Flipping Soft Plastic Baits for Summer Bass

Flipping soft plastic baits is a great way to catch summer bass in heavy cover. This technique involves quietly pitching or flipping a soft plastic bait into thick vegetation, such as lily pads, bushes, or laydowns. The bait is then worked slowly and methodically, with the angler imparting subtle shakes and twitches to create a lifelike presentation.

Here are some tips on how to flip soft plastic baits for summer bass:

Use a heavy-duty rod and reel combo. You'll need a rod with a lot of backbone to power through the thick cover, and a reel with a large line capacity to handle the weight of the bait and the heavy braided line you'll be using.

Use soft plastic baits designed for flipping. There are many different soft plastic baits that are specifically designed for flipping, such as craws, stick worms, and creature baits. These baits are made from durable materials that can withstand the abuse of being pitched and flipped into heavy cover.

Use the right weight. The weight of your bait will depend on the depth of the water and the thickness of the cover. In general, you'll want to use a heavier weight for deeper water and thicker cover but always use the lightest weight possible.

Make a good presentation. When flipping a soft plastic bait, it's important to make a good presentation. This means pitching or flipping the bait into the cover with enough force to get it through the vegetation, but not so much force that you make a lot of noise and tear it up. You should also impart subtle shakes and twitches to the bait to create a lifelike presentation.

Here are some of the best soft plastic baits for flipping summer bass:

Gary Yamamoto Senko

Zoom Brush Hog

Strike King Rage Craw

Berkley PowerBait General

Berkley Pit Boss

These are just a few of the many great soft plastic baits that can be used for flipping summer bass. Experiment with different baits and find what works best for you. 

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Hunter Shryock relies on flipping and pitching soft plastic baits to generate bites throughout the year. Take a few minutes and watch the following video where Hunter explains his approach to flipping for summer bass…

Selecting Topwater Lures for Summer Bass Fishing

Topwater fishing is one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to catch bass. When a bass explodes on a topwater lure, it's an unforgettable experience. During the hot summer months, topwater fishing can be especially productive especially under low light conditions.

There are many different types of topwater lures available, so it's important to choose the right one for the situation. 

Here are a few factors to consider when selecting a topwater lure for summer bass fishing:

Lure size: The size of the lure will depend on the size of the bass you're targeting. For smallmouth bass, you'll want a lure that's 2-3 inches long. For largemouth bass, you can use a lure that's 3+ inches long.

Lure action: The action of the lure is also important. Some lures, like poppers, make a lot of noise when they're retrieved. Others, like walking baits, create a more subtle disturbance on the water's surface.

Lure color: The color of the lure can also be important. In clear water, use a natural-colored lure. In dirty water, use a bright-colored lure.

Here are some of the most popular types of topwater lures for summer bass fishing:

Popper: Poppers are one of the most popular topwater lures for bass fishing. They make a loud popping sound when they're retrieved, which can attract bass from a long distance.

Walking bait: Walking baits are another great option for summer bass fishing. They create a walking action on the water's surface, which can imitate a baitfish swimming in shallow water.

Frog: Frogs are a great topwater lure for fishing in heavy vegetation. They have weedless hooks that allow you to fish them in thick weeds without getting hung up.

Buzzbait: Buzzbaits are a good choice for fishing in shallow water with a lot of cover. They create a lot of noise when they're retrieved, which can attract bass from a long distance.

Prop/Plopper baits: Prop and plopper-style baits are a good choice for fishing in open water. They have a propeller or plopper tail that creates a disturbance on the water's surface, which can attract bass from a long distance.

The folks from Sportsman’s Outfitters created an interesting video detailing the differences in topwater baits along with some of their reasons for selecting one type of topwater lure over another.

Take a few minutes to watch and see what I mean…

The Weedless Ned Rig: Finessing Bass in the Thick Stuff

The Ned rig has become a go-to technique for bass anglers in recent years, allowing you to effectively fish in areas other lures can't touch. While the original Ned rig consists of a mushroom-shaped jighead paired with a soft plastic bait, the weedless version takes this finesse presentation to a whole new level. If you're looking to catch bass in and around heavy, matted vegetation, the weedless Ned rig should absolutely be in your arsenal this summer.

The basic components of the weedless Ned rig are straightforward - a light wire weedless jighead and a buoyant soft plastic like a Z-Man TRD or other Ned-style bait. The jighead allows the bait to stand up vertically in the water column, while the weed guard deflects most floating vegetation or wood cover encountered. An exposed hook point either behind a wire weed guard or pinned into the plastic helps ensure solid hook-ups when you get bit. 

