"Dog Days of Summer"

[Brad in Texas]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Slow down

Night fishing, too, when and where it works . . . most places, it does.

 

But, regardless of the time, night or day, slowing way down is my best advice. For so many, especially anglers in bigger boats and especially with a second angler aboard, that often means dropping from super fast to fast. While that could help a bit, the bigger pay-off is much, much slower.

 

I wonder if it is my age (66) or how I fish (from a kayak or canoe) or my general preference (finesse over power), but gosh I can fish so slowly compared to most. It makes many people fidgety, I think, but I can toss out a drop shot, tension the line to my liking, then just sit on it and soak up the scenery.

 

And, taking what would normally be a faster presentation and slowing it way down is effective. Number 1 example below has been a favorite for me this year.

 

Examples:

 

1) a soft jerk bait - instead of casting it, then jerking it back on well-paced retrieve, try casting or pitching it, letting it sink like a dying minnow, let it sit on bottom, fish it like a T-Rig bouncing it back in. Or, cast it on top of lilies, let it sit on a pad, then nudge it slowly off the side to drop into the water as slowly as you can (between pads) letting it plunge a few feet. before pulling it up on the next pad to repeat. If there is a bass down there napping in the shade, you have a good chance of getting bitten.

 

2) same thing with a spinnerbait/etc. - instead of a typical, normal-paced retrieve, let it occasionally hit bottom and leave it alone for, say, 15 seconds, then retrieve it in little hops hard enough to spin the blades. In essence, fish it a bit like a jig.

 

I could go on but the general idea is to take things that normally are fished faster and if they "convert" to slower methods, do so. Not all presentations work but several do.

 

Brad

 

 

[kenmitch]

20 hours ago, EGbassing said:

I've fished at night for an hour almost every night for the past several weeks. I haven't had a single bite on anything. Spinnerbaits, jigs, ned rigs, chatterbaits, etc. I can go out in when it's 95 degrees in the middle of the afternoon and catch a few though. I just don't understand it.

I took the yak out yesterday AM for the 1st time in over a month. CA weather has been too dang hot lately to even think about fishing. I didn't figure it was going to be a good day but wanted to at least get on the water for a few hours to try out some new gear. 

 

I wound up catching 1 dink 1.25lb bass on a lipless. Didn't have any other luck trying out other stuff. Missed a couple on the ned rig. I haven't really done much finesse type fishing yet as it's boring too me. 

 

There was another kayak angler fishing the area around me. We were about 40-50yds apart from each other at times. He wound up hooking into a 10.69lb bass which I at least got to see the him fight and land. I peddled over to him check out the beast. I think it was around 10:15AM when he hooked into it. He hooked it on a jig/trailer rig it looked like. So I guess big offering for a big bass came thru for him. I took some photos for him on his phone as the solo kayak fisherman doesn't really get the photo opportunities that the boaters get. 

 

It was also the 1st time I've seen a Slayer 10 on the water besides mine. It lived up to it's name for him....I'm patiently waiting for my turn!

 

I guess it's the if your in the right place, at the right time, and throw the right bait they'll eat it up for the win.

 

 

[EGbassing]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Wow! A whole hour! ?

 

Well, it's probably been around 20 hours added up. I'm averaging about 1 - 2 per hour in the mid-morning. I have noticed that the water temperature is considerably warmer at 9:00 PM or so when I usually go. Probably 10+ degrees warmer than at 7:00 AM. I'm wondering if they mainly just feed in the morning since it's a pond, and ponds warm up really quickly.

[Ratherbfishing]

Troll (but not on the internet).

[Ksam1234]

On 8/14/2018 at 1:07 PM, EGbassing said:

I've fished at night for an hour almost every night for the past several weeks. I haven't had a single bite on anything. Spinnerbaits, jigs, ned rigs, chatterbaits, etc. I can go out in when it's 95 degrees in the middle of the afternoon and catch a few though. I just don't understand it.

An hour isn’t long at all.. at night it’s not about numbers but more quality as I have found. I have fished overnight a few times , started around 7 pm and fished till sunup.  You won’t hsve 50+fish but you will have a few quality ones. Last time I went night fishing I caught maybe 10 fish but nothing under 2 pounds.  Biggest was over 5. 

[the reel ess]

On 8/14/2018 at 11:36 AM, Mike Boitnott said:

 Dog days of summer are upon us – what is a tip someone gave you that helps you catch more fish in the heat?

Go early or late if you can't go at night. My buddy told me lately that the bass were doing NOTHING at our local reservoir and he's been catching some crappie instead. I got on the water before 7:00 and caught 8 bass on three different baits, including a couple big'uns. 5 of them came on a Pop R. All but one were in shallow shade and the bite was over by 9:30. Even if bass are really not into it, there are usually a couple windows a day for some bites.

