Fish are settled into summer patterns

By Bill Bartusek

The longest day of the year has come and gone. This is a sure sign of summer. Another few days and it will be July. Heck, it won't be long before we're thinking about hunting.

Before we get there, we've got some serious fishing to do.

Fish are set up in summer patterns and I really look forward to this time of year. All the good lake weeds are all grown up now. When this happens the weeds create openings, corners and points for the fish to set up on. That sounds pretty simple but it's not that easy.

For some reason not all these areas are the same, especially to the fish. Sometimes I've found several areas that seem the same, however only one will hold fish. I wish I could say that I always know or figure out why, but I don't. Most of the time it has to do with the bottom content. The bottom may hold some rock or sand, which affects the fish use. Other times it is a combination of more than one type of weed together that the fish are keying on. I'm not sure why and if I knew, I wouldn't have to work for a living.

I have learned a lot about these things in a simple way. Whenever I get into a bunch of fish in a certain spot I would check the area out after the fish quit biting. It's amazing what you think you're fishing and what is really there. If you find another area like the first one, there's a good chance it will be a good spot.

The lakes are warm now and fish are biting. They may not bite for long periods of time but they may bite several times each day. Fish carefully, and when you are in a proven area, check it out several times so that you are there when the fish bite.

Have a good week and a great weekend on the water.