Watcha Gonna Do, When Summer Comes Around?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I’ve been reading the book, “Freshwater Fishing Secrets*,” lately. I like to read fishing books, particularly the older ones. You never know what little tidbit you’ll pick up that might help you. Under the section for Largemouth Bass, is an article about Bob Stonewater, a guide from Florida. Bob specializes in trophy bass on large shiners - live bait fishing, in other words. Here‘s what it says….

“To believe that large bass can only be taken in spring is a mistake, according to this specialist. Using his giant baitfish techniques has resulted in trophy catches all year round. Stonewater’s largemouth catches actually increase in summer and fall, and the winter months yield numerous trophy class fish, as well…

The majority of his big bass caught and released quickly each month are taken between 10 a.m. and 3p.m., according to Stonewater’s fishing log. It reveals that fewer than one in 25 10-pound plus bas is caught before 8 a.m.”

This got me to thinking. Aside from a few specific things, mostly having to do with proportions, bass and bluegill share the same traits overall. Yet we tend to think of these fish in terms of spring, even during the other months of the year. We get stumped when summer comes and “they stop bitin‘,” or the winter slow down descends to frustrate us. But as my friend Jerry says, “Them fish is still there and they gotta eat, ever’ day. Just where, when, and what, well… that’s what you gotta figger out.”

So with summer not far off, how are you bluegill fans gonna keep your stringers full?

 

* Complete Anglers Library, Ó1990, North American Fishing Club, Minneapolis, MN. ISBN 0-914697-30-7

[Johnny]

It seems the summer heat slows everything down, all I want to do is lay around in a nice cool mud hole under a shade tree.

 Even tho the fish'n slows teh scrappy little gill never lets me down (key word little), but since I've been hang'n out here my mind is think'n BIG blue gills instead of the standard size, so just the act of catch'n bigger gills mite slow down my normal catch rate.

 

 As long as I can stand the heat I still fish. 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I guess, then, I wonder what you might do differently, once summer comes on?

The big gills are still there...

[Steve Connell]

I live in Wi. And catch gills in water from 82deg. to 38 deg. we just go deeper. In winter fish alittle slower and in summer we fish faster. They still gota eat. Deeper for summer and winter. you can catch the little ones year round shallow.30 foot deep is not unusual for me in July.

[Johnny]

" you can catch the little ones year round", mostly teh ones I catch are hand size & like ya said they bite most of teh time, I figured they went into deeper water but never thought about 30 ft deep.

 but this is the education I need to catch bigger gils, I dont have a clue how, when or wher to catch'm, my fish'n is based on whetevers in the mood to bite & I've never dedicated my fish'n to a cetain fish or size, untill now anyway. 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Deeper is a universal concept for summer fishing. It isn't absolute, but it is important. For bluegill, another tactic is to fish cover that is adjacent to deep water - particularly in the early day an late afternoon. This is especially important to the shorebound angler who may not be able to reach deeper water structure.

In all of this it is important to to keep in mind that bluegill are structure oriented. They like it best when there is something at their back.

 

[Steve Connell]

We have also noticed a relation to snail beds,even with water temp in the 80's and deep,cooler water availabe weve had good catches in 5-6 fow.

[John Sheehan]

I agree in summer  I fish relative deep water  and close to bottom . Wind driftin shot and worm piece , jig/worm,spoon/worm! Same holds true for Perch near basin areas before ice up. Not sure about basin areas for Gills late in the season  but maybe true as well. 

 As to the last line David, as long as that 'something' isn't a predator  Pickerel. In summer I have caught good sized gills in a lake with smaller Pickerel side by side ,driftin with the same worm tipped 32nd oz. jig.The Bull Gills know when they can hang with the competitors and hold their own.

[John Sheehan]

Good post David .Sounds like it also belongs in this group: http://bigbluegill.com/group/fishingbooklibrary

 

Deeper for gills in summer for sure and close to bottom during the high sun periods.Light thin profile Spoons with crawler pieces or mealworms ,or small hook /shot/bait drifting where the wind takes you to the feeding gills .  Fly rod poppin' at dusk gets some nice gills in the shallower waters from shore and a very fun approach, stay after dark for Bullheads using spinning rods.

[jason grimm]

1st I fish a lake that has a higher bluegill/redear/green sunfish population then bass. 2nd I have a boat with a bimini top. 3rd I drift fish, which allows me to get a bite any depth any type of day and anytime of year. 1 more thing, bluegill spawn in may in the south, so why need fish the dog days of summer, im leaving the 2nd week of may, when things at my fav lake will be in full swing for bluegill.

[Steve Crowder]

Just keep fishing like nothing ever happened!!!