Some Please Explain What Bass Truly Do In The Summer? 2024
RMcDuffee726 reply :
I've read a bunch of confusing articles on what bass do in the summer and I am still confused. I am a kayak fisherman with no technology to find fish. Can someone please just give me a general idea of what a bass will do on a 85 degree day from sun up to sun down. I don't need anything fancy! Cheers, and thank you for the help in advance. The water is decently warm too, nothing insane, but it most certainly isn't cold.
basseditor reply :
Summer can be frustrating. Saturday, I caught some top water bass, then some 25' deep on a Carolina rig, followed by a few more in 1-2 feet of water.
On the other hand, my biggest bass ever came at 2 p.m. when it was 105 degrees in mid-summer.
The point is, they can be anywhere.
I start shallow, move deep for a while, but I always check shallow again by mid-day. I hope it helps.
A-Jay reply :
With so many variables that are dependent on your local and the water your fishing, what you're asking can't really be answered or explained sufficiently ns a couple of sentences to put you on fish
The fact that you're able to get off the bank in your kayak is a good thing.
I really recommend you do a little reading from this link;
http://www.bassresource.com/seasonal-fishing-articles#summer
Good Luck
A-Jay
RMcDuffee726 reply :
On 6/18/2014 at 10:16 AM, basseditor said:Summer can be frustrating. Saturday, I caught some top water bass, then some 25' deep on a Carolina rig, followed by a few more in 1-2 feet of water.
On the other hand, my biggest bass ever came at 2 p.m. when it was 105 degrees in mid-summer.
The point is, they can be anywhere.
I start shallow, move deep for a while, but I always check shallow again by mid-day. I hope it helps.
Thank you I appreciate the response!
kstring reply :
I love summer time fishing. Warm water can force bass to load up in cooler areas...deeper water or shaded areas...which can make them easier to locate but that could vary greatly depending on body of water.
Gary0155 reply :
I'm also a kayak fisherman and it's rough fishing in the summer. I've been thinking about getting a fish finder to help me know what depth I'm fishing.
Catch and Grease reply :
if you get a lure/weight and get familiar with Its fall rate you can get a general idea of the depth by dropping it in the water and letting it fall to the bottom counting how long it takes.On 6/18/2014 at 10:43 AM, Gary0155 said:I'm also a kayak fisherman and it's rough fishing in the summer. I've been thinking about getting a fish finder to help me know what depth I'm fishing.
WRB reply :
The summer period gives bass a lot of options for prey types, bass eat and rest the same as they do any other period, except the spawn.
You fish from a small boat that can go nearly anywhere you can paddle to. No electronics to determine water depth? A simple depth meter will help you to locate where the bottom gets deeper quickly, we call the transition a break, summer bass like to be near breaks. Another type of break are weed lines or edges, bass also like to be near weed line breaks. Soil breaks or where different types of soil or clay, rocks, sand and gravel come together are areas bass like to locate.
Cover or stuff floating on the surface like weed mats, docks, anchored boats and buoys, trees over hanging the bank where you see breaks are places bass tend to stay.
Use your eyes, ears, and common sense and you will find summer bass.
Without knowing what type of tackle you have and presentations you are comfortable with it's difficult to suggest what lures to use.
Tom
Mr. BattleArmor reply :
On 6/18/2014 at 10:53 AM, Catch and Grease said:if you get a lure/weight and get familiar with Its fall rate you can get a general idea of the depth by dropping it in the water and letting it fall to the bottom counting how long it takes.
Good suggestion. I did this at a local pool actually haha. It was 10 feet deep, I timed the fall on multiple baits. Now I can tell the depth based off of that info. Be sure to ask before attempting........
