Rojas on summer bass
May 4th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified May 4th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Dean Rojas has been one of the top anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series for a long time. In fact, he’s been competing at the highest levels of the sport for 17 years. In that time, he’s picked up plenty of knowledge about fishing for bass throughout all four seasons.
So, what else is there for the Duckett Fishing pro to do during some down time than to share a little info on how to chase bass during the summer? Well, a lot, but Dean took a little time to enlighten us anyway.
Pop the top to start your day.
“The summer is usually a good time to start your day fishing something on top,” said Rojas. “Something that walks or pops. A buzzbait can be really good during the summer. Think topwater early on.”
Fish stay in school all summer.
“During the summer, fish tend to roam in schools,” said Rojas. “This is especially true in lakes with spotted bass, and largemouth, too. Pound the banks early, then move onto points, offshore structure, etc. Look for them busting the surface feeding.”
Don’t fear deeper water.
“When the schooling action or shallow bite dies, move deeper,” said Rojas. “It’s pretty basic, but moving to deeper points, ledges, etc., is generally your next best bet. Try deeper diving crankbaits or fishing using a big worm. Both are good offerings for deeper fish.”
What happens when deep is a relative term?
“In shallow bodies of water, deeper is relative,” said Rojas. “Many of the shallower lakes like Okeechobee or many of the northern lakes that are more shallow bowls can have very little in the way of depth changes. Still, a foot is a big difference in many cases. So, you still want to fish those deeper drop-offs and points, even if they are only a little deeper.
“Also, in the shallow bodies of water, hard edges can be a big key. Whether it’s a change from rocks to weed or two separate weed types, look for the edges. Actually, that applies to deeper lakes, too.”
Fun fishing versus competition.
“There really is a difference in the way I fish at times,” said Rojas. “When I am fishing on the Elite Series, I may know I need to be fishing certain areas and cover where I need to just be flipping something like a Fighting Frog in thick grass. But when I’m fishing for fun and just want bites, it may be my SPRO frog that’s getting the most action by running down banks or tossing a buzzbait around.
“I like both styles of fishing, but sometimes I just want to catch fish and have fun. Of course, in a tournament, it’s more fun when the fish I catch are bigger.”