By: Eric Henson
Between the blistering hot sun and the increase in water temperature, fishing gets a little bit tricky. The same reason most of the snowbirds head back north when temperature rise, is similar to the reason most of our fish move into deeper waters. They thrive better in the cooler conditions, even if it’s only a few degrees. So, let’s talk about a few things you can do to beat the heat this summer!
First, getting out on the water during sunrise, sunset or even in the middle of the night can be extremely productive since these are the coolest times of the day this time of year. Not only is this the coolest time of the day but also these lowlight conditions play a big part in fish feeling more comfortable eating. It’s similar to the fish being too cold to move in the winter but during summertime, the warmer the water, the more sluggish the fish.
The next major thing is to slow your bait presentation down a bit whether you are using articles or live. A lot of species do not like expending too much energy for their next meal ticket. If you are using live or cut bait, pin it to the bottom with some type of weight or if you are using artificial just make sure you are bumping it off the bottom slowly.
With this being said, some days, logic goes out the window and fish are really active eating baits at high speeds. But, as a rule of thumb during the hotter months…SLOW IT DOWN and just be patient for that next bite!