Most people consider the morning and even hours to be much better for bass fishing.
However, many of us don’t want to wake up that early or fish while it is getting dark.
So fishing during the mid day is much more convenient. So let’s talk about how to make the most of mid day bass fishing.
In sunny weather, bass will not be very active during the middle of the day.
The sun is just too bright and powerful for them to move around in comfortably.
But on overcast or rainy days, bass will be very active all throughout the day, including the middle when the sun is highest.
Since the sun is being blocked by clouds, the bass can roam free and move around a lot more without overheating.
Of course it is good to fish mid day. Bass have to eat pretty much around the clock to keep up with their metabolism.
This is especially true during the summer months because the warm water speeds up their metabolism even more.
So as long as you implement the right strategies, mid day fishing is very good.
This is the million dollar question. Now that we know that bass have to eat and that you can catch them during the daytime, you still have to know how to fish for them.
Here is everything it takes to catch bass when the sun is high in the sky.
Catching bass in the middle of the day when you have bluebird skies can be difficult.
Bass will do one of two things during these conditions. First, bass will get right up under cover.
This cover can be docks, laydowns, grass, or overhanging branches. The key here is shade.
Bass need shade when it is hot and sunny. They are the same as us in that way.
Nobody wants to stay out in the sun for hours. Bass stick to this structure for shade and oxygen released from the vegetation.
Second. Bass, especially big bass in ponds, will move out to deeper water. The deeper water is much cooler and has much less light.
In stained or muddy water, the sun is pretty much blocked out passed 3-4 feet deep.
This deeper water is also a bit more oxygen rich because the cooler water temperatures hold on to oxygen better than the warm banks.
Things are much different when the sun is cover with clouds or rain. Bass don’t need find shade, so they will move away from structure a bit.
This doesn’t mean that they will completely abandon the docks, laydowns, and grass.
But they will sag off of them a bit and be much more willing to chase prey that comes near to the cover.
The bass that would have moved out deep to escape the sun are now up shallow or high in the water column looking to hunt down prey.
The mid day is often the best time you can fish on overcast or rainy days.
During the mid day, the sun is high in the sky and shining directly down into the water.
Even on overcast days, much more light is entering the water during these hours.
The more light that is in the water, the higher the water visibility is.
So this means that bass can see much better during the middle hours of the day.
Generally, this means that you should use a bit more realistic lures and colors.
Try to use either finesse baits or lures that mimic the exact forage that your bass are feeding on.
Also Read: Best Lure Colors for Sunny Days
The drop shot is my favorite finesse bass rig. It keeps your bait suspended about a foot off the bottom and entices the bass into biting.
This will be a bait that catches the deep water bass that have moved out to get away from the sun.
These bass are stuck the bottom and you will need a finesse presentation to catch them.
Now the Texas rig is going to be your best bet to catch the bass that have moved up under the shade of structure.
A lot of guys will prefer a jig to flip to this cover, but I prefer a Texas rig. It is more versatile because of the tons of soft plastics you can use.
Also, I feel like the Texas rig out performs jigs when fishing from the bank, which I assume a lot of y’all are doing.
If you are reading this, the chances are that it is the late spring, summer, or early fall.
And that means there will be tons of grass, lily pads, algae, and pond scum on the surface of your lake.
This vegetation is almost certainly holding tons of bass during the mid day, but it can be very hard to fish.
A hollow body from is the best way to fish right through all of this stuff. It will come right over top without collecting weeds or getting snagged.
Since you are presenting the bait directly in and around the vegetation, bass will still commit to a topwater, even when the sun is at it’s highest point.
Also Read: Best Lure Colors for Cloudy Days
Spinnerbaits are almost synonymous with overcast weather conditions.
The flash of the blades are perfect for reflecting the limited light entering the water.
You can fish the spinnerbait in open water to catch suspended bass. And also reel it passed submerged cover to get a bass to ambush.
Bass aren’t always in a reactionary mood. Even if the are suspended or sagging off of cover, they might not want to commit to a big, aggressive lure like a spinnerbait.
The wacky rig is a very subtle, finesse rig that entices bass into biting.
However, you can still cover a bit more water than some other finesse rigs like the drop shot or ned rig, which is better for the reduced visibility conditions.
Whenever you have warm, overcast conditions, you should keep a topwater lure in the back of your mind.
And during the middle of the day, I have found that a popper is the best topwater you can use.
The loud splashing that the cupped mouth makes can call bass in from long distances.
And the slow speed gives bass time to find and attack the lure.
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