# Summer Bassin'



## Bassman (May 10, 2004)

Ok, Im knew to the summer bass fishing. In the summer i usually just kept fishing the bank, and well that doesnt always pay off, so i need to start fishing deeper, which i have done, but i havent had much luck. I dont know if im fishing the right depth or right lure ect... Could someone please help me with this?
Thanks, Bassman


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

deep weedlines hold plenty of summer bass, try throwing cranks and tubes along the edges and in the morning and evening throw buzzers over the weedbeds.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Yep. Deep weed lines are where they hang out. Texas rigged plastic worms work well too. Pop-R's, buzz baits, twitching shad all are good topwater producers for those early morning and evening bass.


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## Bassman (May 10, 2004)

I've been trying a carolina rig, but ive just been using a 1/2 ounce sinker, is that too small, or is it about the right size? I know water clarity will determine how deep bass are, but for most situations, would 1/2 cut it?


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I Texas rig my worms on use a 1/16oz bullet weight. I prefer lighter presentations.


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## Bassman (May 10, 2004)

I love 1/16oz in shallow water, but never tryed it in deeper water, ill have too give it a shot
Thanks, Bassman


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I catch a lot of my summertime bass on rockpiles, docks, and shallow water
cover. But I do fish deep weedlines a lot. I fish all the above with a tube or jig. sometimes a spinnerbait or crank.

Good Luck


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I am with flipp, although deep weedlines can be good, this year I have tried shallow, meaning 2ft or less and have done exceptional. it seemed like the fish were on thick isolated cover. trees with thick branches hanging in the water and laydowns with many smaller branches provided the biggest fish. although, not every lake is the same.


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## Bassman (May 10, 2004)

What about lakes that dont have alot of deep weed lines, if any? I dont think many of the lakes around southwest Ohio have deep weed lines.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Then you try and find some rock piles or Look for some docks. I don't know what presentations you like but I live and die by the flippin bite but I can also get them on the rocks and points. I try to find a couple different patterns when I am practicing for a tourney in case one bite goes bad I go to the other. ANother thing I like to fish are stump feilds with a buzzbait or spinner bait and a tube. A big spinnerbait slow rolled in the weeds work good to. Another thing I am starting to figure out is the drop shot.

Good Luck


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm also workin on the drop shot corey, caught one on it a mosquito infront of the opening on the causeway, 1/0 lightwire hook with a 5'' finesse worm 18 inches up from the weight, it was just a 13'' bass but it gave me some confidence.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I got one smallie on the drop shot sunday missed another. 2inch tube. I've tried fish it in the spring sight fishing. Didn't get anything but I will have it down by next spring.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I think it would work for nesting bass, put a lizard up from the weight about 3-4'' so you could keep the lizard in its face at all times untill he got aggravated enough to grab it.


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## Bassman (May 10, 2004)

Do any of you try a split shot rig, I think that would be perfect for sight fishing.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

Austin, how heavy of a weight would you use and how small of a lizard would you use? it seems like the lizard would have to be small enough for the drop shot hook, unless you used a regular hook. and the weight would have to be heavy enough to keep the bait simi vertical with out pulling it forward. Drop shotting works well for walleye too with a crawler or leetch.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I use a white tube when I am sight fishing on the drop shot usually I use a floating worm. I like split sot rigs to when the bite gets tough I go to that. I use a 3/16oz drop shot weight I like that size. I used a drop shot for bluegill and crappies I like that set up with a wax worm or maggot.

Good Luck


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

Johnboy, I was thinkin about using a 4'' floating lizard with a 2/0 lightwire hook and a 1/8-1/4oz weight


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Still can't beat flippin a tube into any type of cover. HANG ON!!!


