Fishing on the inshore waters of East Central Florida can tend to get a little tough in what can be considered the “Dog Days” of summer, and one simple tip can help get you some catching done in even our hottest months. With fish behaving much like we do when the temperature peaks, energy is hard to come by. As the sun gets high in the sky, we all look for a little refuge.
For us that is as easy as some air conditioning, a cool breeze, shade tree, even a hammock. For fish it means seeking refuge in some shade and waiting for cooler temps of low light. Eating takes a back seat as fish become lethargic turning your fishing trip into a sightseeing adventure in that noonish heat. I will do all I can to skip this time of day on the water unless there is a sandbar and adult beverage in the very near future. This means that my productive fishing happens in lower light with early starts or evening/night sessions beating the heat to get the bites. Both early and late have their benefits and some downfalls, but there is no doubt that that from 10am to 3pm is the least productive time.
In tideless portions of the lagoon pay attention to the effects of heating. It is so much more crucial than in areas with good waterflow and tide changes that can usher in significantly cooler water on even the hottest days. Here in the land of slow water the high noon water temps skyrocket to unbelievable levels. Mornings that start at first color in the sky are commonplace but keep in mind that this is the also a time of lowest dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and that process is even more apparent the hotter it gets. Evenings do not have the DO issues and can potentially have some of the best fishing throughout the day. Add a cooling rain shower and it can be downright spectacular fishing. Typically, I prefer live baits to lures in the late summer. By now the river is full of baits at various sizes and our predators are keyed in on that. Though the bait tends to produce try to not overlook lures like topwater plugs to fire up the bite in the preferred lower light conditions. Successful anglers beat the heat to have the best chance at awesome catches.
