Summertime Bassin' on Clear Lake
by Mark Crutcher
Summertime bass fishing on Clear Lake can be one of the best times of the year to fish the lake. When most people are done fishing due to the heat, I am reaching for my topwater rod and a heavy flipping stick. During the months of July, August and September, it is not uncommon to catch as many as 50 fish in a day.
Speaking of topwater, this is my favorite way to catch em! I love throwing a Snagproof frog in heavy cover. My favorite color to use is a black and red frog, or a white colored frog. I like to trim the legs, which allows the bait to “walk” like a Zara Spook. One tip is to use 50lb braided line. It has the diameter of 10lb. test, which makes the frog “walk and dance” much easier than if you were using a heavier diameter line. Topwater fish will generally be located in the tules or weeds. If you find the combination of both that is even better. The north end of the lake is shallower than the south end and is usually a good place to start. Topwater fish can be as shallow as 6 inches deep, or as far as a mile or two off shore. My second favorite bait to use in the summertime is a 3/8 oz. white or black colored buzzbait. Put a matching lizard on it as a trailer and you are ready to go. Throw the buzzbaits towards the points and pockets of the weeds. I use a slow retrieve when the water is off colored, but when the water is clear, I like to burn it. You need to cover a lot of water in order to find the fish, but once you do, the fish are usually bunched up big time! Buzzbaits can provide some of the most explosive strikes of the year.
When the fish will not come up for a topwater bait, I like to go after them by flipping and pitching. Heavy line is a must! I use 65lb braided line and an 8 foot Powell flipping stick. To penetrate the weeds, I use a ½ oz. tungeston bullet weight made by Maverick, and sometimes go up to a weight as heavy as 1 oz. The size of the weight depends on how thick the cover is. I use a bobber stopper to secure the weight to the hook. I like to tie a “snell” knot to secure my hook to the line. This is one of the best knots for using this technique. As far as baits go, keep it simple. Maverick beefy craws and beavers work great. Experiment with colors and let the fish tell you which ones to use.
Due to the massive amount of weeds in the lake, it can be overwhelming on which ones to fish. I like to look at a weedbed and imagine it as a small lake. Start on the edges of the weeds and work your way towards the middle. Points and pockets in the weeds are excellent, just as if there were no weeds. At times, the fish will be in the heavisest cover possible. Sometimes they will be in the green leafy weeds and sometimes they will be in the hydrilla type weeds. Once you get a few bites, the fish will key you in on what depth they are using and what type of cover they are relating to. After a few bites, you can usually duplicate this technique in different areas throughout the lake.
Clear Lake is a great place to come during the summer months. These two techniques have worked well for me over the years and put a lot of big bass in the boat. When that hot summer sun is out, try these tips and I’ll bet they will work for you. Please support catch and release and I’ll see you on the pond.