Summer fishing is what most people think about when they think of the sport but in reality, it’s one of the most difficult times to catch a lot of fish because their habits and activity change. You need to change your strategy if you plan to catch anything worthwhile and these 8 summer fishing tips should help you do it! 

1. Shallow Early 

While most fish do thrive in warm environments, when it’s really hot most of them will head for deeper water to find cooler temperatures. I’m talking when the water starts to reach an internal temp of 70+. If you’re hitting the water around dawn or in the early morning, you can stay in the shallows and drop your lure into dense cover. 

At this time I like tossing a topwater frog or soft plastic worm and work it very slowly. The fish are adjusting to the temperatures of the day and planning their route to deeper water. 

2. Deep Late 

As the day goes on you need to adjust your strategy completely. Once late morning and afternoon roll around you’ll want to head deeper and size up your presentation with lures such as crankbaits and swimbaits. 

You want to go deeper into the column because the fish are starting to seek cooler temperatures and escape from the hot sun that is pounding the surface. They’re also not so prone to cover and structure at this time either so all the bass anglers out there can throw that out the window too. 

3. Increase the Weight 

One of the biggest things that a lot of anglers have a hard time understanding is why they only seem to catch one pound bass or smaller when it’s hot out. This is something that happens to me all the time whether I’m fishing the smallest pond in town or the large reservoir. This occurs because the larger fish head deeper into the water while the smaller ones crowd the area. 

They’re not affected by the warm water as much as the larger, older fish so they can remain closer to the surface. If you’re out there with light poles, finesse techniques and super small lures, you’re going to end up with small fish. Instead, you want to size up your lures a lot to heavy weight plastics and cranks. 

This will get you past all the dinkers that want to soak up your day and it will attract the fish you want. If you’re fishing the salt, just be prepared for a fight though. If you’re ever jammed the butt of your rod into your leg trying to bring in a large redfish or striped bass, you know what I’m talking about. The Cush-It helps cushion your rod butt to prevent bruises and soreness after a long day of fishing. 

4. Topwaters are Tempermental

Since the surface temperature of the water is so warm, topwater lures like frogs and spinnerbaits can be temperamental. I find that there is always a time for spinners and I think they work best when the water is warm but cloud cover is heavy. Since the sun isn’t beating down on the surface, it doesn’t’ deter the fish too much from coming to the surface so you can still toss topwaters into dense cover near the shallow and on the surface near the deeper portions of the lake as well. 

5. Fish Where the River Meets

This is something I preach heavily. It doesn’t matter if you have the perfect baits for summer bass and you understand everything about where to fish, you need to think like a fish. You need to understand how temperature, weather, barometric pressure, and fishing pressure impact the fish. Once you know all of these factors, that’s when fishing will start to become much more like a science and you’ll have an easier time catching whatever you want. 

Fish look for oxygen in the water because it provides them with energy. When oxygen levels are low in the water, the fish feel lethargic. It’s not a problem, it just means that they won’t eat as much and won’t be aggressive enough to strike your lure. 

So, you want to look for places on the water where there is plenty of oxygen. There are two ways to do this. During cool weather, I tell anglers to look for runoff. This is when the rain is running off the surface ground into the water. It brings all types of microorganisms into the water as well as oxygen from the grass, dirt, and water. 

During the summer when it’s dry, you might not have as much runoff so you want to look for areas where a river or stream runs into a bigger body of water. If you find this, fish there as much as you can. Chances are, there are fish sitting right beneath the river enjoying the added oxygen and everything that flows down the stream. 

6. Bring out the Technology 

Now is the time of year when I tell anglers to do whatever they can to get fish in the boat or on the shore. If that means breaking out the fish finders, by all means. Having a high-quality fish finder will really help you pinpoint where the fish are and a lot of them come with chartplotting as well. I recommend this because you can note places and locations where you had a lot of success so you can revisit them later. If you can figure out where the bass are hiding when it’s cool and hot, you’ll have a summer full of successful fishing. 

