FISHING
BE A SURFACE PRO SELECTING THE RIGHT BAITS FOR LATE SUMMER’S TOPWATER BASS ACTION By Capt. Bill Schaefer
L
ike the grand finale at a fireworks show, the surfaces of most of our local lakes have been exploding with bass. Roaming wolf packs will attack any baitfish they can find this time of year, which can make for nonstop action if you find the right school and use the right bait.
CHOOSE WISELY Often we find ourselves chasing after a school that will not eat anything we throw. We try bait after bait from our boxes and nothing seems to attract them. Then another boat pulls up and starts catching fish. What the heck? There are many factors in play when it comes to what bass are focusing on. If the water is stained, they may be using their lateral lines to feed. They feel a certain vibration and you need to emulate it. This is probably the hardest thing to do, but try different baits till you come close. Bass also use sight and a question to ask yourself is this: Is my bait close to the size of the baitfish that they are after? Throwing a lure that is will increase your chances of getting bit.
MATCH GAME Just as with fly anglers in search of trout, matching the hatch really does make a difference in a lot of types of fishing, including for bass. Sometimes the fish want a popping lure that spits water out in front of it so as to look like a school of baitfish, with your lure being the trailing
Small crankbaits or jerkbaits can be great for throwing on breaking bass near the surface. If you can get the right bait into the water, the action can be nonstop. (BILL SCHAEFER) calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
47