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

you've got that right corey


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

man, you flippers get way too close. nothing beats skippin a tube or senko in to heavy cover! But hey, i am a spinning reel type guy. Austin, would you texas rig that lizard or hook it through the nose? the only problem i could see arising from the floating lizard would be an unatural action by it being either too bouyant or sinking too much. Is there some way too maybe make it neutral?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Johnboy me and austin r gonna have to show u how to get em out with our flippin sticks spinning reels won't get the big boys out.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

texas rig, alot of times when a bass grabs it to move it off the next he only grabs half of it, plus a nose hooked floating lizard would float almost vertical, with the hook covering almost half of the lizard it would hold it neutral.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

the whole idea probably wont work, looks good on paper though but i'll just have to wait till next spring to try it.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I think it will work


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

why wait till next spring! the water ain't froze over yet! I was thinking of drop shotting a 3in yum dinger probably on a 1/0 gamastaku offset. no too sure of the weight yet though. with a 8lb hybrid line, such as yo-zuri, do you think I could keep it some what horizontal at a distance of say 20-30ft? If not, I was thinking it might be better just to texas rig it. I also have an idea on another rig that would deffinately be different. kinda hard to explain, so maybe i will draw a diagram and scan it.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

yeah but i can't try it on nesting bass in july!! lol that was the whole idea of the rig.I think they make a 3'' yum dinger that isnt loaded with salt? so it would be a little more neutral, but I think your idea would work.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I am gonna fish the drop shot sat or sunday in 5-25 fow of water. But most of the day I will be in the mud.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

Corey, ask austin about that rig i was talking about and see if he can explain it. I think it might work, but second opinions are always good. what are you fishing on the drop shot?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I think that rig will work I will try out next week I can't tommorrow I am fishing a tourney at tappan. I am using a 3inch Zoom tube or Slider drop shot worm.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Man I'm gone for a week and look at all this great thought! I fished Drop Shot a lot so far this year and boy what a difference it can make. There were days at Lake Erie where the drop shot would out produce a Tube Jig 4to5 to 1.

Summertime Bassin for me depends on the lake i'm fishing. If I'm fishing weedy lakes like Mosquito(check my post from yesterday's fishing) and Portage most likely i'll fish shoreline first thing, then during the heat of the day I'll move to the weedbeds, sometimes deep sometimes not. Yesterday the fish were in 2-4 feet of water in the weeds several hundred yards off shore. Summertime off shore doesn't necessarily mean deep fishing but access to deep water is good.

Great Discussion on the DropShot Rig.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

What colors d u guys use with the rattle traps. I use silver and blue, crawfish, and smokey joe. In about A month they will have berlin down where that bait will be pretty hot. I use it at leesville two in the weeds and catch bass mostly and get a few muskie.

Good Luck


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I like silver and blue and tennesee shad


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I use Strike King Diamond Shads and Bill Lewis rattle traps.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I like he action of the rattleraps better than rattle traps. it seems like you can work them at a slower speed. but anyways, i like the silver and blue, silver and black, but i had the best luck on a holographic finish. I can't find it anymore though.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

I like Bill Lewis Original RatLtraps and I always change the hooks on them because the out of the package they lose alot of fish for me. I replace them with Gamakatsu hooks. I like Silver/Blue back,Silver/Black Back, Gold/Black, Firetiger, LSU Firetiger, and the holographic blue/golds/blacks are good too.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

why do you like the bill lewis best? is there an action? rattle? anything just curious.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

It's probably confidence more than anything but in my mind my partner and I have got many more fish on them vs other types of traps we've used. They definately sound different than other brands. Just like with all crankbaits though even the same RatLTrap, size weight, sometimes will outfish the same identical one. I've had 2 or 3 of the same thing and you'll get that one bait that has a slightly differnt sound, perhaps less rattles/bb's in the bait etc. I want to try the LuckyCraft traps, they have some that are similiar to the 1/2oz and 1/4oz that I use.

By the way, caught 2 fish last night at West Branch on the new Yamamoto Kreature bait. I think this will be a great bulky flippin bait!! As with all Yamamoto soft plastics, they are expensive, but they are full of salt, soft, and the fish seem to hang on to them longer.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

hey Bill are the Yamamoto Kreature baits heavy enough to flipp with out using a weight?


