Summertime is here! I always look forward to bass fishing during the summer months.
Once the water temperature starts creeping into the mid to upper 70s, I start searching the deep-water marinas that are located on the main lake for schooling largemouth bass. As the temperature rises, bass will start searching for cooler waters. Many anglers assume all bass go super deep in the summertime, and search for deep ledges and structures to catch bass. This can be very challenging as the deep bass tend to move around day to day.
The complete opposite bass behavior can be observed in the large marinas located on the main body of Lake Travis. These marinas can be several thousand square feet of shade, which has a dramatic effect on the water’s surface temperature. Bass in the marinas tend to be residential to specific parts of each marina. When I fish a marina that has maybe 100 slips, there are less than a dozen slips I target. These are the spots that have produced bass day after day, year after year.
It can be fun, non-stop action when fishing top-water baits. Even though the water depth is 40 to 100 feet deep, the bass are almost always less than 5 feet from the surface. That is where they have the most shade and the water is cooler. The bass tend to group up by size in these areas, and it’s not uncommon to catch several in the 3 to 5 pound range during a morning trip.
As the summer grinds on, these bass will get lots of pressure. The bait that caught 20 fish last week, may only catch a few the next week. Be prepared to throw a few different baits each outing. It’s almost a guarantee that something will work. Remember, these bass are keying in one type of forage: shad!!
If a bladed swim jig isn’t working anymore, try a jerkbait or a flutter spoon. When the bass are chasing shad, they are in the mood to eat. Keep cycling through the imitation shad baits until you find the right bait for the day. Follow @fishingwiththefriz on Instagram and let us know if these tips help you have a successful trip on the water!