This is the time of year when lakes are getting pounded and bites can become a little more difficult.
It’s important to understand the nature of bass. They are cold blooded, so during early spring, their metabolism is slower and the fish are less active. We want to make it easier for them to eat.
As the water warms up, they get more aggressive and will bite more active lure presentations. But, when the dog days of summer come along, bass’ aggressiveness wanes. While fishing pressure can be a big factor, the bottom line is the fish aren’t in the mood to eat as often when water temperatures soar.
I’m not saying they won’t bite fast movers when in a summer funk. Oftentimes you have to trigger the reaction bite by working your bait faster or more erratic, such as with a crankbait like the Rapala DT Series or a big Mop Jig. Try changing speeds to trigger that reaction bite.
Aside from the reaction bite, you need to make the meal easier for them to eat. That means making precise casts and slowing down to match the fish’s mood and the conditions.
Another solution is beat the crowd to the best areas on the lake. When I’m going fun fishing, I want to be on the water by at least 30 minutes before sunrise. I’ll have the aggressive fish caught before the crowd gets there.
It also can pay to think outside the box. You can do that by using smaller – or larger – baits than the bass have been seeing.
A change in location from the traditional pattern on a lake can make a huge difference too.
Denny Brauer taught us that lesson in the Bassmaster Classic he won in North Carolina. Everyone had been told the lake was a deep, offshore type fishery, but Denny went to the bank and flipped a tube jig. He caught fish that had been ignored and not pressured.
A change-up also works on blueback herring lakes. During the summertime those fish are dialed in on the herring, so obvious baits are topwaters, swimbaits or jerkbaits that emulate the baitfish. Anglers know the best places, and when the lake is being fished heavily, you have to wait in line to pull up on one of those spots.
When I won a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament at Clarks Hill Reservoir, I fished some of those spots but with an entirely different presentation. I fished a Buckeye Mop Jig, and I’m convinced they bit it because they hadn’t seen it. While the herring were a popular target, the bass also were eating crawfish that the jig resembled.
So, when things get tough during summertime and lakes are heavily pressured, consider offering them a different look or fish less obvious places that get less pressure.
