The spring run of stripers may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for slim pickings. Use these tricks to catch big bass even during the heat of summer.
Find the thermocline. During the daylight hours of summer, mature stripers often dive deep to cooler waters. The thermocline, a cool layer of deep water, is where you’ll catch them. Find it by increasing the sensitivity on your fishfinder until you see a faint line between mid-depth and the bottom. Once you’ve located it, drop your baits there.
Fish dawn or dusk. It’s no secret that striped bass bite best at sunrise and sunset; during the summer, when the sun burns at its brightest, time your fishing around these two key periods.
Make some motion. Remember-fish are cold-blooded creatures. When the water is warm, they move fast and so does their prey. Don’t leave your baits sitting on bottom or drifting aimlessly. Keep them moving by actively jigging, trolling, or casting and retrieving.
Look for shade. Like other animals, striped bass appreciate shade in the summer. Look to find fish along the shade lines of bridges, pilings, and piers.