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Yes they def are.. I think they are the same or slightly heavier than a 5" Senko. I think they will be a great bait but only time will tell.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I was just lookin at them on the net' wayy cool, I'm gonna pick some up.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I like Bill Lewis the best but I have been using the the Diamond shads a lot and they like them 2. Does Yamamoto makes tubes I so are they any good? Any body fishing a carolina rig right now? I am gonna try it this weekend with a fluke. I used it last year and some sucess on it.


Good Luck


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I picked up some Zoom brush hawgs for flippin' in the 3'' and 5'' anyone ever use these creature baits?


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

No those don't work at our lakes around here!!!   Take them back.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

what is the benifit of flipping over short range casts? I know most flippers are right up on the cover they are fishing and it seems like the bait is only in the water a short time.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

dang another waste of money  I bought a bunch of these here tubes baits for Erie, I guess someone caught a fish or two on them one time.. they probably wont work either


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

when your flippin' your usualy a few feet from a bush, tree, docks etc. It allows you to place the bait in tight places where you couldn't by simply casting and you can cover some serious water since you usualy flip you bait in and hop it a few times and move on to the next piece of cover.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Hmmz.. well I think there is a time and place for everything but... I'd say most of the people you see fishing that fast are letting the bait fall to the bottom and repeating the cast. They are looking and feeling for that bite as the bait falls and if they don't get they flip to the next spot. You can cover a lot of holes in bushes flipping around like that and if the fish are aggressive you'll have a chance at more bites. When flipping your also working with a set amount of line and some people can put the bait in with less of a splash or impact on the water. I prefer more often than not to get back a little bit and pitch the bait into the cover. I may not get in as deep sometimes but I feel like I am less likely to stir thiings up of wash current into what I'm fishing. If the water is muddy however that's another thing to consider and you can sometimes fish very close again without as much worry of scaring fish. These 2 methods are my favorite ways to catch bass!!


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

do you guys feel it just as effective if not more so than slowly fishing an area with multiple casts? especially if you are fishing a tournament with many people doing the exact same thing you are doing with generally the same type bait? what do you feel is your ace in the hole, so to speak?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Hey guys I do a lot flippin Sometimes the bass will hit as soon as u get it by them and other times u have to jig it a few times to get them to hit which takes a little more time. I usually stay out Alittle from the cover but there has been times where I had to get the boat almost on the edge of the cover because they were buried up in the back of the cover. Austin is right u can get your bait into those little holes or get back in the cover where they r. Austin You can give those tubes to me I will take them back for you.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Yea Austin..give Flippp the tubes, I got plenty of those. I'm about out of those Brush Hawgs so send those my way if you can...


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Yeah Austin listen to bill I have a lot of brush hawgs but I have hardly caught fish on them I have confidence in the a tube and a jig


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

so what am I suppose to use?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

John Boy will give u something to use.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

oh sure, drag me into this. Austin, you can come and fish with me anytime and use what ever you want. all I need is a downpayment on a boat. Thats it....no questions asked  Besides, you guys know i am tube and yum dinger guy!


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Yeah now all u have to do is get a baitcaster and a flippin stick and u will be set.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

what do i need those for? i can catch a 7lber just as easy with my spinning rod.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm stayin out of this one, you and corey can go at it


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

U must not set the hook very hard then. I have broke 3 spinning rods doing what u do on big fish. So I am using baitcasters and doing real well with them I don't use spinning rods for that anymore. When go out I will show u how it is done shallow and deep.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm comin along too, you guys will need a ref or you'll kill each other


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

yeah u might have to come and count how many fish I catch.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

We will get Bill to come as our guide.. right Bill?


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

what can i say....I don't need to break rods to hook my fish


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Well bait casters are better for flippin then spinning rods I think.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

LOL, Sure Sure, when and where are we going?


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I am game. lets all go to pymy!


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I say Berlin and I know Corey wants Mosquito.. What do you think Bill?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I think we should have a spring outing at Mosqutio or Berlin next year.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Berlin is nice and close for me. I'm more in tune with Mosquito right now than Berlin. Don't care, wherever.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I call shotty!


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