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Old 07-01-11, 11:50 PM   #1
IowaBasser
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Default favorite hot weather tactics?

What are your favorite hot-weather tactics?

I can't believe its July 4th already. It seems like just yesterday it was February and I was re-organizing my tackle box for the 3rd and 4th time waiting for the ice to go out.

We're in the middle of our first real heat wave of the year. Yesterday it was 96 degrees with a heat index of 109. That's hot for Iowa and so muggy it's difficult to breath; simply miserable unless you're in the comfort of air-conditioning.

I'm headed to the lake, the daytime highs are suppose to be in the low 90's and water temps will probably be close to 80. (Just 2 weeks ago the water was in the upper 60's)

Aside from fishing after dark, what tactics do you use when it gets hot? I'll likely be out for 2-1/2 to 3 hours in the early morning. I'm gonna give the buzz-baits and frogs a try. (Ribbits, Horny Toads & Spro's) Throughout the day I'll probably go out 2 or 3 times, but only for an hour at a time. I'll probably throw some soft plastics and maybe a spinnerbait. I might also try a wacky worm or fluke; either weightless or on a drop-shot rig.
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Old 07-02-11, 12:47 AM   #2
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Try to get what ever you've got tied on down deep in the weeds in their faces. A weedless senko can work great, 6" or 5", the 6" can often out fish the 6" when it gets hot.. they're often looking for a big meal when they get lethargic cause of the heat. 10" worms can also work well in deeper water.. surprisingly I got skunked the other day when I was using em. I don't use a spinnerbait often once the water is over 80*.

Definitely use a spro frog over the mats and thick weeds, that's almost guaranteed to catch something, mid-day. Once the sun goes down, try a weedless jitterbug, or buzzbait on the weed edges once the sun starts getting low.

Good luck and stay cool!
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Old 07-02-11, 08:53 AM   #3
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I'll try to get out on the water before sunrise and start with topwaters and spinnerbaits. Once the sun rise starts to clear the tree tops, I'll start working a frog in the pads and weeds, and a crankbait over deeper weedbeds. When the sun finally hits full brightness, I'll usually start pitchin a t-rigged beaver into the openings of thick weed beds.
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Old 07-02-11, 01:19 PM   #4
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Pretty much do what keith does. I'll troll about 40 ft out from the bank casting cranks up shallow. Also pick apart any laydowns I come across.
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Old 07-02-11, 01:24 PM   #5
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Skip docks with jigs and a chaterbait action for the river. for the lakes im all about the drop shot and spoon when it gets stinkin hot.
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Old 07-06-11, 12:49 PM   #6
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Well, I will start the day off just like everyone Else I think and that’s some Topwater action at daybreak. Then I’ll start throwing a 8-10’ Diving Crankbait or a Swimming Jig that is bigger than normal so I can get a little deeper. After that then it’s moving out to the Mouths of Creek channels and start fishing in the 20+’ Level with Drop Shot (Which I just started to learn) or a C-Rig. I do this until the heat’s unbearable and I head home.
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Old 07-06-11, 04:24 PM   #7
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I prefer to fish the evening as all the glitter boats line up to go home. They all look tired, disgusted and overheated.. When I get back to the ramp I am so worked up from the bite that I find it hard to fall asleep at 11pm..

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Old 07-06-11, 04:30 PM   #8
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Not trying to sound like a smartarse, but do all my daytime tactics AT NIGHT! In fact there is a great article in Bassmaster magazine this month about summertime bassin' and you can read exactly why I like to fish at night in that article. VERY GOOD READ.
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Old 07-06-11, 06:31 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Smith View Post
Not trying to sound like a smartarse, but do all my daytime tactics AT NIGHT! In fact there is a great article in Bassmaster magazine this month about summertime bassin' and you can read exactly why I like to fish at night in that article. VERY GOOD READ.
Thanks for the tip Bob. I'll be sure to pick up an issue.
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Old 07-06-11, 06:48 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by keithdog View Post
Thanks for the tip Bob. I'll be sure to pick up an issue.

