by Bob Jensen |
A new fishing season is underway. Some anglers commit themselves to trying new baits and techniques every new season.
Fishing can be like the weather in mid-summer: Both can be very hot. To take part in this potentially fast action, you’ll need to do things a little differently than you would at other times of the year. Following are some of those things.
Generally, in the summer when the fish want to bite it works well to use faster moving baits and fish through areas quickly. If the fish are going to bite, they’ll let you know right away.
However, if the bite is slow, you might be better off fishing slow and really working an area thoroughly. If you know the body of water well, then concentrate on spots that you know hold fish and work them over.
Let’s say were fishing for largemouth bass. Usually in the summer, early and late in the day are when the fish go on a good bite. This is when you’ll want to use a fast moving bait, maybe a buzz-bait or a spinnerbait or a crankbait.
When the sun gets up higher and the bite slows down, you might want to go with plastic baits rigged on a jig or weedless. Fish around vegetation, docks, or any other form of cover where bass hang out.
Fish can be very selective when they get finicky. On a recent mid-summer fishing trip, we experienced one of those days when the fish were finicky. We were fishing for largemouth bass. It was an overcast day, so the bite remained pretty good throughout the day. Good that is, if we were using the right bait. My partner and I were both throwing Impulse plastics, trying different shapes, colors, and sizes. We went through a lot of baits, but a Dip-Stick worm in the watermelon-red color was by far most productive. It was noticeable that this was the bait that the bass preferred by a large margin. Color is a consideration whenever you go fishing, but at times it’s a huge factor. So is bait shape and size. Give the fish plenty of options until they show you what their preference on that day is.
Much of the time in the summer, the fish will prefer a faster moving bait, and also one that is moving erratically. Along the weedline, when you feel your bait hang up on a weed, give it a sharp rip. When a bass or walleye or pike sees that bait struggling on a weed, then ripping free and appearing to be escaping, a strike will often be triggered.
Mid-summer fishing is heating up. It’s fun to be on the water when the sun comes up, catch some fish, then take a mid-day break. Maybe go to town or something, but be back on the water in the early evening. You’ll catch fish, and you’ll be taking full advantage of all that summer has to offer in the way of fish.
Photo: The author with a nice early morning mid-summer bass.
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