Shallow Water For Hot, Summertime Bass Fishing Throughout All of Alabama. By Reed Montgomery
Hot, Summertime Bass in Water Depths of One to Three Feet Deep! What? Yes, shallow bass (like this zara spook caught 6 pounder), can be fooled into biting, often in shallow water temps close to 90 degrees and air temps in the mid-to-upper 90 degrees in August…the hottest month of the year here in Alabama!
But knowing things that attract these largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass, like where to find cooler water locations, seeking out those places with evident current and discovering plenty of locations that provide baitfish and much cooler shade, all really helps mid summer anglers locate quality bass!
Read on to see how…
I can honestly say; every bass, in every picture posted with this article featuring ”Shallow Water for Summertime Bass Fishing Throughout Alabama” came in the summer in water depths of less than 3 feet deep!
Statewide Big, Largemouth Bass, Tennessee River Trophy-sized Smallmouth Bass and the Coosa River Breed of Spotted Bass! All of these breeds of bass can be succesfully fooled into biting various types of shallow water lures, often caught (despite mid-summer’s grueling conditions), during the hot, midday hours! But how? You may reluctantly ask.
Like said; Cooler Water, Evident Current, Shade and Plenty of Baitfish!
Cooler Water - Not only is cooler water more comfortable for these summertime bass, but the prey they dine on are attracted to these places as well. So are anglers that are cooling off too!
Baitfish and crayfish are found in any place with evidently cooler water, like up in incoming feeder creeks and major river systems. This includes many other meals the bass may dine on, meals many anglers fail to recognize and try to duplicate with their enticing lure action, found in and around irregular bottom features, aquatic weeds, wood cover and rock cover.
Bass in feeder creeks and incoming river systems may also dine on frogs, chipmunks, baby ducks, birds, small squirrels and other bank running creatures like field mice. Or they could be feeding, hidden in 1-3 feet of stained or dingy water clarity unseen, and often constantly gorging on minnows, bream, shad, worms, snakes, lizards, small and oversized crayfish, grubs and even small turtles. All prey that are found mingling with these voracious bass beneath the surface of these shallow water locations. There are many lures that fit this catagory.
Not only can summertime anglers find plenty of unmolested bass in feeder creeks and rivers, but while fishing below any dam you can discover shallow water largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and big spotted bass as well. Of course cooler water and current too! Lures like topwaters, shallow running crankbaits, lipless lures and hard bodied jerk baits, spinnerbaits, blade baits, soft bodied jerk baits, worms and loads of other bottom fished lures all work all summer long, while targeting shallow water bass found feeding below these dams.
Evident Current - Bass in the aforementioned places creeks, rivers and below dams are going to be in cooler water. They are also going to be discovered in current most of the time in these places. Evident current will be displayed along eddies and current can place bass along flats, along drop-offs and around islands, points and irregular bottom features.
Checking the water generation schedule for any lake prior to your pre-planned fishing trip, calls for checking the upper lake dam for incoming current and the outgoing current displayed when the lower dam is discharged. If both dams are running its all the better!
* Check both dam schedules, write it down, and then throughout your fishing day tailor each current situation to yours and the bass needs.
Shade and Plenty of Baitfish - Although many anglers will be targeting deep water ledges and drop-offs in the summer months, few if any, can say they were in the shade all day long. You can, that is if you find shade, (any shade), located along the banks, around tall trees and bushes, under bridges and culverts, around marinas, boat houses and piers, and especially far up in winding feeder creeks and major river systems.
* Also, just after midday as the sun goes down look for shady places found along the east side of the lake! These shady spots can be a few degrees cooler with the afternoon sun going down.
Baitfish - Baitfish are very much a big part of this hot, summertime shallow water equation. For if you already have cooler water, evident current and plenty of shade and then loads of baitfish…rest assured the bass will be there!
So keep in mind; This summer (August and September), in Alabama when many anglers are fishing deeper water, you may discover many shallow water spots and have them all to yourself. But be aware you may have to share it with a lot of big, unmolested bass all feeding in shallow water featuring cooler water, current, shade and featuring lots of baitfish and incoming meals. Which is always a good thing.
Thanks and Good Fishin’ the remainder of this Summer season. For Fall is just ahead. Always call on Alabama’s oldest, professional bass fishing only guide service, Reeds Guide Service…first! Reed Montgomery/Reeds Guide Service Alabaster, Alabama (205) 663-1504 Website www.fishingalabama.com
