[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s we get into the month of July, with ever increasing water temps, one of the main things to consider when searching for active fish is to look for current. There is a misconception that as the water gets hotter the fish automatically go deeper. This isn’t necessarily the case, but moving water nearly always presents more opportunities to catch more fish. Current can be created on a body of water through a number of ways, whether generated by tide, natural flow, wind or a sudden rain storm washing fresh water into a creek or cove through a ditch, pipe, etc.
Increased dissolved oxygen in the water is the result and increased numbers of feeding fish follow. No matter what species you are targeting you’ll have more success by fishing into the current. What I mean by this is that if at all possible, to cast into the wind or up current and retrieve your lure with the direction of the flow. Most predatory fish will be using a current break, facing into the current waiting for bait to come to them. With warm water, the fishes’ metabolism is greatly increased and allows the angler to choose from a wide range of baits and techniques that are more limited when the water is cold.
Topwater lures, frogs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and other such lures can all be productive this month. If conditions call for soft plastic presentations, weightless worms or soft jerkbaits can be effectively fished by allowing the current to sweep them under and around stumps, logs or undercut banks. If a weighted presentation is more appropriate, Texas-rigged creature baits, such as craws and worms with relatively heavy sinkers for a fast fall are good choices.
Go out and give your favorite technique a try…the catching can be fast and furious during the early dog days of summer with the help of a little current!