7. Don’t Forget Live Bait 

This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous one because once you locate a honey hole, you’ll want to use live bait for vertical jigging. If you can drop the bait right in on a high concentration of fish, you’re bound to come back with something. 

When it comes to choosing a live bait, I always believe in keeping it simple. Go with a standard nightcrawler and try to rig it as natural as possible. 

I hear people say all the time, “you need to cover the whole hook so you don’t lose the worm.” That’s terrible advice and I challenge any angler to tell me that they’ve gone through an entire container of worms in one day of fishing. It never happens. Everyones so worried about losing the worm but that’s part of the point, if you lose the worm, it means they’re biting and you just didn’t react or rig it properly. The goal is to rig the worm naturally by poking the hook through the middle of the worm almost like you would for a Texas rig. Let the tail dangle below for a natural presentation. They’ll nibble the tail and eventually strike the whole thing. 

8. Look for Cool Pockets 

There are cool pockets all over lakes and rivers, you just have to find them. When it’s extremely hot (90+) you need to find these otherwise you’ll have to pack it up come 10am. The best time to find cool pockets is after heavy rain because the water may have opened up a little and you can access places you couldn’t fish before. 

In the dead of summer, I like to fish with my kayak because the shallow nature of the vessel allows me to access locations I can’t with a larger boat. Weaseling your way between the weeds and into really shallow pockets is a great way to find out where the fish are hiding on warm mornings. 

Final Thoughts 

Summer is the season of fishing and these summer fishing tips should help you get on the water and catch more fish. These tips apply across the board and will help with almost any species including bass, trout, panfish, catfish, and inshore saltwater fish like tarpon and redfish too. Get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather!  

Choosing the best topwater lure is all about knowing what fish you’re targeting, where they are, and what you need to do to attract them. In this article, we’re outlining the best choices for topwater lures, why they’re the best, and how you can make the most use of them when you’re on the water. 

6 Best Topwater Lures: Our Picks 

Here’s our picks for the six best topwater lures of now and later. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced angler, these lures come from the most trusted brands in the industry. 

1. Booyah Buzzbait

Lure Type: Buzzbait

Weight: ½ ounce

Best For: Bass  

Pros: 

• Very loud 
• Blade creates a reflection
• Variety of colors 

Cons:

• Easy to get caught in the weeds 

Buzzbaits are great topwater lures because they make a lot of noise and often come with blades that reflect light as well. When you combine these two components together you have a lethal lure that is sure to bring upon success on the water. 

Learning how to fish with buzzbaits does take a bit of getting used to and it’s not something that I would recommend to an immediate beginner, but that’s not to say you couldn’t pick up on it pretty quick with the right experience. 

2. Arbogast Hula Popper 

Lure Type: Topwater popper

Weight: ⅜ ounce

Best For: Bass 

Pros: 

• Loud presentation
• Sharp hooks
• Great for high humidity days

Cons: 

• Very light

Hula poppers are another loud and obnoxious lure that really drive the bass crazy. If you’re after ornery bass in small ponds and lakes, these lures will do the trick. They’re easy to fish with and don’t require a lot of presentation because all the action comes from the recessed mouth. They’re generally made with some type of wood, likely balsa. 

The dip in the mouth causes the lure to make a popping or chugging sound as you maneuver them through the water. I recommend using these right before the rain in the middle of the day during the summer. 

3. Heddon Spook

Lure Type: Spook

Weight: ¾ ounce

Best For: Bass, panfish, other

Pros: 

• Popular
• Simple to fish with
• Easy to present 

Cons: 

• A bit heavy for panfish

Spooks will always lead the way when it comes to topwater lures. They’re simple to fish with, easy to get the hang of, and powerful if you know how to use them. I recommend going specifically with Heddon spooks because you have brand recognition to back up the purchase. They have a strong reputation and all their products are amazing. 

