Hot Summer Smallies
Doug lands a beast in the UP
It’s been nearly 3 months since we’ve posted. When fisherman go silent for a long period of time, it’s safe to assume they’re crushing it, or fishing is awful. We’ve had a little bit of both.
Early summer we were finding all kinds of big fish. Gear trips produced big takes on mostly Mepps #4 spinners, or whacky rigs. Before the grass comes in these are great ways to locate and catch fish. We even had one day in June where we just couldn’t keep the Bowfin off the line. They’re ferocious fighters! A word to the wise though…they have VERY sharp teeth.
On the fly we spent most of June throwing giant streamers on intermediate lines. with the low water they were pretty easy to locate, but clarity made them easy to spook as well. Windy days were best, as they couldn’t see the boat. We also caught a good number of decent pike. Simply pounding the banks and slack water assured us of double-digit days.
Steve with a top-water tank on a frog popper in the Western UP
Fast forward to July, and water conditions completely changed. We went from near-historic lows for the time of year, to full-on flood conditions. I like to think that this sort of re-shuffles the fish in the river, though I have no evidence to support the theory. Regardless, as the water slowly dropped we attempted some muddy-water trips. We still got into some big fish, but it felt like starting from scratch. The bigger fish were back in deeper holes, presumably waiting for clarity to improve before they venture out hunting again. But, a well-placed lure in front of their face would still elicit an aggressive strike.
Tom making the most of muddy water, with a nice 18”
As I sit here typing today, water conditions on all rivers are nearly perfect. They’re still higher than normal for the time of year, and with a bit of stain. The grass has definitely taken over those low stretches of river, so top water will keep your hooks clear, and guarantee an exciting day of fishing. As we get later into the summer months, try sizing down your lures/flies, especially for bass. Fly anglers should try top-water foam bugs like grasshoppers. If you’re looking to put some fish in the fryer, summer rock bass smash hoppers, fight hard, and are excellent in the frying pan!!!
Matt lands his first smallie on a fly, and it’s a football
Hopefully, everyone can find some time to sneak out and wet a line this summer. Days are already getting shorter, so the time to hit the water is now!
-Ted, F.R.O.
