I hear from a number of anglers that the hot summer fishing is too tough, so they stay home and don’t give it a chance. Well, they are wrong. Mid-summer fishing is some of the best we have all year, because the fish are easier to find when you know where to look.

This information will work for you whether you fish from a boat or from shore.  When the summer heats up and the water temperatures climb into the mid-70 range, remember that the fish are cold-blooded. They don’t do well in warm water or really cold water; they slow down and don’t want to exert themselves chasing food.

The bass will come up shallow, along the shore early in the morning while the shoreline is still in shadows and the water is a few degrees cooler and try to get an early morning meal.

When the sun gets higher, they will move to deeper water, where the lake drops off and hang out around any bottom structure they can find.

You will also find the bass and walleye hiding at the deep weed edges. Deep weeds are different on each lake. The deep edge in the Skokie Lagoons is only 7 to 8 feet down. On Lake Geneva, the weed edge will probably be 12 to 14 feet deep.

These are areas that are perfect spots to throw a Senko rig or a drop-shot rig or to crawl a swim jig down the weed line.

The fish will not chase baits, but they will come out of the weeds to catch something going by for a quick meal with little effort.

Don’t be surprised if the strikes are pretty hard. All their energy is going toward eating, and their metabolism requires food more in the hot weather.

The reports from our area lakes:

Lake Geneva has a good largemouth bass bite going on in 8 to 14 feet on drop-shot rigs.

The Chain of Lakes has slowed down and water levels are high.

The rivers in the area are all running high because of all the rain, but the walleye and bass are hitting on the Mississippi and the walleye and saugers are taking large fathead minnows in the current breaks.

Let’s get out there and get some fish. Lovelace Park is open for the kids on Saturday mornings.

Until next time… keep a tight line.