It’s Getting Hot!:
Hotter Baits for July
by Bruce Callis Jr
July can be a tough month for fishing! Why? Simply because it is HOT. But that doesn’t mean that the fishing is impossible, just it can be changing our habits. So let’s talk about the baits I choose this time of year.
I love a topwater strike just like most of us do. I have two choices for topwater. I love fishing the pads and for that I love a frog. For me, it’s a SPRO Bronzeye Frog. I can fish it in the heavy pads or over the grass mats. I like to use 65 pound Seaguar 65 pound Smackdown braid so I have the ability to fight the bass out. I use a 7’ to 7’6” medium heavy rod. I prefer a reel with a higher power rating over a faster reel. If you get a lot of pad or grass on the bass, you need it to help pull it out. I don’t want to go in to get the bass, as this can mess up the entire area.
For my other topwater choice, I like a popper. I like the SPRO E Pop. It works great over cover and laydowns. It also works along the edges of the grass mats and pads. I like to use 30 pound braided line on a medium heavy rod with a fast tip. This allows me to really work the bait. Popping it slowly and allowing it to sit or working it quickly back to you. Now, quickly can vary from time to time, it can be a steady popping to steady popping with a pause and a big pop before working it steady.
If you have a lot of submergent grass in your lake or pond, there are a few choice I like to use. The first is a swim jig. I like the Missile Baits Mini Swim jig with either a Shockwave or Spunk Shad trailer. Swim it just so it ticks the grass. If it gets hung up, rip it free. But be ready for a strike as you do so. It can also be used around sparse pads as well.
The next choice is either a spinnerbait or a chatterbait. Both work great but offer a little different presentation to the bass. I’m old school and love a 1/2 ounce spinnerbait with tandem blades, but have found that the chatterbait works just as well. I’ll use a Shockwave or Spunk Shad for a trailer on both. And realize that as the day changes, so can the choice of trailer.
My last choice is by far one of my favorite baits that works year round. The old reliable lipless crankbait. You can use it at any depth, it’s just not the idea bait around wood. But over grass, it is amazing. Just like the swim jig, work it just above the grass beds, ripping it free when it gets snagged. It is a big bass catching machine too. I like to use the SPRO Aruku Shad on a 7’ to 7”6” medium heavy rod with a fast tip and a higher speed reel, 7.1:1 or higher. This will allow you to really burn it at times. I’ll also use 10-12 pound test Seaguar Fluorocarbon. I really like the Red Label but for maximum castability and strength, I like Seaguar Tatsu.
And finally, it comes to working the bottom. Now is the time to break out the old ball and chain, the Carolina rig. For most, it is a love-hate relationship, but it is a big bass catcher. I use a 20-30 pound main line of braid to a 10-12 pound test fluorocarbon leader. And for bait, I love the Missile Baits D Stroyer or Baby D Stroyer. This offer a nice big profile for the bass and offers plenty of action too.
For flipping around the laydowns and in the pads, I switch up between two baits. I will use a Missile Baits Ike’s Mini Flip with either a Baby D Bomb or Mini D Chunk. This smaller profile can be just the ticket at times for some big strikes. And then there is the Texas rigged D Bomb or a worm. Here, let the bass tell you which is better. I’ll switch between the 6” Magic Worm, The 48, and the 6.5” Quiver. But there are times when a big 10-12” worm really is what they want during the hot months.
July can be a challenging month for fishing between the slower bites and staying hydrated. Whether you are working them fast or slow, let your baits work for you. Stay focused on what you are doing and have fun. And share those pictures of your big bass with us here at The Bass Cast.
