Page 38 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine Stelly Special Ed 2022

Fishing in the Summer Months

During the summer months, fishing can be challenging, better select areas to fish at different times of the day.
not only in catching but also keeping yourself cool. There
are some bodies of water that tend to be more productive Once you have established the depth you want to fish,
in the summer months. So, if you have access to creeks focus on that level and follow the contours along the edge.
and rivers, you may find more success in your fishing day Use your electronics to help you maintain the determined
than in impounded bodies of water. The two key reasons depth. Understand that sometimes that contour will keep
for this are that unlike impoundment, these moving bodies you out away from the bank and other times, it will run up
of water neither stratify (develop thermoclines) or suffer closer to the bank.
from oxygen depletion. The reason is that as the waters
move, they have a mixing effect which keeps the water
evenly mixed. This mixing has another benefit related to
water temperatures. Because creeks and rivers are moving
bodies of water, the tend to have more moderate tempera-
tures. These more moderate temperatures are more com-
fortable and better suited for bass.

There are key features located in and along each body of
water. These features include a shoreline, a bottom and of
course the surface of the water and are sometimes referred
to as the edges of the body of water. Within each of these
features lie key components that hold fish throughout the
year. Some of those features include trees, brush piles,
rocks, channel swings, humps etc., most of which are
found below the surface. In the summer months, bass will
also be seeking cooler water and water that contains higher Now that we have talked about a lot of things related to
oxygen levels. Areas in a lake that hold grassy vegetation fishing for bass in the summer. Let’s talk more about how
provide the higher oxygen levels, places to hide, attract to catch them. Remember, after the post spawn period,
food, purifies, creates clearer water and the water has a portion of the bass will move back up shallow. Anoth-
greater overall quality. All of which make grassy areas of a er portion of bass will move out to deeper waters. How
lake ideal habitat for bass because they create edges. many go each direction depend on the body of water you
are fishing. How much shallow cover does your lake have?
As we look at heavy matted vegetation, there are some With plentiful shallow cover, more fish that will remain
things we need to understand. For example, you fish an shallow. Conversely, if more of your quality cover and
area of heavy vegetation in the evening and catch a good structure is deeper, that is where most fish will move.
number of bass. You go back to that area the following
morning and you catch next to nothing. What gives? It is Let’s look at the different types or bodies of water you
important to understand how plants operate. During the might fish, how they layout and how you might target fish
day, through photosynthesis, the plants utilize the sunlight in those different situations.
for food. A biproduct is the production of oxygen. So,
in the evening the grass has lots of oxygen and the water We are going to start with highland reservoirs. Highland
below it is cooler than areas without grass. However, as reservoirs, like many impoundments, has a dam. These
plants produce food at night, they use respiration. This bodies of water tend to be steeper with a lot of small
means that the plants are doing the reverse. In simplified secondary points, going back into a lot of big arms that ex-
terms, they are using the oxygen to live and make food. tend way back away from the main lake. Those long arms
This depletes most of the oxygen in the water until the sun will also have a lot of secondary points. On the main body
comes up the following day. As such, fish will move out of water, you are likely to have long tapering points. The
to deeper water and to areas with more oxygen. Consider water tends to be clearer, but this is not a guarantee. There
fishing a little deeper using a slower presentation. Addi- also typically tends to be less cover.
tionally, having this understanding will allow an angler to
38 Lady Bass Anglers Association
Fishing in the SUmmer Months