Hog Days During The Dog Days
By: Guardian Angler
The dog days of summer have finally arrived. Water temps have been on the rise, a steady thermocline Has developed in most ecosystems, and the bigger bass are getting harder and harder to come by. This begs the question, where have these fish gone, and what do I need to do to target them? Many anglers start to hang up the rods and spend time getting their fall gear together, but there are plenty of guys like me who love to target big fish in this heat. Today I'd like to share a few tips to help you be a better summer angler.
Go Big or Go Home
Well, it's no surprise one of the first tips I'm giving you is throwing big baits to find big fish. It's often a point talked about when targeting big fish, but most times of the year I don't agree that you have to throw big baits to catch big fish. Yes, you will catch bigger fish than smaller fish on big baits; but that’s purely because you are filtering out the small fish most of the time. Most time of the year a five-plus pound bass will eat a three or four-inch bait just the same as a one-pounder would. The only reason I bring it up for summer is because when the water temp rises over 80⁰ bass are beginning to slow down on their feeding. They become very opportunistic feeders, and rely on one or two large meals during the day, rather than feeding many times throughout the day on small meals. They begin to hunker down in ambush spots and wait to get an easy large meal in shade lines, drop-offs, large vegetation, big chunk rock, and even wood. Really you want to fish the same locations you were after the spawn, but just throwing larger baits. It is rare you find me throwing soft plastic below eight inches when the month of July is upon us. I continue with the large bait tactic until water temps dip below 65⁰ in the fall.
Watch Your Speed
Often times these fish become very lethargic when it is hot out. They prefer to stay hunkered down on the bottom and don't often chase prey. They become what I like to call “Mud Butts” digging themselves as low to the bottom as they can (unless you are offshore and the depth is below the thermocline) and waiting for prey to swim over top of them so they can quickly come up underneath them and drop back down. My best luck in these situations comes off of Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs. My bread and butter is definitely a Texas rig, often paired with a ten-inch ribbon-tailed worm of some kind. Mostly dragging it slowly on the bottom with occasional hops and twitches. Don't be afraid to run crankbaits digging the bills against the bottom of the water column as well. It's a great way to cover water and find what to key in on. You will find these fish will often pattern on the same kind of bottom composite, or similar structures. Some days that might be Mud bottoms, rock bottoms, or around weeds. You might find them near bridges, submerged timber, drop-offs, and points. There is no way to really say where they will state for every individual water way, so you just have to go out there and find them. Once you find the fish, be sure to slow down and switch to a big soft plastic to find your next trophy fish.
Oxygen Is Key
When these temps rise, the Oxygen content in the waterfalls. You will find a lot of areas becoming barren areas because there is no oxygen for these fish to survive in. This is also where the term “Thermocline” begins to be thrown around a lot. Simply put, the thermocline is the water line that separates the warm surface water and the cold bottom temperature. Below that line, the water may be cooler and more comfortable for fish, but it holds far less amounts of oxygen. Many factors play into why that is, but the main point is without oxygen there are no fish. So yes it is not a bad idea to look deeper for those giants, just be sure to not push too deep. In my area, it's a rule of thumb to not push past around 17-20 feet. After those depths, most of our lakes don't hold much life in the heat of summer. Other factors in finding oxygen-rich waters include looking for submerged vegetation, water inflows, and storm drains feeding into the water after rainfall. The storm drains are a big key to my success this time of year. After a cool rain, the storm drains not only add oxygen to the water but also bring in cooler water as well as plenty of bait. Rivers, creeks, and underwater springs that feed your waterways can often do the same thing regardless of rain or shine. Be sure to target these areas as well.
Look For Shade
Everyone likes to be in the shade while having a picnic on a hot sunny day, and bass are no exception. Since it is discussed so frequently, I do not want to spend too much time on this subject, but it is very important to note. Regardless of water depth or clarity, be sure to target shade when that sun is out. It can be over hanging trees and brush, bridges, docks, thick lily pads or anything at all that casts shade on the water. Be sure to fish shade anytime you come across it in the summer.
Suspending Jerkbaits
Here is a big tip I learned from some Florida anglers a handful of years ago, and works anywhere in the country when the water is warm. Break those suspending jerk baits back out and try and find suspended fish off thick weed lines in suspended water. A lot of clear water ways will have a very thick weed line that extends out to the drop offs. Throw parallel to those weeds, fish hidden in them can't resist taking chomp at an easy meal, and when they see prey in open water next to them with nowhere to go, they will eat it.
Topwater Night Bite
One of my absolute favorite ways to fish for summer bass is late at night during a big heatwave. I have had some incredible success in catching huge fish at all hours of the night throwing topwaters. Oftentimes, I'm fishing near breaks and thick vegetation when doing so, and throwing black baits. They create a bigger silhouette in the water, making it easier for fish to key in on. If possible I'm throwing a buzzbait or a walking bait, but if I'm in thick weeds I always reach for a frog. There's just something so exciting about not being able to see that bait, but hearing a fish blow up on it. Definitely a must-try during these months.
In conclusion, don't stop fishing to reorganize gear or clean the boat just because “it's too hot to catch anything.” These fish still have to eat, you just have to change up the tactics to suit their behaviors. Take these tips I gave you and have a blast breaking your personal best, while your buddy sits on the couch watching fishing videos instead. Tight lines everyone and good luck.
