Bass anglers who’ve spent more than a few summers on the water know that when the temperatures rise the bass dive deep. Where the sun’s rays can’t reach, bass find comfort in the cool, dark waters where shallow fishing tactics just won’t cut it. To reach deep water bass and wrench them from the depths, you’ll need to change your presentation a bit.
Deep Cranking
Fishing crankbaits around deep structure—points or channels—is an effective tactic for deep holding fish. Bass love these kinds of locations, as do baitfish, which is why crankbaits are a great idea. Using crankbaits to mimic baitfish is a good way to entice a reaction strike and get a school of bass fired up. I like to go with Strike King’s XD baits or Rapala’s DT series on 15-lb fluorocarbon. Check out this video of how a crankbait works in deep water.
Heavy Jigs
Another great deep bass option is a heavy jig in the one ounce range. A jig’s weedless design is ideal for fishing deep structure and when paired with a rattle, they can draw strikes in deep, dark water. You can fish jigs at varying speeds, but in the warmer summer waters, I like to let the jig go to the bottom, and then retrieve it by lifting it three to five feet. Again, fluorocarbon in the 15 to 20-pound range will be your best friend here.
Big Worm
Of course, a fast presentation isn’t always the best presentation, or at least the presentation that fish want on a given day. Sometimes, when you find isolated cover in deep water, such as brushpiles or rocks, it can be a better idea to slow things down with a big plastic worm. I like Strike King’s Recon and Berkley’s Power Worm, in the 10 length. Rig the worm weedless and simply work it through deep cover to entice a big bass to slurp it up. 20-pound fluorocarbon will usually do the trick, but if you’re fishing thicker stuff, it might be best to use braid.
