Catch Schooling Bass

By Jay Yelas

It might be summertime, but did you know that bass have already gone back to school? Back to schools of baitfish, that is. That’s because there are huge clouds of baitfish everywhere. The baitfish that hatched earlier in the year are now the ideal size for bass forage. And sometimes during the day, bass will tear through these schools devouring as many as they can. When bass are targeting schools of baitfish like this, they can make easy targets for anglers.

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Cranked Up About Fluorocarbon

By Boyd Duckett

If you respool your reels as much as I do, I hope you stocked up on some extra fluorocarbon line recently because it’s summer and you’re going to need it.

Summertime fishing conditions are different from any other time of the year. Much of this centers around water clarity. In short, summertime brings about some of the year’s clearest water conditions. Unlike the spring when most places receive much of their rainfall, the summer is usually dry and free of precipitation. This results in less runoff and clearer water. Also, summer brings about rapid growth in shoreline vegetation, which filters the water. Plus, summer fish are usually more finicky about what they eat. All this boils down to fish a better look at your bait.

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Fishing The Weedline

By Bob Jensen

In the summer, there are a lot of areas in a lake that will be home to fish. Some fish will be in the deep water close to structure, some will be suspended over deep water hanging out around baitfish, and some will be in the shallow sloppy vegetation. But on any lake in the Midwest, you can bet that if there is a good weedline in the mid range depths, there will be fish nearby.

They might be largemouth bass, could be crappies, there will probably be some walleyes in the area, and you can bet a musky or northern pike will be cruising through every now and then as well. For the next couple of months, the weedline is going to be the grocery store for fish.

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Wade Fishing With Woo

By Woo Daves

Wade fishing is fun and productive for the hot days of summer. No matter where you live, there are wade fishing streams and creeks that offer shade from the hot sun, usually cool water, and abundant species of fish. Drive backcountry roads in your area, pausing at low water crossings and bridges to ponder the possibilities.

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