4. Booyah Bullfrog 

Lure Type: Topwater frog

Weight: ¾ ounce

Best For: Bass

Pros: 

• One of the best weed lures
• Realistic appearance
• Easy hookset

Cons:

• One size only

A lot of people have a hard time getting into topwater frogs because they require you to create the entire presentation yourself. That said, fishing frogs is easy once you understand how to do that. All you’re going to do is find an opening in the grass and toss the lure right over there. Twitch and move it a few times and then let it rest. If you don’t get a nibble after a few minutes, reel it in and try again. 

5. Rapala Floating Minnow

Lure Type: Suspended stickbait

Weight: 3/16 ounces

Best For: Versatile 

Pros: 

• Can be used for a variety of different species
• Easy to present 
• Comes with three treble hooks 

Cons: 

• Not weedless

The floating minnows are one of the most popular lures to ever hit the market. If you want to know how to fish a topwater, this is where you start. 

It’s a standard stickbait that doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary but I recommend choosing a color that can help with the “injured baitfish” appearance. By jerking the rod tip slightly and using a red lure you’re telling oncoming fish that this baitfish is hurt and it’ll be an easy meal. 

6. Smithwick Devil’s Horse 

Lure Type: Stickbait

Weight: ⅜ ounces

Best For: Versatile 

Pros: 

• Loud propeller presentation 
• Great for topwater fishing
• Three treble hooks 

Cons: 

• Not good in the weeds

Attracting fish like bass and trout is all about drawing as much attention as possible to the lure. This applies especially when the water is murky and cloudy. When that’s the case, you can’t rely on sight so you need to focus on sound. 

The Smithwick Devil’s Horse has a front and rear propeller that will make a ton of noise as it navigates through the water. This will allow you to get attention whether the water is clear or not. 

Choosing the Right Topwater Lures

There are a few very important factors to keep in mind when you’re shopping around for topwater lures. Having the best gear is one thing but you need to know how to use it. If you’ve never fished this style of lure before you’ll want to study up on the following section to get an idea of which lure you should choose. 

Weed Control 

Topwater lures won’t necessarily bring on as many weeds as others because they’re floating on top. Deep diving crankbaits or soft plastics need better protection from weeds because they’re floating through the middle of the water column and even scraping across the bottom. 

That said, a lot of the best topwater fishing occurs in the weedy areas along the shoreline so you’ll need a bit of protection from the weeds. 

Many of the stickbaits you see above have two or three treble hooks which are terrible for weed management and only intended to fish in the open water. If you’re looking for something that is better for the weeds you’ll want to go with a buzzbait, spinnerbait, or topwater frogs. 

Noise/Attractant 

Every lure needs something that will attract the fish. Topwaters don’t typically have a fancy presentation so to supplement for that you get a recessed mouth that makes a bunch of noise, a propeller, or an internal rattle that draws attention. 

You should also keep the water conditions in mind. Having a side imaging fish finder like the Humminbird Helix 9 will help you pick up on any vegetation or structure that may provide an ideal casting spot. 

Size/Color 

The size and color of your topwater lure is important as well. If you’re fishing for bass in small ponds and lakes you don’t need a six inch lure because it’s only going to intimidate the fish you have there and you’re never going to find anything large enough any way. Size according to what you’re targeting and where you’re fishing. 

Keep in mind that size also plays a role in casting distance. If you’re using a light rod, you’ll want to size accordingly but you won’t be able to cast as far. 

Also, a lot of anglers will tell you that color doesn’t matter because fish are color blind but I’ve never seen it that way. You should always ensure that your lure mimics a wounded baitfish because it will make the target fish more prone to striking it. 

Final Thoughts 

At this point you should have a firm understanding of the best topwater lures and why they’re the best. Choosing the right one for you is all about playing to your strengths and understanding what makes one better than the other. Now get out there and catch something, good luck! 