[rejesterd]

3 hours ago, EGbassing said:

Well, it's probably been around 20 hours added up. I'm averaging about 1 - 2 per hour in the mid-morning. I have noticed that the water temperature is considerably warmer at 9:00 PM or so when I usually go. Probably 10+ degrees warmer than at 7:00 AM. I'm wondering if they mainly just feed in the morning since it's a pond, and ponds warm up really quickly.

The problem is you think you have to go at a time when they're feeding.  Not true.  You'll generally catch more when they're feeding, but they don't go grocery shopping.  They're still fighting to survive in the wild, so there are plenty of ways to trigger them to bite even if they're not currently looking for food.  Fish very fast and very erratic.  If you get nothing, slow way way down.  If you still get nothing, start over with different colors.

[geo g]

In the swamps of south Florida the summer dull drums are here.  With 90* water temps, the O2 levels deeper then 5 feet are usually poor quality.  Bass will get under the thick cover because it blocks the sunlight, provides ambush points, is where the bait fish, frogs, snakes, small birds, and bugs hang out.  The most important aspect is the weeds produce O2, especially when the sun is high.  Its like an O2 tank in the ER.  It is a life saver for their comfortable existence, and quality of life.  In these Hot summer days, look for the thick green weeds.  Two different kinds of green weeds is better then the same kind, and an isolated clump of green stuff in an open flat is a magnet for the surrounding flat, during the bright sun.  You may catch more then one bass off an isolated clump.  I hope this helps if you have similar surroundings.

[Dogfish_Jones]

In fishing the lakes here in Alabama, it seems that you will not do any good until your get current flowing, (I fish the Coosa River chain), so I need the dams to be flowing. The water is hovering between 89 to 92 degrees in the lakes I am fishing. It's been hard for me and most everyone I have talked to around here.

Now, what I am doing is fishing the Ned Rig, C-Rig of Texas Rig. I am having so-so luck on the Shaky heads but some will say that is all they are catching them on.

I'm finding deep pockets right off the banks that lead into the channel that seems to produce a few right now. But they are coming hard to find.

[EGbassing]

1 hour ago, Ksam1234 said:

An hour isn’t long at all.. at night it’s not about numbers but more quality as I have found. I have fished overnight a few times , started around 7 pm and fished till sunup.  You won’t hsve 50+fish but you will have a few quality ones. Last time I went night fishing I caught maybe 10 fish but nothing under 2 pounds.  Biggest was over 5. 

But an hour a night for weeks is a lot. If you fished from sunrise to sunup without stopping two times, (around 20 total hours) without a bite, whouldn't you say something is wrong?

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

But an hour a night for weeks is a lot. If you fished from sunrise to sunup without stopping two times, (around 20 total hours) without a bite, whouldn't you say something is wrong?

Is it the same hour every night?

[Ksam1234]

3 hours ago, EGbassing said:

But an hour a night for weeks is a lot. If you fished from sunrise to sunup without stopping two times, (around 20 total hours) without a bite, whouldn't you say something is wrong?

As J Francho asked.  Is it the same hour? Sometimes the fish don’t bite that hour. There is different times when a lake turns on.  When I fished at night 7-10 was great fishing. Lots of topwater activity but then it died out for couple hours.  Then around 12-1 am it picked back up threwout the night.   Maybe your lake you fish is active later at night or just different times.  Try staying a little longer if you can.  Black buzzbaits work amazing. Black worms and frogs I used in slop.  

[EGbassing]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

Is it the same hour every night?

Yep. About 8:00 - 9:00.

[Catt]

6 hours ago, EGbassing said:

But an hour a night for weeks is a lot. If you fished from sunrise to sunup without stopping two times, (around 20 total hours) without a bite, whouldn't you say something is wrong?

 

How long do you fish during daylight?

 

An hour at a time (day or night) aint long enough to locate fish, establish a pattern, determine anything!

 

Dog days of summer 

 

Think deep; deep is relative to the surrounding area

 

Think bottom; I aint looking for a topwater bite

 

Think big; bigger lures give off more vibration which allows bass to zero in.

 

Think slow; biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

[EGbassing]

6 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

How long do you fish during daylight?

 

An hour at a time (day or night) aint long enough to locate fish, establish a pattern, determine anything!

 

Dog days of summer 

 

Think deep; deep is relative to the surrounding area

 

Think bottom; I aint looking for a topwater bite

 

Think big; bigger lures give off more vibration which allows bass to zero in.

 

Think slow; biological fact; minimum output maximum intake!

Usually between 1 - 2 hours in the summertime. I would probably fish longer but it just ain't too enjoyable to stand out under the sun when it's 96 degrees unless the fish are really cooperating. ? I fish a little longer in the fall though because the weather is just perfect.

