Summer has arrived. In the fish’s underwater world, lots of things are going on. All these things affect what the fish do, and also affect the ways that we can catch them. Consider some of the following ideas Bob Jensen has for catching more fish this summer.

You may have heard of the “Dog Days” of summer and how fish don’t eat during this period. Although fishing changes in the summer as fish habits also change, the fish still have to eat. In fact, they eat more often in the summer months. This is good news for anglers. Fish that eat more often can be easier to catch if you do just a couple of things.

We hear it a lot as anglers, but we hear it a lot because it’s such an important consideration. It’s probably the most basic concept of fishing. If you want to catch fish, you need to put your bait where the fish are. The newest boat, rods, reels and lures will be of no help if you don’t put your lure where the fish live.

Some fish will be in deep water, some will be shallow, and some will be at mid-depths. At times, the deep fish will be the biters; at other times, the fish in the other depth ranges will be most likely to bite. Anglers need to spend some time working various depths to determine which fish are most willing to bite. Often, shallow fish bite best early and late in the day, while deeper fish might be better targets at midday. Weather conditions and cloud cover can change everything.

If the fish are schooled tightly, which they often are in deeper water, a slow presentation will be most productive. It’s hard to beat a live bait rig with either a leech or crawler wiggling right on the fish’s noses.

At other times, especially when the fish are spread out, a faster-moving bait will be best. If walleyes are the quarry, Lucky Shad or Hornet crankbaits enable you to cover water quickly and effectively. Walleye tournament Angler of the Year Drake Herd is consistently a threat to win a contest, and in summer, a crankbait is often found on his line.

For largemouth bass, a crankbait worked along the weed line or over deeper structure will be good, and a jig rigged with an Ocho plastic worm will almost always take some fish.

A live bait rig is a traditional favorite for smallmouth bass in summer and fall, and rigs continue to be effective for smallmouths. However, smallmouth bass enthusiasts have learned that drop shot rigs catch smallmouths just as well as live bait rigs, and drop shot rigs offer several advantages over live bait rigs. Drop shot rigs are tipped with plastic, so there’s no live bait to care for. Additionally, plastic baits come in lots of colors, shape, and sizes. Live bait doesn’t offer that variable.

Modern electronics do an excellent job of showing where the fish are. Pay attention to your electronics. If they show fish, fish for them. If you’re not seeing fish, try somewhere else.

The summer months can provide some of the best fishing of the year. When the opportunity to go fishing presents itself, get out there. You’ll find that the Dog Days of summer can provide some outstanding fishing.

You’ll find plenty of helpful summer fishing tips in the June and July/August issues of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.