Fishing in hot summer temps

Need some tips fishing in hot weather could not locate any bass on my
fish finder the other day. I tried some crank baits & heavy spinner baits.
Surface temp was 84 deg. I did see one or two suspended fish that was
it. Not sure if it was the moon cycle or high water temp.

[River stumps]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Need some tips fishing in hot weather could not locate any bass on my
fish finder the other day. I tried some crank baits & heavy spinner baits.
Surface temp was 84 deg. I did see one or two suspended fish that was
it. Not sure if it was the moon cycle or high water temp.

Try early in the morn and late in the eve, with a slow action top water. Other time when the water temp is high, try using a soft plastic around cover and structure, and fish it slow. I find that bass are not aggressive in the heat of the day. Good luck and happy fishing

[KH.]

use one of them frogs on topwater like a buzzbait

[lizardsrule]

Well when you figure out how to catch those suspended fish please let me know. LOL. Fish are tight to cover during the day. Pinpoint accuracy(picthing and flipping) are crucial. Also skipping plastics under docks, or overhanging branches will work. Slow and methodical is the key during the day. Work weeds thoroughly, with any and all baits. They are there, just hunkered down. If you don't hit the strike zone which is very small during this time, you won't get anything.

Lizards

[NCBUXNDUX]

I cant believe with this post you didn't get a million replies. So I will give you the real answer, and not the "top water" solution you read about. Top Water may produce in early August early AM, or late PM, but once the water temp regulates and stabilizes and has very little change from nigh to day, I dont throw much top water. The key to fishing the hot weather is knowing the lake you are going to fish. One, find the main river channel,and then determine where small feeder creeks feed into it. This usually is some type of bend or even a "U" turn in the main body of water. This creates prime time hot weather bass action. You will have shallows on two sides of the river channel, with deep water near by. When it gets hot, the bass will suspend on the slope going from, shallow to deep. With the river channel below, there is a constant flow of water, which equals oxygen, bait fish, and a cooler water temp. Set your boat over the actual river channel, and throw heavy t-rigged OL Monsters, C-Rigs, and deep diving crankbaits onto the shallow hump, and pull back through the deeper water. The fish will dictate what colors to throw, so give them plenty of choices to choose from. The other main key you must have is some type of structure. Small little humps on your fisf finder may equal stumps, rocks, or old blowdowns, find these on a slope off the river channel, and you WILL find bass. This information will catch fish, and I have taken many 5 in fish bags to the weighh master doing this on days where the temp was 100. The bite may slow when the sun gets directly overhead, but you cna still catch them like this. I have fished tourneys where the winner did his pre fishing, found these spots I talked about, headed straight to them at balst off, never left it untill time to head back for weigh ins, and kicked everyones ***. Find these bends and underwater humps, and you will catch the hot weather bass. Good luck, and I hope this helps.

[Dyas]

Dang........................................ Thats why I cant catch them often in rivers........................... I aint fishin in the right spot......................

any help im gonna start fishing banjo minnows?
what do you guys know about them

[flachristopherkeene9]

He a retetion pond at my church is getting stocked but I dont know how im gonna fish it. An oval no bigger than an acre with about 12+ feet in depth with a steep slope. No cover or anything???

CJ

[River stumps]

Originally Posted by NCBUXNDUX

I cant believe with this post you didn't get a million replies. So I will give you the real answer, and not the "top water" solution you read about. Top Water may produce in early August early AM, or late PM, but once the water temp regulates and stabilizes and has very little change from nigh to day, I dont throw much top water. The key to fishing the hot weather is knowing the lake you are going to fish. One, find the main river channel,and then determine where small feeder creeks feed into it. This usually is some type of bend or even a "U" turn in the main body of water. This creates prime time hot weather bass action. You will have shallows on two sides of the river channel, with deep water near by. When it gets hot, the bass will suspend on the slope going from, shallow to deep. With the river channel below, there is a constant flow of water, which equals oxygen, bait fish, and a cooler water temp. Set your boat over the actual river channel, and throw heavy t-rigged OL Monsters, C-Rigs, and deep diving crankbaits onto the shallow hump, and pull back through the deeper water. The fish will dictate what colors to throw, so give them plenty of choices to choose from. The other main key you must have is some type of structure. Small little humps on your fisf finder may equal stumps, rocks, or old blowdowns, find these on a slope off the river channel, and you WILL find bass. This information will catch fish, and I have taken many 5 in fish bags to the weighh master doing this on days where the temp was 100. The bite may slow when the sun gets directly overhead, but you cna still catch them like this. I have fished tourneys where the winner did his pre fishing, found these spots I talked about, headed straight to them at balst off, never left it untill time to head back for weigh ins, and kicked everyones ***. Find these bends and underwater humps, and you will catch the hot weather bass. Good luck, and I hope this helps.

I have fished above methods that you have mentioned, and you have put some good information on the table for the up and comming bass anglers, and it is good information. But what works for you may not work for me. Through the hot days of August, early in the morn and late in the evenings, I get fair results from throwing a top water Bang-o-lure, pop-r or any of those twitching baits, and I twitch, them slowly. And In between the early morn and late evenings, I use soft plastic and get good results. I do this through the entire month of August and it has proven to be effective for me. Good day and happy fishing.

