Summer pattern locked in with bass moving shallow early then pulling to the channel edges when it gets bright

Water's sitting in that comfortable summer range where bass are active but playing the shade game. With all these overcast skies rolling through, they're staying shallow longer than they would under bluebird conditions. The reports show fish hitting topwaters and chatterbaits around grass early, then sliding out to 5-8 feet on timber and channel edges once the sun climbs higher. If clouds stick around and there's a breeze, that shallow bite can stretch well into the morning. But when it gets bright and slick, they pull to the first drop and big wood near deeper water where they can stay comfortable.

The day's game plan

Where to fish

• Grass Lines — 2-6 feet · Edge of vegetation with nearby deeper water
  Ambush points where bass can hide and intercept prey moving along the cover
• Channel Edges with Timber — 5-12 feet · Big stumps and laydowns on drops into creek channels
  Perfect combination of cover and deep water access that holds bass all summer
• Secondary Points — 4-10 feet · Gradual sloping points inside creek arms with scattered cover
  Feeding stations where bass ambush baitfish moving between shallow and deep
• Lighted Docks — 3-15 feet · Walkways and boat slips with brush or deep water nearby
  Lights attract baitfish at night and provide shade during the day

What to throw

• Chatterbait — 1/2 oz · White/chartreuse · n/a (Morning hours around vegetation)
  Cast to grass edges and retrieve at medium speed with rod tip up
• Viper XP Jig — n/a · Green pumpkin · 3/8 oz (Midday around timber and docks)
  Pitch to cover and hop along bottom with slack line
• Texas Rig Worm — 7 in · Watermelon red flake · 1/4 oz (Hot afternoons on deeper structure)
  Drag slowly on bottom with occasional hops
• Squarebill Crankbait — 2.5 in · Shad pattern · n/a (Evening around points and flats)
  Steady retrieve bumping into cover and deflecting
• Buzzbait — n/a · White or chartreuse/white · 1/2 oz (Early morning over shallow grass)
  Steady retrieve just fast enough to keep blades churning on top

How to work it

• Pitching to Cover — Midday when bass are buried in cover · Big timber, dock corners, brush piles
  Pendulum cast with low trajectory, let bait fall on slack line and watch for line jumps
• Burning Grass Lines — Morning and evening when bass are active · Edge of vegetation in 3-6 feet
  Fast retrieve with chatterbait or lipless crank just over the tops
• Slow Rolling — Night fishing or low light conditions · Around lighted docks and shallow timber
  Keep spinnerbait just under surface with steady, slow retrieve
• Bottom Dragging — Hot midday when bass are holding deep · Points, channel edges, deep structure
  Keep constant contact with bottom, feel for rocks and wood to hop over

Pro tips

• When you catch one on timber, work every piece of similar wood in that depth range. Bass school up on the same type of structure.
• If the topwater bite shuts down fast, immediately switch to a chatterbait in the same areas. Often they'll still eat something just under the surface.

If conditions change

If a front blows through and pressure jumps, downsize everything and fish tight to the thickest cover you can find. Shaky heads and drop shots on boat docks become your best bet. If wind picks up and muddy water rolls in, switch to bright chartreuse and white baits with more vibration like spinnerbaits with Colorado blades.