Summer bass fishing can be both thrilling and challenging, with bass often seeking refuge from the heat in various spots. Selecting the right lure is essential for success in these conditions. Here’s a fun and informative guide to help you pick the best summer bass lures and maximize your catch.
Topwater Lures
Poppers
Poppers, with their concave or flat faces, create a splash and a “popping” sound that attracts bass in shallow water. Use them in the early morning, late evening, or on overcast days for best results. Cast near cover or shallow flats, and work the lure with short twitches and pauses to entice strikes.
Walking Bait
Walking baits like the Zara Spook produce a “walk-the-dog” action, calling bass from a distance. These lures are perfect for open water or sparse cover. Use a steady cadence of twitches to create a side-to-side walking motion, varying the speed to trigger bites.
Hollow Body Frog
Hollow body frogs are ideal for thick vegetation like lily pads and grass mats. Their weedless design allows you to cast directly into heavy cover. Use short hops and pauses to attract explosive topwater strikes.
Crankbaits
Shallow Diving Crankbaits
These lures dive between 1 to 4 feet and are great for targeting bass in shallow water around cover. Cast parallel to cover and make contact with structures like submerged grass or stumps to trigger reaction strikes.
Medium Diving Crankbaits
Reaching depths of 5 to 12 feet, these crankbaits are ideal for deeper water or drop-offs. Probe offshore structures or transitions between shallow and deep water, experimenting with various retrieve speeds.
Deep Diving Crankbaits
Perfect for targeting deep-water bass, these crankbaits can reach depths of 12 feet or more. Use them around ledges, humps, or deep brush piles, employing a steady retrieve with occasional pauses to create an erratic action.
Soft Plastic Lures
Plastic Worms
Versatile and effective, plastic worms work well on Texas, Carolina, or wacky rigs. Use them to target deeper structures or grass edges with a slow, steady retrieve, or let them sink naturally around docks and laydowns.
Creature Baits
Creature baits like craws and brush hogs are perfect for flipping and pitching in heavy cover. Make accurate casts into cover pockets, letting the bait fall vertically before retrieving and repeating the process.
Swimbaits
Imitating baitfish with realistic profiles, swimbaits are great for targeting bass around cover or in open water. Rig them on weighted hooks or jig heads and retrieve with a steady pace, adding occasional twitches to mimic injured baitfish.
Spinnerbaits and Bladed Jigs
Spinnerbaits
With spinning blades and a skirted jig head, spinnerbaits attract bass with flash and vibration. Use them in stained or muddy water, around grass edges, or when bass are actively feeding on baitfish. Retrieve just above the bottom or quickly to cover water.
Bladed Jigs (Chatterbaits)
Featuring a vibrating blade and skirted jig head, bladed jigs are effective around grass, docks, or shallow cover. Maintain a consistent vibration with a steady retrieve or rip the bait through vegetation for reaction strikes.
Jigs
Football Jigs
Designed for dragging along rocky or hard bottoms, football jigs are perfect for deep offshore structures. Drag them along the bottom, occasionally hopping or shaking the bait to mimic crawling prey.
Flipping Jigs
Compact and weedless, flipping jigs are ideal for fishing in heavy cover. Flip or pitch them into cover gaps, allowing them to fall vertically before retrieving and repeating the process.
Choosing the right lure for summer bass fishing can significantly boost your success. Experiment with these lures and techniques, adapting to conditions and bass behavior to maximize your catch during the hottest months. Keep an open mind, be ready to switch things up, and enjoy becoming a summer bass fishing pro. Ready to tackle your next summer fishing adventure? Explore our wide range of top-quality fishing gear and lures to ensure a successful trip. Visit our shop now and get geared up for your best summer bass fishing experience yet!
Images/Source: HuntFishSouth
