By Bob Jensen
Why Summer River Fishing Can Be So Productive
Summer is sometimes thought of as a time when the fish don’t want to bite a bait. While it is true that there is an abundance of food in the water for the fish to eat, and weather systems can put the fish in a bit of a funk, the summer months can provide some outstanding fishing. And much of that outstanding fishing will take place in a river. Wherever you live, there is probably a river close by, and the fish in that river are willing to eat, even during hot weather. River fish are constantly dealing with current. They need to eat more often to maintain their energy levels. In the summer months, rivers can provide consistent fishing action. Here’s how you can get those fish to eat your lure.
Finding Fish Around Current Breaks in Rivers
River fish like to be near something that breaks the current. It could be a rock, log, or a bridge piling. When they’re resting, they’ll be on the downstream side of the object out of the current. When they’re hungry they’ll usually move to the edge of the current, waiting to ambush a minnow or something else that they might like to eat. Always remember that river fish like to be around fixed objects in rivers.
Best Lures for Summer River Fishing
Jigs and Soft Plastics for River Fish
Lots of baits will catch river fish, but if you’re after bass, walleyes or pike, it’s hard to beat a jig tipped with plastic. An eighth ounce jig tipped with one of the smaller Rage Swimmers or a Rage Grub can be outstanding. The action tail on the Grub will attract fish better in stained water, and Swimmers will often be more appealing to walleyes and smallmouth.
Small Crankbaits for Shallow and Open-Water River Fishing
Small crankbaits like a Series 3 Strike King Pro Model can be very productive. You’ll usually do best with a bait that runs down to about 5 feet unless you’re trolling open water. A bait with some brown, orange, or red will be a good starting point. Crawdads are an important food source in many rivers, and brown, red, and orange baits resemble crawdads. Keep trying different colors until the fish reveal if there’s a particular color that they want. Much of the time river fish don’t care about color.
Proper Lure Presentation in River Current
Lure presentation is important. Keep in mind that hungry river fish are usually facing upstream. Fish instinctively know that most of their food moves downstream with the current, so a fish that wants to eat will face upstream so it can better see a minnow or bug or whatever coming toward it. Usually it works well to cast cross-stream and retrieve the bait so it washes into the suspected fish-holding area.
Wading Tactics for Small Rivers in Summer
Smaller rivers are best fished by wading. If you’re one of those anglers that likes to get in the water, keep in mind that it is often most productive to start downstream and work upstream. By doing so, you will be presenting your bait in a downstream manner, and you’ll be less likely to alert the fish to your presence.
Stealth and Positioning While Wading
Also if you’re wading, keep quiet and move slowly. Don’t get in the water if you don’t need to. Try to keep a low profile. If you’re on the top of the riverbank the fish can see you easily and will spook. As much as possible, stay at river level.
Rivers are everywhere and they can provide an outstanding fishing experience throughout the hottest time of the year. Find a river near where you live and get on it or in it. I’m guessing that if you do that once, you’ll do it again.
