The summer can be one of the most exciting times of the year to target bass. You can throw topwater, frogs, crankbaits or catch bass deep by throwing jigs and finesse presentations.
One thing that I’ve realized over the years while fishing for bass in the summer is how important the color is on your baits and lures. You color choice can play a big factor in your overall fishing success and with so many color options these days it can be hard to figure out what color you should use.
So, you might be wondering what colors do bass like in the summer? The best summertime colors for bass fishing are; chartreuse, green pumpkin, junebug, black & blue, white and ghost patterns depending on the light penetration, water clarity and available forage.
In this summer bass fishing color guide, I’ll share with you everything you need to know about selecting the right summer time colors for bass, as well as some tips and tricks that will help you catch more bass this summer.
Make sure to check out My Recommended Bass Fishing Gear and Tackle Guide to ensure you have the right gear for your next fishing adventure.
Choosing the Right Summertime Color
When deciding on what color of bait or lure you should choose there are three important factors that you should consider. Water clarity, light penetration and available forage. The combination of these three things should guide you and can help you determine what color to select.
Water Clarity
The water clarity on the body of water you are fishing at can be a big factor. If you are bass fishing in the summer when the water is clear natural colors that closely resemble bait fish tend to work best. Colors like green pumpkin and brown are great options.
On the other hand, if you are fishing in stained or muddy water dark and bright color patterns will help will allow the bass to better see your bait and help it stand out. Colors like black & blue, junebug, white/chartreuse will are excellent options in these conditions.
Light Penetration
The light or lack thereof is another factor to consider and can play a big role on what colors you should throw. When the sun is high and there is a lot of light penetrating through the water chrome and lures that give off flash or sparkle are great options.
The sun will reflect of your lure much like it would as it deflects of a fish grabbing the attention of any nearby bass. One of my favorite soft plastic colors in these situations is watermelon red or purple. They still have a natural look but have an added flash to them making it hard for any nearby bass to resist.
Bass Forage
Another important factor is the type of forage your bass have available to them in your water. If you are in a fishery where the bass are known for eating bluegill or trout. Throw baits and colors that closely resemble bluegill and trout. On the other hand, if shad are the bass main forage, throw shad style patterns. Matching the hatch is a great way to choose colors and will result in more success.
Here is a summer bass fishing color chart that will help you determine what color to choose base on the different conditions:
Summer Bass Fishing Color Chart
| Sunny & Clear | Cloudy & Clear | Sunny & Stained | Cloudy & Stained |
| Chrome/metallic, reflective and flashy colors, watermelon, brown, green pumpkin | Natural dark colors, ghost patterns, green pumpkin, white/ chartreuse | Chrome/metallic, reflective and flashy colors, white, bright colors to stand out | Black & blue, junebug, green pumpkin w/blk flk, white & chartreuse |
For more in-depth information check out: How to Choose the Right Bass Fishing Colors
Best Summer Bass Fishing Colors
When it comes to bait and lure colors there are so many different options you can choose from. Now that you understand how to choose your colors based upon conditions, let talk more about the best overall summertime colors.
Black & Blue
One of the best color combinations of all time in stained and muddy water is black and blue. This color combo gives your baits a good-looking profile that resembles a lot of bass forage. It also helps make it stand out in that darker water. Darker color tones like black and blue are great summertime colors that can also work well year-round.
Green Pumpkin & Watermelon
Green pumpkin & watermelon are staple bass fishing colors that work especially well in the summer. When the water is stained or I’m fishing in low light conditions, I’ll go with green pumpkin soft plastics that have dark flakes. On the other hand, in clear sunny conditions watermelon will give your bait an extra flash and will be more productive. (Watermelon red is my favorite)
Junebug
The junebug is a special summertime color. If you aren’t familiar with this color it’s essentially a black and grape color with green flake mixed in (depending on the bait company). I use this color on big worms and soft plastic baits. Where this color really shines is in stained to muddy water and is absolutely a summertime must. Give this color a try the next time your faced with muddy water in the summer. It’s a great color.
Chrome/Flashy Colors
A great way to add more drawing power to your baits on sunny days is to use chrome and reflective colors. When there is a lot of light penetration the water will reflect of the scales of the fish causing a flash. Chrome lures do a great job at imitating this and because bass are used to seeing this it can be great way to draw attention and get more bites.
White & Chartreuse
One of my favorite color combinations to throw in the summer is white and chartreuse. I especially like this color when throwing reaction style baits like crankbaits, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.
This color category is going to be the most effective in low light conditions and when the water is stained or murky. It can also work in clear water but at times the bass will prefer more natural color.
Where Do Bass Go in the Summer
After bass have finished spawning, they will head out deeper to rest and recover. After they have fed up and recovered, they will primarily split up into two different groups. One group of bass will head to shallow cover the other group will head out deeper to the main lake.
The great thing about the summer is that if you can find them and build a pattern it will typically last all summer long and you can catch a ton of bass. To help you find bass in the summer here are some greats spots to look for.
Key Summer Areas to Target
- Points
- Ledges/Drop-offs
- Main Lake Humps
- Grass Lines
- Docks
- Current
- Over hanging cover
- Shade
- Lilly Pads
- Any type of structure
Best Summer Bass Fishing Techniques
One of the great things about bass fishing in the summer is that you can pretty much catch bass using any technique or lure as long as you are fishing in the right areas. You can catch fish out deep on a shaky head and drop shot or up shallow flipping a jig.
Here are some of the best ways to target bass in the summer:
- Crankbaits (square-bill, deep divers)
- Frogs
- Top water lures (poppers, buzzbaits, spooks)
- Chatterbait
- Sprinnerbait
- Jigs
- Shaky Head
- Drop Shot
- Tubes
- Swimbaits
Other Bass Fishing Resources
- 10 Best Crankbait Colors That Catch More Fish
- Best Lure Colors for Winter Bass Fishing
- Best Senko Colors for Bass (10 Must Have Colors)
- Bass Fishing in Muddy Water? Throw These Lures & Colors
- The 7 Best Topwater Lures for Smallmouth Bass
- Top 25 Bass Fishing Tips for Beginners
Final Thoughts
The summertime months can be one of the best times of the year to be out bass fishing. Adapting the color of lures and baits you have tied on based on the fishing conditions you face will save you a ton of money and will allow you catch more summertime bass.
Now go out and apply what you have learned in this bass fishing color guide and go catch some fish. Best of luck out there.