Summer temperatures will challenge anglers – fish the early morning and late evening bite. Night time fishing can be fun but don’t forget your Sunsect bug spray. Largemouth bass, panfish, and catfish are on the menu for August. Fish where the fish live, and when they are biting.
Early mornings look for schooling bass near the mouths of the St Johns River where it enters Lake Harney and Lake Monroe. The downstream side of both lakes tends to be more productive. Don’t neglect checking the mouth of the Wekiva River and watch your temperature gauge as you travel upstream. Once the water cools you’ll find fish. Sub surface slash baits like a Rapala X-Rap, flukes, Devils Horse, and chrome Rattle Traps will all be good. Carolina rigged worms on the sand dropoffs in the river bends will find a few bass too. Drifting slowly with the current in the river along the docks you might want to try a Johnson Beetle Spin since both the panfish and bass will attack it with reaction bites. Cast to the shore and keep on casting every nook and cranny as you keep the boat positioned in the drift with your trolling motor.
Blue channel catfish are ready and waiting in the St Johns River and the Econlockhatchee River. The small black specks and light blue skin confirm the best eating catfish in this habitat. The day after a heavy rain means they swim upstream looking for a morsel. Try shiners, shad if you can find them, and fresh dead peeled shrimp. Circle hooks and 20-pound fluorocarbon leader with just enough weight to hold the bottom in the current works great. An egg sinker, maybe a half ounce or quarter ounce will slowly roll from the shallow side upstream down into the dropoff in the river bend. Hold on because there are 20+ pound blue cats out there.
