Fishing tip of the week

Fishing Tip of the Week

Tuesday, 03 May 2022 11:52

It is Almost Summer
Summertime adds more complexity to the fishing as the heat and lack of rain changes it drastically. The decision process of where to go and what baits you use is not as cut-and-dried as it is in the springtime. Most of the decision process revolves around your style and enjoyment while on a summertime fishing trip – meaning what pattern or bait gives you confidence, and what you want to accomplish between the time you put in and head to the house.

In other words, are you looking for size, numbers, topwater action, or are you just going to enjoy working different baits looking for different patterns? I head to the water in the summer always trying to identify what my customer is looking to do. That way I can adjust quickly to the conditions and hopefully offer them some tips to accomplish their goals. One theme that is prevalent is topwater action; knowing this, I head to the grass and look for bait action immediately, so I can take advantage of the low light conditions early in the morning.

When trying to find topwater action, I always look for deep water near the bank; it appears to me that the bait moves to the bank around lay-downs, rock and grass edges, so knowing this gets me to the top-action quickly.

Many of my customers in the summer are not interested in just hooking up on a big fish. Yes, that is a great result but many just want something pulling on their line. This is quite different than trying to find tournament-size fish, so the decision process is more about baits than anything. There is no doubt in my mind that smaller baits like finesse worms or paddle worms attract more bites. So, I make the decision to downsize and try to get continuous action, and my baits reflect that all day long.

When you head to the water this summer, have a plan of what you are looking for. It will allow you to focus quicker and accomplish more than just going fishing and not putting any thought into your day. Bigger fish have different habits than small fish, and knowing what you want to do can lead you to some better summertime fishing!

-Captain Mike Gerry