HOT! Fishing HOT!, Full moon

Wow you nailed it with excellent advice for right now. I second your post Sir Jamie. I have even waited for them to swim with it before hook set.

Arnie

Thanks Arnie. I have always been a huge fan of delaying the hook set. You can visualize the fish hitting the bait, by what you feel or see from the line. Even the bobber can tell you a story, in the way that it moves. Delaying the hook set also helps me by catching the fish with the hook in the roof of the mouth. I hate hooking a fish in any moving parts. Fish are fragile and it's very easy to cause damage to the jaw, lips, gills etc. There is no guarantee but these pictures show mostly good hook sets and a couple I wish could be done over. Good fish handling starts before the fish is even caught. Using the drag and a good net properly, also prevents unnecessary injuries to the fish.

That's an interesting observation about the heat.

On some lakes, a period of higher heat and sun sometimes just seems to get the smallies fired up. They are up shallow looking for food, and are just plain mean when you hook into one. LOL

But I do agree, there are periods during the "dog days" where the fish just seem to hunker down and don't move fast or aggressively.

It's all part of trying to figure em out!

Thank you Brooktrout for that input. The more we discuss a topic, the benefits can be passed on to others. I have always recommended a smaller crankbait or plastic with a jig, during those dog days of summer, in the Kawarthas. Also for myself at night, three St. Croix pan fish rods are the only rods used. Perfect for a lite or aggressive fish bite. More than strong enough for even monster crappie and big walleye, bass or muskie. All the fish I have caught at night have been on those three St. Croix rods. Fishing in very shallow and up to 10 or 12 feet of water, those rods are perfect. The major difference between day and night fishing in shallow water, is where the fish swims to in the dark, after you set the hook. Fish take off up and away from the boat or the shore. I have yet to see a fish go into the weeds at night, on Cameron, Sturgeon or Balsam after setting the hook...Ever. During the day a fish tries to escape into the weeds, or throw the hook by jumping. At night a fish tries to escape by swimming towards the light, on the surface of the water. Rod tip up right away, and never a problem with the weeds. Even when a big fish screams out my drag, it's always up and away from the weeds.

Just a perfect long weekend forecast, starting right now. If you are fishing on Cameron, Balsam or Sturgeon you will see some wind today. 10-15kph gusting to 22kph from the north. Best place to fish all three lakes is at the north end, in the rivers or where there is still some current out on the lake. This will keep you out of the wind for the most part. If you like some chop, then good luck and stay safe if you head out onto the main lakes. There will be fish in both areas, but a slow retrieve is your best bet. After sunset the wind starts to die down, and anywhere you normally fish in the evening should produce some nice catches. Don't forget the camera, there will be some monsters out there this weekend. Wind picks up late Saturday morning from the west this time, and into the afternoon. There is going to be some waves, so know your limit as to where you feel safe fishing in the wind. The fish will be more aggressive on Saturday, so a walleye dinner may be on the menu. Saturday night the wind stays stable around 11kph from the west. Sunday is another windy day with waves from the north west all day, slowing down a bit overnight. Monday is much the same, but the wind speed will come down. The water may get a bit murky in the next four days, so don't be shy on the bright colours. Minnows will definitely catch some nice fish after dinner and throughout the night. Good luck, the fish will be out there and hungry all weekend. 50 years since Jaws came out when I was a eleven. Watch your fingers, some fish have big teeth. Stay safe, almost 60 people have died from drowning this summer. Please where your life jacket, and teach your family and friends the same. A good example saves lives.

Hot is an understatement!
I had a good smallie morning using a Ned rig. It amazes me how that little 2 1/2” bait will catch some nice smallies.

A largie on a wacky worm as well.

I find I haven’t been getting much for size so far this year. A lot of little “dinks”

Glad to hear from you Woodfarmer. Nice to see you out fishing and catching. Looks like the fish are happy with your bait choice. Lots of fish out there waiting for you. Not sure if you are bouncing those rigs off the bottom....Just a thought, and you may already being doing this. Its hot out there, so 12 to 15 feet of water but don't let the bait hit the bottom. Try a slow jig retrieve, maybe even a slip bobber set so the bait only drops to two or three feet off the bottom. And if you are fishing in the weeds, just drop the bait barely into the weeds. You will get some big bass if you slow down a bit until that water starts to cool off in September. As the water cools those big bass are going to speep up all September long. Then of course they will slow down a bit again, depending how cold the water gets in October and November. Good luck out there.

When I was reeling in the smallie, its brother was right with it. That’s pretty cool to watch.
I was out over 20-25’. Just cast it out on slack line. When it hits bottom, jig it in as I reel in the slack.
Paddle tail shades are working well too.
Havn’t see a daytime Pickerel yet this season.

Wow, wouldn't even think of fishing that deep on Balsam or Sturgeon. Glad that has worked for you. Yes, it's very cool when fish follow a catch. I see that when netting walleye with the headlamp on. Always let's me know to cast back in the same area to catch another. Many times there can be quite a few walleye cruising together at night. Most people think the daylight hours is best for schooling walleye in a bit deeper water. Shallow dark water holds just as many. The same goes for crappie, but the size of the school depends on the size of the crappie. Smaller crappie, bigger school. Big crappie, smaller school and later overnight, in general.