Summetime struggle

[Rangerh36898]

Location central Florida 

 

Im from the north originally 

My first year in florida owning a boat and actually fishing, decided to get back into tournament scene, and get serious and boy am i finding out its a different world down here.

I am struggling while i understand the bass are deep and i can see on the graphs they usually are in from 8-20ft of water, ive located fish off points,ledges, structure ,brush piles, shell beds.Problem lies with i just cant seem to get bit.I can usually get a few early morning bites 630-8  using frog etc, but fishing a tournament you got to be able to put more fish in the boat! Kind of hard to put 5 in the boat before 8 am lol.

 

What suggestions would you have for lure selections? Retrieve etc?

I fished a muddy water shallow(10ft deepest point) lake for 2 days this weekend and i could get a few on top water in the morning,  then it was like a switch flipped nothing i put in 16hrs in 2 days caught 3 total fish!! 

 

So frustrated trying to figure this florida summertime out.

[James Niggemeyer]

I apologize for the delay in my response, though it seems like your doing the right kind of things.  Usually the summer and anytime for that matter bass fishing is about eliminating unproductive water, so it could be a matter of covering water until you get to an area they are using.

 

Couple of additional things to consider:

While I've never fished Florida in the summer proper (June, July, August), however my initial instinct would be to head to the main lake grass (hydrilla or milfoil) if its available.  Clumps or main lake grass edges would be my go to with a 10" Texas Rigged worm or try a light carolina rigged 4-6" finesse worm.

 

Also, look for areas with current.  Perhaps the lake has an area where there is a feeder stream or river, lock and dam system that generates current?  A lot of times the current will create additional oxygen and will draw baitfish and bass to those areas.  

 

Its difficult to know what the "right" thing to do is in this situation without laying eyes on the water to get a better feel for cover types and options.  Hope some of this helps. 

[papajoe222]

The majority of lakes in FL are natural lakes. With that in mind, you’re not going to find much in the way of off shore structure. Cover and changes in bottom composition are areas I’d focus on, especially those located in the depth you see baitfish activity on your electronics. Also, pay attention yo how deep the weeds grow. Weed edges in deeper water are a prime area to concentrate on. 
It’s difficult to recommend baits with little information to go on. As you’re fishing tournaments, i would base your choices on your own experience.

[WRB]

If you are from the northern area you are used to catching Northern strain LMB. Florida strain LMB are a different LMB.

Think of Florida as a long sand bar peninsula with shallow natural lakes interconnected by canals. Deep water is anything over 8’!

The FLMB eats Golden Shiners for a primary food source, with whatever else is available.   

LMB need good Do levels to attain healthy growth along with abundant food source. DO comes from green aquatic plants and they also provide the food source. Learn everything you can about Florida aquatic plants bass prefer. 

Use larger size soft plastic in colors that work where you fish....June Bug! 

Also study where spring water is located, it cools the water and attract big bass. 

When the sun is 30 degrees above the horizon the light drives the bass under vegetation DO producing mats. Developed your punching and flipping/pitching skills to target the bass under mates or learn to located isolated island off shore mats/weed beds where the bass are schooled up.

Wind creates current and DO!

Tom

[Captain Phil]

You are not alone with your question.  As stated above, Florida bass are different than northern fish.  This has more to do with the environment than the fish themselves.  Most Florida lakes are shallow sinkholes with little or no offshore structure.    Bass are ambush feeders and will be in and around any cover they can find.  If a lake's water visibility is low, the fish will be shallow and will hold tight to cover.  You should learn some basic information about Florida aquatic plants.  Kissimmee Grass grows on hard bottom.  It holds fish year round.  In the summer, you want to fish the deepest thickest grass beds you can find. I want my water to be at least 4 feet deep with 5-6 feet even better.  If the weed beds contain other plants like reeds or pads, all the better.  Don't waste your time on long straight stretches of featureless grass.  Ride around the lake and look for points, islands, docks and anything different.  This is the best time of the year for flipping.  If you have never used this technique, you should leave your other rods at home and learn to do it.  The difference in your summer fishing will amaze you. The bass in the photo below was caught in the middle of the day in August.