FrogTosser88 reply :
I have no idea what the fish are doing where you live.. thats something you will have to figure out.. However, I can tell you how I found the bass today in my area.. I fish the Delta of Northern California in Stockton... So this mornin I got to the water around 8am.. I saw no signs of life in the water at all, which is weird because normally I will see alot of bluegill and shad frolicking about.... So I threw some texas rigged craws and worms into the deeper stuff.. cpl nibbles but nothing big.. Threw some spinner baits and crank baits... nada.. ok maybe they are hiding under the weed beds... so I hooked the same kvd finesse worm i tried earlier without a weight in a 2/0 hook around the weedbeds.. pull rod tip to 12:00 let it fall..
Pull.. let it fall... BAM!! Right on the edge of the weedbed 2lb black bass..
Got a few more hits on the worm but by then the bluegills and shad started to show around 11:00 around the bridge pylons.. So I start throwing my usual.. a white swimbait.. usually a fluke but i tried a bassdpro sassy sally... just a soft paddletail white swimbait... caught 4 fish.. 3 bass and 1 crappie...
So I just figure... if im not seeing the fish.. they are either deep or hiding in the cover.. today they were in the cover.. other days I will find them with a texas rig in the deep channel....
Hope thats not too confusing... but that's what I did today.
everythingthatswims reply :
On 6/18/2014 at 10:43 AM, Gary0155 said:I'm also a kayak fisherman and it's rough fishing in the summer. I've been thinking about getting a fish finder to help me know what depth I'm fishing.
I have a lowrance X-4 Pro on my kayak, it is only a $100 fishfinder and it rocks! I can see ledges and structure as well as schools of baitfish, now I feel blind if I fish without it. My kayak isn't even a fishing kayak either, so I made a pvc mount for the transducer. If nothing else it's nice to know how deep you are at all times.
roadwarrior reply :
Simple answer: Fish points.
Mainpoints tend to slope more steeply into the deeper water of the amin lake.
Secondary points, inside coves and away from the main lake, tend to be flatter
and often support vegetation. Fish Chris has a proven method for catching
MONSTER bass. He gets out of the boat!
From shore or close to the bank, cast out into the deeper water covering the
point and work your bait/lure uphill. Then fish both sides especially on the drop.
Repeat this with a variety of lures. Perhaps start with a deep diving crankbait or
swim jig, something "in motion". Then try a soft plastic or jig. Right now the ShakE2
and a GYCB Kut Tail is working for me. This morning I had some luck with a Rage
Tail Lizard.
BassWhole! reply :
On 6/18/2014 at 9:58 AM, RMcDuffee726 said:I've read a bunch of confusing articles on what bass do in the summer and I am still confused. I am a kayak fisherman with no technology to find fish. Can someone please just give me a general idea of what a bass will do on a 85 degree day from sun up to sun down. I don't need anything fancy! Cheers, and thank you for the help in advance. The water is decently warm too, nothing insane, but it most certainly isn't cold.
If there is deeper water with suitable O2 levels, they will seek this out. Otherwise they will seek shelter in shallower water usually near grass. This is what confuses folks, it depends on where geographically you are fishing, and all the characteristics of the particular body of water. In the extreme, as in a huge reservoir versus a tiny pond, the differences seem obvious, but they can be more subtle as well. This is a long winded way of saying go find the fish. The good news (regardless of what you may have read) is that fish are very predictable, and barring the year to year variations on weather, they pretty much do the same things, so get out there and learn that water.
FrogFreak reply :
Up north it seems that they simply find cooler water in the heat of the day. This can be under docks, moving water, shaded areas on banks etc or in deeper water. I usually fish lilies starting on top with a frog and then get right in them with the appropriate lure if needed. Pay attention to any irregularities in the weed mats. two different weeds, weed points, a lay down in the weeds are all great places to focus on. I also like any weed patch that has quick access to deeper water.
Fishing points is a great start to finding deeper fish without electronics. Although with all the different options in electronics these days, I would just go get a cheap fishfinder even if it's one of the all in one units (fishbuddy I think).
basscatcher8 reply :
I know you don't have electronics yet but when they do go deep is when I like to just drop something over the side and find the bottom and then just use the trolling motor to roam around an area and see if I can find the sweet spot. But I also love to get up shallow with a buzz bait and probe the cover and see if I can find em stacked up under cover at all.
skeeter1980 reply :
Our lakes and ponds in Delaware,aren't very deep.Most of them are about six feet.I don't see where the bass can find colder water.
