The sun is high in the sky. The water has warmed up. The weeds have become thick. The water is murky. And the fish don't seem to be biting. How do you get those hot, slow moving fish to bite? Play it cool...

    Most fish in the northern climes, like their water cool. Experience has taught me once we've had a couple of days in the 80's or 90's the fish stop biting. Or do they.?

    Many anglers stop pursuing panfish once the shallow water bite ceases, but it doesn't have to be that way. Locating summer panfish shouldn't be intimidating and many times the fish are located in areas you seek out when bass or pike fishing.

    Panfish will utilize deep water just like walleye, bass and pike. Keep in mind that as the water heats up, many fish will be moving toward deeper water.
    Deep weeds are a classic summer spot and should be a part of every panfish angler's daily routine once the summer suns take form.

   Deep weeds and weed lines will draw in a huge smorgasbord of organisms for panfish to feed on and in very high numbers. The cool water of the deep weeds is comforting to panfish and you can expect to find them there until the weeds change or the temps begin to drastically drop.

   Deep water shouldn't scare panfish anglers, and having the willingness to target deep water during the summer months can really increase your catch.
    Weeds play an important role in summer panfish locations and the presence of deep weeds make things just that much better. But don't let vegetation be your only guide to a day of success.

    Open water and mid-lake flats can be equally successful on some days. This pattern holds true more so for crappies than for sunfish. Every body of water is different and locations can vary. Crappies will roam out in open water, and usually it's the open water areas of a bay or the areas adjacent to deep weed lines and structure.
    Crappies like chasing down baitfish that are daring enough to adventure out into the open. The crappies know it's an easy meal and that they have a huge advantage over their prey in situations like that. It's not uncommon to find cruising pods of crappies out in 30 feet of water, suspended 10 feet off the bottom. Crappie locations during the hot summer months can be very frustrating on some lakes, and the possibilities seem endless.
    In order to narrow things down, you need to grab a lake map and look for possible springtime locations, as well as nearby deeper water. Figure out where the deep weed line is and where, if any, is there deeper structure. Crappies will hold near and around deep structure during the summer, then when the opportunity presents itself they will slide out into the open water to feed.

    With water temperatures rising throughout summer, many successful anglers will also change bait preferences because natural food sources for fish more abundant during mid-to-late summer. Improve your odds of catching fish by working both ends of the day around dawn and dusk and using use fresh, cool bait.
   Crappies and panfish are wandering off submerged islands or drop-offs with weedlines close by. Jigs with minnows or worms worked in 12-14 feet of water very good on area lakes with the deep cabbage out-producing most other areas for good fish. Waxworms and small leeches on ice jigs can be a favorite here.
   If you'd rather not switch to leeches or crawlers, the best method for keeping minnows alive is using a live-well in a boat. If that's not an option, try a adding a few ice cubes to the minnow bucket and keep the water moving so it doesn't become stagnant.

   These weed pockets all have the potential of producing panfish. Panfish are abundant underneath the vegetated barrier and they are scurrying about picking off tiny morsels here and there.
   You can bet a sunfish or crappie will snatch up an easy meal if it presents itself out in the open water of one of those pockets. Some days you can set over one of these pockets and catch one fish after another. Several characteristics make weed pockets as effective as they are. Weed pockets provide an excess of sunlight, which will attract baitfish and other forage which in turn attracts panfish.
   You will even find lakes where the crappies hold out in the open water for extended periods of time, and they won't feel the need to seek refuge around deep structure. Once a school is located, it won't take long to figure out whether or not they are hungry.

   I've only touched on a few of the options that are available for panfish during the late summer months, and don't let these possibilities be your only options. Fish, weather and lake conditions are constantly changing and we must change and adapt to the various conditions.

  Watch for pockets in the weeds, check for deep weed lines and if you have them, pay close attention to your electronics for pods of schooling fish in deeper water while motoring from spot to spot. By doing a few of these things you can eliminate some of the guesswork and wasted time spent on the water. Enjoy the later summer and good luck.

Lenise

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