Fishing in the heat of summer

When the heat of July sets in, many anglers give up and wait for the fall and its cooler weather. But those folks are missing out on a lot of great fishing.

It’s true that the bite gets tougher once summer has its grasp on us, but it certainly doesn’t make it impossible. Anglers catch plenty of great fish during the hottest part of the year, and sometimes even during the hottest part of the day.

This time of year, it’s even more important to get on the water early, as in before the sun comes up. That’s always a good idea, no matter what season it is, because lots of fish feed during that first hour or two of daylight. But during the summer, it’s even more imperative, and not just because of the feeding habits of fish.

Let’s face it, when the sun is beating down on you and it’s 98 degrees with 100 percent humidity, it’s just not a lot of fun to be sitting there. So getting an early start is better all the way around.

But if you’re stuck on the water in the hottest part of the day, you can certainly find places to catch fish.

River fishing is one way to beat the heat, somewhat, especially if you do a little bit of wading on your trip.

The moving water of a river is usually cooler than nearby lakes, and that will keep the fish biting longer, and also give you a break if you’ll dangle your feet in the water, or do an all-out wade.

Cool it down

In the Carolinas, the New River and the Broad River offer excellent summertime fishing. Smallmouth bass are the kings, but largemouth bass are also in play, as are numerous species of panfish.

Soft plastic Texas-rigged worms and creature baits are great choices for casting around the shoals of both rivers, and topwater plugs work great in the early morning, late evening, and during cloudy periods throughout the day.

Lake-bound anglers can also find plenty of fish willing to bite in the heat of the day. Finding deep holes is one good strategy to catching fish in the heat. This is true for many species, especially crappie.

Another technique that catches fish even during the hottest part of the day is drifting, and this is especially true for catfish.

Drifting allows anglers to cover a lot of water in a short amount of time. And with the heat causing many fish to hunker down and stay put, drifting makes sure your bait gets seen by fish that aren’t in the mood to move around much.

Another bonus to drifting is that as long as you’re moving, you’re generating some type of breeze, or moving with the breeze. So that can help keep you at least slightly cooler.

Don’t stay indoors just because the heat is on outside. Plan your fishing strategy and enjoy these days, because before long, we’ll all be complaining about the cold.