Fishermen refer to it as the summer doldrums. It takes place in mid to late summer every year. Water temperatures rise to extreme levels under a hot, persistent summer sun. The tepid water causes a fish’s metabolism to wane. They become less active, lethargic during the majority of the day and consequently tougher to catch.
Water zealots are out in force whipping the water to a froth, which doesn’t help. Fish that can typically be found in predictable locations disappear. Summer drought may even reduce the volume of water that is available for fishing or it may change the location of fish. The combination makes fishing tough. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t catch you fair share of fish during the hot summer months. You just need to know where to look and modify when, where, how and even what you fish for.
Deeper water is cooler water for the most part, so you’ll need to fish deeper than you normally would during the heat of summer. Deep is a relative term. For a bass angler that’s use to fishing in 10 feet of water, 40 feet might be deep. To someone who trolls on the Great Lakes, deep might mean hundreds of feet of water. It’s a relative term.
Start by finding deep water and go deeper. Use your electronics to locate fish. A good graph will be able to show you the thermocline that typically develops on many lakes and shows a line of demarcation between warm and cooler water. That should be a starting point. A temperature probe can be a godsend for finding preferred and more comfortable temperatures that fish are going to seek out. A temperature probe can also be used to find springs that will concentrate game fish.
A good graph will be able to show you the thermocline that typically develops on many lakes and shows a line of demarcation between warm and cooler water.
Cool-water species, like walleye and pike, are going to search out water temperatures in the upper 60’s to low 70’s or as close to that as they can find. Don’t be surprised to find bull ‘gills, smallmouths and jumbo perch in the same temperature zones. Trout are cold-water species that will be searching out the coldest water you can find in most bodies of water. 52 to 54 degrees is a preferred range for most trout species, but they’ll remain active in water temperatures up into the mid-60’s.
You will probably have to change the way you normally fish to reach these preferred temperature zones. Slip bobbers, vertical jigging and deep trolling with lead core line, diving planers or downriggers are tools for getting baits down into the strike zone. Most anglers that fish for warm-water species don’t think of trolling as a way of targeting these species, but trolling can be a surefire way of getting lures deep, cover water and target fish that might be suspended.
Most anglers that fish for warm-water species don’t think of trolling as a way of targeting these species, but trolling can be a surefire way of getting lures deep, cover water and target fish that might be suspended.
Another way to beat the summer heat is to fish at night. Once the sun goes down the jet skiers and tubers go home. The surface water cools appreciatively. This diurnal fluctuation, as Dr, Roper use to call it, can be several degrees, which to a fish is a considerable amount. Fish in a state of torpor or estavation in deep water during midday will become active and migrate under the cover of darkness to weed edges and drop-off to feed. Savvy anglers will be waiting. You might loose a little sleep, but you can still make some good catches when everyone else is bemoaning the poor summer fishing.
Another way to beat the summer heat is to fish at night. Once the sun goes down the jet skiers and tubers go home.
A string of sultry summer days may go on for a prolonged period of time, but when it breaks is a good time to be on the water. Watch the weather map and be prepared to be fishing when you see one of those all-day soakers approaching or head out after a summer thunderstorm. The storms will send the fair-weather zealots scurrying for cover, but it will bring the fish out of hiding. Besides cooling the water, cloud cover will put game fish at ease and they’ll take advantage of the conditions to hunt and feed.
Much of the United States has experienced drought conditions throughout much of the summer this year. At its most extreme levels, drought can stress fish populations due to low water, high temperatures and less oxygen. Fish are nearly impossible to catch under those conditions. But if drought conditions are only moderate where you fish, they can concentrate fish into predictable locations. Deep water, springs and flowing water can be a big attraction when water levels are low. Along the face of dams are always good places to concentrate your efforts when water levels are receding. The face of dams have the deepest water in the reservoir and there is always fish-holding structure to be found near dams.
At its most extreme levels, drought can stress fish populations due to low water, high temperatures and less oxygen.
Rivers are another summer option. Flowing water is generally going to be cooler, more oxygenated than lakes or reservoirs. Consequently, the fish in rivers tend to be more active during the summer months. Many tail-water fisheries are the result of water being released from the bottom of reservoirs that is much colder than the surface water. Tail-waters may have near ideal temperatures even during the heat of summer and produce great fishing.
Tail-waters may have near ideal temperatures even during the heat of summer and produce great fishing.
Even though you may have a favorite specie of fish that you pursue, you might have to change things up to keep your rod bent during the heat of summer. Species like largemouth bass and catfish tolerate warm water better than most species of fish and remain active in warm water. Catfish are bottom feeders and you can catch them by anchoring a chunk of cut bait or a gob of crawlers on the bottom, propping your rod up in a rod holder or forked stick and sip on your favorite beverage while waiting. That is what a lazy summer day is all about! Catfish are most active after dark or during low light so it can be the perfect way to spend a cool summer night.
Largemouth bass love warm water and are probably more tolerant of it than any other freshwater specie. While it may be necessary to head to deep water to catch most species during the summer, you might find it just the opposite with largemouths. You can find big bucketmouths in skinny water if there is aquatic vegetation present. Summer water temperatures can be as much as 10 degrees lower under a mat of lily pads or hydrilla and summer bass will seek these locations out. The bass are comfortable there, shielded from water skiers and powerboats and the vegetation serves up a plethora of aquatic and terrestrial morels for the bass to boot.
You can find big bucketmouths in skinny water if there is aquatic vegetation present.
Summer fishing can be tough. But by considering when you need to be on the water, the comfort zone of different fish species, presentations you can use to target fish holding in deep water and you can beat the heat to make good catches all summer long.
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Gnatoutdoors 