Summer Means Deep Weedline Bass

When the hot days of summer start to fill up the calendar, and the sunscreen becomes a necessity for being on the water, I know where my bass fishing focus is going to be. I will be targeting the deep weedline where old bucketmouth will be living on the edge.

There are a lot of edges in the fishing world that bass are attracted to, but the deep weedline edge has to be the most classic of them all. In my opinion, this edge is the interstate of the underwater world in the summer. Fish of many different species use this edge, but bass seem to like it more than most.

Weeds and light penetration are the key to creating the deep weedline. Water clarity will determine just how far the sunlight will penetrate into the depths. The point at which there is not enough light to create growth becomes the weedline. On some lakes, this edge may occur at ten to twelve feet where on clear lakes, the weedline may be over 20.

This edge can be very distinct and crisp at times. In other locations, the weedline will be jagged and irregular depending on the bottom content and the type of weed that is growing.

When focusing on deep weedline fish, there are several types of structure I key on. Points and turns are always possibilities but so are sunken islands and humps. Many times, I find it is subtle little structure on structure spots that hold the most fish.

Sometimes, bass will congregate in an area simply because of the quality weed growth found there. The weed bed becomes the structure. This is especially true if you can locate deep growing cabbage. Bass love this weed!

When searching for bass on the deep edge, I nearly always start with a jigworm. An eighth ounce jig and a six-inch worm are ideal. If the lake is very clear and the weedline is deep, I will switch to something a bit heavier.

Depending on the weed structure, a jigworm will fish through a lot of cover. If the weeds are soft and stringy, a Texas rig is probably going to be more weedless.

There are other options for catching these deep fish. Skirted, weedless jigs with a plastic trailer can be very productive. A wacky worm fished on a drop shot rig can also be utilized.

My strategy is to keep the boat outside of the weedline and cast to the inside of the weed edge. I will work my lure down the break and past the deep weedline before I reel in and make another cast.

One of the most important concepts to remember is that these deep weedline bass are often schooling fish. It is not unusual to catch a dozen or more fish from the same location. Once a favorite haunt is found, bass will use the same spot year after year.

The deep weedline is home to lots of species of fish, but it is truly a real magnet for bass. That is why my summer is spent targeting the fish that are living on the edge.