Hot Weather + ? = Larger Bass

[CHM]

Okay, it's stinking hot! There are several lakes in my area that have choking weeds shallow, and then a steep drop to deep water... like 20 or 30 feet. I don't normally like to fish these lakes but we were dealt two in a row in our league. A jigworm is my go to lure but the little snot rockets keep biting me off!

The shallows are teaming with runts and panfish. I'm open for ideas on how to fish deep water bass. I'm thinking about a heavy Carolina rig with some 10" worms or big creatures. Am I on the right track?

Thanks!

Chuck

NYMPHER - Close your browser now and go to bed!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Chm- your on the right track...deeper, try to find some rock out past the weedline. An underwater camera is effective to find these areas... or a good depthfinder.

[st.crioxfishin]

I would agree with Deitz on finding the drops offs with rocks.

I like to work a 6-7inch ribbon tail worm on these deeper edges texas rigged. I also have done well with tubes and never forget the jig deep, they can produce big ones here as well!

This info has been posted on here a few times so I'm taking it out of others mouths but its very important, and that is to really slow down when fishing these edges. Especially when you find one fish. Theres more than likely going to be more than one in an area this time of year.

You can really load the livewell in a hurry if you find a good school, and boy is it fun!

[CHM]

Good. Thanks! I'm new to c-rigs. I have some brass bullet weights up to 1/2 oz, some big glass beads & some small swivels. I'm guessing about an 18" mono leader? I have a Garmin 240 in the stern and a cheap Eagle in front. I'll look for rocky areas.

I'm guessing I should lay off the caffiene and fish these rigs slow? Do you guys ever use a heavy jigworm? I normally use 1/8th on a 4 or 6 inch worm. It takes about a year to hit bottom at 20' on a windy day, so I thought about trying a larger combo.

Thanks!

[Slyster]

How deep do these summer base actually go? I think of 4-6 feet as shallow.. and when I get out to 14-16 feet I think "yikes!' that's deep.. and usually don't catch as many there.. but how about deeper still?

It gets to 20-30 feet a few hundred feet further out. Do bass live that deep? People target them that deep?

[MedicineMan]

Slyster, when you ask "How deep do these summer base actually go?" that really depends on what lake your fishing. I've fished lake where I've picked up Bass in 30' while fishing for Walleye's. Then other lakes I couldn't find Bass any deeper than 6'. It all depends on if there are weeds, what kind and how deep they are. Open water structure such as islands, under water points, rock piles, etc. What type of forage is in that particular lake. And what the water temp is and where the Dissolved Oxygen becomes too low for them to survive. It's really a combination of things that determine where the Bass will hangout. But if you had to single out the biggest factor in Bass location, then forage would take the cake. Where there's food, there's fish.

[MedicineMan]

I also agree with Deitz on fishing rocky drop-offs. I've not only catch huge Bass out on the Rocks, you can also get into some large schools as well.

Here are a few pics of deep rock pile Bass:

[ZOKU]

Excellent info...