The spring and fall seasons seem to get the most attention in the bass fishing industry. But most of us have the most free time during the long summer days. Although the temperatures can be a bit intimidating, the warm water increases the bass’s metabolism and can make them very aggressive. Successful bass fishing in the summer time comes down to a few key patterns and strategies.

Where to Find Bass in the Summertime

There are two main locations where you will find bass during the hot summer months. These are deep water and shallow cover or shade. Both areas allow bass to keep out of the sun and stay cool. 

Shallow Cover and Shade

The shallow cover and shade is going to be easier to fish, especially if you are a pond fisherman or don’t use electronics. All you have to do is work your way down the banks and fish in and around the visible cover and shade from overhanging trees. Things like docks, laydowns, lily pads, and matted w

eeds will be your primary targets.

Deep Water

Now the deep water bass can be a bit harder to find, unless you have electronics. The good thing about these deep water bass is that they tend to hold much closer together and even hang out in schools sometimes. So once you do locate one or two bass, chances are that you can fill the boat in a rather small amount of time and casts. 

Prioritize the Morning and Evening Hours

Because the temperatures are so high and the sun is so hot, bass prefer to eat and move around during the low light periods of the day. When the sun is low in the morning and evening, bass will drift off of their structure and move in from their deeper waters. These bass are not only more spread out, but they are willing to chase after prey and actually hunt down their targets. This allows us anglers to cover lots of water with search baits and topwaters with loads of success. However, the morning and evening hours are very limited, so you still need to know how to catch bass during the mid day.

Mid Day Tactics

When the sun is high in the sky, bass are going to be glued to the two locations we discussed above. In shallow water, you are going to need to fish very slowly and pick apart shade, docks, and laydowns. Or if you have lots of grass and weeds, get a weedless lure right into the thick of the vegetation so you can cover a bit more water. When targeting the deep water bass, you can get away with fishing faster. In fact, you should start by covering as much of the deep water as possible in order to find the bass. Once you have caught a few and found them, you can fish that spot slower and more thoroughly. 

Best Lures for Summer Bass Fishing

Hollow Body Frog

With the summer months and high temperatures comes lots of vegetation. Much of this vegetation is thick, slimy, matted grass or pond scum and can’t really be fished with anything other than a hollow body frog. Obviously, this lure is going to be a shallow water option. When the sun is high and bass are tucked up under the vegetation, a frog can be the best way to get them to bite.

Texas Rig

There is a big debate between the Texas rig and flipping jig for fishing shallow cover. Personally, I have always preferred the Texas rig. It can be punched, flipped, or even dragged along steep bank drop offs. The wide variety of soft plastics that can be rigged on a Texas rig make it perfect for all water conditions and forage imitations. 

Swim Jig

A swim jig is the best way to cover lots of water in and around cover. With the weed guard protecting the stout jig hook, they are incredibly weedless and work great in grass, lily pads, laydowns, and dock structures. The swim jig is my first option when I am cruising down banks and covering as much water as I can. 

Deep Diving Crankbait

The deep diving crankbait is the first lure on this list for targeting the bass out in deep water. A DD crankbait covers tons of water and creates a very large amount of vibration. It is the perfect deep water search bait to locate where bass are and find out if they are aggressive.

Drops Shot

Once you have located the deep water bass with a search bait or with you electronics, a drop shot rig will absolutely clean up. The presentation of suspending a finesse soft plastic roughly a foot off the bottom is very hard for the bass to resist. The drop shot can also work great in shallow water, especially on overcast days when bass are sagging off of cover a bit.

Letting this One Go

During the summertime, bass can be found in two primary locations: shallow cover and shade, as well as deep water. Shallow cover is ideal for those without advanced fishing gear, offering opportunities around docks, laydowns, and vegetation. Deep water bass, though trickier to locate without electronics, often group together and can be productive once found. Timing is crucial, with mornings and evenings being prime for active bass, while midday requires a more strategic approach. Although they are called the dog days of summer, you can have tons of fun and catch tons of high metabolism bass.