[Basspro wannabe]

Originally Posted by NCBUXNDUX

I cant believe with this post you didn't get a million replies. So I will give you the real answer, and not the "top water" solution you read about. Top Water may produce in early August early AM, or late PM, but once the water temp regulates and stabilizes and has very little change from nigh to day, I dont throw much top water. The key to fishing the hot weather is knowing the lake you are going to fish. One, find the main river channel,and then determine where small feeder creeks feed into it. This usually is some type of bend or even a "U" turn in the main body of water. This creates prime time hot weather bass action. You will have shallows on two sides of the river channel, with deep water near by. When it gets hot, the bass will suspend on the slope going from, shallow to deep. With the river channel below, there is a constant flow of water, which equals oxygen, bait fish, and a cooler water temp. Set your boat over the actual river channel, and throw heavy t-rigged OL Monsters, C-Rigs, and deep diving crankbaits onto the shallow hump, and pull back through the deeper water. The fish will dictate what colors to throw, so give them plenty of choices to choose from. The other main key you must have is some type of structure. Small little humps on your fisf finder may equal stumps, rocks, or old blowdowns, find these on a slope off the river channel, and you WILL find bass. This information will catch fish, and I have taken many 5 in fish bags to the weighh master doing this on days where the temp was 100. The bite may slow when the sun gets directly overhead, but you cna still catch them like this. I have fished tourneys where the winner did his pre fishing, found these spots I talked about, headed straight to them at balst off, never left it untill time to head back for weigh ins, and kicked everyones ***. Find these bends and underwater humps, and you will catch the hot weather bass. Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Put a crown on this man's head GREAT INFORMATION I love fishing creek channels this time of year. If the fish were suspended it makes catching bass very tough but if the fish are using the creek channels fishing is good.

[KH.]

a buzzbait still is good no matter what you say

[dts]

My personal opinion is wigglies for hot days if I am on a low cover area. If there is lots of cover. I use vibration jigs anything will work if you put it in the right place. I have caught fish 104 outside it is just dropping the lure in the right spot. If the fish is up under an embankment, throw your lure up under there as much as you can. I like to side arm it that way you don't get hung up as much. I use a float tube. So I am closer to the water than a boat. But it still will work the same. It is more about placement than anything. Everyone has given you good advice. You just have to take what you like and use it. Keep the others in your back up file and then that way you can try them if the other stuff don't work. I have found the stuff you hear on this site really is good. Some a little strange but it does work.
Happy fishing

[KH.]

if topwater will produce early am and late pm just go fishing then

[dts]

Originally Posted by kh51501

if topwater will produce early am and late pm just go fishing then

Can't argue with that!!!

[NCBUXNDUX]

Sorry fellas, didn't mean to get anyones feathers rilled up, but here is the proven facts. Go to any local bass club you have in your area, and ask the 3-4 guys or teams that win club tourney's regularly how they fish in the hottest parts of the year. They will tell you that creek channels and bends in main river channels with cover will get it done.
I didn't say top water would not produce in the mornings and evenings, I said , qoute, " I don't throw it much", Mainly because I fish tournaments where you have got to catch fish ALL DAY to get the cash and, most weigh ins around here are at 3:00 PM. No doubt throwing a top water for one hour twice a day (morning & PM) may catch you a fish or two, but hands down in a tourney a guy fishing like I mentioned will really hurt your feelings come weigh in time. Just my two cents, and what has worked for me. Good luck, and tight lines.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by NCBUXNDUX

Sorry fellas, didn't mean to get anyones feathers rilled up, but here is the proven facts. Go to any local bass club you have in your area, and ask the 3-4 guys or teams that win club tourney's regularly how they fish in the hottest parts of the year. They will tell you that creek channels and bends in main river channels with cover will get it done.
I didn't say top water would not produce in the mornings and evenings, I said , qoute, " I don't throw it much", Mainly because I fish tournaments where you have got to catch fish ALL DAY to get the cash and, most weigh ins around here are at 3:00 PM. No doubt throwing a top water for one hour twice a day (morning & PM) may catch you a fish or two, but hands down in a tourney a guy fishing like I mentioned will really hurt your feelings come weigh in time. Just my two cents, and what has worked for me. Good luck, and tight lines.

You have some valid points. Myself being new to tournaments, I still will give the topwater a shot early, and sometimes duing the day, just depends on conditions. The one down side to your plan is many folks aren't fishing big bodies of water, therefor no creek or roadbed or structure of that sort. When you have a creek channel, near another change in structure or cover, those are ideal all year long, not just during the summer IMO. But they are also a great place during the summer. I also will say that so far in my limited experience in tourneys. 99% of the folks just hit the shoreline along with everyone else. So they aren't fishing the channels either. Not saying they shouldn't be, I would prefer to fish the channels most of the time, but guys are just programmed to hit the shoreline. I have tried desperately to change that not only with myself this year, but have said it several times to my boaters I get paired with and all of them pretty much keep hitting the shorelines. So I believe most bass fisherman don't know how or where to fish the deeper water, and they are also getting beat by guys who do.

Lizards

Thanks for all the posts. I did use topwaters in the morning it only produced
small fish. No hits at all on buzzbaits as well. Thats way I posted this message. Just seemed that the topwater bite went away the last 2 weeks

I have use the creek channel technique before in the summer time with great
success but on this lake both creeks enter in on very long shallow flats. I was tracking the main one with my fish finder the long flat made it impossible
to locate anything specific. I did forget the humps great point.

[1FASTLASER]

NCBUXANDUX I couldnt have said it any better. Knowning the water and its better spots is the best way to catch fish when the heat is on. If you dont know the ledges and points and humps you are just catching a straggler every now and then. One of my main spots on the local lake I fish is a well known road with ditches on both sides but the best spot by far is where the road makes a couple of s curves. Staying on that spot has produced some very respectable catches.