Fishing The Dog Days of Summer

Typically, once we get to mid-July, veterans of the fishing world refer this part of summer as the “dog days”. On average, it’s the warmest time of the year with many days of temperatures in the 80’s…warm by Northern Minnesota standards. The fact is, we’ve had several days in the 90s this summer, with dry conditions as well. Enough rain has fallen recently though, to ease BWCA fire danger restrictions imposed by the Superior National Forest Service.

The other part of “dog days” as it relates to BWCA fishing is that the water temperature in the lakes is as warm as it will get, during these next two to three weeks. Many fisher-people fall for some of the old wives tales like “the fish don’t eat when it’s hot out” or the northern pike get “lock jaw” during the middle of summer”.

On the contrary! Fish are cold blooded, which means their metabolism accelerates when the water gets warmer. This means that fish actually eat more during the summer peak. What changes are the location and the timing of when they feed. This is also the time of the year when baitfish and other food is most plentiful.

As the lakes warm, game fish will move into deep water (often deeper than 15’). They will “hold” off of deep points, ledges or drop offs or mid lake reefs.  They are there for food because that is where the baitfish go. Also, baitfish roam the open water. It is very common for big schools of baitfish to be 20 or 30 feet deep, but over 50, 60 or even deeper water. 

Three BWCA Fishing Techniques

Three very effective ways to target all these fish include deep jigging, deep slip bobber fishing or trolling. We have talked about these methods before but a re-cap never hurts.

Slip Bobber

Slip Bobber Rig

First, there’s the slip bobber. What makes the slip bobber effective is that you are able to present live bait, down deep, with the ease of bobber fishing. Good lake depth maps can help you locate those deep points and mid lake reefs. Then all you have to do is rig up and go.

Deep Jigging

Lipless Crankbait

Finding the same type of spots but “vertically fishing them with a jig or some type of vertical crankbait (like a Rattletrap or lipless crankbait) is a more aggressive presentation in search of more…aggressive fish, that are likely to hit an artificial lure.

Trolling A Deep Diver

Deep Thunderstick

The last technique is trolling with deep diving lures. Now we’re talking about “deep” divers that can attain depths in excess of 20 or 25 feet, like the Storm Deep Thunderstick or the Rapala Deep Tail Dancer lures. This method is used to target suspended fish…the ones that are chasing (and eating) those baitfish that are roaming the lake at 20 to 40 feet down. This last method is easy and a good way to keep a lure in the water, even when in your traveling mode.

BWCA Dog Days Can Mean Great Fishing

So, don’t just cast off the “Dog Days” as the poor fishing time of the season. Try these techniques and you might just tie into the “fish of the trip”

Fish On!

Dave