Summer time heat

[Catt]

With all the talk about the heat waves going on around the country brings to mind one of my favorite patterns; Deep water grass. The following will be my personal plan of attach feel free to add yours.

Catt attack

The weather for Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana calls for day time highs in the mid 90s to low 100s putting heat indexes around 105-110. The only saving grace is low humilities accompanied by night time lows at 74-76 wind winds 5-10 mph. The chances for rain is from near zero to 20%; very dry for this time of the year which usually has evening thunder boomers almost nightly.

Sunset for today 8:23 p.m. while the end of civil twilight is at 8:51 p.m.; I would put this plan in motion by 7:30 p.m. with full intentions of stay out until 2:00 a.m. Depending on results the following night I will change launch time to 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m.

Have a quality Q-beam capable of lighting up at least 3 buoys in a row

Despite popular belief bass do not morph into a new creature just because the sun sets; fish the same baits, same locations, and same techniques you would during the day.

Shallow verses deep water: I have not noticed a distinct advantage one way or the other. I will normally fish both areas thoroughly staying with the one that produces the best results. However shallow water does offer a greater opportunity to use different baits.

At some point in time I would throw a buzz bait, preferably one with a clacker, after a good 30+ minute workout with said buzz bait without any commode flushes you can put that sucker to bed in the rod box. Once in the rod box do not completely forget about it but place it in the back of your mind for later.

Personally while shallow water fishing is fun you would likely find this little red Stratos anchored in 12-17' over main lake structure, near grass, and somewhere on the South end.

Find the outside grass line, back off until you are just inside casting range and drop anchor. Ideally positioned you should be able to reach 6-10' beyond the outer grass edge with a long cast; now you are positioned where your casts can reach shallow grass or deep water. Fan cast 360 degrees around the boat; if you haven't boated a fish move in any direction along the structure the distance of one long cast.

Lures:

Texas Rig: Rage Tail Anaconda, Space Monkey, or Lobster or your choice of a worm, creature, & craw worm. If the wind is blowing above 12 mph my T-rigs will have ¼ ounce weighs any thing blow 12 will have 3/16 oz.

Jig-N-Craw: color would be your personal choice along with brand; weight however will be determined by the bass depending on what Rate of Fall they want. NEVER let the depth of water determine what weight of jig to throw; I've had hawgs stop ½ oz jigs before they could reach bottom in 8' of water. My weapons of choice will include a Oldham's Jig with either a Gene Larew Hawg Craw or a Rage Tail Lobster.

Carolina Rig: this entire setup will be your personal choices; mine are as follows

3/8 oz weight, 2-3' leader followed by a worm. Yes I said worm and a big ole worm like a 10 Anaconda or Gene Larew El Salto Grande.

This is Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing so leave your finesse tackle at home

[fishfordollars]

Catt you left out one of my favorites. The Zoom Trick Worm fished wacky. with a 1/32, 3/16, or 1/8 oz. bullet weight.

Throw it up in 3-5 ft. and...Heck you were there, you know the story.

Get ready for the next moon. I will be free and clear by then and the wife allready knows I'll be gone for a few days. Mom is doing great,(Really starting to get on my nerves so I know she is better).

[Catt]

Catt you left out one of my favorites. The Zoom Trick Worm fished wacky. with a 1/32, 3/16, or 1/8 oz. bullet weight.

Throw it up in 3-5 ft. and...Heck you were there, you know the story.

Get ready for the next moon. I will be free and clear by then and the wife allready knows I'll be gone for a few days. Mom is doing great,(Really starting to get on my nerves so I know she is better).

Cocked, locked, & ready to rock

[Busy]

Sounds good.  No mention of frogs?

[fishfordollars]

Well, I certainly will have one tied on. Just seem to do better with a jig or ole Monster in my hands this time of year. Personally I'm not a frog fan when fishing at night. Just my preference.