 

Hydrilla changes lakes.  It can turn a featureless lake into a bass aquarium.  If hydrilla is topped out, you can flip the mats.  If it's sparse, you can fish it with a worm on the bottom.  Summer is also a good time for pad fishing, even in the middle of the day.  Docks and bridge pilings are obvious bass holdouts.

 

In any case, don't expect summer fishing to be the same as in April.  For me, summer is a big bass month.  Afternoon rains raise the lake and the fish follow the water level.  Fishing tournaments all those years taught me a lesson, someone always finds fish.  You can too.

 

 

[Mike L]

There is another thread about this that was started a few days ago titled..

”South Florida Bass Shutdown”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[SC53]

Summers can be tough in Florida due to the heat but especially the humidity, at least on us. Bass will be where like Phil, James and WRB said. Top waters early, then flipping is your best bet from now until September. Sounds like you’ve found some of the right spots offshore, just need to get them to

bite. 

[mikey z]

On 7/13/2021 at 5:53 PM, James Niggemeyer said:

bass fishing is about eliminating unproductive water

Hey James, what's a couple of your favorite rigs & baits for this purpose? Would you still use the 10" texas rigged worm or light carolina rigged finesse worm?

[FishTank]

When my parents retired to Florida,  we use fish quite a bit.  What we found best was fishing transition spots > the edge of a shadow, rock piles that transition to sand or grass, deep docks and humps or holes in deeper water.  We used jigs, crankbaits and lizards. Fishing very slow.  Also, if you find a spot where you know there are fish, stay there and don't use the trolling motor and turn your electronics off.  Florida fish don't seem to bite the first time they see a bait.  One more thing, long casts worked best for us.

[WRB]

Florida strain LMB are very different from Northern strain LMB. I have lots of experience with both species living in the same lakes before and after FLMB were introduced.

In a nut shell FLMB are more cautious or wary and selective what artificial lures they will strike. The simple fact they grow 50% bigger means they prefer higher protein and larger prey size then their northern cousins.

When FLMB were introduced in California lakes they were so hard to catch it became accepted that only live bait worked and special hand poured big plastic worms became the norm.

Trout swimbait evolved along with hand poured worms and still preferred to this day.

Northern strain bass will strike and wider variety of lures more aggressively making strike detection easier.

FLMB can’t survive water colder then 45f and need higher level of DO in marker water....different bass.

Tom

 

[Catt]

On 7/13/2021 at 4:53 PM, James Niggemeyer said:

Usually the summer and anytime for that matter bass fishing is about eliminating unproductive water, so it could be a matter of covering water until you get to an area they are using.

 

Consistently catch bass is a process of elimination and duplication. Eliminate patterns and waters that are non-productive and duplicate patterns and waters that are productive.

 

Biological fact; minimum output maximum intake

 

Bass are coldblooded 

Their body temperature is directly tied to the water's temperature.

Their metabolism is tired directly to their body's temperature.

 

During summer the bass's metabolism is at its absolute highest. The means the bass must feed more often to maintain body weight. It also means the bass is less likely to waste energy & not get sufficient energy in return.

 

Multiple cast to a specific target from different angles may be your best approach.

[Catt]

Ok I've been asked my lure selection for Dog Days of Summer.

 

I will step up the overall profile, where I was throwing a Zoom Speed Worm I will switch to a Magnum Speed Worm. I was throwing 6-8" Ribbontails, I will switch 10-14" Ribbontails. Shacky Heads I will switch to 3/8 oz jig & Double Z's Magnum T-Worm.

 

Jig-n-Craw I will step up to 1/2 oz or bigger far a faster rate of fall. I go with full size trailers like Rage Tail Lobster. I will Texas Rig that same Lobster or put it on a swivel head.

 

A big ole spinnerbait is pretty deadly 

 

6th Sense crankbaits 

 

Another key I've found is "slow down"!

[NoShoes]

Summer is my best time of year. Water temps get near 90 here. Bigger baits get bit more.