Posted by Sheng Auksel to Expert Fishing Advise

As we reflect on an exciting year of fishing, it’s time to review the best techniques, tips, lure recommendations, and regional insights that helped anglers across the country catch more fish. Whether you were targeting largemouth bass, crappie, or white bass, this guide has something for everyone. Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the most successful fishing strategies, regional tips, and recommended lures from 10-4 Tackle.

Summer Fishing Techniques (June-August)

June: Kick off Summer Correctly

Hard Baits:

Lures: Topwater Walkers and Poppers.

Retrieval: Focus on topwater fishing during early mornings and late evenings. Use walking baits and poppers for explosive strikes.
Recommendations: River2Sea Whopper Plopper, Berkley Choppo, Heddon Spook, Popper

Soft Plastics:

Colors: Green pumpkin, watermelon red, black.
Retrieval: Use Texas-rigged worms and slowly drag them across the bottom with twitches.
Recommendations: 10-4 Tackle Stick'em
Jigs:

Colors: Black and blue, green pumpkin.

Retrieval: Slow, steady crawl with occasional hops to mimic crawfish.
Recommendations: 10-4 Tackle Stand Up Football with 10-4 Tackle Rig'Craw

Regional Tips:

Southwest: If fishing midday, fish deep structure such as ledges, humps, and submerged vegetation.
Southeast: Fish early mornings and late evenings to avoid heat. Focus on shaded areas and underwater vegetation.
Northeast: Fish near submerged structures and rocky areas. Early mornings and late afternoons are most productive.
Midwest: Target lakes with abundant aquatic vegetation and shallow flats.
West: Fish reservoirs and clear lakes, focusing on deep ledges and submerged points.

July: Beat the Heat with Night Fishing

Hard Baits:

Lures: 10-4 Tackle's Midnight Spinnerbaits, buzzbait and bladed jigs.

Techniques: Use dark-colored spinnerbaits and bladed jigs along weed lines for night fishing.
Recommendations: Booyah Buzzbait, Teckle Bladewalker, River2Sea Ish Monroe Spinnerbait, 10-4 Tackle Rambler, Z-Man Jackhammer Chatterbait
Soft Plastics:
Colors: Black, dark blue.
Retrieval: Slow retrieve weighted Texas rigged large bulky worms or creature baits with occasional pops..
Recommendations: 10-4 Tackle Hawg (coming soon), Zoom Ol' Monster, Googan Trench Hawg, Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Game Hawg
Jigs:

Colors: Black and blue.
Retrieval: Slow roll heavy jig along the bottom with occasional pops.
Recommendations: 10-4 Stand Up Football with 10-4 Tackle 4" Enforcer
Regional Tips:

Southwest: Focus on areas with a mix of shallow flats and deep water access. Fish around docks, weed edges, and rocky points.
Southeast: Fish around boat docks and submerged trees during the night. Northeast: Focus on clear water lakes and use black lights to help see your line.
Midwest: Target areas with consistent night temperatures, like farm ponds and small lakes.
West: Fish reservoirs and large lakes with rocky shorelines and submerged structures.

August: Master Deep Water Techniques

Hard Baits:

Lures: Spoons and deep diving cranks
Technique: Keep the lure on the bottom. Rip spoons 4-5ft at a time.
Recommendations: Spoon, Strike King KVD Deep Square Bill
Soft Plastics:
Colors: Green pumpkin, purple, blue.
Retrieval: Drop shot rigs with finesse worms, hovering just above the bottom.
Recommendations: 10-4 Tackle UFW, 10-4 Tackle Drop It Worm, 10-4 Tackle Trick Worm - nose hook, wacky rig, or weedless
Jigs:
Colors: Brown and orange, green pumpkin.
Retrieval: Slow drag football jigs across deep structure with pauses.
Recommendations: 10-4 Tackle Stand Up Football with 10-4 Tackle Enforcer
Regional Tips:
Southwest: Fish deep water structures such as ledges, drop-offs, and submerged brush piles.
Southeast: Fish deep reservoirs and ledges where bass seek cooler temperatures.
Northeast: Target deep rocky points and underwater humps.
Midwest: Focus on deeper parts of lakes with thermoclines.
West: Fish clear, deep lakes with steep drop-offs and submerged trees.