06_2025_REELLIFE_digital - Flipbook - Page 27
feet of water and bringing
it slowly back just off the
bottom. While ¼ and
3/8-ounce spinnerbaits are
widely sold, I prefer to use a
½ or ¾ ounce spinnerbait,
especially if I am fishing
deep.
DEEP DIVING
CRANKBAITS
High summer temperatures
will drive those bass into
deeper waters, especially
smallmouth bass. So, how
do you reach them? With
a deep diving crankbait!
Rapala and Berkley are
two lure companies that
make quality deep-diving
crankbaits. I tend to use
two types of crankbaits in
the summer months.
That would be lures that
dive 8 to 12 feet deep and
lures that will dive to 25 feet
deep. Once you locate the
fish, you can stay put and
cast to them or switch over
to a jig to pull bass out of
the deep. As for crankbait
colors, I try to “match the
hatch” and use patterns
that are forage for bass.
Trout, perch, bluegill, and
largemoutwh bass patterns
all work well if these species
live where you are fishing.
JIGS
I always have a weedless
jig with a crawfish trailer
tied on to one of my rods
because they catch bass
in the spring, summer and
fall months.
