Catching bass is considered easy during fall and spring, but every year when summer rolls around, many anglers notice a massive drop in their catch rate.

Just like you and I try to beat the heat in the summer, and stay warm in winter, bass act differently throughout the seasons.

That being said, let’s take a closer look at how to catch largemouth bass in summer. We will start by talking about where you can find bass during those ‘dog days of summer’ and then we will show you a few tricks to help you catch more fish.

How To Catch Largemouth Bass In Summer

Before we can talk about some tricks to catch more fish during these hard months, first we need to talk about where they can be found. There are at least 5 areas you should be looking for these fish.

Where to find bass in the Summer

During those summer months as things start heating up, the water temperature begins to rise. As the water temperature rises, bass become more inactive, meaning they slow down and feed less often.

Fish Early, Fish Shallow – Early mornings are a great place to start looking for bass, not only is the weather more comfortable for you as a fisherman, but you will find yourself catching more fish as well. It’s best to focus on fishing the shallow waters in particular, since during the summer months, bass will come up to these waters to feed. Fish these areas between 6am – 9am and you just may land yourself a great catch.

Go Deep – Deep water means cooler water. Once things begin to heat up, largemouth bass will head to where they are going to be more comfortable. As we mentioned earlier, throughout the day, bass will not be feeding as actively as they would be during spring and fall. However, if you use a deep diving crankbait or a big jig to fish these deep waters, you maybe able to entice a bite or two.

Fish Vegetation – As the water heats up, its ability to hold oxygen depletes. To survive, bass are obviously going to be found where they can get the best supply of oxygen. These areas mainly include deep waters and around vegetation. Thus, fish these areas with your favorite topwater lure and you may just be going home with a great story to tell.

Rivers – Don’t just limit yourself to lake fishing during the summer. There are plenty of other opportunities to find bass during this season. One such example is fishing rivers. As we mentioned earlier, lakes lose oxygen because of the heat. On the other hand, because of the moving water, rivers do not. More oxygen means bass are easier to be found and they will be more actively feeding. Hence, the increase in activity means an increase in your chances of catching a fish.

Early Evening – You may have heard of the popular saying, “I don’t fish, I catch” among fishermen before. Taking that advice to heart, don’t waste all your time fishing if you are not catching anything. Fish when and where you are going to have the greatest success. One of the best times to go fishing during the summer months is the last few hours of the day. This is because as the sun is going down, the water begins to cool off and the fish are more actively feeding.

What lures should you throw while bass fishing in the summer?

To say there is one, absolute best, bass fishing lure to use during the summer months would be a lie. Each situation calls for a different lure and a different technique. For that reason, I am going to mention two of my favorite lures to throw while fishing during the summer months.

Deep diving crankbaits.

In my mind, there is no better way to fish deep waters than with a deep diving crankbait. This lure will allow you to get down deep where the fish are and generate some strikes.

One of the best ways to fish with this superb tool is to launch it near points or drop offs at your deepest water marks.

To get the most out of your crankbait, it is important, especially with this lure, to make contact with the bottom. So if you are fishing 15 feet of water, make sure to use a lure that will allow you to bump, drag, and make contact with the bottom. Remember the more vibrations you give off, the better chances of getting a bite.

My personal favorite is the Strike King 6XD in a shad color. This deep diving crankbait is known to be deadly, even in what some fishermen would consider the slow season for bass.

Buzzbaits.

During the summer months, early mornings and evenings, bass are actively feeding in shallow waters. In order to catch more fish, it’s necessary to use a lure that will get their attention. One such bait that will help you catch their attention is the buzzbait.

I like to fish with buzzbaits in the summer months because of their ability to create a lot of commotion on the surface of the water. This makes them especially effective when fishing dirty water.

One of my favorite ways to fish a buzzbait is to throw it when bass are feeding in the shallow waters, right alongside a structure. In order to generate a strike, I like to allow the buzzbait to actually hit the structure and its retrieve. After it has made contact with the structure I pause and allow it to free fall. Many times this is all it takes to entice a big bass to come up and get it.

My personal favorite buzzbait is the Booyah BuzzBait. Yes, buzzbaits will catch you bass, big largies.
Spinnerbaits.

As we mentioned earlier, during those hot summer days, bass can be found either deep or around vegetation. At this point, it is all about locating the fish and then seeing which one are in a mood to bite.

We already talked about a great way to target those bass that go deep. There is no better way than with a deep diving crankbait.

However, don’t forget to fish the vegetation. Largemouth bass are drawn to vegetation because it offers oxygen, shade and most importantly a great source of food. One such source is baitfish. One of the best ways to work this area is with a spinnerbait.

Spinnerbaits create a lot of flash and perfect imitate a startled baitfish. Simple cast it out past the vegetation and bring it back. This is a great way to draw these big fish out for a nibble.

Learn additions tips in the following video:

Final Thoughts…

There is no doubt about it, fishing during the upcoming ‘dog days of summer’ can be tough. However, if you’re smart about fishing and fish when and where bass can be found, you may just be bringing home dinner that night!

These are some of our favorite summertime bass fishing tips. Please share with us your tips/techniques on how to catch largemouth bass in summer in the section below.