How's Your Summer Going?

[Chris W.]

1. I live in Connecticut

2. I have to say that this year fishing is definately going better than last year. I have learned so much over the past few years that this year i can just set out and know what baits to throw, where to throw them and how to fish them. I'm successful at least with one fish everytime i go out. My tackle box is dwindling down though... lol.

[Big Bass Chaser]

I'm in California.

I've only been back into bass fishing for the pass year and a half, but I've had a better summer the last in both size and numbers.  I attribute that to understanding bass, the bass in my lakes, and my lakes better.  Although its been a colder year and pushed the spawn out a bit, the fish seem to be where I expect them to be.

[farmpond1]

East Central Illinois

Until a few weeks ago, outstanding.  Caught two of my personal best and plenty of others besides.  The heat has been putting me off lately (me probably more than the fish) and they sprayed the lilly pads on my favorite pond so that hasn't helped.  But generally speaking, really good.

Probably the thing which helped me the most is fishing mostly private ponds and limited access lakes.  When I was restricted to public access lakes, my success was very spotty.  Getting permission from some landowners with access to water (which isn't beaten into a froth regularly) has helped immensely.

[Bass_Akwards]

[FD.]

Central Fl

105-110 heat index

+

90 degree water

+

shallow FL lakes

=

boat in the backyard and me in the lazyboy

[SoFlaBassAddict]

1.  Southeastern Florida

2.  About the same as every year.  Some trips are getting great numbers, some aren't.  Some trips are getting very nice size, some aren't.

3.  I think my summer on the whole is better though.  I'm becoming much more comfortable using techniques that I haven't in the past.  It's getting me much more confident in several different techniques.

[DeanFishesNY]

Southern NY

Way better than my previous years catching way more numbers and a lot bigger bass. I have 5 bass over 5-12 this year with my PB being caught yesterday, a 6 lb 9 oz.

The reason: Simple, I have become a much better fisherman and I get to fish a variety of lakes.

[TrippyJai]

1. Southern Ontario

2. Been catching more bass this year, bigger in size as well.

3. Location, I've been trying a few new spots this year with good results. Also, I believe I'm a better bass fisherman this year as well. I am learning a lot on each trip and starting to develop some skills I struggling with in the previous years. Teaching my gf (now my fishing partner) has also made me go back to basics and it's been a big part of my learning process. I used to always forget everything I know when the fishing was tough.

[Red]

I guess I misread the title when I first posted, what I wrote was for the year, not the summer.  The summer has been terrible.  I can't seem to catch anything over 12 inches.  Don't know what my problem is, this heat is killing me!!  I can't find the bass!.

[zaraspook_dylan2]

Southern Ontario

Been catching fewer and smaller bass

2010 seems slow for me compared to past years

[tjmaniac]

i live in south-central maine. this summer has

been great so far. i caught my personal best

a 3.3#lm. then on the next cast caught a

whoppin 6.0# lm. also caught my first big

smallmouth, don't know the weight but it

was 13 in. long. i think my success has

been because of better choices made

because of what i've learned here, and out

on the water.

[pondmaster32]

i live in Illinois. last year i had a lot of numbers and only a few fish over 4 pounds. this year I've gone to swimbaits for bigger fish. i haven't caught that 10 pounder yet but I've caught 2 6 pounders and dozens of 4 and 5 pounders. also i have gone to finese baits and those have paid off great! placed 8th in a high school tournament where i cought 3 non keepers and a big 4 pounder on a shaky head worm. didn't get us into the top five though :'(. compared to last season i have caught a lot more of quality fish.

[Mike 12345]

Central Fl

105-110 heat index

+

90 degree water

+

shallow FL lakes

=

boat in the backyard and me in the lazyboy

Ditto that.  ^^^^

I'm outside of Nashville, and the fishing has sucked for me.  Major flooding in May through Old Hickory lake -  lots of locals I'm talking to have even suggested FHS and others will have to re-create the lake maps there has been so much structure change.

So, until it's less than 100 outside, I agree with the above poster.  I'm in the A/C until this heat calms down.

[Cire]

Minnesota

It's a bit of a down year so far. Fishing has been hit and miss more than the last couple of years. I'd say the sizes are about the same, but the numbers vary from trip to trip more than usual, likely due to inconsistent weather patterns.

I think this is due to the very, very warm spring we had in MN. The fish spawned weeks before the Labor Day bass opener, and most were well on their way to their summer haunts be the time we were able to wet a line. There were also unusually large amounts of warm rain that we received early in the season than raised and stained the lakes. For over a month there, it seemed to rain every three days. Now the lakes are dropping.