3 hours ago, Ksam1234 said:

As J Francho asked.  Is it the same hour? Sometimes the fish don’t bite that hour. There is different times when a lake turns on.  When I fished at night 7-10 was great fishing. Lots of topwater activity but then it died out for couple hours.  Then around 12-1 am it picked back up threwout the night.   Maybe your lake you fish is active later at night or just different times.  Try staying a little longer if you can.  Black buzzbaits work amazing. Black worms and frogs I used in slop.  

Yup. 8 to 9 usually. I've fished a lot of buzzbaits but the fish in that pond always seem to ignore topwaters for some reason. Thanks for the help.

[Mobasser]

I agree with most of this. I do best with 7-10 inch plastic worms, fished slowly on the bottom. I use mostly Texas rig, but split shot and shakey heads work well too. Make it easy for them to get. Bigger fish are probably not in a chasing mood.

[Mike Boitnott]

We have a few tournaments here in VA that are night tournaments although I have never tried it I know a lot of folks like it.  At least at night the temps are better and the pleasure boaters are off the water.  Our club usually doesn't have tournaments in August just simply because of the heat and high percentage of fish kills in the live well regardless of all the tricks with frozen bottles and such.  Heading out over the next couple of days to work on some summer tactics, wish me luck with both the heat and the Thunder storms.

[Troy85]

If you don't want to fish at night, I'd say your next best bet is to fish tidal waters if possible.  Even in the dog days of summer, when the tidal conditions are right, the bass will bite, even during the heat of the day.  You will still want to target deeper water.  I know where I've been fishing the water temps are 89-91, during slack tide its tough, but once the water starts moving, the bass start eating.

[Big Rick]

In the short time I've been around this forum I've noticed the advice varies greatly depending on the locale of the advice giver.  So, it would make the most sense to look at the poster's location to determine if it is valuable info.  Case in point, here in the Deep South the water is averaging 90 degrees and the humidity is very high.  Our best oxygen is in less than 5 ft of water.  My biggest bass this summer have come from skinny water. And I mean SKINNY. Less than 3 ft. I've caught them all on topwater baits.  Namely, Rico's and Don Iovino's Splash It in the larger size.  It seems down here the "middle" water is pretty dead.  Either fish DEEP and SLOW or SHALLOW and FAST.  In the South shad stay right near the surface and "school up" causing a great reaction bite in the heat of the day.  My biggest and best catches all came on Bluebird Sky days with the sun high.  Early light produces more bites, but mid-day produces BIGGER bites.

 

Of course, that's my story in my neck of the country.  I'm sure the northern fisheries are all together different. And to oppose my own view point above, I've taken "Northern patterns" and used them with great success in "Southern lakes" because fish have never seen it before. So, there's that angle as well....

[Mike Boitnott]

Good point about the different areas, I agree its really cool to learn some new techniques to try locally that haven't been seen.  Went out yesterday and had a good day!  Nothing big but solid numbers.  Utilized my electronics and shading to isolate docs with 10 ft or more of water.  Fun day on the water and spent some time with my Grandson which always makes for an awesome day!

[Brew City Bass]

On 8/15/2018 at 8:57 PM, EGbassing said:

Yep. About 8:00 - 9:00.

May be the issue. 

I night fish 3 days a week all spring, and summer. I get to the lake around 9pm and get off around 4-5am. Usually from 9-11pm it's pretty dead. I'll usually be lucky to catch 2 fish in those two hours. But right around midnight the fish turn into animals and nail everything and anything. It dies down around 2am for an hour, then picks up again til the sun is over the trees. 
 

[Mike Boitnott]

Great video Kicker!  Also seen a couple of the guys mention a TRD or Ned Rig which I think may help sometimes when the bite gets slow.  However, I have a hard time throwing either.  Not sure why guess I just need to make myself give it a chance.  I also read an article which has helped some when fishing grass or pads when the bite gets tough and that is switching from my normal top water baits like a frog to a speed tail worm.  smaller presentation and it comes through the grass and pads very well.  It has really helped when the bite slows down.  I have also been targeting more productive docks by using my electronics to identify docks with deeper water.  its hard to beat skipping a Senko type bait far up under into the shady areas on a hot day.

[Glenn]

On 8/15/2018 at 12:42 AM, JustJames said:

try this ^^^ if you have weedy area to fish. I went out the day I saw this video in 104 degree right at noon time fishing shallow weedy area and caught about a dozen bass. 

That's awesome! Glad I can help!

[schplurg]

Cold beer.

 

J/K I actually rarely drink when I fish. I haven't fished enough yet to really use such advice so <shrug>. I've caught every bass this summer (100 degree days) off my Dad's dock with a popper at dusk. I'm sure I learned that here from the man who posted above me.