Daniel My Brother reply :
Here’s my 2 cents on summer fishing.
- Skip the lake and find a river. River bass can’t just suspend in deep water and ignore your bait. They have to eat and eat often.
- If your only option is fishing a lake without a depth finder, then fish low light hours or even overnight when bass are more likely to be cruising the shallows and feeding on top.
jhoffman reply :
i have a local lake that im fairly certain the pattern changes every single day. You go catch them at 25ft at dark one day and the next day you catch them in inches of water. Relative to lots of things, boat traffic, water pull, water incoming, heat, sky, clarity... so many variables and so little time.
Never forget this... even the big shot pro's zero now and then or dont make the cut. A week later they might win.
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
Mother nature has several indicators to watch for. Birds can tell you where bait fish are... If the gulls are sitting on the water- go deep. If the gulls are flying and hitting the waters- throw a crank bait in their general area. If the herons are hunting in the weeds on the shoreline fish shallow waters. Bright sunny days- find shade and fish it. Overcast and windy days fish the points... Rocky areas hold crawfish- fish accordingly... river channels and creek beds - C-Rig em... Grass flats are great honey holes... and the best thing you can do is watch for that guy that has a 80 thousand dollar bass boat and fish where he goes...
JTP reply :
On 6/18/2014 at 10:16 AM, basseditor said:Summer can be frustrating. Saturday, I caught some top water bass, then some 25' deep on a Carolina rig, followed by a few more in 1-2 feet of water.
On the other hand, my biggest bass ever came at 2 p.m. when it was 105 degrees in mid-summer.
The point is, they can be anywhere.
I start shallow, move deep for a while, but I always check shallow again by mid-day. I hope it helps.
Same, My PB was caught at 1 P.M with 109 Degree AZ heat.
Mainebass1984 reply :
Isolated offshore structure/cover. You must get away from the bank.
slonezp reply :
What do bass do on an 85* day? They sip margaritas by the pool
WRB reply :
Very shallow lakes also have a water source to replace evaporation or the lake would dry up!On 6/19/2014 at 2:46 AM, skeeter1980 said:Our lakes and ponds in Delaware,aren't very deep.Most of them are about six feet.I don't see where the bass can find colder water.
Springs are always a source of cool water in the 60's and running creeks provide both well oxygenated and cooler water.
Have you ever swam in these lakes? If you have you would notice how much cooler the water is a few feet down. Keep in mind depth is relative, a 1" change can be a big depth change in a shallow water area.
It's only the 1st day of summer, the water shouldn't be in the high 80's yet!
Night is right when it gets hot during the day.
Tom
Catt reply :
Y'all are over complicating the simplest season of the year!
Summertime bass are more predictable cause they're home & except for a short trip to the kitchen table, they aint going nowhere. From fall feeding frenzies & all the way through post spawn they are on the move.
RW nailed it, start on points!
Try stroking a jig or t-rig 
MCS reply :
T-rig worms and craws start big go smaller keep it slow.
WRB reply :
Points are a good choice if the lake has points. Most natural lakes are bowl shaped, may have a few bays or coves, maybe islands, fairly flat bottoms. The outside entry corners of bays and some coves can attract bass due to the change is shoreline contour and island ends also attract bass similar to a point.
We don't all fish man made deep structured lakes with long points.
Tom
Catt reply :
Points do not have to be long to attract bass & many natural lakes have points...at least the one I fish do.
You mistakenly think I only fish southern resevoirs...keep thinking that!
RoLo reply :
During the summer season, bass fishing is more stable and predictable.
All things equal, bass will 'always' opt for a site with a fast drop-off into deep water.
However, during the summertime, largemouth bass (not smallmouth) are preoccupied with lush vegetation.