One thing that makes bass fishing so much fun is chasing the fish across the different seasons. Bass are unique in the way that their behaviors change dramatically depending on the water temperature. 

All throughout the winter, they’re slow, sluggish, and barely feeding. Once early spring starts to roll around they get more active. Anglers refer to this as the bass spawning season. They also call it that because it is – their spawning season. 

One of the keys to becoming a better bass angler is understanding their patterns and how the weather can impact what they do. They’re constantly searching for food while avoiding predators and if you can understand how they do this, you’ll have a more successful day on the water. 

Understanding Bass Spawning Season 

Before I get too into it, just think about what the Bass might be doing when the water starts to warm and the ice has mostly melted. They’ve been sedentary for months now and they’re ready to break loose and start feeding again.

You’ll be battling a lot of bass at this time. They’ll feed aggressively and often but much of their behavior still relies on the temperature of the water. 

This time of year is broken down into three segments; pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. 

Pre-Spawn 

Right when the ice melts bass are looking to take in a lot of calories because they need to reaccumulate the weight they lost during the winter and build their energy back. At this time bass will typically hang around in little coves, drop-offs, and near overhanging trees. 

They’re looking for cover to set the stage for spawning. So, if we try to think like a fish in this scenario, you have to figure out what areas would work the best for bass that are trying to spawn. 

The best way to locate these areas is with a fish finder of course, but you can certainly do it without. 

You also want to think about their feeding and where they’ll do that. They will not feed near the spawning location and chances are you won’t be able to get close enough anyway. What you need to do is figure out the spawning location and find other points of structure nearby where they might go to feed. 

Bass will stop around fallen trees, rocky dams, and other grassy areas to feed as they move to and from the spawning area. 

As the water starts to warm a little more, bass will start to cozy up in the shallows to get the sun. Now is when you want to start thinking about the specific place you’re fishing. 

If you’re fishing a small murky pond, these will warm up the quickest so you’ll find bass in the shallow water sooner here. If you’re fishing a large clear reservoir the water will be cleaner and deeper so it will take longer to warm up. The spawn here will occur later in the season. 

This is the type of knowledge that separates the amateurs from the pro’s, knowing it will help you tremendously. 

Spawn 

Now the water in the shallow is around 50-60 degrees. It’s time for the bass to spawn but they’re still relying on the weather to tell them what to do. A quick cold front could easily swing in and change everything overnight. Pay attention to the weather and fish deeper during and following the cold front. 

As the weather begins to warm back up, the bass will move back into the shallow. They’ll hold firm near structure but they prefer to lay their spawn on a hard surface so rocks are typically the best place to look. 

Remember, you’re still not catching bass in or necessarily around the spawning area, you want to figure out where they are and then find structure nearby where they may go to feed. Bass are still going to hold to structure even if it’s not the spawning area so this is where you’ll want to fish. 

Your best bet for fishing spawning season is low-light and light rain. If you can find a day where you don’t cast shadows on the water, you have the best chances of catching something. Throwing a soft plastic near the spawn bed and twitching it gently will work like a charm. 

Post-Spawn 

At this time the larger female will move out from the spawning area to recover while the small male will stay back and guard the eggs. Following bass spawning season is when many other panfish will start to spawn. During this time is when bass are highly active but there’s also a lot of angling pressure. 

If you plan on catching anything you need to be strategic, don’t fish where everyone else goes, and try to find ways into places where others may ignore. One great way to do this is by fishing with a kayak. If the water you’re fishing is calm enough, kayak fishing is an exceptional way to wet a line in a location that can’t be reached by a boat or from the shore. 

Best Lures for Spawning Bass 

Now you know what the bass are doing and where to look for them, let’s talk about lures. There are some specifics that you’ll want to have with you at all times when you hit the water in the Spring. 

Texas-Rigged Soft Plastic 

Soft plastics are the best choice during this time because you can create a lot of action with them, there’s a large variety to meet the needs of the water, and they’re reliable all year long. 

