Dog Days of Summer Bass fishing

 

A nice bass on a walking topwater
bait on a rare cool August morning

I recently received a phone call from an avid bass angler about the current bite here in Eastern Iowa.  It truly is the dog days of summer, especially with the low water levels in our river systems.  As we chatted, several things kept coming back up to possibly offer up a reason/solution for fishing during the last few weeks of the hot summer weather.  One thing that we kept coming back to was the time of day to fish this time of year.  Early morning is key during these warm water weeks, recently we have had some cooler mornings, and the bass sure loved it!  Getting out early when the sun is rising will gain you a few more fish this time of year.  In another month it won't matter, but for the upcoming weeks make it a point to get up and get out to your favorite fishing hole.  Another good time of the day is the last couple of hours of the day.  When the sun starts to disappear over the treetops, the bass know they have a limited time to get more to eat.  Both the morning and the evening can provide you with some fantastic fishing as the bass come alive to feed up under these low light hours of the day.  It is also prime time to throw topwater baits...my favorite!!!  

Another portion of our conversation turned to the many school of minnows and shad present the rivers at this time of year.  No matter where you fish, the smallest of rivers or the mighty Mississippi River, the bait is bunched up and in great numbers around this time of year.  This could offer a reason why the middle of the day can be difficult for anglers.  It does allow a lot of light for the bass to prey on this forage.  These smaller fish become easy targets in the light of the day as they swarm around natural eddies and shaded areas of the rivers.  Perhaps the bass are "full"... or perhaps the bass are napping in those same areas too???  

One last thing, this time of year the bass will be in the current directly or they will be very close to it.  Current brings them fresh water, a steady pH level and a constant flow of food.  During these dog days of summer, those are a must for smallmouth and largemouth alike.  

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer...I am really looking forward to the fall season and the leaves falling to the ground!