As the dog days of summer are upon us, we must change our tactics as quickly as the weather changes inorder to stay competitive. Fish will move into the shallows to escape heat and feed using structure as camouflage picking off easy pray targets. One way that I’ve found which is extremely productive is fishing a jig.
There are quite a few different styles to pick from and thousands of different manufactures. Each have their place in bass fishing dictated by weather/temp, season and lake composition. Today I’m talking summer heat baby! And two come to mind. Swim and football head.
I will lead off to start with football head jigs. The name should be obvious due to its head shape. On a light grass with soft mud bottom you’ll kick up a cloud while remaining upright resembling a craw in distress. I like to throw browns and rust or motor oil color with a trailer. A quick pitch by cove like a laydown or tree and slowly scooch on the bottom creating a disturbance and cloud of debris. Smallies and large mouth cannot resist.
Now my second go to is a swim jig with a big old trailer. Usually a paddle tail swim bait trimmed to fit. Keitech has a fantastic selection. But personally, I like BIG! Big squared off tails, equal big vibration and in turn aggression strikes. Run over a lay down timber bouncing off limbs and structure. Don’t worry about snagging up on branches because most swim jigs do not have a weed guard, the rolling shape of the head will deflect you clear as long as you keep a steady retrieve going. 
Another fantastic place to throw a large swim jig is running parallel to docks and piers banging off the poles. You can pop it for short burst swims or a plain old steady retrieve. Early morning or sunset, running parallel to a shoreline. When pulling quickly in a search bait mode to lock down patterns or in a time crunch situation use the fattest and most disturbing trai.er you can and move fast so they are chasing vibrations as opposed to visually locking down and striking.
As for gear, I like heavy gear for this style. I’m partial to Lew’s reels and Duckett rods for this. A slower 6:8:1 Lew’s speed spool is a fantastic choice paired with a Duckett rod in nothing less than 7’3” in heavy fast action. I use Suffix 832 braid in 25-30 lbs., for this. Hopefully I was able to help you guys with summer bass action. Much love and respect, tight lines.
Bill “DB” Iversen
