summertime is a crankbait, as many bass will be in deeper water, and a crankbait can be one of the best ways to target these bass. Depending on how deep you are fishing, some crankbaits will hit those depths, and many brands have various baits for different depth zones.
One good example is the Rapala DT Series, which has baits for a wide range of depths. The name of the bait explains how deep they dive. The DT6 will dive six feet, for instance, but they have options up to the DT20, which dives 20 feet deep. The Berkley Dime series has similar bait names that correspond with the diving depth, and both brands make great crankbaits that will excel for you this summer.
During the summer months, look for offshore structures such as rocks, humps, islands, long points, and generally anywhere that gets shallow with deeper water nearby. These are prime places to fish a crankbait in the summer, and the great thing about a crankbait is that a simple cast and retrieve will work as long as the bait occasionally makes contact with the bottom to trigger a reaction strike from nearby bass.
Fishing during August can be challenging due to the heat, but catching bass can still be great. Many lures will work, but soft plastics, crankbaits, and topwaters are three of the best this month.
