Fishing with Crankbaits for Bass in the Summer
An Easy Way to Catch Bass when the Water is Warm
Jun 17, 2009
In both small ponds and larger lakes, schools of minnows swim along the shore in the shallows during the summer months. Small shad, shiners, and juvenile bass and panfish (bream, such as sunfish and bluegill) often refuse to venture into deeper waters, preferring instead to swim the bank, where predators are less likely to pursue them, and where grass and reeds offer them protection. But large bass will at times cruise these flats just beside the shore, and they will readily swim through a school of baitfish with their mouths open when the opportunity arises. An easy way to catch bass in summer is done by fishing with crankbaits.
Floating Crankbaits in the Shallows
Small crankbaits are excellent go-to baits when bass are feeding in the shallows. At times the fish move into these waters to chase damselflies and dragonflies, which hover and fly over the water near the shore as they breed, tantalizing bass. But even when bass are surface feeding on insects, fishing with crankbaits that float is a great tactic. A floating crankbait represents a struggling morsel of food on the surface, where the fish's attentions are centered. A Rapala Original Floater is an excellent crankbait to use when fishing near the shore, as bass feeding on minnows or dragonflies will readily engulf the lure. Largemouth bass will also take frogs when they present themselves, and at times, the Rapala in firetiger (a color combination of green, yellow, and orange, with black stripes) is a great crankbait to use in the summer.
Fishing with Crankbaits in the Summer
Largemouth bass will hit crankbaits when they are even remotely aggressive. The only times of year when they will readily refuse these baits are in the late fall and winter when their metabolisms are slowed, and they lethargically swim the bottom, searching for slower foods, like crayfish. But when the water is warm, bass are generally aggressive, and they will take a swimming crankbait just as soon as they will eat anything else when they are pursuing minnows. Fishing with crankbaits represents an easy way to catch bass when the water is warm, providing that the fish will cooperate and the structure of the water is alright.
When Not to Use Crankbaits
Crankbaits, however, may fail to entice wary bass in public lakes that have seen their share of lures and fishermen. A plastic worm may be a better choice for these fish, as such bass seem to have the same mind state as wintertime fish, preferring slow baits that they may inspect before devouring. But even in public lakes, young bass will take crankbaits in the summer when minnows and insects are everywhere. The best places to use these lipped lures are in private ponds, where the fish have been less pressured, such as golf course ponds and farm ponds. Another complication that arises when anglers are fishing with crankbaits comes from grass or algae. Considering that most crankbaits have two treble hooks (for a total of six hooks), there are plenty of opportunities to snag grass and grab algae with these lures. They are best when used in shallower areas where the bottom is sandy or muddy, and where there is not too much grass (or other debris that the lure will snag).
Floating crankbaits are very productive in the summer months, but they must be fished under the right conditions. Wary fish, and too much grass will produce unsatisfactory results for fishermen using these baits, but in clean, shallow water where bass are busting minnows or leaping for insects, fishing with crankbaits is not only productive, but also quite fun.
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