Summer Bass in the Basin
written by Trey Blocker
The opportunity to catch a hefty sack of bass is always available in the thousands of square miles of lakes, canals and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin. The scorching summer months bring warm water temperatures and cause the basin to come alive.
Buzz baits, floating frogs, and punching grass mats are some of the many patterns that can produce quality fish in the Atchafalaya Basin during the summer. Finding the infamous "good water" is a must for locating populations of quality fish, but can become a bit tricky to recognize even for the experienced angler. Pro angler, and 2-time Toyota Tundra Bass Master Weekend Series Division 13 (Louisiana) Angler of the Year, Brett Sellers, will offer some professional know how on establishing some productive summer patterns in the Atchafalaya Basin.
The summer heat definitely takes a toll on the bass fishing in south Louisiana. Water temperatures heat up and send bass searching for areas with some access to cooler water.
"Cooler water doesn't necessarily mean deeper water. It can also be water that has a good flow to it. I like to focus my time in areas that represent both scenarios," says Sellers while pitching a plastic craw to the base of a cypress tree.
The "good" water in the spillway is usually represented by a pretty green tint with about a foot or two of slight visibility. Finding some clean, moving water with some scattered patches of grass and lay downs lying along the bank are ideal areas to kill the outboard start fishing.
The Atchafalaya River is always changing because of the rising and falling water levels from the Mississippi; therefore, the basin can at times, be a tough place to locate this kind of water. More often than not, the water can become stained and turn anglers away.
"Sometimes stained water is more productive than the real clean water, especially when there is current, so don't let the coloration deter you," says Sellers as he points out the grass bent over from the steadily flowing water.
The warmer water temperatures obviously bring more active fish. Buzz baits, and frogs are the most famous top water lures for the basin during the summer. The big bass love these lures and will explode on them with extreme violence almost all day long.
"Like a lot of these boys down here, I love to work a frog. They just catch bigger fish," explains Sellers.
Frogs are great to throw anywhere in the basin but are especially great in areas where heavy grass and duck seed dominate. Buzz baits are great for covering a lot of water and are also notorious for enticing big bass. Any self-respecting spillway angler wouldn't touch the water without one, if not both, of these lures rigged up. As the hot summer sun moves high into the sky, the bass suck up tight to the cover. All bass naturally seek cover of some form or another.
"An old timer once told me," Sellers explains, "if you take a white five-gallon bucket with a piece of black tape on the inside and fill it up with water and some bass fingerlings, they will all eventually make their way to the tape. I like to keep that in mind when I'm fishing," says Sellers.
The bass getting deep in or under the cover calls for pulling out the punching gear. Heavy braid, with at least a one-ounce weight is the only way to punch down south. Punching soft plastics through grass beds or thick vegetation mats will produce quality fish in the summer.
"Man! I've burned some serious hogs punching" Sellers says.
Utilizing these different tactics will increase ones chances of catching bigger bass and more of them.
The Atchafalaya Basin is a wonderful and beautiful fishery. The summer heat bakes the endless waterways pulling fish out into areas with the option for some cooler water and thicker cover. Locating this "good water" is essential for finding productivity during these hot months in the spillway. Although soft plastics, spinner baits, and crank baits work well year around, in the summer frogs, buzz baits, and punching get the job done when it comes to banging out the big dogs in the Atchafalaya Basin.
About the Author: Trey Blocker is a pro angler and freelance outdoor writer in southern Louisiana. He competes in the Bass Master Weekend Series, other local circuits and charity tournaments. He is currently on team LOUISIANA FISH FRY, with other sponsors including SWAMP STICK RODS, and ROBELOCKER FISHING. Trey owns his own lawn and landscaping business named Blocker Landscaping and loves to cut grass and catch bass.
