| Early summer marks a major transition for smallmouth bass, especially as water temperatures rise into the low 70s. After spawning, many bass larger bass, especially females, leave the shallow flats in search of deeper, cooler, and safer water. These movements are not random and they’re more tied to biological needs like recovery, oxygen levels, and predation avoidance. Anglers who understand this seasonal shift can better predict where bass will go next. Recognizing this post-spawn transition phase is key to staying on fish as they move throughout the lake or river system. Bass don’t all leave the shallows at once, which means some of the fish will still be catchable in shallow zones while others begin moving deeper. This overlap creates a window of opportunity for anglers to experiment with different depths and locate active fish. It’s crucial to pay attention to recent weather, water clarity, and temperature trends can help refine your search. It’s also a great time to fish methodically along depth changes and secondary points, where bass may pause on their way out. Understanding both where bass have been and where they’re headed gives anglers a major advantage in early summer.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater along with being made in the USA by real fishermen just like you. We’ve recently dropped a new HellaMite Pro Pack that is loaded with 60 total baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also recently restocked our popular Ghost, Red Bug, Purple Rain, Brown Bug, Electric Chicken, and Goby Wan colors. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility. |
| Smallmouth bass rarely swim directly from spawning areas to deep summer haunts. Instead, they travel in stages, stopping at mid-depth cover like submerged rocks, aquatic vegetation, or gradual depth changes. These holding zones act as rest stops where fish pause to feed or adjust to changing water conditions. Anglers can find consistent action by locating these temporary staging areas. Learning how to identify and fish these spots is often more productive than chasing fish in open water. Fish in transition are often scattered in small pods rather than large schools, making precision and patience critical. Working these areas slowly with soft plastics like worms, beetles, or cray-styled baits can trigger bites from neutral fish. Pay close attention to subtle changes in bottom composition or isolated pieces of cover, as these often hold the most fish. Using mapping tools and sonar can help identify overlooked staging spots that others may pass by. By understanding how bass move in phases, anglers can stay one step ahead throughout the season.These transition zones not only hold feeding fish but also serve as reliable waypoints bass revisit as they migrate between seasonal habitats.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, and the Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action that triggers strikes! |
| On larger lakes and reservoirs, using electronics to track smallmouth movement is incredibly helpful. Sonar and mapping tools help anglers locate fish-holding structure, identify depth changes, and return to productive areas. More advanced tools can even reveal individual bass or small pods in real-time. This makes it easier to stay with transitioning fish and make precise presentations. For anglers fishing offshore or mid-depth zones, electronics can dramatically improve consistency and efficiency. Learning to read your electronics accurately takes time, but it’s a skill that pays off in finding active fish faster. Marking the waypoints on areas where you’ve caught fish allows you to revisit them later on throughout the season as fish cycle through. Forward-facing sonar, in particular, can help you see how bass are behaving in the moment. Whether they’re suspended, bottom-oriented, or following your bait. Combining this information with a strategic approach using soft plastics can maximize your chances of a bite. In clear or expansive water, electronics become one of the most powerful tools an angler can have.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater. |
| Smallmouth bass often follow baitfish, and their travel patterns depend more on food than on structure alone. Some bass may stay relatively close to their spawning areas, while others will travel long distances across a system in pursuit of forage. These movements might follow natural channels, current flows, or depth contours. Understanding how baitfish behave in early summer helps anglers anticipate where bass are headed. Matching your location to where the bait is going often leads to more successful outings. Anglers should keep an eye out for visual signs of baitfish activity, such as surface disturbances, bird behavior, or sonar returns showing dense clusters of forage. Areas where current meets slack water or where depth changes suddenly can concentrate both bait and bass. When bass are following roaming schools, soft plastics like beetles or worms can be swum or drifted naturally to mimic an easy meal. These fish are often more active and get urges to strike when bait is nearby. Staying mobile and ready to relocate based on forage movement can make all the difference in early summer. Adapting your approach to follow the food chain keeps you aligned with the bass’s motivation.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round! |
| During early summer, smallmouth are often in a neutral mood and less likely to chase fast-moving baits. Soft plastic finesse options such as worms, insect larvae, beetles, lizards, and cray-styled baits excel in these conditions. Presented slowly and naturally along the bottom or through the water column, these lures offer an easy meal. Downsizing and using subtle action are key to enticing more bites when fish are less aggressive. Anglers who take a patient, precise approach typically outperform those using bulkier, louder options. Light line and small hooks enhance the natural movement of finesse presentations, making them more convincing to wary bass. Focus on clean drifts, gentle hops, or slow glides to keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Matching the size and color of your lure to local forage can also improve your success rate. In clear water, where bass rely heavily on sight, finesse baits that look and act realistic are especially important. Mastering these subtle techniques gives anglers a consistent edge throughout the summer transition. Even when the bite is slow, presenting the right soft plastic in the right way can turn a cautious follower into a big strike.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out along with some of our newest colors including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also released new 6-inch Worms including Charmeleon, Rainbow TRT, Bone, Chocolate Mint, and Fire TGR — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater. |
| Using the right tackle is essential for maximizing hookup ratios with smallmouth. Thin, soft lines allow lightweight soft plastics to move more naturally and reach deeper depths with less resistance. Hooks should be sharp and made of light-to-medium wire that is strong enough to hold a fish but thin enough to penetrate easily. The ideal rod is a 7 foot spinning setup with a fast action and medium-light to medium power, providing casting distance while protecting light line. Proper drag settings also matter, helping to avoid break-offs during sudden runs or jumps. Tightening the drag just enough for a solid hookset and then backing it off during the fight helps land more fish without stressing your gear. Fluorocarbon leaders offer added invisibility in more clear water, which is especially useful when fish are line-shy. Rod sensitivity is crucial for detecting subtle bites often associated with soft plastic presentations. Choosing the right gear gives your bait the proper action while also protecting against lost fish. Fine-tuning these elements creates a more balanced and effective system for consistent smallmouth success. When all of the components work together, your setup not only improves performance but also builds confidence with every cast.Our newest FreshBaitz Mandingo Trick Worm is the ultimate game-changer for anglers with a passion! Engineered for the angler who knows SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a penchant for the larger bait. The Mandingo Trick Worm boasts a solid 7-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. Officially available in a vibrant array of 8 colors. Each worm is made from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for total and maximum attraction, the Mandingo Trick Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing the big ones. Proudly made in the USA by real anglers to help elevate your fishing experience and catch more bass year-round! |
| Clear and calm conditions can push smallmouth to suspend in the water column or feed visually on shallow flats. In these scenarios, soft plastics like beetles, worms, or insect larvae presented with slow, horizontal retrieves can be highly effective. Fast movements, steady swimming, or gentle twitches can mimic vulnerable prey just above or in front of them. These fish may not respond to bottom presentations but can be enticed from above when visibility is high. Anglers that know when to switch from dragging to swimming presentations can unlock otherwise tough bites. Pay close attention to surface activity, shadows beneath the surface, or fish following your bait to clue you in on suspended behavior. In these conditions, downsized baits rigged weightless or on light jig heads help maintain a slow fall or subtle swim. Long casts and quiet approaches are key when targeting visually feeding bass in clear water. When executed well, sight-fishing for suspended smallmouth can be one of the most exciting and rewarding techniques. Adapting to their positioning in the water column is often what separates average days from great ones. Success comes down to reading the conditions carefully and presenting your bait where the fish are looking.We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but we’ve recently released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! Mosquito Hooks work for dropshotting and perfectly accommodates a wide range of soft plastics. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you precious time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just released Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure. |