>> SA BASS BASICS
Summer
>> Hendrik
BASS TACTICS Bassin’ during summer can be tough especially with the hot weather upon us. We might think it would be better WR ȴVK DW QLJKW EXW WKHUH DUH VWLOO DQJOHUV ZKR ZRQȇW JLYH XS DQG SUHIHUV ȴVKLQJ GXULQJ WKH GD\
Cloudy conditions will help to prolong the feeding time 16 SA BASS February 2019
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t is important to remember that big bass have their established travelling routes. They will move up to 150m away from their summer homes to feed while some won’t even bother to go that far. Whether they travel far or not, they will all do the same thing and that is to follow the break lines or channels from their homes to the feeding area and back. Most of the big bass will be like a lone wolf but when feeding, more than one big bass’s route might overlap and you might just be in luck. These feeding areas are normally points, ridges, humps or drop-offs. These fish seems to prefer depths between 3m to 6m. You will even find that some of the big bass will suspend at 6m and can go as deep as 12m or even more. Other big bass will prefer to hang around brush piles, instead off suspending, but they will also follow the regular routes. Unfortunately no feeding will last a specific time. Weather conditions will always play a big part in the duration of the feeding period. For example: cloudy conditions will help to prolong the feeding time and therefore do not try your fishing spot just once. Visit it a few times during the day and keep in mind that different bass are going to feed at different times. The hottest time of the day might turn out to be the most productive. The key to your success will be to locate all the important routes and feeding areas. We can use a variety of lures and techniques to catch these big giants, but I found that deep diving crankbaits are the most effective lures for me. The choice of colour is a personal thing and it will vary for dam to dam, but I suggest that anglers use their “go to� colours - a rule of thumb is to match the resident baitfish colours. If you find the ideal spot but the bite is slow, try different colours. There are such a huge variety of colours but I prefer my “go to� colours like red craw, chartreuse with a pearl belly, lavender shad and Texas shad crankbaits. Hot summer fishing can be tough, but when doing it right you can easily beat your personal best and have loads of fun.