It's no secret that bass go deep to beat the summer heat. But you may not know that you can use a Tokyo rig to target deep bass-a great way to give them a different look from the lures and techniques they've been seeing all summer long. Look for a hard bottom like rock, gravel or shell--something that the bass like to relate to. But the real trick to catching deep bass with a Tokyo rig is in the retrieve.

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Video transcript:

Mikey Balzz:
It's summer, it's hot, and we're going Tokyo rig fishing. So you've probably seen this rig for flipping, for dragging up shallow pre spawn. But it's summer, it's hot. And these fish are out deep. Well, you can still use the Tokyo rig. You just have to use it a little bit differently. And it's a super versatile rig, too. There's a few things that I really like to do with it. When I get out deep.

Mikey Balzz:
Quick history on the Tokyo rig. Basically, it's an offset shank hook with a little weight that dangles at the bottom. The way I like to describe it is a pre rig drop shot. So your bait suspends, and has a lot of fluid movement when you're fishing it. But instead of tying up a leader, putting on that weight on the end, you can just make one knot, and you got it right there.

Mikey Balzz:
So there's two different retrieves that I really like for this. I look for a hard bottom, whether it's rock, gravel, shell, things along those lines, because that's what those bass relate to in the summer. Make a long cast, maybe use my electronics to dial in their exact location, let it get down to the bottom. And here's where the retrieve kicks in.

Mikey Balzz:
Since this bait is very free flowing, reminds me a lot of a wobble head. So one thing I like to do is I keep that bait connected with the bottom, with that weight, and I'll do a slow reel.

Mikey Balzz:
And what's actually happening, we had a little Yamamoto bait on the back, a little creature bait. It's got these two little flappers on it. So what's happening is I'm reeling it. And you can almost imagine it like when you're fishing a swim jig or wobble head. It's just kicking on the bottom, moving ever so slowly, but you're retaining a little bit of bottom contact. And that's really important in summer.

Mikey Balzz:
But I'm just doing a slow, steady reel retrieve. This is a 721 reel. I got 15 pound test on it. And basically, I'm looking for those fish that want to react, but maybe they won't react to your crank bait, your spinner bait, your big swim bait, when it's clipping on through.

Mikey Balzz:
The other retrieve, it's a little more nuanced. And this is probably a little more like what you'd imagine doing with the drop shot, is I'll still make that nice long cast, figure out where those fish are, drop it right past them. You always want to cast past those fish in summer and bring the bait to them. Let it get to the bottom. But I'll actually just use my rod tip. And just like when you're fishing that drop shot, I'll just shake it.

Mikey Balzz:
Because basically, what's happening is that bait is free floating on that split ring attached to that wire form. So you want it to just flap up and down, shake up and down. So I'll drag it ever so slowly, retaining bottom contact. And then I'll put a few of those little shakes in it, just like that.

Mikey Balzz:
And basically, what I'm looking to do is I'm looking to coax some of those fish that are a little less interested in something moving by them, and really just set it right down in front of them. And hopefully, they go [inaudible 00:02:40], because that's what we're looking for them to do.

Mikey Balzz:
I have a three eighths ounce monster bass tungsten on here, but three eighths, half ounce, even three quarter, you don't got to go super heavy. But usually the comparison I make, if you throw a Texas rig in a certain weight to a certain deep spot, that's the bullet weight that you want to use on your Tokyo rig.

Mikey Balzz:
And one of the nicest parts about a Tokyo rig is it's very customizable. I can take this weight off, put on a bigger weight, put on a smaller weight. Just got to get out the pliers and do a little bit of wire bending.

Mikey Balzz:
The other thing is when it comes to baits, you can use just about anything, but since it's summer, I want something that moves some water. You can see this has those flappers on it, a swim bait, something that's got some little kick to it to display some water and really move some things around. If the fish are real finicky, real weird with the hot water, maybe throwing a stick bait or something that you can shake a little bit more. But usually this time of year, I want something that moves a little bit more water, kicks around a little bit more, is a little bit more action oriented, if you will.

Mikey Balzz:
Line wise, I really like going middle of the road. You're fishing open water, you're fishing out deep. Maybe there's a little bit of brush around, something along those lines, but you don't need your heavy line. You're not fishing shallow, heavy cover.

Mikey Balzz:
I run 15 pound test. It's perfect for getting the bait down there. Not inhibiting the action, because really, for this Tokyo rig that free floating action is hugely important. But it gives me enough stoutness. A lot of these big fish go deep, and that 15 pound test, with a decent drag, can handle, no problem.

Mikey Balzz:
Rod wise, I want something a little bit longer, but not too stout. This is a seven three, medium heavy. I can make bomb casts, man. It's long enough where I can just slang that thing out there, but it's got enough tips so that when I'm shaking this bait, it's just barely shaking it. And it also has a nice little moderate bend to it, so the rod really loads up when that fish bites it.

Mikey Balzz:
Reel wise, I like a 721. It's just fast enough where I can pick up a lot of line, but at the same time, I don't over reel it, if we're doing a reeling or a swimming retrieve with the lure.

Mikey Balzz:
I'm a firm believer that big bass in the summer, they go deep. And that's where this rig really shines. I can find a school on my graph, mark them, turn around with my spot lock, find them on the active target, and fire this thing. Make a super long cast, drag it right through, make the presentation that they're looking for, whether it's shaking the bait, or dragging the bait, or swimming it on through them.

Mikey Balzz:
So next time you go out doing some summer fishing, targeting those offshore schools, grab yourself a Tokyo rig and catch some big bass.