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Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing
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Catching Lethargic Bassby Mike Guarino As the end of August approaches, more and more positive fishing reports have been coming in. The bass fishing really held this summer season and lots of guests and residents have been catching decent size fish in good numbers, too. Of course during the summer months you have to work a bit harder than late May and June, but the size of the fish make up for the numbers. The same summer pattern seems to be successful for most anglers. Fish hard in the early morning and late evening, that's when the bigger fish put on the feed bag. During the high sun and hottest time of day, there are a couple of different options to consider. Trolling is always a popular way to catch mid-day smallies that suspend near dropoffs or over deep holes. In the heat of the day when things slow down, many anglers troll more slowly to entice bites. However, just the opposite technique will prove successful at times. Trolling from 2.8 - 3.5 m.p.h. with lures that can handle that speed is a good way to pick up a few extra fish. When trolling this fast, consider using lures like rapalas, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows and tandem streamer flies. These types of baits can handle the speed and still run true behind the boat. Also, hardware like sutton spoons and mooseleuk wobblers perform well under higher speeds. Avoid flatfish, sewn bait and in-line spinners when trolling really fast. When trolling at higher speeds, the key is to try and draw impulse strikes from fish that are normally not feeding. The fish see baits race overhead and instinctively shoot up and hit, more often to kill the bait than through a desire to feed. For anglers who prefer to cast rather than troll, you can get the same effect by using faster lures and presenting them in areas where fish are likely to ambush prey. A good example of this type of fishing is with largemouth bass. During the middle hours of the day, a largemouth bass will bury himself in weedy cover to hide from the sun and predators. Pitching a rubber worm or jig into his hiding place will get him to strike but not always. However, many times these bass will attack a spinner bait burned just outside the weed line. The bass see the bait for just a split second and either strike, miss or let it go. More often than not, they strike. By not allowing the fish to get a really good luck at the lure, you can often trick a lazy fish into biting. Another key to this style of fishing is boat position. When fishing weedy areas, there are always "pot holes" in the weeds or definitive edges to the weed beds. The edges are even more pronounced in areas where there are stream channels (like North Bay in Great Pond or lower Long Pond on the Belgrade Stream). Positioning your boat so that you cast along the edge of the weed beds, hence retrieving your lure parallel to the weed edge rather than casting directly to the bed works best. Casting parallel to the edge of the bed allows you to keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Casting perpendicular to the bed keeps the lure in the strike zone for a short amount of time, limiting your chances of contacting a fish. Sometimes changing your approach to lethargic fish will increase your overall catch. Good luck! Mike Guarino can be contacted at 465-4333 or www.mainewildernesstours.com. | ||