Summer Worm Fishing Tricks for Shallow and Deep Water Bass

Are you missing it? There are so many great ways to fish a plastic worm! Come along with Tim as he demonstrates a 2-bait method to maximize your time on the water when finesse fishing for Summer bass. You can fish from 40+ feet all the way up to the water's edge with these 2 baits rigged a few different ways. You don't need an entire box of baits to catch Summer bass!

Tim's 2 favorite baits for this technique are a senko and a Trick Worm (Netbait T-Mac). By adapting the rigging he can fish both of these baits at a variety of depths. When you think senko your mind immediately goes to fishing it weightless around shallow cover but with a little weight (Neko rig) that bait is suddenly effective in 20, 30, even 50 feet of water! The same goes for the Trick Worm. Most guys see a trick worm and think of the floating worm technique but this bait is incredibly effective on a shaky head, Neko, and exposed jighead as well. 

Summer worm fishing can be overwhelming. There are so many great baits that will consistently catch fish (and you know we'll jump down that rabbit whole soon) but it can also be as simple as a couple baits and a couple rigs, to consistently catch fish. Don't let bass fishing overwhelm you. You can catch these fish and you can do it on a budget. Below are links to the exact baits and rigging methods that Tim was implementing in today's video. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

The baits... 

Senko- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Favorite Colors- Green Pumpkin, Green Pump/Wtrmln Lam, Green Pump Blue

Trick Worm- Netbait T-Mac 6.5": http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

Favorite Colors- Bama Bug, Texas Craw, Green Pump

Budget Worm Alternatives... 

-Yum Dinger 5": http://bit.ly/2J8nMrF

-Zoom Trick Worm: http://bit.ly/2aWkG7E

Weightless Rigging... 

Standard- Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap 1/0: http://bit.ly/2aKGmHM

Weedless- Owner Jungle Wacky Weedless 1/0: https://bit.ly/2VKZl9U

Neko Rigging... 

Standard Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse Neko: http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Weedless Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse Weedless Neko: https://bit.ly/2zXirRH

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pagoda Nail: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

Jig Heads... 

Shaky Head- Dirty Jigs Canterbury 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V

Ned Head- Swagger Tungsten Flanders 5/16 with 2/0: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Tim's Neko Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7' Med Light: http://bit.ly/2jOUXAO

Reel- Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb High Vis: http://bit.ly/2FngUkQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 7 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Tim's Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 852C JWR: http://bit.ly/2hedqsq

Reel- Shimano Metanium DC HG: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

All-Around Summer Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Assassin 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Summer Fishing Tricks: Early Morning Bite (Whopper plopper and Crankbait)

No one likes getting up early but in Summer, its worth it! Midday the lake can feel like a Dead Sea if you don't know where to look but in the morning, everything is alive! Come along with Matt on the Tennessee River as he explores new water and builds a morning pattern with a whopper plopper, lipless crankbait, and wobble head (swing head jig).

Most anglers fish a whopper plopper on a slow, steady retrieve. Most of the time we do too, but there is a time and place for the popping method and today it paid off with 2 nice bites. After the topwater bite slowed Matt turned to a lipless and ultimately a swinging jig to continue catching fish. 

The morning bite window is incredibly easy but is also very short. Its imperative that you get on the water at first light and if you're not prepared to begin shadow fishing and targeting offshore fish, expect the bite to be done before 9 AM. Below we've included links to all the gear Matt used in today's video. We included the exact colors as well as recommendations on some of our other favorites. 

Hard Baits... 

-Whopper Plopper 110 Topwater (Bone): http://bit.ly/2bsPbQV

Other Favorites- Loon, Munky Butt

-TN70 Lipless Crank (RT Scale Minnow): http://bit.ly/2lqAwjh

Other Favorites- Super Shad, Ghost Minnow

Swing Head Jig... 

Jighead- Swing Head Football 3/4 oz 4/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2jOY1Ns

First Bait- Keitech Crazy Flapper 4.4 (Green Pumpkin): http://bit.ly/2c3cXrp

Second Bait- Zoom Z Craw (Junebug): http://bit.ly/2vW7Jo5

Matt's Topwater Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Matt's Swing Head Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K HG: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Braid- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 20 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Where Do Fish Go In Summer? (And How To Catch Them)

Have your fish disappeared? Are you struggling to get a bite? Today Matt explains exactly where Bass go during the Summer in your local lake. Once you understand how fish move throughout the seasons, catching them consistently throughout the year becomes really simple. In closing, Matt takes it a step further and goes in-depth on his confidence baits to consistently catch fish all Summer.

Predicting Summertime fish movements is all about understanding the importance of shadows. In lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, bass use different structures to hunt but it always revolves around the presence of shadows. Pay close attention to the details that apply to your style of fishery and you'll begin seeing success right away. If you missed our previous video on shadows and color lines you can see that video below. 

