By Greg Matakaetis
The hottest months of the year in Florida are without a doubt July and August. This time-frame is often referred to as “the dog days of summer”. The months of July and August bring extreme heat, humidity and spotty, heavy thunderstorms. For these reasons, many anglers either tend to avoid fishing during these months, or if they do, have their day cut short because they are not prepared. What exactly do I mean? A successful fishing trip during “the dog days of summer” starts with preparation before you even hit the water. Being in a kayak, one doesn’t have the ability to quickly retreat to the ramp if you are fishing large bodies of water such as headwaters. These lakes can be physically exhausting for a kayaker. They are heavy grass lakes that, based on where you fish, require a kayaker to paddle quite a bit just to get to their respective honey holes.
You need to pack for the trip appropriately. You need to stay hydrated out there. Pack extra water as well as a good source of electrolytes. I usually bring a few packets of liquid IV and Gatorade. Right before getting out on the water I chug a Gatorade so I’ve already got something in the tank. Stay away from junk food that can make you groggy. Stick to the basics like PB and J or the ever popular “Uncrustables”. Either way, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Also, have some sunscreen and a good bug spray at your disposal. Now for the fishing part of this article. With the extreme temperatures around noon, largemouth bass will seek refuge in the thickest cover possible. Some lakes in Florida do have deeper water and the bass will retreat there as well.
Everyone loves a good morning topwater bite. It is cooler in the morning hours and the bass are more active. But that topwater bite can be an all-day deal if you get some cloud cover. Besides topwater, be prepared to target heavy vegetation, deeper ledges, and shady structures during bite windows at dawn, dusk, or even overnight. Look for the healthiest grass possible and clean water. A lot of areas of the lakes in Florida may have been sprayed and the vegetation is now dead, so the fish will move to these more oxygen rich spots. Top baits to cycle through would be a frog, a Big EZ, chatterbait, swimming worm and creature bait. Top colors would be junebug, black and blue, watermelon red and golden shiner. You can’t go wrong really any time of the year in Florida with these colors. Keep it simple.
As mentioned earlier, “the dog days of summer” brings random, spotty, heavy thunderstorms. I can be in one area on the lake in sunny blue skies, but 100 yards away I can see the “wall of rain” where there are heavy winds and a torrential downpour. Be prepared to cut the day short at the first sight of lightning. Being in a kayak with a bunch of fishing rods pointed up in the air is not an ideal situation to be in. Florida storms are unforgiving and abruptly change course, so you can find yourself in a bad spot really fast. Be smart and live to fish another day.
