HOT WEATHER LURES

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Hot-Weather Bass Lures

Imagine, it's the height of summer on your favorite bass lake, and you and your buddy are discussing strategies for the day. Fishing conditions are not favorable: the bass have been heavily pressured for months, the pleasure boat traffic is beyond belief, and the heat and humidity are forcing many anglers off the water well before noon. Conventional wisdom states that you should downsize your baits, select lures only in natural hues and fish only early and late in the day. But even the individuals who are doing things "right" aren't catching many bass. If this scenario sounds familiar, maybe it's time to break away from the norm and try something unusual. Here are five lures that may produce big time during the dog days on your favorite body of water.

1. RATTLING, DEEP DIVING CRANKBAITS: Large rattling crankbaits, both in medium and deep running models, have been standard artificials for a number of years. These baits excel when the water is still cold and stained from winter run off and/or seasonal cold fronts. The large profiles of these baits and the considerable water displacement that these lures create aid bass in tracking them. The rattle chambers inside these crankbaits also give fish something to home in on. But these lures are also great fish finders during warmwater period. A few things to remember: First, if nearly everyone on the lake is using "match the hatch" colors, then give the fish a different color to look over. Second, although rattling crankbaits are primarily spring lures, they can draw bass during summer months. In the deep water environments where many, if not most, summer bass dwell, noise making chambers can cause a lure to give forth that little extra enticement, which will cause largemouths to strike. Some anglers claim that the noise is similar to that which a crawfish emits, while others maintain that no creature in nature sound like a rattling crankbait chamber. Whichever one is correct, rattles often make a lure more effective. Third, cast your crankbait well beyond its target, sweep your rod downward to cause the bait to plunge and endeavor to make the lure "bite" deep into the bottom. The more puffs of sand, silt, and debris that the lure displaces and the longer you can make the lure accomplish this, the better your chances are that a bass will find the artificial irresistible.

2. BIG BLADED SPINNERBAITS: Large spinnerbaits are definitely not lures designed to catch large numbers of bass during the summer or any other time. They are, however, exceptionally versatile baits that can elicit strikes under a variety of conditions. An oversized willowleaf blade will sometimes intimidate the smaller bass yet give the larger bass something worth their while to chase. Besides the willowleaf, other blade configurations will perform well during the summer. A single Colorado blade excels at probing deep water cover of all kinds. This lure "helicopters" down quickly and gives off considerable vibration in deep water. A two bladed spinnerbait (with the Colorado and Indiana configurations) is a great choice when the slow rolling technique is required. Many spinnerbaits on the market today offer minnow like heads and eyes, and these features add a nice, realistic touch. Some companies have even added rattles, further increasing a spinnerbait's appeal to bass. Rattles are an especially nice feature if a summer shower has caused a lake to become stained. Then, bass can use their lateral lines to home in on the vibrations of the blades and the sound of the rattles. In short, big bladed spinnerbaits are outstanding lures for jumbo summer bass.