The Summer Peak is short—the brief period when bass first move to their typical summer locations and the fishing is fine. Water lilies and other aquatic plants have developed, producing well-defined inside and outside weededges, but they haven’t yet become covered with algae. Oxygen levels are high and the water’s clear. Lakes are in the process of stratifying or have already done so.

Young baitfish provide plenty of food; adult prey have just spawned and are therefore vulnerable to largemouths. Unless early summer cold fronts become severe, bass feed aggressively at this time. In reservoirs with plentiful shad, some bass start to follow shad schools offshore, especially at dawn and dusk.

Locating largemouths during Summer Peak Period can be difficult. Some fish remain in heavy cover in shallow water, while others patrol deep ¬weedlines, timber, and stumpfields, searching for prey. Shallower fish can turn off when wind or a cold front comes through. If preyfish are in deeper water, bass may remain there, often holding on steep vertical structures like points and sharp shoreline breaks. The moderate water temperatures and high oxygen levels at this time of year keep many largemouths in deeper water. Deeper-lying bass can be difficult to locate, but they’re reliable biters because depth insulates them from minor weather changes. Locate them, and fishing can be terrific.