If you are bass fishing in the early morning heat – or worse – during the midday, here’s a few ideas that might make your trip a little more tolerable.

Search areas where brush is in abundance, especially during the midday, because bass will head for cover to avoid the penetration of the sunlight.

A favorite hiding place for bass is deep brush, and that’s one of the first places you might want to visit.

Bass can be finicky, so give them what they want. Since they are trying to avoid the heat, try a finesse bait – small jig, shaky head or drop shot – instead of a larger lure.

Give the area you are in a good going over. Bass during the midday aren’t known to chase baits, so you might want to try multiple casts from different angles.

Fishing Report

Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: 80 degrees. Water color: cloudy
Bass: “Bass are starting summer school and zeroed in on shad in the main body of the lake,” Trenton’s Brent Smith said. “Big bass are still hanging close to timber in seven-to-10-feet of water hitting plastics, jigs, and silent crank baits. Early and late they are hitting top water around timber.”

Catfish: Brent said if you are looking for catfish, head for Gibson County Lake.
“They are on fire,” Brent said. “Shallow and deep. Try cut bait and worms.”

Pickwick Lake

Water temperature: lower 80s. Elevation: 414 feet
Bass: Bass are biting in Pickwick Lake and most fish are in the 15-to-18-inch range, and a few of the bigger largemouth bass are being found in 20-feet of water while Carolina rigging on a Rage Tail crawfish in a watermelon candy color.

Ledges just off the flats are holding some nice fish, and the best way to catch these fish are with a Carolina rig with Strike King Rage Tail crawfish or lizards.

A few large bass are being caught on deep water humps and ledges right now, using big spinner baits, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crank baits. Fishing crankbaits such as Strike Kings 6XD’s along the main lake bluffs is another productive way to catch a fair amount of bass, right now.

Stripers: The best baits are small grubs, Strike King Series 3 crankbaits and inline spinners.

Rockfish (Stripers): What we’re hearing is, if you use a sassy shad you will usually out perform store bought minnows. You can troll a deep-diving crankbait in the late afternoon and catch a few stripers, as well.

Catfish: Catfish are biting good right now. They are hitting nightcrawlers in five-to-15-feet. You also might want to give crickets and turkey liver a try.

Crappie: Crappie are picking up in numbers. Several have been caught on small grubs in and around the brushy areas.

Bass Tournament
The Henderson County Bass Anglers Thursday Night Bass Tournament at Beech Lake will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., today. Visitors are welcome to participate. For more information, call (731) 695-1654.

(PHOTO: Lake Graham, Jackson)
David Thomas, Twitter– @DavidThomasWNWS
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