QuestionHello Jack, my name is Garret and I have a question on fishing. I live over in the Northwest-Washington State to be exact. The water here is about 60-70 degrees hee, its very muddy and its not very hot in the air for temperature. My questuion to you is how do I catch smallmouths and largemouth bass in the summer? What lures should I use and where dop I use them? Just ell me everything you know about bass in the summer. Thank you for your advice!
AnswerHi Garret WOW you don't mind asking a tough question do you? I have spent nearly 70 years trying to learn how to catch Largemouth and Smallmouth bass. And I am still learning. But I think I can give you some pointers that may help even though I doubt I can tell you everything in just this one response. I will do my best though.
First you say water temp is 60-70 degrees in summer. Gee I wish our water was that cool. Ours sometimes reaches 85 degrees. Of course the muddiness is a factor that we seldom have in my lake. It is a big lake and usually even after a big rain there are places that are little affected.
If your water stays really muddy most of the time then there are some things that might help. Let's take Largemouth first. Something that makes a sound of some sort is good in muddy water. A jig with a rattle should be good. Cast it into brush piles and around rocks. IF you do not yank it it will come through much junk and that is where the bass is.
Spinner baits with big shiny blades like the snagless Sally. This bait has a large Colorado blade that makes a noise as it turns and the bass can locate it in dirty water. Other spinnerbaits with big blades work well too.
Cast them past the place where you think a bass might be lying, a sunken log, a stump, a rock or brushpile. Reel it back over the target stopping it occasionally and letting it fall then start reeling again before it hits bottom. Try to make it just tick the stump,rock or the brush. When it bumps something down there bass seem to be excited and often hit just after the lure has bumped something. This applies to crankbaits too.(more later)
Worms and lizzards are often good in discolored water. It helps to have a noisemaker with the worm. Cast it out to a likely looking place and let it fall. Watch your line carefully as often a bass will grab a worm before it gets to the bottom. If you see your line jerk to the side take up the slack carefully so as not to pull the lure. When you feel the fish moving set the hook. If you use the new ultra sharp hooks it isn't necessary to try to turn him inside out. Just a wrist snap will set these hooks if you rigged the worm right. The best way to rig a worm is to put the point of the hook into the nose of the worm and push it out about 1/3inch then turn the hook around and put the point in the belly of the worm. If the hook has a bend in the eye end make sure the worm is pushed up on the bend so it lies straight. The tip of the hook should go through the worm's belly and out it's back but just the point should come out the back. Then back the point so it is just under the surface of the worm making it weedless yet with the hook ready to dig into the fish's bony mouth.
Lizzards can be rigged the same way. There are hundreds of plastic lures on the market and they all catch fish if fished enough. When it comes to color in muddy water I would start with black or dark purple. If that doesn't work try an electric blue or a bright purple or even red or white. Sometimes one color is easier seen than another in muddy water.
Next would have some crankbaits. These are lures designed to float until reeled in and then a plastic bill on the front causes them to dive. Some are designed to dive only a short distance down while others are designed to go deep.
There are hundreds of these on the market and they all catch fish. If you need to buy some I would buy one in the mid price range. It isn't necessary to pay $15 for a lure. A $5 one will catch fish. You should have one shallow diver and one deep diver for starters. I would look for one shallow diver with some yellow, a little green perhaps some silver and a tiny bit of red. The deep diver might not need to be as bright colored as it is likely to represent a crawfish so blue, brown and some red is a good choice.
Then you should have at least one lipless crankbait. I like the Rattletrap myself but there are many others that will catch fish. Probably in your muddy water a silver with blue or black back should be good. This lure when reeled very fast has a buzzing sound that can attract fish from quite a distance. It can also be yo- yoed in deeper water. I like to cast it up close to a tree stump and let it fall then pick it up and make it dart away. If Mr. bass is around he will often hit this.
It is getting late 2:38 here in Georgia. I think I will
deal with two more types of lures for largemouth and ask you to give me a follow up question on the smallmouth.
One of my favorite ways of fishing for largemouth is using topwater lures. There are several types but basically three groups. One group is the poppers or chuggers. These either have hollowed out front ends that make the water spit when jerked, or some have propeller spinners some both ends others just one end. These propellers spit water when jerked. These should be very good on your dirty water because they make noise that the bass can hear.
A second group are sometimes called "jerk" baits. They have an elongated shape like a minnow and have a little bill that makes them just dip under the water when jerked.
The third group are the walkers. Some like the Zara Spooks have no action of their own. If you cast one out and just reel it in it does nothing. If, however, you learn to make it walk the dog it will catch some nice fish for you. This one and others like it is cast out and allowed to sit for a few seconds. While it sits take up the slack carefully so as not to make the lure move. Now give a jerk with your rod tip pointed down. Imediately after the jerk move your rod toward the lure putting some slack in the line. This will cause the lure to jump to one side. Take up the slack quickly but carefully and repeat the move with the rod. Don't forget that slack in the line. The lure will jump to the opposite side but will not move forward very far. Repeating these jerk-slack moves will cause the lure to seem to walk across the water.
People get so good at this that they can make the lure walk up to a stump and then walk around it and then walk up to another stump and around it. I haven't gotten that good but I can make it walk up to and around one stump. I have caught some really nice bass on this lure.
Finally there is another type of lure for largemouth.
These are lures that have been around for a long time.
They are spoons. I have several kinds but for bass I like the Johnson Silver minnow with a pork (not plastic)frog on the hook. I cast it way back in the lilly pads keeping my rod tip high to keep the line from getting in the pads. Then I start the spoon back through and across the pads. I try to keep it just moving through the pads until it comes to an opening in the pads. When it comes to the edge of the opening I let it drop and flutter down but not to the bottom. I swim it back over the pads. I have had fish chase it hitting at it several times. Sometimes they finally get it and sometimes they never get it. I always cast back past where I last saw him hoping he will try again. Usually,however, he doesn't come back but it is worth a try.
This lure is good for casting in rocky areas as well and the smaller sizes are good for smallmouth.
Sorry I am getting tired and can't really think clearly. If you will give me a follow up question or send me your
e-mail address I will give you some tips on smallmouth although I do not fish for them much as we do not have them here where I live. I am too far south.
I am
Jack L. Gaither (JackfromSeminole)
[email protected]
