3 Great Summer Bass Fishing Lures

The summer heat can be a challenge at times since making it difficult to figure out what the bass are doing.

Bass can be hitting topwater one minute and an hour later they may be on the bottom.

To best prepare yourself, it's a good idea to have an option for every part of the water column.

Here's 3 solid summer options that allow you to catch fish regardless of where they are - shallow, suspended, or on the bottom.

Topwater Popper

Everyone loves a good topwater bite and summertime is the season for it.

Something such as a topwater popper, a lure with a carved out, concave-shaped lip will get the job done for you.

Action imparted by the angler allows the lure to briefly move air and water creating the "popping" effect which entices bass to bite.

Topwater poppers really shine around shallow areas (1-5 ft.) that include some type of cover.

Shallow cover can be a favored hangout spot for summertime bass who are trying to get a break from the sun.

Choosing a popper makes for a great, easy-to-use lure that can pull bass right out of that cover.

Accurate casting is a must when fishing a popper.

The exposed treble hooks can get you snagged real quick when fishing around docks, overhanging trees, or the like.

If fishing along a bank, try and throw parallel to the bank to keep your lure around cover and in the strike zone for as long as possible.

If the cover is isolated throw past your target and pop your lure over it.

Don't be afraid to switch up cadences to figure out what the fish like and play around with how aggressive you make your "pops" as well.

Much like summertime jerkbait fishing, the change in cadence and action may be what ultimately produces the strikes.

Pop-Pop-Pause or just Pop-Pause are reliable cadences to start out with.

Stick Worm

Commonly referred to as a Senko, stick worms catch loads of bass in the summertime.

Their versatility makes them a great choice for any and all situations you may be faced with as an angler.

Stick worms naturally provide their own action when in free fall thanks to the subtle fluttering action that the ends of the worm make.

Some of the easiest ways to take advantage of the natural action is to rig your worm as a weightless Texas rig or a weightless Wacky rig.

In doing so you will have a lure that you can simply cast to your target and wait for a bite - the worm will do the work for you (commonly called 'dead sticking').

When faced with deeper water situations, stick worms work well Carolina rigged or when pegged with a weight and rigged Texas style.

Stick worms are great lures for skipping as well.

If you're someone who enjoys fishing docks or you notice a bunch of overhanging trees in your fishery consider skipping a stick worm into those hard-to-reach places.

Be ready to set the hook when making a successful skip.

It's not uncommon for a summer bass to completely engulf a perfectly skipped stick worm right off the surface of the water.

Jig & Plastic

The tried and true of fishing lures - the jig.

Jigs when paired with a soft plastic trailer are awesome for linking up with summer bass.

Since everything is so active during the summer (baitfish, crawfish) a jig is a great way to imitate whatever the fish are feeding on in your fishery.

The early morning and late evening hours are great for topwater but an angler really needs a reliable lure for when the sun comes up and fish move to deeper water.

This is where a jig comes into play.

Just remember, contact is key when fishing a jig.

Whether you're swimming it through vegetation or bumping it into things on the bottom, bites typically come after making contact with something.

Time to go catch em'!

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