Where Do Bass Go After They Spawn? (Color Line Video): https://youtu.be/hGMwt7UsFkI

Once you've located your Summer fish its time to turn your attention to catching them. Matt offered his 5 primarily lure types for consistently catching Summer bass in the video. Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits (including color recommendations) that he recommends throughout Summer.

Plastic Worms... 

-Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

(Green Pumpkin, Green Pump/Watermelon Laminate)

-Netbait 6.5" T-Mac Worm: http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

(JuneBug, Bama Bug, Kentucky Special)

Frogs...

-River2Sea Bully Wa 2: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

(Little Allen, Dirty White)

-Jackall Gavacho: http://bit.ly/2L7KsWS

(Gold Gill, Lime Frog)

Topwater...

Walking Bait- Evergreen Shower Blows 125: http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH

(American Shad, Half Mirror Wakasagi)

Popper- Yellow Magic 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2al0dKP

(Smoke Shad, Alewife)

Deep Crankbaits... 

-Azuma Z Boss 22: http://bit.ly/2poLKUC

(Blazing Boss, Hot Mess)

-Strike King 6XD: http://bit.ly/2ery44M

(Powder Blue/Chart, Chartreuse Sexy Shad)

Squarebills... 

-Lucky Craft Silent 1.5/2.5: http://bit.ly/2BGxKPa

(American Shad, Golden Shiner)

-River2Sea Biggie: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

(T-1000, Abalone Shad)

Swing Head Jigs... 

Jighead- Dirty Jigs Pivot Point: http://bit.ly/2jOY1Ns

Creature- Keitech Crazy Flapper: http://bit.ly/2c3cXrp

Creature- Zoom Z Craw: http://bit.ly/2vW7Jo5

Small Swimbaits... 

Swimbait- Keitech Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Weedless Underspin- Owner Flashy Swimmer 1/4 oz 5/0: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Exposed Hook- Blade Runner Spintrix 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2oocg0a

All-Around Summer Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Assassin 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Post Spawn Crankbait Fishing Tricks - Speed Cranking For Aggressive Bass!

Forget the way you fish crankbaits! If you're not speed cranking in the post spawn, you're missing an amazing opportunity to catch big bass. Its all about TRIGGERING a reaction strike. Whether you're a Southern Largemouth guy or a Northern Smallmouth guy, you have an amazing opportunity right now to force feed your crankbaits to the bass. The crank's ability to fire up a feeding frenzy is second to none as bass are moving toward their Summer haunts and you don't want to miss it!

This technique works incredibly well this time of year. It doesn't matter if your fish are 20' deep feeding on outside ledges or 2' deep on shallow rock bars. The method works in both scenarios, you just need to adapt the specific baits to maintain the speed at different depths. We find that carrying a variety of squarebill crankbaits, mid divers, and deep divers will allow you to adapt to changing conditions. Also, traditional knowledge would encourage using ghost colors in clear water but we've found that during this period you can see incredible results fishing bold colors like Chartreuse or chartreuse/Blue, even in gin clear water. 

Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits and equipment Matt discussed along with size and color recommendations. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Summer Bait... 

-Strike King 6XD: http://bit.ly/2ery44M

Colors: Chart Sexy Shad, Powder Blue Back Chart

Squarebills... 

-Strike King KVD HC 1.0 Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2Pz3HvE

Colors- The Shizzle, Summer Sexy Shad

-Lucky Craft BDS-3: http://bit.ly/2blTVwI

Colors- Golden Shiner, Ghost Minnow

-Damiki BTC 60: https://bit.ly/35yagXK

Colors- Baby Bow, Threadfin Flash

Deep Cranks... 

-River2Sea Tactical Crank DD 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors- Metallic Shad, Natural Gill

-Megabass Deep X 300: http://bit.ly/2sSQHpt

Colors- See Through Chart, Blue Back Matte Chart, Sexy Ayu

-Norman Deep Little N: http://bit.ly/2acSLUd

Colors- Chart/Blue, Chartreuse Shad, Nutter Shad

Mid Cranks...

-Norman Deep Baby N: http://bit.ly/2O9CAcu

Colors- Chart Blue, Nutter Shad, Sexy Shad

-SPRO Rock Crawler 55: http://bit.ly/2BLmsVN

Colors- Phantom Green, Missouri Craw, MudBug

Hook and Split Ring Upgrades... 

-Owner Hyperwire Size 3 Split Rings: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

-Owner ST-56 Size 4 Trebles: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

-Gamakatsu EWG Size 4 Trebles: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

Fluorocarbon Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR (7'6" MH): http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL 150 XG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Braid Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 845 CBR (7'6" MH): http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 20 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 12 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G