Summer Time Bank Fishing

[jleonard91]

The days are very hot here in North Mississippi this time of year. Everything I've been reading on this site is saying to go deeper the hotter it gets. I don't have a boat or anyway to get out to the deeper parts of the ponds I am fishing. Every time I go I am lucky to get 1 fish to even bite my lure. I have been using a drop shot worm and a top water right before dark. Any advice to help maybe get some more action. I'm pretty green to bass fishing so I'm not looking to catch a trophy quite yet, just trying to get the swing of this amazing hobby down. 

[Catt]

Cover=shade=cooler temperatures

[jleonard91]

Yeah, that's what I've been trying. Just can't seem to get any bites. 

[NoahWatts]

I fish from the bank.  Catt hit the nail on the head.  Sometimes it sucks in the heat but you just gotta keep plugging away

[Turtle135]

One other thing to look for in hot weather is current. The water will contain more oxygen in rivers, creeks and the in-flows into those ponds. Not always an option but always a good bet during the dog days of summer.

[Catt]

Dog days of summer I prefer low & slow

Low in the water column & slow retrieve

I like the versatility of a Texas Rig, I speed reeling it on top, dropping it into hole, & dragging on the bottom. 

Rage Tail Cut-R, Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm, or any worms of this type work well. They have enough tail for telling on top & not enough to wrap cover.

[OddChase]

1 hour ago, jleonard91 said:

The days are very hot here in North Mississippi this time of year. Everything I've been reading on this site is saying to go deeper the hotter it gets. I don't have a boat or anyway to get out to the deeper parts of the ponds I am fishing. Every time I go I am lucky to get 1 fish to even bite my lure. I have been using a drop shot worm and a top water right before dark. Any advice to help maybe get some more action. I'm pretty green to bass fishing so I'm not looking to catch a trophy quite yet, just trying to get the swing of this amazing hobby down. 

As a bank fisherman of 15 years, I might be able to offer some insight. Drop shotting isn't something most bank fisherman use, although it does work. Here in Indiana, the Ned rig has become extremely popular both in the boat and out. I encourage you to look into using more finesse style fishing techniques, such as the Ned rig or a stick bait (t-rigged senko). Here's a link to a list of everything you need to know about fishing the senko. Bank fishing also pays off when you are wanting to catch quantity over quality. 

Lures aside, picking a body of water is very important as well. Larger lakes prove more difficult for bank fisherman. A popular saying "10% of the water holds 90% of the fish." Fishing smaller lakes, reservoirs, or ponds will drastically increase your chances of catching a fish, hot or not. 

Tight lines to you, friend. 

[GORDO]

It sounds like you need to change ponds lol

[Onvacation]

Whenever I bank fish, I always have a rod set up to drop shot and I always have a Ned rig available, so I think OddChase is offering some sound advice.  If you need to go heavy with the weight for more distance, you can do so.  Also, don't concentrate so hard on the need to cast to the middle of the lake to catch fish because that's the deep part.  First, it may not be the deep part. (This is why I check lakes with a Deeper fish finder). Second, there are always plenty of bass hiding in cover in areas that are sometimes even too close or too congested to cast to.  That's why pitching is so fun. 

Look for shade from trees on the bank for example.   Wife and I fish a local pond all of the time that has virtually no cover and little structure for the fish. While everyone is doing their best to Lob bait into the middle of the pond, we are knocking them dead 15 to 20 feet from the bank in the shade of the treeS. Any transition such as rock to dirt, grass to clear, shallow to deep, is going to be a target area for you.  

Also, although my days on the water where I've caught fish on three or four different colors make me skeptical of the importance of color over other factors, there have been other days when I have been proven wrong. Bass simply don't always play by the rules we have set.  90% of the time, my soft plastic color in my waters is green pumpkin.  I panic if I don't have some of those white Bio Spawn worms with me though because there have been times when the color change has made the difference between slow day and no fish day. 

[bigbill]

First it's not luck in fishing it's skill it's knowing when to switch colors as it becomes low light in the evening. At twilight as the bite slows down go to a brighter colored bait.

Fishing from shore as I mainly do it can be tough till you figure it out. A hummingbird portable cast out fish finder would help you out with depths, bottom structure and were the fish are. I look for drop offs, points, flats and transition areas.

I use a 1/8oz 24" c-rig with senko type baits, brushogs, worms from shore. I use shallow cranks. Topwater, inline spinners, spinnerbaits. You can also use a spinnerbait topwater too. Holding the rod tip at 12o'clock letting the spinnerbait ride on top letting the blades slap right and left as it moves. Using a scent helps too. You have more fish there you just haven't fished it correctly yet. Let this spot be a learning curve for you. Once it teaches you what we learn works anywhere.

