The HEAT is here.

[Princeton_Man]

Due mostly to poor planning and boat issues left over from last Fall, I've managed to miss all of the good fishing, now the heat is here. I usually like to be on the water by dawn, so I'm going to start trying to get on the water before the fast food joints ever have their biscuits in the oven. Will the night bite have slowed down so much to not be worth it?

[Capt. BassinLou]

Due mostly to poor planning and boat issues left over from last Fall, I've managed to miss all of the good fishing, now the heat is here. I usually like to be on the water by dawn, so I'm going to start trying to get on the water before the fast food joints ever have their biscuits in the oven. Will the night bite have slowed down so much to not be worth it?

We have been dealing with heat for a while now, this year. Your patience and tolerance will be tested. The bass you will think have all disappeared. But they are around. You will need to think and grind it out. Good luck Jim!

[coldfront]

yessir it's a bit 'close' out there.  little wind and dripping sweat is the order of the day.  however, even on a weekend with current shut down, still some fish to be had.  had to slow way down and work... but...

you know it's humid when this is the morning sky



tossed a horny toad on weed mats and intermittent vegetation on main river flats.  no takers.  not even GAR were interested.

switched to a t-rigged berkley maxscent magnum hitworm.  bite was a bit funky, but they were there.  probably 12 bass from about 730 am to 1130 am.  then lost ability to focus, 'cause it was  hot and I was being a weenie.

first good one went 3-1


worked same spot for another 30 minutes for another 'good' bite... this one went 4-2


hauled water for a little more time, then picked up and moved to some offshore humps/rubble/shell beds with weeds...
first cast, this 5-0.  a handful of assorted 2 - 3 pounders followed.  more 2's than 3's.



next bite was one of those where it's like the bait is getting 'electric shock' ... very fast vibration.  i've learned to know what that means...  yep



tried a couple colors, but plum apple was what was wanted.  seemed to want a heavier weight as well.  no sniffs on green pumpkin, green pumpkin variants.

also tried dragging c-rigs and swinging jig heads around.  they'd hit the swinging jig head, but would grab the tail and I couldn't get a hook in them.


enjoyed the day.  got home about 130... took a 3 hour nap.  man that humidity sort of sucked it right out of me.

water temps were showing 85°F on the TM transducer.


yep.  it's darned hot.  gonna get hotter.

[Princeton_Man]

yessir it's a bit 'close' out there.  little wind and dripping sweat is the order of the day.  however, even on a weekend with current shut down, still some fish to be had.  had to slow way down and work... but...

you know it's humid when this is the morning sky



tossed a horny toad on weed mats and intermittent vegetation on main river flats.  no takers.  not even GAR were interested.

switched to a t-rigged berkley maxscent magnum hitworm.  bite was a bit funky, but they were there.  probably 12 bass from about 730 am to 1130 am.  then lost ability to focus, 'cause it was  hot and I was being a weenie.

first good one went 3-1


worked same spot for another 30 minutes for another 'good' bite... this one went 4-2


hauled water for a little more time, then picked up and moved to some offshore humps/rubble/shell beds with weeds...
first cast, this 5-0.  a handful of assorted 2 - 3 pounders followed.  more 2's than 3's.



next bite was one of those where it's like the bait is getting 'electric shock' ... very fast vibration.  i've learned to know what that means...  yep



tried a couple colors, but plum apple was what was wanted.  seemed to want a heavier weight as well.  no sniffs on green pumpkin, green pumpkin variants.

also tried dragging c-rigs and swinging jig heads around.  they'd hit the swinging jig head, but would grab the tail and I couldn't get a hook in them.


enjoyed the day.  got home about 130... took a 3 hour nap.  man that humidity sort of sucked it right out of me.

water temps were showing 85°F on the TM transducer.


yep.  it's darned hot.  gonna get hotter.

You had what I'd consider a very successful day in the heat. The river can be a bit more generous than our nearby lakes. The heat and humidity takes it out of me too, but it's not nearly as bad if I'm putting a fish in the boat now and then. T-rigs and jigs are generally my best Summer techniques, but when the heat and humidity are cranked up, and I've spent the last two or three hours practically dead stickin fish without appetites, I'm ready to go home.

I think I'll try a 4:00a launch followed up by one of those 3 hour afternoon naps.