Going deep for summer bass
Category: Tournament
Jun 13th, 2017 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Nov 20th, 2018 at 9:33 PM
Deep, dark, inky depths. Ooh, scary… or not. In this case, not scary at all, but many anglers are intimidated to get off shore and fish a little deeper for bass during the summer.
Of course, not all of the bass will be in the murky depths. There are always resident bass under docks or in the pad fields, but to find larger schools of usually larger bass, deeper water is usually a good bet.
So, how do several of the top pros choose to approach deep fishing? Check out some of the insights from a handful of Bassmaster Elite Series pros to see what their favorite deep-fishing methods are.
Ott Defoe
“I like cranking when fishing deeper water. I can cover so much water, and it triggers reactions from fish that may not bite otherwise.”
Skeet Reese
“My first choice would be deep cranking with a Lucky Craft 3.5DD so I can cover more water.
“Then, I’d use a 12-inch Power Worm on a 3/8-ounce shaky head. Big worm equals big bass!”
Josh Bertrand
“Drop-shotting is my favorite summertime technique. It’s my favorite because I feel it’s so effective on schooling fish.”
Brandon Card
“I have many deep-water techniques that I like, but I really like throwing a Preacher hair jig. I like it because it gets big bites and it triggers schools to bite, especially schools that have had a lot of fishing pressure.
“It is a subtle bait and can be fished at a variety of depths.”
Edwin Evers
“My favorite would be the hair jig. It is a very subtle and new technique and fish haven’t become accustomed to it. Also, it has a good hookup to landing ratio.
“I use the E Series Gospel Jig by Andy’s Custom Jigs. I throw it on a 7’6″ medium-heavy casting rod with a high-speed reel and 14-pound fluorocarbon line.”
Kevin VanDam
“Deep cranking. It is very efficient for covering the deep zone. Plus, I can always follow up with finesse after I find them.”