Locating the Summer Lunker - Boat Dock Bass

2016/7/18 12:30:16

   Summer can be a trying time to be a bass angler. Insects, heat, humidity, heavy ski boat, pontoon and Jet Ski traffic, it all makes anglers wonder if it is worth all of the stress and difficulties. However, addicted anglers just can?t stop the habit because of a few minor setbacks. Many will turn to night fishing as a means of escape, but the diehard weekend anglers will endure whatever obstacles necessary to catch bass, and those anglers in pursuit of a real lunker accept the challenges of summer angling without a thought.

   With a little endurance to the heat anglers can catch bass all summer long. The first challenge faced by anglers after accepting the annoyances of sharing the lake (and your favorite fishing spot) with others has passed is to locate the bass. Then begins the difficult decision of what presentation is needed to entice the desired results from the bass. Believe it or not, these two decisions can get you and a willing bass into the ?Lunker Club? despite the hot weather and boat traffic on your lake.

The clue to finding the bass is to realize the three things bass will be looking for in summer, deep oxygenated water, shade and food. In many lakes and reservoirs these basic requirements can be found in one place? Right there at the launch ramp at the local boat dock. Many deep water docks will hold several bass in summer, and with the price of gas these days that can be a mixed blessing. Boat docks are often over looked by many anglers that are in a hurry to get to their honey hole. Many do not think about the effects that the water temperature and pleasure boat traffic has on their favorite spot.

By simply fishing parallel to the length of docks over deep water with top water lures in the morning and then fishing the shaded ambush spots of the corners later in the day with un-weighted soft plastic jerkbaits and tubes, anglers can reap the rewards of the seldom fished gold mines. By beginning their day popping and walking top water baits close to the dock and down the length of it, anglers stand a very good chance of calling up big bass. Spinnerbaits fished parallel to the length of the dock is another deadly pro tactic for slow warm summer mornings as well.

Later in the day when the sun heats up and the boat traffic is on the water, fishing tighter to the docks in the shaded corners with soft plastic jerkbaits and tubes allowing their subtle weightless fall to imitate a baitfish slowly descending in the depth to die, this will get the attention of any bass lurking in the shadows beneath the dock.

Once your lake is in the summer mode, the patterns found will often remain throughout the season. Bass are predictable by nature and deep oxygenated water, shade and food are your crystal ball to make the predictions by. Fishing docks is just one of the many successful techniques anglers use to locate and catch big bass in the summer. Patience, determination and skill are the characteristics of a successful summer angler. With these three fishing ?super powers? and some understanding of the nature of bass you will be putting a limit on the scale or even better the newest member of the Lunker Club.

Happy Fishing!

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