Forget pounding the banks. Hot summer weather means your local bass will now be hanging on lake points, isolated rock piles and extended weedlines that hug deep water. Find the hot offshore structure to taste consistent summertime success!
When it comes to bass fishing I learned my first lessons as a dedicated “bank beater;” my early training grounds were the Mississippi River and its sprawling backwaters, and very seldom was my boat sitting in more than eight feet of water. Since those early days, and a subsequent move north to Minnesota, I’ve worked hard to learn off-shore, deep-water strategies that are critical to success during the sweltering hot, “dog days” of July and August.
Effectively fishing offshore structure and deeper water during the summer months is important, because in many lakes bass will head to these deeper locations as they seek out cooler water, vacating their much-shallower springtime haunts that have become uncomfortably warm. Sure, dedicated bank-beaters might be able to pick up a fish or two during the summer, but the fish will likely be small and widely scattered. To hit the mother lode, offshore structure is the key.
FIND THE BEST POINTS WITH THE SCOUTLOOK FISHING APP
Many lakes in the upper Midwest are loaded with vegetation, and these weedlines often extend well out from shore and into much deeper water. Because of this, these weeds are a great place to begin our search for summertime bass. Even during the hottest summer days, these dense, sprawling weedlines offer the type of plentiful habitat, food and cooler water where bass can thrive.