 

 

[loudcherokee]

Get to the water just before sunrise if possible and cast along the shoreline. Come back at dusk and fish into the night. We've been having mid 90s with high humidity here in east TN lately. These are the most productive times for me in the heat.

LC

[blckshirt98]

As a shore guy, when the mid-day sun and heat comes out, I'm at home! Just try to fish at first light (or before first light if possible) and at dusk once it cools down.

[jleonard91]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I just found bassresource the other day and I can't stay off of it now. So much useful knowledge coming from some knowledgeable sources! 

[greentrout]

Try arriving right before the sun rises. The crack of dawn.  I live in Mississippi, too, and where I am at (Gulf Coast) the heat index was 104 degrees yesterday. If you are going to fish at night, try midnight. Some do that here. If you do, be very careful and safe. Right before or after dark, try a buzz bait. It can scare you when they strike.

Good luck.

 

    

[soflabasser]

Summer can be a great time for bass fishing if you are willing to adapt and improvise to the conditions.Fish early in the morning, late in the afternoon, during cloudy/rainy days,and at nightime. Change the speed of your retrieve until you find the speed the bass respond to.

[Sam]

My Double Secret Pond has no cover or shade.

I fished it today and caught 25, mostly on a wacky rigged Senko.

Got three in a row with a jig and pig.

All hits, with the exception of a few frog strikes, came within 20 feet of the bank.

Seems the 90* temperature; lots of sun; and a cold front that moved through last night keep the big ones deep.

No boat so all I could do is walk around the pond flipping and pitching the Senko and other baits.

So try a Senko slathered with Mega Strike.

Strikes were very soft so keep that finger on the line at all time.

Good luck.

[Tommy Pugh]

I have been having the same issue. You can do a lot of research and learn a lot online. There are many sites with forums and you tube offers many videos. I like always check and check again to ensure I am fishing it right. I also always take the time to slow down when I am fishing. I will change colors, change lures, and change speeds, or my approach. I don't mind varying. Sometimes silly things work. Sometimes, if i feel in a rut i might just grab a bobber and some worms for a while or maybe put on a grub and do some jigging and catch some crappie. Keep your head up. Summer will only last for so long.

[wytstang]

A crank bait (like Rapala DT series) is a great way to cover a lot of area to find where they are hanging out at. When the water is warm bass are more likely to chase prey vs. colder water where they ambush more.

[lmbfisherman]

Weightless Texas rigged worms, if it is shallow enough wade in to give you some extra distance.  Or use a heavier weight for your jig or bullet weight to get the extra distance. 

[BadContrakt]

In my opinion, your best bet is to get there as the sun is rising (5:00-5:30) and throw a frog or wacky senko close to the bank quietly. Make sure you're wearing dark clothes and are making quiet movements.

 

Get there, throw directly in front of you standing away from the water. Work it. If nothing, walk forward a little bit and try again. Keep moving forward until your feet have reached the water, then turn and work the frog or senko parallel with the bank. Start with your lure closest to the land and fan cast out towards the middle and work all the way to the opposite side you started on.

 

if this doesn't get you a fish, then get a better body of water with more fish.

[HeavyDluxe]

This... Dead-sticking soft plastics in shaded areas and around grass flat-out produces all the time.  But, it takes patience which makes it really hard.

[Kyhokie]

I'm in north Texas so I understand your heat problem.  It's been hot and dry here, although it's raining at the moment lol. I bank fish 90% of the time bc it's so convenient. I've had a lot of luck fishing from 10pm-2am just Texas rigging 4 and 6 inch finesse worms with 1/16 oz bullet weights. Good luck man.

[Bankbeater]

A finesse bait on a 1/16 bullet weight, or a weightless senko is what I have been using.  I have been pitching into vegetation that is growing up out of the water usually it's some kind of grass.   The vegetation needs to be thick enough to create shade on the water.  Even better if it is near a deep drop off that is close to the bank.

[JLWoodman]

I get a lot of success with a finesse style worm, wacky rigged on a drop shot.  So many great answers here so I would just like to emphasize casting parallel along transitions (like along grass or vegetation lines, or drop offs) if at all possible.  Also check over where your fishing.  If the vegetation is more brown, it does not hold much oxygen that fish need.  Brown vegetation mixed with a mucky bottom is not a good place to fish for bass.  Find the greenest vegetation you can with rocky, or at least a harder bottom, bass like that along with shade and cover and structure.  Try underneath docks too.  So many great answers here, you will find something that works for sure.

Good luck!

[MS662]

im Fishin in North MS too on ponds and fihin a small swim bait slow has done well for me this summer. Topwater hasn't really produced for me this summer like in the past so ive stuck with swim bait and worm for the most part. usually smaller swim bait and a 6in worm.