I think it starts on page 30
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Old 07-06-11, 07:40 PM   #11
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s
Slower moving, larger baits in whatever shade I can find is my MO in the hot and bright. I try to be super-patient in these conditions, and have learned that I can't tell a monster from a dink when they pick up in these conditions. I have felt the line go 'slack' a lot when fishing like this, and where it probably isn't a fish a lot of the time, I started setting like mad when I get this reaction, because once, when I felt the bait was out of the 'presentation zone' and it went 'slack' I started to reel it on in, and when the line went sideways I set it hard, and was lucky enough to get a 4+ lb bucketmouth. Lot's of times I don't hook up, when I have this feeling, just figure it's usually not a fish then

I have not succumbed to one of my fishing buddies technique yet-- although I won't say never--he uses a bobber (he feels better when he calls it a strike indicator like trout guys) it's a very small one at that, and rigs the soft bait, bigger worm, craw etc. such that it is bumping along the bottom at the end of the free line after the bobber--floating drag method???--but at any rate, he is pretty darn productive with this method on the blistering dog days. He claims he can still detect the soft pick ups, but I can't figure that, if he's in 6 feet of water, he'll have 7 feet of line after the float....only uses in shallower water BTW. It's pretty obvious what happens when the float dives.....

I like to use a heavier soft bait straight Texas Rigged mostly, and I always use a hook a little on the smaller size relative to the bait, just cause I seem to catch a lot of different size fish with this method.....
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Old 07-07-11, 09:14 AM   #12
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If I have the choice I stay at home. I hate the heat, and really don't like fishing at night. Our club usually has two tournaments in July and two in August. I dread them every year.
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Old 07-08-11, 10:20 AM   #13
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I dunno, depth charges? The two lakes around me are both TVA impoundments that are triple digit deep in a lot of places. The bass live near the thermocline at depths of 25 to 40 feet. Surface temp never gets below 80, even after a good rain. Vertical jigging or the occasional C-rig may catch one or two, but your best bet is late night runs to mid lake humps at 15 to 30 feet or just wait til fall.
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Old 07-10-11, 03:03 PM   #14
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This may be a dumb question but when fishing from a boat how the hell do you see where you are? I don't have a fish finder or anything and I'm worried about hitting bottom or submerged obstacles.
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Old 07-10-11, 03:50 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waldershrek View Post
This may be a dumb question but when fishing from a boat how the hell do you see where you are? I don't have a fish finder or anything and I'm worried about hitting bottom or submerged obstacles.
I usually don't go very fast, for one thing. Another is that I know the lakes pretty well from being out there during the day. Also when on the water there is usually a pretty good reflection from the moon so you can see fairly well.
On top of that I look at the GPS a lot, more than I should. Where are you in NY? I used to live in Saranac Lake and there were some lakes I wouldn't do at night because of the rocks and tight channels, others were wide open. If you're not using a GPS then I suggest studying maps so you know where the shallow spots are.
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Old 07-12-11, 07:19 PM   #16
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i went fishing two days ago and i tried soft plastics and a few cranks. but i found that neon green spinner bait reeling it in slow. i got 9 bass in an hour on that spinner bait then had to leave =(
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Old 07-13-11, 11:08 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CamG View Post
If I have the choice I stay at home. I hate the heat, and really don't like fishing at night. Our club usually has two tournaments in July and two in August. I dread them every year.
My sentiments exactly Cam...stay in and let the fish fend for themselves. I'm getting too old to be that much of a diehard I guess. I figure most of the fish that were there during the hot summer will still be there in the fall. One question though: If you dread the July/August tournaments, why participate in them? Fishing should never be something to dread. If I didn't derive some pleasure from my limited fishing involvement, I wouldn't do it.
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Old 07-13-11, 01:13 PM   #18
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I start out tossing a frog topwater,then as the day heats up go deeper in the jungle and shallower still tossing a frog.My best bite is at about 1thirty afternoon temp 105 heat index 115,generally have it to myself as well.
Bottom line when its hot they move under the mat if shallow or go deep,I prefer shallow active fish over suspended inactive any day of the week.
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Old 07-13-11, 01:35 PM   #19
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Big Spinnerbaits are what's working for me at the moment.
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