During this season, it seems that bass will leave the best drop-off to be in the best weedbed,
but the distance is never great, just a minor shift within the same year-round site.
A 'point' can be long, short, pointed, rounded or a broad shore-hugging shelf.
It's not the shape of the shelf that matters so much as its overall area (carrying capacity).
In fact, the best spots on many points is not the "point" at all, but one or both corner pockets
at the base of the point (inside turns). This is particularly true in natural lakes, and in manmade reservoirs
when the point doesn't reach a stream channel (river or creek).
Roger
Catt reply :
Points do not even have to be attached to the shore.
Even with out electronics one can read visible cover to determine structure under the surface. Study your map at home, study the shoreline, study all visible cover.
RoLo reply :
On 6/22/2014 at 2:30 AM, Catt said:Points do not even have to be attached to the shore.
Good point Catt.
Some of the best underwater points are not disclosed by a jutting shoreline,
yet there might be a fish-holding shoal on the business end.
Ridges, shoals & reefs that aren't betrayed by the shoreline (by the 0-ft depth line)
are among the lowest pressured hotspots.
Roger
ww2farmer reply :
Don't be fooled into thinking there are "rules" about summer time bass fishing. They can and will be shallow, sometimes in great numbers. I fish lakes that have plenty of deep water available to bass, yet even when the water is at it's peak temp. for the year, I can often catch them in the dirt. If you live on a lake with boat docks, there WILL be summer time bass in the shade of the docks.
WRB reply :
I would bet you are confused by now! Good luck young man.On 6/18/2014 at 9:58 AM, RMcDuffee726 said:I've read a bunch of confusing articles on what bass do in the summer and I am still confused. I am a kayak fisherman with no technology to find fish. Can someone please just give me a general idea of what a bass will do on a 85 degree day from sun up to sun down. I don't need anything fancy! Cheers, and thank you for the help in advance. The water is decently warm too, nothing insane, but it most certainly isn't cold.
Tom
Loop_Dad reply :
I think bass generally follow the most expensive boat on the lake at that time. So when you see those expensive boat fish the same area 
joking aside, one needs to "put time" on the water to find the pattern and catch fish. There's good chance the ones who spend lots of money on the boat fish a lot, therefore there's good chance they know the current pattern. Learn by observing them. I recently moved to a new state and I am out of the elements to say the least, but slowly learning by my own experience and by watching others.
Mainebass1984 reply :
On 6/22/2014 at 9:14 AM, Loop_Dad said:I think bass generally follow the most expensive boat on the lake at that time. So when you see those expensive boat fish the same area
joking aside, one needs to "put time" on the water to find the pattern and catch fish. There's good chance the ones who spend lots of money on the boat fish a lot, therefore there's good chance they know the current pattern. Learn by observing them. I recently moved to a new state and I am out of the elements to say the least, but slowly learning by my own experience and by watching others.
Time on the water is essential to figuring out exactly what the fish are doing, finding a pattern within a pattern.
Its not the boat that makes the fisherman !
I know a few guys that have the most expensive boats but couldn't catch a limit of bass if there life depended on it.
Back to the original post question... You want to figure out summer bass patterns ? Go fishing early and stay late.
Loop_Dad reply :
On 6/24/2014 at 9:05 PM, Mainebass1984 said:
Its not the boat that makes the fisherman !
I was joking about the price of the boat in case you took it seriously... 
ColdSVT reply :
Some awesome info in here!
Big Fish Rice reply :
Points are obvious, Google Maps will help you there. Any type of cover where the water will be shaded are excellent.
If you are fishing points, or breaks, one lure can really help you find out what's beneath your Yak - a jig. Choose a 1/2 ounce football jig with your favorite trailer and start shallow and work out. If you're pulling up green weeds, chances are you're in a great summer spot. A rocky bottom can be great too. Look for weeds and rocks, you'll feel them both easily.
Without electronics, you have to maximize your casts. Instead of trying to work an area shallow to deep, zig zag back and forth so that you cover water and cover the different depths.
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