In terms of technique, the retrieve is nothing fancy. After making a long cast, simply lift and drop the rod tip occasionally while reeling slowly. This will cause the Ned rig to subtly rise and flutter down, mimicking a wounded baitfish or crawfish. You can also pause the retrieve for several seconds between subtle twitches to really tempt following bass. Focus on fishing just above the top of any weeds and reel quickly over any open pockets.

Here's a short video from the folks at Northland Tackle with more insight into fishing a weedless Ned rig effectively using their Weedless Nedster jig:

When Summer bass are holed up in the nastiest slop, the weedless Ned rig allows you to present a tempting morsel right in their face. While you'll still hang up occasionally, the weed guard vastly improves your odds of success. 

Persistence and patience are key, but more often than not, this subtle finesse technique will help you fool some of the biggest bass in the area. Give the weedless Ned rig a shot this summer and enjoy reeling in bass from the thickest cover you can find!

Why Do Bass Eat Big Plastic Worms?

Now that is something that might be worth pondering…

There might be a number of reasons bass eat large plastic worms including:

• They resemble natural prey. Plastic worms are often shaped and colored to resemble real worms, some smelt-shaped minnows, or other forage that bass commonly eat. This triggers the bass's predatory instincts, and they strike the worm in an attempt to eat it.

• They are easy to find. Large plastic worms are relatively easy to see in the water, even in murky conditions. This makes them an attractive target for bass, as they can easily home in on them.

• They are easy to eat. The soft, pliable, slender body of a plastic worm makes it easy for bass to swallow. This is important, as bass are ambush predators that often strike their prey quickly and don't have time to chew it.

• They are a versatile bait. Plastic worms can be fished in a variety of ways, including retrieved slowly through the water, twitched back and forth, or jigged up and down. This makes them a versatile bait that can be used in a variety of fishing situations.

Bass pro Gerald “Gman” Swindle has a different view on why bass eat large plastic worms, so take a few minutes and listen to his ideas…

Top Lures for Fall Bass Fishing from Shore

Fall bass fishing from the shore presents a rewarding challenge that can yield some of the most memorable catches of the year. As the bass shift their behavior in response to the changing seasons, the right choice of lures becomes crucial.

Here are several suggestions about the top lures that should help entice those elusive fall bass into striking:

Spinnerbaits & Chatterbaits: Both chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are versatile and can be effectively used to cover large areas of water. With their flashy blades, varying types of vibration and lifelike skirts, these lures create an underwater presence that grab the attention of bass even in fairly murky fall waters. Slow-roll or bottom bounce the both baits near rocky structures, fallen trees, or drop-offs where bass tend to congregate during the fall as they feed up for winter.

Topwater Lures: While the water temperatures gradually drop, there are still moments when bait-chasing bass are willing to strike at the water's surface. Keep a topwater lure like a plopper, buzzbait, popper or a walking bait rigged and ready for some explosive fall bass action. During overcast days or under low-light conditions, try tempting bass near the shorelines or around visible cover by working them with a variety of topwaters and increase your fall bank fishing success.

Soft Plastics: Soft plastic lures offer a wide array of options for fall bass fishing from the shore. Texas-rigged worms/soft stickbaits, creature baits, and swimbaits can all prove highly effective depending on bass cover and forage present. As the bass' feeding habits shift, these lures provide a lifelike presentation that can't be ignored. Experiment with different retrieves, speeds, and colors to match the changing preferences of the bass.

Jigs: Jigs are a go-to bait for targeting bass year-round, but they tend to excel in the fall. Choose a football jig or a finesse jig paired with a soft plastic trailer that mimics crawfish or other bottom-dwelling prey. Slowly crawl the jig along the bottom, imitating a natural movement that bass find hard to resist.

Crankbaits: Crankbaits are another go-to option when fishing for fall bass from the shore. As water temperatures drop, bass become more aggressive and eager to chase down baitfish like shad, perch and alewives. Shallow to medium-diving or lipless crankbaits imitate fleeing baitfish, making them effective for covering a wide range of water depths. Choose colors that resemble the local baitfish and adjust your retrieval speed to find the sweet spot that attracts bass.

The five bass lure types listed above are great baits from the bank for catching fall bass, but take a few minutes and watch as one of the guys from W2F provides even more insight into fall bank fishing:

Remember to adapt your approach based on the specific waterbody you're fishing, local forage, and the prevailing weather. With the right lures and techniques, you'll increase your chances of experiencing the thrill of a fall bass striking your line from the shore.