This Week @ Bass Edge

Summer School

With the summer vacation officially underway, lakes are soon to be infested with pleasure boat traffic.  Crowded boat ramps, swarms of personal watercraft and non-stop waves are likely to accompany most anglers throughout their fishing day.

But with the increase in public activity and warming water temperature, opportunities for catching quality bass also rise.  Stren Series competitors, J.R. Isom and Glenn Mann eagerly anticipate the summer break.

Starting Point
“Early summer is one of my favorite times of year,” said Isom.   “The bass have recovered from the spawn and are beginning to make their way to their summer homes in groups.”

J.R. begins his day by cashing in on the early morning top-water bite.  One of his favorite baits for targeting bass in shallow water relating to structure is a buzzbait.  Keying on lay downs and grass lines that provide ample cover for bass to ambush their prey is one of his most effective strategies.  Paying close attention to small pockets with a lot of baitfish activity, J.R. will also fish the inside edges of points adjacent to deep water.

“Shallow pockets and flats in close proximity to deeper water provide bass the chance to move up and actively feed without getting too far away from home,” Isom stated

By identifying these key areas, he is confident that large concentrations of fish take up residency here allowing him to revisit multiple times throughout his day.  In the event topwater is no longer achieving the desired results, he will begin picking the shallow cover apart with a spinnerbait or squarebill crankbait.

Glenn Mann on the other hand will opt for a ”walk-the-dog” bait to start, his preferred choice being a Z-Claw by Specialty Tackle.

“I like fishing deep brush and docks because of the cover it offers bass,” states Mann.  “I will go to the closest point in relation to the brush pile or the shallow side of a dock and methodically work the Z-Claw and the bass can’t take it.”

Similarly Mann feels the fish “loosen up” from their daytime cover during the night in order to feed under dark skies and low boat traffic times.  By first seeking out shallow fish he is able to cover water and quickly capitalize on the actively feeding bass. 

A benefit of Mann’s strategy is that it allows him to maximize his topwater bite across multiple locations and then return to the areas once the fish have retreated to the safety and security of the brush pile or boat dock.

What Next?
Once convinced topwater is no longer the bait of choice, both anglers find themselves in close proximity to their starting locations.  Isom’s focus remains in the shallows picking apart each piece of cover first with a spinnerbait or small crankbait and then with a jig or plastic worm.  Glenn Mann prefers however, to head straight for the deeper water keying on docks with brush piles.

“I believe there are always shallow fish, especially in stained water. By finding areas that have the deeper water close by your odds increase of actively feeding bass being in the shallows,” stated Isom.

As the low-light fades, and the day gives way to bright sunny conditions, J.R. goes tighter to cover.  Making long cast with his spinnerbait and crankbait across the flat or parallel to the bank, he will likely work both sides of the structure or weed line often running the bait into it in order to generate a reaction strike. 

Another highly effective technique he employs is momentarily “killing” the bait off the end of a lay down or dock.  J.R. will approach the desired target at a normal retrieval speed and just as the bait reaches the end of the structure he will quit reeling and drop his rod tip.  “A lot of times fish that won’t bite under normal retrieves will absolutely crush it because the bait stops and sinks in the case of a spinnerbait or the lure floats up in the case of a crankbait.”

On impoundments like Lake of the Ozarks, docks are plentiful and so are brush piles.  “Local crappie fishermen and bass anglers place hundreds of brush piles out each year,” said Mann.  “These are prime areas for bass to stage as the water begins warming.”

After exhausting his topwater effort, Glenn will begin by slinging a deep-diving crankbait far beyond the brush pile allowing the bait plenty of room to reach its maximum depth prior to passing the target.  “I want the bait to tick the tops of the brush pile and bounce off of the sticks and wood in order to get the bass to react,” stated Mann. 

He notes that for reservoirs widely fluctuating their water levels, it is important to select the proper diving depth on crankbaits or anglers will not be in the strike zone with their bait. 

Another weapon of choice for Glenn is a ¾ oz. football jig tipped with a green-pumpkin trailer.  “If I can’t get the bass to respond to a moving or reactionary bait, I will work the jig through the entire brush pile.”

Targeting brush beyond twelve feet deep, he makes multiple casts working the brush from all angles with the jig.  In addition, he doesn’t immediately reel it back in once his jig has left the brush.  “I have had several instances when the fish would follow it out and then eat it, also when the fish seem to be relating more to the outside edges of the brush as opposed to actually in it,” said Mann.

Geared Up
Both anglers agree that getting the bass to bite is only part of the battle as they must be able to get them in the boat to do either of them any good.

J.R. feels his line choice is crucial to his success and strike detection.  Predominantly using fluorocarbon, he matches 12lb test on a 6’ 10” Medium Heavy rod to pitch his 5/16 oz round ball jig on.  He has spent a lot of time and sought out advice from his piers perfecting his equipment to produce the desired fall of the jig/trailer combination.

Fishing deep and making long cast requires a well-designed piece of equipment.  Glenn relies on an Ardent XS1000 reel matched with a 7ft Heavy action rod to work his football jig.

By identifying flats and pockets adjacent to deeper water, keying on docks with brush and choosing the right gear, summer break can be extremely productive.