Bass fishing with crankbaits is a great way to catch bass, but they can be especially effective in the heat of the summer. While summer fishing can get pretty tough for most anglers, a shallow-running squarebill crankbait fished around isolated laydowns is a major equalizer. But due to higher water temperatures, a unique retrieve is needed.
TACKLE USED:
- Strike King KVD HC Shallow Squarebill 1.5 Crankbait
- Rapala Balsa Xtreme BX Big Brat Squarebill Crankbait
That’s why Walker “worms” a crankbait through laydowns; he doesn’t cast and retrieve like you normally would. Instead, he slowly pulls the crankbait through cover with just his rod. All of the lure movement comes from the rod and the reel is only used to retrieve slack line. Because lethargic summer bass don’t always want to travel far to attack prey, this slower and more deliberate approach can yield extra bites. Repeated casts are also incredibly important as the bass won’t always eat the crankbait out of hunger. These repeated casts essentially irritate the bass into biting, which is what Walker describes as “reaction strikes.”
