All-day bass: Top summer largemouth lures for fishing morning, noon and night

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Largemouth bass action peaks in the summer when the water finally heats up to the bubble-bath temperatures the fish enjoy. Start your day fishing with an aggressive presentation; slow down only if the fish tell you it’s necessary. My favourite summer largemouth tactic is burning a Whopper Plopper-style bait across the surface early in the morning and late in the evening. The best speed is typically as fast as you can turn the handle on your high-speed reel.

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During the rest of the day, meanwhile, I love flipping and pitching soft-plastic and pork baits as fast as possible along verdant walls of weed, as well as among the gnarly branches of fallen trees. How do I flip and pitch faster than normal? The best way is to use a heavy weedless jig or bullet weight so your offering falls more quickly. If you would normally pitch a 3/4-ounce jig or sinker, for example, opt for one that weighs at least an ounce. You want your bait falling straight down and zinging past the nose of a bass, forcing it to make a split-second reflex response. Don’t give the fish any time to think.

The Whopper Plopper (left) and the classic jig’n’pig are great summer baits for largemouth bass

Some anglers believe they can create a faster drop rate by using a bigger pork or plastic dressing. That only results in a slower descent, however, because the bulkier dressing is more buoyant and water resistant. Instead, trick the biggest bass this summer by selecting the heaviest and most compact presentation possible using a tungsten jig or sinker that’s half the size and twice the weight of a similar lead lure. Then dress it with an appropriately sized frog, worm or creature bait, and you’re all set to drop some bombs.