Going small

[Danny Lang]

When is your time to downsize for summer baits? Is it when the bigger baits stops producing, or you can catch more with smaller baits, or water temps? Just looking for oponions.

[happycaster58]

Whenever water temps hit 80, I would try smaller jigs and hair jigs. Fish get lethargic when water gets warmer. Sometime they want smaller, sometimes it's larger. Experiment and see what they're eatin'. Personally, in summer, I pull cranks to find the active fish.

[SuperDave336]

I let the fish tell me. When it gets hard to get a bite I change up and try something different. Going smaller is one of the first things. It's definitely helped me by downsizing.

[DockShootinJack]

I will switch to a smaller profile on pressured fish. Most of the time it works well

[BuckeyeCrappie]

Heat makes me change as the bite usually dictates.

[Ketchn]

we start here when the fry population is at its peak , about a month or so back and gradually adjust accordingly . did not notice as of lately much difference in the spots I hit , but to be sure profile and size can make it or break it .
smaller baits get lots of bites , but to be very sure,some of the fish involved are not much on size and then there are them ever present bream to deal with too .....just saying

[Spoonminnow]

but to be sure profile and size can make it or break it

Got to add lure action to the mix.

I haven't seen much difference as regards the number of fish I catcht regardless water temperature and lures cast. Fish adjust to water temperature as is their nature. Fish attack lures that have the right action, retrieved the right way, in the right areas of a lake. Lures that catch fish in early spring, catch fish mid summer. As usual, larger lures may exclude smaller fish biting whereas small to medium size lures catch the most fish of all sizes.

When it comes to lure speed, lures that do well using a slow retrieve may do better than faster-retrieve lures types such as a Beetle Spin with curl tail grub. For that reason I like spike tail and Crappie Magnet grubs for their universal appeal in all water temperaturs.

Jig head weight is also important depending on depth fish: lighter in water fished within a few feet of the surface; a bit heavier jig in water 5' or deeper.

[Ketchn]

lack of speed often matters bigtime, the ever present "almost" zero gravity super slow fall is a deadly summer pattern with a tiny bait in these parts , but again , it wont be just big crappie eating it ....

[Spoonminnow]

it wont be just big crappie eating it

No doubt!



A light jighead with the right size hook for the lure's length gets it done!