Two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion Jordan Lee says in hot weather, he always fishes big baits.
I think bass want to eat a bigger meal in the summer when they take a bait than they do in the spring, the fall and the winter months. My number-one choice of lures for summertime fishing is a big crankbait like Strike King’s Series 6XD. That bait catches tons of big bass during the summer months, not only because it’s a big lure, but because it also dives down to the deeper depths.
My second choice will be a jig. I like to bulk-up my jigs by adding big trailers to them. If the bass are relating to the bottom, which they usually are, they’re looking for a big meal falling off a ledge, diving into deep cover, moving along the bottom so it’s easy to catch or hopped-up off the bottom. Or, I’ll fish a big, bulky swimming jig. If the bass are in vegetation, they particularly like something that’s big and bulky and displaces a lot of water as it swims through the weeds.
My third choice will be a really big plastic worm. Those 10, 12 and 14-inch worms that you can fish in any type of cover or structure on the bottom, near the bottom or on the surface will be good bets to catch a big bass. If you’re bass fishing this summer, I strongly suggest that you not fish little lures. Instead pick big baits, and you’ll not only get more bites, but you’ll probably get bigger bites also.
