fbpx

Summer Fishing Tips (Complete 2023 Guide)

Photo of author
Last Updated:

When summer hits, schools of fish begin to scatter and migrate to deeper water with colder temperatures. Their living and feeding habits become unpredictable, and you, as anglers, should be prepared.

Fish patterns can change even in a day, so you must change your fishing habits. You have to step out of your comfort zone to be successful in catching one.

In this summer fishing guide, we’re sharing tips and factors that can affect summer bass fishing. The best lures to use, and some insider advice and important beginner tips for the beginner anglers out there.

Listen to more tips on the Cast & Spear Podcast

Factors That Can Affect Summer Fishing

There are several factors that can affect the success of catching fish. The factors presented can help you have an awesome day of catching and fishing.

Be sure to remember these factors so that you can apply them on your next angling trip.

The Wind 

While light winds can only lower the temperature a bit, a slight change has a big impact on fish’s aggression in feeding. The change in bass behavior in looking for food is an advantage. 

Apart from the minimal temperature change, winds can also break the surface tension of water to distort the view of fish.

When their views are distorted, they would not see small fishing tools like hooks, split rings, or fishing lines. In this way, they are easier to fool with artificial lures

Summertime Currents

Sudden water currents can also change the behavior of bass. From a boring day of fishing, you can become successful in catching one even with just a short period of moving water.

You should also be alert, especially when there are sudden currents because they would not last long. 

Cloudy Days

Cloudy days are certainly what you want. Cloudy weather means a colder environment which will make you sweat less.

For a lot of bass, a sky full of clouds means darker surroundings, so they will tend to go out of hiding and head on to shallower water. This can be a good time to cast in shallow waters as more bass will be there. 

Afternoon Rain Showers

Afternoon rain showers are certainly what you are looking for in the summer. When it rains, there is a shift in the barometric and atmospheric pressure of the lake, making fishes more aggressive in feeding. 

You have to be prepared to take out your fishing tools and start to catch one during this time. Afternoon rain showers would also mean more clouds and darker surroundings which are again favorable for you. 

summer fishing
Source: Canva Pro

Best Lures for Summer Fishing

Whopper Plopper 

Whopper Ploppers are effective lures during summertime. Even with their simple design, they can cover a large amount of water.

With the proper form and speed of retrieval, all a Whopper Plopper needs is just an accurate casting, and then you’re good to go. Most of the summer bass fishing using a Whopper Plopper are effective in casting big fishes.

Deep Diving Crankbait 

Deep diving crankbait is the go-to lure when casting in from the deeper parts of the water. This type of crankbait is a big bait that can get you to cast in several big summer bass consecutively in just a short period. 

This diving crankbait is also the ideal bait when you are in specific deep water and need to cover a larger amount of water. With this lure, you can certainly locate schools of bass and cast them.

Popping Frog 

A popping frog is a perfect bait to use during the summertime because of its versatility.

Suppose you need a lure that you can throw anywhere in the water through heavy cover where fishes usually seek shelter because of the hot weather. In that case, the popping frog is for you. 

This bait resembles bluegill and bream, which gets the attention of the bass. When the fish eyes a popping frog, they would think that they have seen a fat bream with a belly full of mayflies.

They will start to suck the bream until they realize that they are being retrieved and cast. A popping frog should come with durable and large hooks.

Soft Plastic Stick Bait 

This is the ideal bait during early summer post-spawn season. During this time, fishes are hungry but do not have the energy to swim in deeper water, so they would just usually stay in shallow water.

This is the perfect time to use your soft plastic stick bait and locate aggressive bass and other largemouths. 

You can use soft plastic stick bait with different types of rigs. They are very versatile, making them a good bait during summer when fishes are scattered at varying water depths.

Texas Rig 

This is a good lure when you are fishing in murky water with floating vegetation and heavy cover.

It is a durable rig that can stand even the most extreme hot temperature in summer and is the rig of choice to lure largemouths. 

Summer Fishing Beginner Tips 

Be Familiar With The Best Times of The Day

You have to know the best times of the day. Ideally, it is the easiest to catch bass during a few golden hours in the early morning and hours before the sunset. Some people also prefer night times.

When the light hours are reduced, fishes will swim out of the shades hiding to travel to other parts of the water.

Most of them will also swim towards the parts of the water with shallow cover, making it easier for you to see them. 

Go For The Shades During Hot Days

It will be quicker for you to know where to go and find bass during the summer months. In warmer weather, most bass will find shades to hide from the summer heat, and a large part of the lakes looks like ghost towns. In this way, you already know the best location to fish. 

Find Rock Transitions And Fish There

If there are deep offshore rocks everywhere in the lake, look for their transitions and position your lures there. Generally, big bass pile up in the rock transitions.

They love the transitions of the rocks, especially in summer. Fish at the front and back of the rocks and not in the middle. 

Use Big Baits to Lure More Big Fish

Big baits are enticing to bigger-sized bass. You can also use them to catch small bass. It is better to use big ones to have a higher chance of getting both big and small basses. Anglers go as big as they can when they go bass fishing.

Summer Fishing for Productivity

Although summer bass fishing can be quite a challenge for beginners, it is still a fun pastime once you get the hang of it. If you follow some fishing tips and use the ideal lures for summer, you can certainly obtain the fish you want. 

Hopefully, we’ve helped you with tips and tricks that you can use on your next angling trip. Remember to choose the best types of fishing gear and tools for more successful catching. Good luck and happy catching!

Diana Nadim
Fishing Expert
Diana began fishing at the age of seven, as it has been a long-time family tradition. From catching small bullheads to catching strippers on the backwaters of Bighorn, she loves to get out in the wild and have a marvelous day on the water. Her dad was an expert angler, and he taught her fishing along with her two siblings. They used to go to the Bighorn River in Montana and Henry’s fork, Idaho. As a pragmatic person, she is obsessed with creating well-researched and practical guides and reviews of the best fishing methods and gear.
× How can we improve it?
× Thanks for your feedback!

We're always looking to improve our articles to help you become an even better fisherman.

While you're here, why not follow us on Facebook and YouTube? Facebook YouTube