Fishing With Kenny | Tips for the Good Ol’ Summertime

article by  KENNY COVINGTON

Hello everybody, and welcome to this month’s Fishing with Kenny here at BayouLife. You know a lot of people believe “the dog days of summer” can lead to some frustration when it comes to bass fishing.  While I admit August can be a difficult month to catch bass, I have a few things I have used over the years that have proven quite successful, turning bad days into good ones.

Before we get started with the fishing part of this article, I would like to share some ways to help keep your fish alive in your livewells, even on the hottest days of summertime fishing.  I think they will help you, too!

First, make sure you have an overabundance of ice in your boat.  The first thing you want to do is add at least one 8 lb. bag of ice to your livewell before you reach your first fishing area.  Early in the morning, the water is at its coolest, and adding ice first thing will cool it off more quickly.  Once the ice is added, you will want to add a few capfuls of “Catch and Release” or whatever livewell treatment you use, then turn your livewells on recirculate.  This process cools your water, removes harmful chemicals, and, once fish are placed in the livewell, their survival rate significantly increases.

Also, I will add about half a cup of Hydrogen Peroxide once I catch my first fish.  By doing this, I am adding pure oxygen to the water, giving your livewell water an extra boost to keep your fish nice and healthy.  Keep a regular check on your livewells and add additional ice throughout the day as needed.  My percentage of weighing in live fish at the weigh-in during the summer is around 98%.  A little fish care goes a long way.

Now, back to the fishing. What makes August such a difficult month to catch fish is that the major concentrations of fish have broken up, and you can find fish at all levels of the lake.  You can catch them in six inches of water, suspended over deep water relating to schools of bait or scattered along ledges or tree lines.  Late summer bass love to suspend over open water.  As I said, they can be anywhere.

One thing that happens this time of year is that fish that were being caught around deeper brush or on the old channels will begin to migrate shallow due to the thermocline.  Contrary to popular belief, a lake turnover due to the thermocline doesn’t occur until the fall, but a bass will move to shallow water before this.

So, now we have an idea where the fish are; how do we go about catching them, or what scenarios do we look for?  First thing, consider the body of water on which you are fishing.  If I am on Caney Lake, known for its extremely clear water, I will look for sharper drop-offs and break lines.  The fish are moving both vertically and horizontally; the easier the movement is, the more comfortable they are.  This is why a lot of bass will suspend over a brush pile instead of on the brush itself.

If I am on a body of water with a lot of shallow stained water, such as Lake Darbonne, I will focus on shallow flats, especially flats used by schools of shad.  If vegetation such as coontail or hydrilla is present, that makes it even better.  The vegetation serves two purposes: it puts oxygen into the water and provides a sense of security for both predators and prey.  If you have a flat with grass and baitfish present, there is a population of bass in the area.

My general rule for fishing in August is to fish with smaller lures.  I still keep my standard lures on the deck of my boat: topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and a bottom-bumping lure, but let me explain why I choose each lure and each application.

Topwaters  

In extremely shallow water found on flats or even in deeper, clearer water, the drawing power of a topwater lure is second to none.  I love the Zara Puppy, a Yellow Magic, and a smaller ¼ ounce Buzzbait.  Notice all my choices allow me to cover water but aren’t as intrusive as the bigger sizes that are so popular.  Roaming bass can be spooky, so lure size is critical.  Also, take into consideration the length of the cast you will encounter.  Even though these lures are small, with the right rod/reel setup, I can throw them a long way.

Spinnerbaits

The month of August is the only time I will rarely use a spinnerbait bigger than a ¼ ounce.  Usually, bass are baitfish oriented, so I stick mostly with willow leaf blades, even in extremely off-colored water.  My number one spinnerbait is a one-eighth-ounce spinnerbait with a single willow blade and a shad-colored skirt.  This bait is deadly!  If I am going to slow roll my spinnerbait around grass edges or cypress trees, that is when a ¼ double willow leaf shines.  The lighter bait forces me to slow my presentation down, which is critical when dealing with lethargic summer bass.

Crankbaits

Over the years in tournament competition, there are only two crankbaits I always have tied on, regardless of where I am fishing: a shad-colored Norman Deep Tiny N crankbait and a ¼ Rat L Trap-style lure.  Both allow me to cover water and dissect an area much more quickly, eliminating unproductive water.  They are both also fantastic fish catchers.

My favorite bottom-bouncing lure is a Texas-rigged Zoom Finesse worm in Candy Bug or Plum color.  I use both versions, but I always start with the 7-inch version and use the smaller finesse version if I switch to a shaky head.  

Well, it looks like we have run out of space and time again.  I hope we were able to share some information that will help make your next trip to the water more productive.  Now that it is the middle of summer, there will be a lot more people on the water, so take extra precautions.  

Take care and catch one for me. And see you next month!