I suggest going with something scented like a Berkley Powerbait. The reason we rig it Texas style is because it makes it somewhat weedless which is important when you’re casting directly into the structure. 

Topwater Stick Baits 

Go with a topwater stick bait with a propeller because it will generate a lot of noise, attract tons of attention, and reflect the sunlight during the Spring which will help you get the bass that are trying to warm up. 

The key with this is getting your cast on-point. You won’t have as much flexibility as you would with a soft plastic so you’ll need to locate the bed and cast near it. Retrieve with twitches followed by moments of silence to allow the ripples to settle. Most of these baits dive down and you’ll likely get a bite on the dive. 

5 Expert Tips 

Here are some of the best tips I’ve learned over decades of fishing and talking with a lot of professional and semi-pro anglers. Here’s what they have to say about fishing bass spawn. 

1. Find The Cover 

I know I’ve said it a million times but I’ll say it again, you need to locate the cover if you want to have success during spawning season. You can’t just drop your line anywhere and expect to catch something. The bass are holding close to very specific locations in the water and you need to figure out what those are. 

2. Trick Them 

One great way to trick them is by running through a perceived spawning location with the motor on high and look around for fleeing fish. If you see them scamper away rapidly without returning, you’ll want to keep moving. If the bass are a bit sluggish to move and they maintain their position for the most part, you’ve found a spawning area. 

The bass who are spawning will never retreat too far from their eggs. You’ll want to make note of the area, leave for a while, and come back when things calm down. 

3. Go In Blind 

A lot of people think that they need to be able to actively see the bass to know they’ve found a spawning area, but that’s not true. Keep in mind that they’re holding very tight to the structure and if you’re fishing murky water you won’t be able to see them anyway. If you followed the previous tip and think you found a spot, go in blind and just drop your worm there. 

4. Twitch and Jump 

The goal of your presentation here is to aggravate the bass as much as you can to force them to strike. You’ll do this by creating the most obnoxious action possible. Shining blades, a lot of twitching, and jumping will do this. If you see the bass moving its tail, that’s a sign that it’s irritated and may strike soon. 

5. Match Your Presentation 

You need to match your lure to what you’re dealing with outside. Perhaps the water is very murky from snow run-off during the early Spring. The bass will have a harder time seeing your lure which means it won’t bother them as much. This is where a propeller or rattle will come in handy. 

When the bass can’t see your lure, you need to make sure they can hear it. On the flip side, if you’re dealing with crystal clear water on a bright sunny day, blades or spoons will work well because they’ll reflect the sun and create a pretty big disturbance. 

Wrapping Up 

To finalize this learning experience, we want to remember one thing above all. Great anglers think like a bass. Look around you, take in the surroundings, notice the temperature, and don’t be stubborn. A lot of angler struggle simply because they’re not implementing some extra steps and they think they can drop their bait anywhere and catch something. 

We need to always think like the fish and when we do, we’ll have a lot more success and a lot more fun! 

The definition of a good fisherman may vary from one person to another. For some, it might be a person that can catch the most fish. For others, it may be a person that catches the biggest fish. Regardless of your definition, good fishermen tend to have several traits in common. This article will explore fishing and what makes a good fisherman.

Patience is Required in a Good Fisherman

Above all else, patience is a virtue of good anglers. In most wild waters, even the best fishermen spend far more time not catching fish than catching fish. Dealing with failure and persevering through the unsuccessful times often is the main difference between average and good fishermen. A good fisherman has a patient, persistent attitude when fishing. He trusts his abilities and experiences from past outings and knows that impatience will hurt chances for success.

Good Fishermen Love Being Outdoors

Being a good fisherman requires spending a lot of time honing your craft. Fishing is an outside sport that brings you close to nature. Some people just have a special bond with the outdoors. They can’t get enough of it! To be willing to dedicate a lot of time to become good at something means you must love what it offers. Being outdoors brings a mental peace, and good fisherman have learned to value time spent outdoors, not just the catching part.

