Mid Summer Top Water Action
We are quickly approaching what is in my opinion one of the best smallmouth bass fishing times of the year, mid summer! Late June into August provides some of the hottest and quickest smallmouth bass bites of the entire season. It is during this time that smallmouth bass seem all to willing to hit just about anything.
My lure of choice during this mid summer period, top water baits of course! You would do just as well with blades or grubs during this period of time, but why would anyone want to fish those if the bass are eager enough to smash top water baits? Don’t get me wrong here, there will be days during this period that top waters wont produce, but it is always my starting point during the mid summer bite.
I’ve found the best top water bites take place on those HOT, muggy, mid summer days when there is a low pressure system in place. You know those days when the air is so thick you can barely breath? Those are the days you need to get out there and take these fish off the top.
I am fortunate enough to live within minuets of one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries in the world, the Susquehanna River in north east PA. In this river it is not uncommon to catch 100 smallmouth bass off the top in a days time during the mid summer period, 50 smallies in a days time is really quite average.
During this period I change my focus and start fishing faster waters. Oxygen levels in the faster moving water is higher, so naturally shiners and other bait fish migrate to these areas, in turn the smallmouth bass follow and feed. I stay away from the extremely slow moving waters, whether they be deep or shallow. Moving water is key to catching these mid summer bass.
The mid summer top water bite is by far my favorite time of the year to fish for bass, or any other type of fish for that matter and Im sure it will quickly become your favorite as well after getting on a good mid summer top water bite.
