Summer 2026
®
search around for bait and when I find the bait, the fish are normally close around.
WB: You have found fish during practice before a tournament, but the fish have moved. What adjustments do you make to relocate the bass?
THAO: The bass you have found in an area have just moved either further out of a cove towards the main lake or deeper, but the biggest key is to relocate the bait, and the fish will be around that area.
WB: What five baits do you have tied on during the summer months:
THAO: Number one bait is a Teckel USA Kicknocker Walking Bait, the 8” flutter spoon or the 5” flutter spoon, a minnow-style type of bait, a Carolina Rig with a brush hog and a shaky head worm.
WB: Which structure do you concentrate on while fishing during the summer?
THAO: Main lake points, islands or underwater humps, marinas, cables, standing timber or standing structure, and any type of structure that the fish can suspend or hang around. Search around with your electronics and find the bait fish, and you’ll find the fish. Be sure to keep your ears and eyes open and be aware of your surroundings for fish working bait to the surface. This will help find those active feeding fish.
WB: Best safety advice for the kayak community.
THAO: Besides the obvious, wear a life jacket. Make sure you always have some type of bilged pump, either automatic or manual pump in your kayak. One never knows when your kayak can fill with water and become unstable. An automatic bilge pump can alert you that the kayak is taking on water before it becomes unstable, they are inexpensive and easy to install.
Summer bass fishing can be challenging, especially when fish move offshore and constantly follow bait. But as Thao explained, success during the hottest months of the year comes down to understanding fish movement, trusting your electronics, and staying around active baitfish.
Whether it’s working a walking bait over suspended fish, fluttering a spoon beneath the kayak, or triggering reaction bites with a minnow-style bait, Thao’s approach is built around efficiency and adjustments. His ability to adapt to changing conditions is one of the biggest reasons he has become one of the most accomplished kayak anglers in the world.
If there is one lesson anglers can take away from Thao’s summer approach, it is simple: find the bait, and the bass will not be far away. •
page 22
https://forceonforcetv.com/