06_2025_REELLIFE_digital - Flipbook - Page 28
They can be fished in
partially submerged brush,
under docks, around beaver
huts, trees and other areas
where bass live, but other
lures would get hung up.
Jigs can also be fished in
deeper water on sloping
banks, on underwater
humps and other structure.
Your choice is also wide.
In addition to weedless
jigs, you can fish neko
rigs, which work great for
smallmouth bass, and swim
jigs, which have become
a favorite for many bass
anglers.
SOFT PLASTICS
You can’t go wrong fishing
soft plastic baits. Drop Shot
fishing with a weight a
foot or two below a hook
tied on the same line can
work great, especially on
heavily pressured waters.
Put a small 4-inch worm or
other small plastic grub or
swimbait on your hook and
just drop it to the bottom.
Texas-rigged worms still
work great for bass on the
bottom, as do the triedand-true Carolina rig, where
a weight and glass bead
are placed above a swivel.
A foot to 18 inches of leader
with a worm is tied behind
that.
Finally, tube baits, which
were all the rage 25 years
ago, still work fine today for
bass.
The bottom line is this:
When it comes to catching
bass this summer, you have
a lot of options. Don’t get
stuck on one or two baits.
If they are not working, try
something new. As you can
see, there is more than one
way to catch a bass.
John Kruse
northwesternoutdoors.com
