Try these shallow-water hot spots for summer fish
Summer panfishing can be frustrating. Arkansas anglers must contend with finicky fish, stifling heat, fleets of skiers and rapidly changing water levels. The fish, of course, present the worst of these problems, because some of them move to deeper haunts and force anglers into totally unfamiliar water.
Not all panfish move deep, though. Some remain shallow if they find locations providing food, protection and shade. Such areas include boat docks, weed beds and brushy points, and if you know how to fish these sites, you can enjoy fastpaced action for crappies and bream, even during the dog days of summer.
BOAT DOCKS AND PIERS
Boat docks and fishing piers are among the first places you should head when seeking summer panfish. But not just any ol’ dock or pier will do. The best are built on wood pilings, are in 5 to 15 feet of water near cover and/or structure, have been in the water several seasons and lie very close to the water’s surface. Docks and piers meeting these criteria are extremely attractive to panfish because they provide prolonged shade throughout the day. The wood pilings provide a comfortable sense of security, which structure-oriented panfish require, and also harbor a smorgasbord of foods. Algae growing on the seasoned wood hide grass shrimp, newly hatched minnows, aquatic insects, insect larvae and other panfish favorites. Plenty of yummy stuff falls off the dock, too, including spiders, roaches, crickets, moths and other insects.
Size should be another consideration. Think of docks and piers as fish hotels. Big hotels have rooms for lots of guests. Occupancy is limited, though, at smaller establishments. If other traits are equal, concentrate on large docks and piers.
Savvy anglers move in close and fish under each structure where big panfish are most likely hiding. A short, light spinning or spincasting outfit is handy for this kind of fishing because it allows anglers to skip, flip and ricochet a bait or lure into even the tightest areas — a tactic called sling shotting. Use slow-falling baits like twister-tail jigs or unweighted crickets to mimic falling insects. Flip or shoot these under the dock, and prepare for a strike as the bait falls. If a hit is not forthcoming, a slow retrieve close to the bottom will frequently produce one.
If you have a sonar unit on your boat, be sure to watch for brush piles placed around docks and piers by the owners or local anglers. It’s rare when there aren’t several brush piles in the vicinity, and rare, too, when you won’t find several nice crappie or bream hiding within these shelters.
GREEN WEED BEDS Beds of green aquatic vegetation attract summer panfish for several reasons. The beds provide shade and protection, as well as abundant oxygen that is produced through photosynthesis. Baitfish and invertebrate forage animals are attracted to this comfortable environment, and panfish follow.
Most anglers assume that because they can’t see open water, the area can’t be fished, and they go about angling in the usual way of pecking along the edges. But panfish, especially the heavyweight elders, are deep within the greenery. The best way to catch them is to get right in there.
The trick is working methodically to cover every accessible nook and pocket. A cane pole or jigging pole is tops for this because it allow you to reach likely honey holes from a distance with fewer hang-ups. Attach a bobber above your bait — jigs, crickets, grass shrimp, minnows and worms are good choices — and probe every opening you see, changing the position of the bobber occasionally until you determine the depth where fish are feeding.
Don’t be shy about fishing tiny, impossible-looking openings. The best technique here is to leave off the bobber and pull your line so your bait comes up tight against the rod tip. Then position your pole over the opening, and slowly release the line, lowering the bait into the hole. Using this method, your bait should penetrate even the densest tangles, and panfish in such places are far more likely to strike than those found along an edge that has been pounded by every passing angler.
When all vegetation seems to look alike, focus fishing efforts around features of structure that don’t conform to the norm. Timber stick-ups frequently concentrate fish, as may open cuts through the vegetation and nearby points or underwater humps. On waters harboring several types of water plants, try several differing weed beds, as one particular type may hold more fish than the others.
BRUSHY POINTS Points are excellent panfish hot spots year-round because they serve as pathways for fish moving back and forth between shallow and deep water. By working a point methodically from shallow to deep water, you should be able to determine the day’s depth pattern and use it to help locate panfish on other points or structural features.
Work a jig or live bait around all visible cover and fish-concentrating structures: stumps, fallen and standing timber, rocks, man-made brush piles and the like. If most fish are caught around features at the upper end, then concentrate on shallow features when you move to other areas. Likewise, if crappie and bream seem to be favoring deeper areas on the point, continue fishing deep-water structures until you notice a shift in the pattern.
One good point-fishing tactic incorporates a small jig/spinner blade combo like a Beetle Spin. Retrieve the lure with an up-and-down yo-yo motion, or buzz it along the surface and allow it to fall or “die” right beside cover. You can either position your boat in deep water and cast toward the shallow part of the point, or vice versa.
The hot summer months aren’t the best time for catching panfish, but neither are they the worst. If you go about it properly and try fishing around shallow-water docks, weed beds and brushy points, your hot-weather fishing can be very productive and provide an exciting alternative if bass, catfish and other species are hard to come by. Good luck!