Move Upstream For Hot Summer Action

When the main lake is churning with pleasure boaters and the bass are in a funk, escape the traffic and go where the fish are more cooperative — upriver. Of course, we’re talking reservoirs here, where the upper end produces water conditions more conducive to summer bass. It’s more scenic, too, and the fish tend to be a lot more aggressive.

Why? Well, there’s more current, which helps position fish in places you can find them. More importantly, that current flows constantly, holds more oxygen, offers cooler water and makes the fish more comfortable.

That doesn’t mean all the fish in the lake swim upstream. However, bass living on the upper end are more susceptible to angling tactics during summer. The water there is a little more stained, which helps draw the fish onto shallower cover and along ledges and points, making lure presentations easier. Also, when a cold front passes or weather shuts down lake fishing completely, river bass are less affected.

Some of the biggest fish during summer are going to be caught in the river section of the lake, and many of those fish are caught shallow. My philosophy for river fishing is that you can never get too shallow to catch bass, especially if there’s wood or grass for them to use as ambush areas.

Just as is the case when fishing the lake, it’s important to note when the upstream power dam is generating current. While there is always some water moving downstream, the faster current induced at the dam produces better fishing. I’ve found that the best current occurs during the afternoons when demand for electricity is higher. If I’m fishing the main lake during the early morning, I make a point to run upriver in the afternoon.

Baitfish is another key to finding river bass. On most reservoirs, shad is the prominent forage, so I look for areas that offer the most baitfish activity. I select lures accordingly and choose baitfish imitators that can be worked proficiently around wood and brush. In most cases, that would include spinnerbaits and shallow-running, square-billed crankbaits. Those are lures I can use to cover water quickly, that offer a lot of vibration and trigger reactionary strikes.

Square-billed crankbaits are preferred over rounder bills because they deflect off logs and stumps better. They also have a wide wobble that emits more vibration.

Flipping is another technique that works well, especially if you’ve identified bass holding tight to cover. This is a time of year when you can get away with using a heavier weight on your plastics and opt for bigger jigs. For example, I’ll flip a tube with a 5/16-ounce sinker or choose a 1/2-ounce jig even when I’m fishing a foot of water. The additional weight produces a faster fall, which triggers the aforementioned reactionary strike, and enables you to cover more targets in a shorter period of time.

A tube is one of my favorite baits for fishing in rivers when I’m targeting isolated river cover. I love to find a large flat on the edge of a channel swing. The flat doesn’t have to have a lot of cover, but a scattering of logs that have drifted upon it during high-water periods makes for a great place to find quality bass with a tube.

I also look for smaller tributaries that dump into the river. Bass will position on the points or ledges of those creeks where the current is breaking over the top. Those drop-offs offer an excellent place to throw a Strike King Series 5 crankbait. Although the lure runs deeper than most ledges you find upriver, I’ll fish it on 20-pound line and hold my tip and retrieve it fast. That allows the bait to bang and bounce off the bottom and trigger more strikes.

In addition to good fishing, rivers provide more natural beauty, which is yet another reason to run upstream during the dog days of summer.