Summer 2020
®
By Dr. Ricky Shabazz
dissecting an e ective
shallow water
TREE PATTERN
F
ishing for bass during the summer months doesn’t have to involve going early,
staying late, or targeting shade pockets. A key summer pattern can simply be shallow
water structure. Many anglers seemingly overlook this pattern; but shallow trees and brush offer great
opportunities for catching bass that live in skinny water year-round.
Submerged trees in shallow water are a great source of plankton that baitfish such as shad, minnows,
bluegill, and other juvenile fish feed on. These baitfish are easy meals for a hungry lazy bass.
This article breaks down how to establish an effective shallow water tree pattern to catch bass out of
highly pressured lakes.
MYTH BUSTING
First, let’s dispel the myth that there is a given period during the day or during the summer to catch a bass
out of shallow water.
During the summer, more than any other time of the year, there appears to be general
understanding that bass go shallow in the morning and move deeper during the heat of
the day. The reality is that there are more baitfish and other forage swimming
around during the summer than any other time of the year. The shallows are beaming with activity and that is why the warm-weather months can be a great
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