Fooling Those Summer Weedline Bass

Once we are passed the month of June, my bass fishing approach takes on a different twist. Although there are bass that stay shallow for much of the open water period, I often find that if I am playing the numbers game, the deep weedline is the place to go.

From my perspective, I have always felt the deep weedline was the interstate of the underwater world. It is the travel route and daytime staging area for many different species of fish. This includes largemouth bass.

Let’s start with refining what I mean by the deep weedline. It is an edge in deep water that is created when the sunlight penetration is no longer sufficient to promote weed growth. It can be quite a distinct edge on some lakes and not so much on others.

Water clarity is the key to determining the depth of the weedline. On some lakes I fish, this weedline is in 10-12 feet of water. On others, weed growth can be found to 20 feet or more.

Bass will often stage right on the deep weedline. However, sometimes they can be found just below it or maybe into the weeds a little. Fish that are directly on or below the weedline will show up on your electronics. Those that prefer a little more cover and are slightly in the weeds will not.

My number one search tool for probing the deep weedline is definitely the jigworm. Generally, I like to use an eighth once jighead. However, I may switch to a 3/16 if I am really working deep. It simply drops quicker and allows me to fish a little faster.

I start by positioning my boat outside of the weedline and casting shallow. With a series of hops, jumps and twitches, I gradually bring my jig down the slope.

Once I do contact fish, I work that area thoroughly. Bass are a schooling fish and often stage together. Where there is one, there may be more. It is not uncommon to catch a dozen or more fish out of one school.

I usually start with an open hook on my jig. I am very fussy about using jigs that have bait keeping barbs along the shank of the hook. These barbs keep the plastic from sliding down the hook when I encounter grabby weeds.

As for plastic, I use a five or six inch plastic worm. I prefer straight tails but also utilize curly tailed worms. I have found that I can increase my strikes by adding a short piece of fluorocarbon line to my braid. Ten pound Sufix will usually do the trick.

It is important to note that there are times when the open hook of the jigworm frequently gets fouled with soft weeds or sand grass. When this happens, I will quickly switch to a Texas rig or a jighead with a weed guard.

When it comes to playing the numbers game for bass, there is little doubt the place to start is the deep weedline. Summer bass love this location and can usually be tempted into biting when they are found.