You know how you feel when it’s over 100 degrees and the air isn’t working right? Yeah, the fish feel that way too.
And they can’t get out of the heat!
So how can you get hot, lethargic bass to cooperate with you in the late summer when the temps are stagnating at or near the triple digits, when even nighttime brings no relief?
Here’s one technique that, though it’s designed to catch you schoolie bass (not trophies) can help put a bend in the rod when nothing else works. Gear up your Jackson Knarr and get ready to hit the water – here’s how to catch late summer bass in the shallows.
What to Throw?
You can still catch fish on tiny baits at this time of year, but hedge your bets by throwing something at the fish that they will consider worthwhile.
So our suggestion is to use a large plastic. There are lots of good baits; Strike King Ochos, Berkley PowerBait Worms, YUM Dingers – these are all a good place to start.
As for how to rig, well the easy answer is a Texas rig with the point buried in the bait. That’s about as weed-free as you can get, especially if you’re fishing the thick stuff (see below).
However, a wacky rig can be particularly effective because it creates more movement and flutter in the water that will get more attention.
As for weights, that’s up to you. Either fish weightless or with just enough weight to have the worm sink slowly. A heavy Jika rig isn’t necessary at this time of year – it will actually probably drop the bait out of the strike zone before the fish has had a chance to think about it.
Where to Throw?
When the temperatures are really hot, younger and schoolie sized bass shack up in the thick stuff, and can be in surprisingly shallow water.
If you’re throwing artificials, you want your cast to land right on their nose. When fish are hot they won’t want to chase anything.
Put your presentation right on the piling, in front of the clump of woods, or right at that downed tree. It’s a numbers game, and eventually you’ll get in front of a fish that’s willing to cooperate.
When to Throw?
When the temperatures are this hot, time is pretty much all the same to these fish. Early and late can still be productive, but the truth is so can the middle of the day.
For your sake, though, get some relief in the early morning and late evening. You’ll enjoy your time out there better.
How to Work the Lure?
Now for technique: slower is better at this time of year when the temperatures are really high.
All else being equal, a very aggressive presentation is going to have fish look the other way. By and large, they won’t want to have to work for a meal.
Just drop it in front of their face, pause to let it drop, twitch it a few times, and repeat this cadence two or three times.
If you don’t get hit, cast somewhere else. Convincing hot fish to cooperate is not easy work and you might as well pick a new target.
Where to Get a New Jackson Knarr?
Armed with these tips, you should be able to boat a few schoolie bass, even in the hottest of summer temperatures.
But if you’re here because you lack the vessel, and are looking for a Jackson Knarr, get that online at No Bad Days Kayak.
They carry a wide range of fishing kayaks from Jackson and other top brands, along with tons of fishing kayak accessories. Check out their website for more information and contact them directly if you need any help, they’d be willing to make personalized recommendations.
