Although it's not yet June(it will be in a few days),where I live the temps are already from 90-97 degrees.My question is what are your most successful Summertime baits? I use a Carolina rig and deep diving crankbaits on deep structure.I also pitch jigs and tubes around and in grass mats.I pitch the same around docks and piers.Are there any others that you use that catch bass for you?
BIKINIS they get me hooked every time
My #1 summer bait, especially last summer, is the Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo 4 1/2" tube, black neon, T-rigged, weedless, with a bead and unpegged.
On a more serious note
Manns Jelly worms in grape and motor oil t-tigged and weightless in the slop
and Rapala DT in bluegill pattern for deep rocks and humps and for nitetime jointed rapals and black jitterbugs
I just got some walking the dog plugs and I hopin for them to become part of the summer arsenal
In the heat of the summer I like to fish from dusk till around 1-2am, and I usually use 7-10 inch black or purple texas rigged worms, black spinnerbaits, or topwater lures that make alot of noise(buzzbaits,jitterbugs,torpedos). During the middle of the day I will fish deeper structure with dropshots, grubs, deepdiver crankbaits, and spider grubs.
We are already catching fish on summer patterns.
My most productive lures are:
jig-n-trailer(black and blue,green pumkin)
T-rigged 10" worm(Lucky Strike Original Ringer and Baby Huey)
C-Rig Baby Paca Craw in summer craw(green pumkin/lime belly)
DD22 custom painted green back/pearl sides
DT16 in Bluegill w/ the belly dyed chartuese w/dip-n-glo
anything i can flip.or anything i can pitch into hydrilla.if its a lake w/ any contour a c-rig plastic
C-rigs, top-waters(when their workin), plastics around thick weeds, and 10 inch worms on a texas or carolina rig.
I like rat-l-traps, zoom flukes, buzzbaits (morning and evening), and I really like to throw big t-rigged worms (12"+). Those are just some of my favorites, I have tons more.
That's a good question.
During the heat of summer (some Florida lakes are already in the 90s),
my favorite lure by a long shot is a 7.5" action-tail Plastic Worm, T-rigged on a 4/0 hook
with a 1/16 oz slip-sinker (thare pure moyda)
Some years ago two fish-camps in Florida conducted a comparison of best summertime lures.
They found that plastic worms handily outfished live minnows, and did so for both size and numbers.
Naturally, this is not the case during fall, winter and spring.
Roger
I'm using tubes more and more.
Jigs, don't come through the weeds as cleanly as a florida rigged tube.
I was killing them today on 1/2 oz gambler florida rigged watermelon BPS 4" tube with a 4/0 owner riggin hook.
the bass were jumping all over it. They would hit it on the fall, or being hopped accross the bottom, but the big surprise was the several I caught using a fast jerk bait type retrieve. They slammed it.
Caught several using this technique. the biggest was 5 lbs even on the boga. I thought sure It was a 7 pounder. Anybody want to buy a super accurate boga grip scale......cheap (warning, the size of your bass will shrink immediately upon using this product)
QuoteAnybody want to buy a super accurate boga grip scale......cheap (warning, the size of your bass will shrink immediately upon using this product)
no thanks. (i like all my 8 pound fish )
I do the same thing that you do (particularly the pitching and flipping part) but don't forget that there is also a good topwater bite early and late in the day.
JIGS
I will also use a Rapala jointed minnow, buzzbaits, and T-rigged brush hogs.
Millfoil in 5 feet or less of water it is hard to beat the horney toad. In water above 5 feet, I like pitching and flipping lizards, creatures, and if possible Jigs.
pop-r's and buzzbaits in the morning.
t-rigged babybrush hogs on docks during the day.
Topwaters and senkoes to find fish, and then I either stick with these two baits or switch to T-Rigged plastics.
That's mine.
t-rig in cover/structure and a shaky head under piers or in deep water.
1/2oz Jigs and trailers and 4" tubes.
Big 12" worms
1-1 1/2oz spinnerbaits
Senkos
Zoom Centipedes
_for green bass______________________________________________________
3 1/2" to 4" tubes
Zoom Super Flukes
1/2 to 1 1/2 oz spinnerbaits
Grubs in 5"
Senkos and Zoom Centipedes
Buzzbaits
Zara Spooks and Spittin Image
Buzzbaits/ 1/4 to 12 oz Cavitrons
_for brown bass __________________________________________________________
Although I use other baits at times in thinking about it these are the baits I use the most for either species.
The same ones I use the rest of the year
Gene Larew 7 ½ Salty Ring Worm in the following color:
Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage)
Junebug/Blue Tail
Black Blue
Black Neon
Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craws in 6, 5, & 4 in the following colors:
Junebug/Blue Tail
Black Blue
Black Neon
Lizards in the following colors:
Black Blue
Black Neon
Watermelon Neon
Zoom Trick Worms in the following colors:
Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage)
Watermelon Neon
Zoom Baby Brush Hogs in Watermelon Neon
Oldham's Lures trailer hitch jigs
Stanley Wedge spinner baits
Original RB1200 Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Gold, Black Back, Orange Belly
Rebel Pop-R, Bone
Bill Lewis ½ oz Rat-L-Trap Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly
Buzz Baits of various brands
Zoom Lizards, Senkos, and Lucky Craft Crankbaits
Yello Magic in the early morning or late in the afternoon. A Black/Blue jig or a 4 inch tube rest of the time.
During early morning or late evening fishing, to me nothing beats a buzz bait. I find they catch many fish and nothing is as awesome as a bass exploding on one of these babies. I find the one's at bass pro with the curved wire works better than the rest, but i may be bias because i caught my largest bass on it.
Carolina rigs about anywhere - grassbeds, drop offs, roadbeds, humps, flats, points.
Lipless cranks, spinnerbaits, swim blades, weightless plastics and topwaters around grass.
Shallow crankbaits and spinnerbaits around shallow wood.
Jigs and Trigs around docks and riprap.
My four best methods in summer, generalized.
Brad
10 inch Power worms in Watermelon red, Plum, Plum Apple, black w/ blue fleck, Junebug, Tequilla Sunrise.
Bass Assians 11inch in Tequilla Sunrise and Fire and Ice for dark or low light conditions.
I like worms that are 10-18 inches during the summer months.
Hookem
Matt
All of the tactics mentioned so far has me drooling and looking forward to summer now. Thanks a lot guys! ALL tactics are good ones and they all tell me one thing......
I need to start doing something you guys and everyone else on my isn't because the fish are all looking at anything from .99 cent Wal-Mart spinnerbaits to jig-pigs with pork trailers. The fish locally see a lot of pressure. They see patterns during certain times of the year. I think I'll try to use baits that are ahead of their season. For example, jerkbaits are good this time of year. Large plastic worms are good for the summer months and so are jigs. I think I'll use them earlier than anyone else because it's been a while since the bass have seen a buzzbait or a 10" worm. If I stay a month ahead, that will be my technique.
If it doesn't work, I'll just do what every other bass jocky is doing.....throw everything but the kitchen sink! ;D