FLORIDA summertime slump

[Rangerh36898]

Ok im from up north

First year owning boat in florida, i fished tournaments alot up north, just decided to dive in and fish hard since im in central florida lakes and tournaments everywhere. 

 

Well i didnt realize summer was so rough!! Atleast for me, ive talked to many guys and nice fish are being caught and good bags in tournaments, but i have pre fished for a upcoming tournament, and fished many other lakes, i can get that early morning bite usually, top water, crankbait etc, but then bam its over.

 

I can seem to locate fish on the graph,livescope 8-20ft of water of points,ledges,brush piles just cant get bit!! Ive thrown, T rig senkos,jigs,swim jigs,swim baits,10xd cranking, spinnerbait,

I havent thrown a shaky head or ned head and i think that maybe the ticket or i hope!! Cant fish tournament lake this week its off limits, but will have a nex head or shaky on a rod setup forsure.

 

Please anyone got any advice most wayer temp seems to be low 80s  79 or so early then gets hotter.

 

Any tips of lures,presentation, 

Color obviously i can go off qater conditions but i believe my colors im selecting are ok

Its something else im getting frustrated fast.

 

Any help?

[Koz]

I have two words for Florida summertime fishing:

 

Live bait.

[Rangerh36898]

Lol

I hear that

Unfortunately felloq anglers in tournament my not like that  hahaha

[813basstard]

Start flippin and punching if it’s present at that lake. 
Off shore grass as well. If the grass is healthy there is always fish there. Now, getting them to bite is a different post. 

[Don51]

Summer bass fishing in FL is tough.....period!   Sunrise until around 10 a.m. and then it is over. Slow moving baits will usually get the most bites.  

[Captain Phil]

Look for running water.  With all the rain we have had, that shouldn't be difficult.  Get out of the main lake and fish deeper residential canals.   Top water early, then switch to worms on the bottom.  Fish the deepest heaviest cover you can find.   Look for areas that have a mix of vegetation.  Pull out your flipping stick and go to work.  Look for shade like pads and boat docks.  Slow roll a spinnerbait as close to the cover as possible. When you think you are close enough, get closer.  Some of the best bass fishing in Florida comes in the heat of summer, you just have to find the fish.

[Mike L]

You got good responses for what to use. 
However, you can’t catch ‘em if you can’t find ‘em

Check these boxes when you’re out there and have a plan of what to use as above. 

1st…Clean Water (I prefer tannic)

2nd…Current 

3rd…Submerged vegetation 

3rd…Hard vegetation break line into deeper water

4th…Isolated reed, pad and floating vegetation mats

5th…Shell beds

 

All that will give you an idea of what to look for throughout the day. 

Fir the most part anywhere you go on almost any lake down here that has those features, cover and structure will hold fish during various parts of the day. 

 

 

Good Luck 

 

 

Mike

[N Florida Mike]

Ive done well after 10 skipping under docks. When the early morning bite slows, not long after the fish start relating to shade in general,but especially docks, or thick cover .

I also have caught some big fish casting a big worm into deep holes, and working it SLOW . I once caught a 6 pounder by casting a manns jelly worm into a deep hole. I waited 15 minutes without moving it, until the fish finally picked it up…

[geo g]

On 7/6/2021 at 7:58 AM, Mike L said:

You got good responses for what to use. 
However, you can’t catch ‘em if you can’t find ‘em

Check these boxes when you’re out there and have a plan of what to use as above. 

1st…Clean Water (I prefer tannic)

2nd…Current 

3rd…Submerged vegetation 

3rd…Hard vegetation break line into deeper water

4th…Isolated reed, pad and floating vegetation mats

5th…Shell beds

 

All that will give you an idea of what to look for throughout the day. 

Fir the most part anywhere you go on almost any lake down here that has those features, cover and structure will hold fish during various parts of the day. 

 

 

Good Luck 

 

 

Mike

Mike L summed it up well.  The only other thing I would add is slow way down, down size bait size.  4” Senko type baits, and wacky rigged trick worms.

[JeremyRicci]

I was in a very similar situation to the original poster.  Moved to South FL after living in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic most of my life.  Most times, I don't use live bait, but I do love a day on the water running through shiners.  Having said that, I have very often struggled with finding bass in the shallow water and heavy cover in most of my local waters.  Early morning is an absolute blast, but once that 10-11am grind starts, I've just trained myself to chuck and drag a worm for a bit and if nothing's happening, I head home (then probably do some bank fishing in the evening :)).  My local waters (mainly Everglades) are very shallow (1-4 feet) outside of the canals, I have just never had any success flipping even into the heaviest cover that shallow, but for some reason I keep trying! 

[Zcoker]

I have two words for Florida summertime bass: TOP WATER. Oh, I forgot  one: NIGHT. Put those together equals KABOOM!