Anglers with Analytical Minds Have More Success

Every good fisherman I know has an inquiring mind. If something happens, they like to know how or why it happened. They don’t assume things happen by chance. If a fish bit, there was probably a reason it bit. Was it the lure color? Lure size? Lure speed? Water temperature? Presentation? Barometric pressure? Moon phase? Time of day? Location? Good fisherman are always paying attention to conditions that make fish bite or not bite so they have a better chance of recognizing and replicating those circumstances for future success.

Persistent Fishermen Never Give Up

All the patience in the world is helpful, but it’s not the only necessary trait for good anglers. Persistent fishermen tend to catch more & bigger fish because they simply don’t stop trying until they succeed! This might mean waiting all day in the same spot with the same setup, or it might mean switching spots and lures every 15 minutes. Persistent fishermen have a yearning for success, and they don’t give up until success comes their way.

Good Fishermen are Competitive by Nature

Analytical, persistent, dedicated, and patient, tends to describe a competitive person. It’s no different with good fishermen. Competitive tournament fishermen are arguably the best there is in terms of anglers, and I think you’ll find the vast majority of them are highly competitive. They simply do not like to fail, and they are willing to do what it takes to have success. If that means fishing all day in the rain, staying longer than someone else, trying other techniques, or whatever, competitive anglers have a never-give-up attitude that tends to make them more successful than most.

Good Anglers Enjoy Solitude

The above characteristics can often find an angler fishing more often than anyone else…to the point at which they often have to fish by themselves. Good fisherman tend to be more than okay with solitude. They enjoy time alone, outdoors, away from everyday worries of the world. Whether or not you have the above characteristics of many good fishermen, I hope you can get out and enjoy all that the sport of fishing has to offer!

Light fishing setups can be a good thing in many cases, but there are also several reasons not to use them. What are the disadvantages of using a light fishing pole? This article will explain why it’s not always best to use a lightweight fishing rod, reel, & line setup.

Light Fishing Poles Extend Fight Time

The most exciting part of fishing is when you actually have the fish hooked on your line and haven’t landed it yet! This is called “the fight”, and it’s super exhilarating! Most of the time you don’t know exactly what’s on the end of your line so the mystery of what you’ve got just adds to the excitement. Now, there will come a point when a long fight with a fish is not good for either you or the fish. The longer you fight a fish, the lower its chances of surviving after release, so keep this in mind if you want to (or are required by law to) release the fish. Light fishing poles extend the fight time. They provide less resistance so it takes longer to tire the fish.

Fishing Rod Sizes are Based on Targeted Species

There are limits to the size of fish you can catch for a given size of fishing pole and reel. Generally, the larger the rod, the stiffer/stronger it is, so the larger fish you can catch. If you try to fish with too light of a fishing rig for your targeted species, the rod may break. If it doesn’t break, it can also extend the length of the fight. Too light of a setup can also mean too light of fishing line. If your line isn’t strong enough for the fish you’re fighting, it can break.

Matching the Weight of Your Lure to Your Fishing Rod is Important

It’s important to match the weight of the bait or lure you’re using with an appropriate rod. Imagine trying to cast a large musky buzz bait with a small, ultralight bluegill rod. At best, it won’t cast far. At worst, the line or rod can break. If you do manage to cast the lure, controlling the lure in the water with rod twitches or jigging can become difficult at best.

A Fishing Pole That’s Too Light Decreases Your Odds of Landing the Fish

Overall, when you use a fishing pole that is too light for your targeted species, it decreases your odds of landing the fish. Although it can be fun to tell stories of the one that got away, our ultimate goal when fighting a fish should be to safely land it. Properly weighted fishing gear for your targeted species will help you land more fish, make your fishing more effective, and increase survival rates for the fish. I hope you enjoyed this article about the disadvantages of using a light fishing pole.