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Just when it seemed as if the summer weather had been mostly pleasant, we were clobbered with a brutal heat wave all too reminiscent of last year.
While it's hard to be a fan of the scorching temperatures, I personally prefer summer heat to winter freeze. Of course, there is no way to do much about either kind of weather other than to adjust as much as possible. Therefore, rather than trying to beat the heat, I find it better to look for some workarounds when it comes to summertime fishing.
A stream thermometer can be a valuable piece of equipment for summer trout fishing. Trout are cold-water fish, and their metabolism is linked to the temperature of the water they live in. Brown and rainbow trout prefer water at a peak of about 63 or 64 degrees, while brook trout need it a couple of degrees cooler. As water temperatures rise to 70 or more, trout are less inclined to feed and become more concerned with survival, which makes fishing for them mostly an exercise in futility. Checking the stream temperature can save a lot of wasted time and effort.
Fortunately, we have an abundance of spring-fed limestone streams in our region that maintain desirable water temperatures throughout the summer. These wonderful resources can and do provide worthwhile summer trout fishing opportunities. But even on the best streams, water temperatures will be optimal around dawn and shortly thereafter, so getting on the water as early as possible is advisable.
Although water temperature is a prime concern, water conditions during summer on most streams will be quite low and clear. This can make already wary and spooky fish even warier and spookier. Employing a measure of stealth along the stream will help ensure success. Keep wading to a minimum and stay out of the water as much as possible. Splashing and heavy footsteps will scare trout some distance away.
Bass are warm-water fish and tend to be a more willing summertime target. But even bass fishing can be somewhat problematic during the peak of summer heat. Although bass can tolerate temperatures approaching that of bath water, some of the best summertime fishing them is often early morning or late evening, especially during those bright, scorching days. During those times, bigger bass seem more inclined to venture into the shallower water near shorelines in search of minnows and other prey and will be tempted by topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and other typical bass lures.
Later in the day, it can be more productive prospecting structure in deeper water with plastic worms, jigs or other finesse type of lures. Downsizing your baits can also be an asset in the summer. Young-of-the-year baitfish are plentiful right now, and these half-grown minnows present a tempting snack to sometimes lethargic hot-weather bass.
As a contingency, I'll often stow a 4- or 5-weight fly rod and a box of dry flies in the boat. When the early bass bite peters out and alternative methods are drawing little or no interest later in the day, I like to break out the fly rod and fish for bluegills with dry flies. Even on the brightest days, these plentiful sunfish tend to be gratifyingly cooperative by readily rising to a dry fly. They also put up a more than respectable fight for their size when taken on light fly tackle. And when was the last time you were able to hook 100 fish in a day on dry flies?
By far, my personal brand of summer fishing has long been for river smallmouths. Although lake-dwelling largemouths can present a severe challenge during many muggy summer days, river smallmouths seem to like summer as much as I do. And the upper Juniata River in Huntingdon and Mifflin counties has always been a great place to find cooperative summer smallmouths (and cooperative spring and fall smallmouths too, but that's a story for another time).
In my younger days, we used live bait for river bass, mostly softshell crayfish and minnows. Hellgrammites were and still are another popular smallmouth bait. Later, we graduated to using some artificial lures. Small Rapala minnows and the topwater Heddon Tiny Torpedo were among our favorites. In addition to being a lot of fun, fishing with lures freed us from the time and trouble of catching and caring for live bait all summer long. I still use an assortment of crankbaits and other hard baits for river smallmouths, but for the past 20 years or so, an array of soft-plastic lures have been the mainstays for summer smallmouths. Soft-plastic tube jigs in crayfish-mimicking colors or the Bass Pro Shops Split-Tail Stik-O in baitfish or Houdini are top producers.
One major strategy shift for beating the summer heat for some anglers is to work the night shift. Night fishing is a completely different experience than daytime angling, and I did a lot of it in my younger days. It can also take some getting used to depending on the species you're after or the methods you use. Some avid night fishermen are convinced that odds of catching trophy fish are greatly enhanced after dark.
The favorite target species for many devoted night anglers are catfish and carp. These bottom feeders tend to be active feeders after dark and are found in most of the rivers and lakes of our region. Fishing for them can be sedentary, relaxed and often a social event with a comfortable chair and a fishing buddy or two. Bait your hook, cast it out, prop your rod in a holder, sit back and let the fish do the work.
Carp and catfish and will take a variety of baits. Nightcrawlers or crayfish will catch both. Chicken livers and minnows, alive or dead, will also catch catfish. Other useful carp baits include prepared dough baits or whole kernel canned corn. Chumming your fishing spot beforehand Swith a handful or two of corn can attract a steady bunch of carp.