[Busy]

I like it.  Frogs are more active at night naturally.  But so are worms

[Catt]

I like it. Frogs are more active at night naturally. But so are worms

Write up your frog technique and enter here

[J-B]

I like it. Frogs are more active at night naturally. But so are worms

Write up your frog technique and enter here

X2.    I am new to frog fishing and still trying to get my first catch on one.

[fishfordollars]

My night time frog technique:

Take frog in r. hand, hook to first guide on rod, reel up any slack, stow rod in rod locker.

I'll take the jig, black buzzbait, or big plastic over the frog any time.

[Busy]

When I find fish in the heat like this (index has been 110-115 here) I'll work them really slow with jigs or spinnerbaits. A lot of times when it's really hot out I seem to get curious fish that just aren't aggresive enough to really hit the lures. When this happens I'll throw my frog out far and just let it sit. Don't do anything to it. Keep working the jigs and buzzbaits/spinnerbaits and then pull them out after a while. I usually wait about 15 minutes and just enjoy being outside, then I start hopping the frog that I almost forgot I had out there. Generally fishing grass in heat too. When all else fails usually that lonely frog thats just been sitting there starts getting some fish on it.

My technique is erratic, I won't pull that frog up until something hits it. Drag it, pop it, hop it, twitch it, whatever. I just keep going back to it and moving it every once in a while. You find that fat hawg thats been trying to burrow under and you'll know it.

When it's working I'll put three rods with frogs out like that and just take turns working each about 2 feet at a time.  I'm never in a hurry when I fish.

[Tanker4lyfe]

OK,

 what do you do or what would you do in a pond that is no more than 6ft deep and very little grass tules (cattails) line the bank and very little cover. its been constant 95's and surface temps are 76-82. ive tried everthing from plastics deep in the cattails to nighttime topwater and nothing. o ya ive caught a 10.22lb monster outta here and yesterday just as the sun was about to go down let me tell you i spotted what is easily a 12-15LB'ER.

[Catt]

Sunset for today 8:23 p.m. while the end of civil twilight is at 8:51 p.m.; I would put this plan in motion by 7:30 p.m. with full intentions of stay out until 2:00 a.m. Depending on results the following night I will change launch time to 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m.      

[Busy]

Been on here reading a lot about fishing in the heat and been putting a lot of effort into it at the lake.  Learned a good lesson last night.

The hotter it gets the more the fish turn on when a front rolls through.  Got a colorado type storm last night that came and went within an hour.  45 minutes of rain yielded two inches.  And when you looked across the lake as soon as the clouds appeared in the sky it looked like fish were bouncing off the water surface.  You could have stuck your hand in the water and caught a fish.

I just wish I was patient enought to always wait on the weather

[Jig Man]

Catt, I have the same weather and can't make myself hit the water when it is still above 90° and doesn't get below 80° until after midnight so my plan is a bit different. I will be leaving home about the time you get home.

I'll hit the water as dawn makes it first itty bitty crack. I'll give spinnerbaits and buzzbaits about an hour since the lake is about 2' up and has a few bushes in the water.

When bright light is on the water, I'll be throwing jigs, shaky worms, and tubes on and near points. As the heat builds, I'll start thinking about those 3 long bridges that are only a few miles away.

When it gets hot, I'll be sitting in the shade of one of those bridges using a spinnerbait, wacky worm or swim jig. If the pier bite is good, I'll fish all three bridges before I fire up the AC in the truck and head home for lunch and a nap.

Good luck tonight Catt.

[bassin is addicting]

and...how about the good 'ol black jitterbug??  that is my go to at dusk and dawn.  it rarely fails....  i wonder if it is because so many have moved away from it and throw buzzbaits or something else??   :-/

[steezy]

My black jitterbug with the orange belly seems to drive the bass crazy at dusk near the shore.  They hit it like its their last meal.  Almost jerks the rod from my hand.  A lot of fun and really raises the excitement level for both me and the fish.