Page 12 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine June 2023-Revised

FISHING IN SUMMER WITH

BLUEBIRD SKIES

Depending on the body of water and the available cover,
fishing in the summer with bluebird skies sets up for a
more challenging day of fishing. It typically means that fish
are holding in those deeper more offshore locations and or
tight to cover. Selecting your techniques, approaches, and
presentations to match your skills and the conditions is
very important. One thing that can help is if there is a little
wind to break up the surface of the water.

Summertime also provides the opportunity to find
schooling bass, so keep your eyes open and your bait ready.
Some baits of choice include a top water, a follow-up bait
such as a fluke or stick bait, a crankbait, a jerk bait, and a drop shot.

If you are a shallow water angler, target fish holding to the
best cover in the area. Those fish are waiting to ambush
unsuspecting prey. This can be boat docks, overhanging
trees, and bushes, and of course brush piles. If the lake has
other vegetation such as hydrilla or milfoil, be sure to target
those remembering that these are stalky plants that layover
providing a canopy for shade and cover. If the lake has docks,
start by focusing on the larger docks that are the deepest or
closest to deep water. The larger docks provide a lot of shade
and remember to target the ladder if one is available. Ladders
provide shade deeper in the water column.

If you are fishing offshore, cover on structure is key,
but just as important is the presence of baitfish.
Just as the angler who is targeting docks needs to
select the right lures, so does the offshore angler.
Some baits to consider are jigs, Carolina rigs,
dropshot, spinnerbaits, and deeper crankbaits.
Casting into the wind can oftentimes be of benefit.
Working these baits through and around the
offshore cover on structure it critical. Look for
ledges, points, and submerged islands. Using your
electronics to locate the key targets and baitfish in an area can help to narrow down your target area.

Because fish tend to school in the summer, you have a greater opportunity of catching multiple
fish in an area. Watch as you catch a fish and are bringing it to the boat, it is likely that others are
following and trying to take the bait away from the one on your line. Catching the one fish, may pull
the school off the cover you are targeting, but if you are patient, they will regroup providing you with
the opportunity to catch multiples.

12 Lady Bass Anglers Association
Fishing In Summer - Bkue Bird Skies