Central MN is farm county peppered with small natural lakes, and just by looking at the fields on the way to the lake, you could see how different the weather had been from previous years. They say the corn should be "Knee high by the Fourth of July", but this year it was over my head by that time.

I am in Central MN also and agree totally with the statements above.

Interesting though, I believe that it will make us better and I have started to really enjoy the challenge. The first month was tough but that was because I wasn't fishing the fish and conditions, I was fishing history. Now it is easier, so for me it has been a down summer but that is learning/fishing.

Cire

[BlackBass19]

I live in Northeast Ohio.

This year has been different as summer came quickly and the shallow weed beds that I target during summer never materialized. I have had to switch my pattern and have had a lot of luck fishing shallow creek beds and trenches.

Numbers are down, but size is for sure up. I think this is do to lack of ideal cover and structure. Bigger bass have controlled the best spots forcing bluegill and smaller guys out into marginal habitat. If I bothered with those areas it might be different.

I have been fishing T-Rigs (6-8" Trick Worms and Salamanders), spoons and assorted plastics. I have increased bait sizes across the board which really has no disadvantage besides controlling splash on long casts. Bigger fish take it and everything will chase them.

Overall it's a pretty typical summer. The heat has changed the game, but bigger fish and numbers slightly down. Also the heat is keeping pressure off the water.

[Dave P]

Southwest Indiana

Started out OK with good numbers, but nothing of any size. The last 6 weeks or so I have done OK with several larger fish up to about 5 pounds. The last two weeks have been brutal with local water temps hitting 91 degrees last night and the bite is definitely off. 6 hours on the water in the last two nights and exactly 5 dinks. I don't expect much until the weather breaks.

[christopherjake]

My summer has been great!  I'm in Sac, CA.  This summer has been relatively cool compared to the normal temp.  Can't complain about this year as I caught my PB twice...two 7 lbers.  Tight lines.

[unageo09]

Its been brutally hot here in Northwest Alabama for really the last month. Temps have touched a 100 just about every day. Last week the heat index hit 121 one day! I took most of June and July off, but started back last week fishing early. We caught around 15 last Thursday and around 15-20 today. We found a spot in one of the creeks and we have been able to catch them pretty good. They're not deep. Just right up on the bank.

[The one that got away]

Central Massachusetts

In 2010, I have probably caught more fish than in past years. Haven't been skunked all year, so I can't complain. Probably a dozen or so in the 3-4lb range. The biggest was around 4.5-5 pounds judging by the size of other fish I did weigh. (I didn't have my scale that day). Still looking for the big one. Lately, the bite has been slow and it seems I catch three fish every time out, never less and never more. Almost like I should go home after fish #3.

Biggest advantage has been fishing from a canoe. BIG advantange over fishing from shore, IMO. Been trying to "expand my horizons" fishing-wise, trying new techniques (for me).  For example, I never had much luck with a buzzbait until this year, now a black Cavitron buzzbait is one of my best producers. 

[mainebassin650]

Central Maine

The summer has been a split so far. Just out fishing on my days off have produced a ton of fish, and a personal best LM at 9lb 14oz (bubblegum trickworm on a shakey head, and to think people laugh when I throw it ).

Tournaments have been a different story. The numbers haven't been there at all on tournament days, but a lot of the bites I am getting on those days are 3-5 lbers.

I've really switched it up this year as far as baits go. I've really only been fishing jigs, trickworms, and senkos.

Anyday fishing, is a good day! ;D

[RAMBLER]

North central Florida.

My fishing does not include catching.  The worst fishing I have ever had.

The weather is hot and so is the water.  Some places the weeds are dying and rotting.  No oxygen in the water but a lot of methane.  I've pulled into a cove and the water starts bubbling and stinks.

Went out yesterday and there had been some small but strong storms the day before.  The lake is shallow, 8' and churned up.  Looked like chocolate milk.  Didn't have a hit.  The people fishing for bream did well.

[David Rangel]

Central west Mexico:

By far my best summer I had fish at Aguamilpa having good fishing, improving my techniques mostly in plastics, last Saturday I had fished my three best fishes in the same morning. Deep and plastic summer, fortunately too rainy and not hot !

David

[unknownbbq2]

central fl.

1.summer has been going 2-3 times better for me than previous summers.

2. im fishing alot more and TOPWATER FROGS have saved my life. although its been crazy hot here in florida latelt im catching bass at 8:30 in in the morning.

3. at a pond 5 minutes from my house numbers have increased but weight has decreased. but on big lakes numbers have been constant but size of fish has skyrocketed.

[A-Jay]

Northern MI ~

This summer has been Great - If you like Northern Pike . . . . . . .

Bass numbers have been decent but the average size has been smaller.

Let's just say I'm looking forward a bit to the fall.

A-Jay