The DWR chief quickly points out, however, that it's the early bird who catches the worm during the summer heat.
"I do the best in shallow water between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m.," he said, "while fishing topwater baits, such as buzz baits, poppers and crawlers around scattered vegetation in 1 to 5 feet of water. I look for shallow grass, sticks, docks--anything that could hold a fish--and try to hit as many targets as I can before the sun gets up. Here, nothing covers water like a buzz bait, and if you miss a fish, a quick follow-up with the popper can turn missed strikes into extra fish. I throw a chartreuse and white buzz bait and a shad-colored popper."
Bednarski went on to note that when he's fishing a place with big fish, like the Chickahominy River, he tends to throw the crawler.
"This bite usually is over when the sun rises but can last all day if it's raining," he said. "I like 40-pound braid for a popper and 50-pound braid for buzz baits and crawlers. Braid has no stretch and gives you much better hooksets on topwater baits."
"It provides a good ambush point and keeps them safe from predators," he said. "When it gets to be about 8 am., I start looking deeper into cover for bass. I look for matted vegetation--water willow, lily pads, or any vegetation that forms a canopy. Frogs and toads really shine here, and you can get some awesome strikes on these baits. When I'm throwing a frog, I throw a big one, so I can cast it further, and it makes more noise. Frogs and toads work surprisingly well when there is a lot of boat traffic or wind. There's something about the waves and commotion that keeps the bass moving.
"You can cover a lot of water with this technique, and a simple pattern of moving quickly and throwing along the edge of vegetation can produce some good catches in the middle of the day. Another tip: Heavy tackle is a must. I use 50-pound braid and 7-to-10-foot heavy-action rods. You don't want to doubt your gear when you're pulling a 6-pound largemouth out from the water willow.
"In the summer," continued Bednarski, "a bass' metabolism is the highest it will get, and these fish need to eat often. When I'm struggling to get a bite with a a frog or flipping in the middle of the day, I'll pick up a buzz bait and just cover water. I throw near cover, like docks and weed edges, but I won't worry too much about getting it as close as I can. There are fish that are active and may be 10 or 20 feet away from obvious cover.
"These fish are shallow and can be found toward the back of pockets. For whatever reason, the hotter and calmer it is, the better this bite is. Think 98 degrees, flat calm, and humid. I can't really explain it, but it always puts an extra fish in the boat when I'm struggling. These fish run better than average--think 3 to 5 pounds. So try a buzz bait in the middle of the day and see what happens."
According to the fisheries chief, your best bets in shallow water in summer will be areas with moving water.
"This means to explore the headwaters of reservoirs, or go one step further and target our tidal rivers," he explained. "Bass orient to cover on the edge of the current, and if you fish where current and cover intersect, you'll find fish. This also applies to old creek channels.
"Even if there is no current, a drop from 2 to 4 to 6 feet provides a breakline for fish to orient to. My best spots at either Lake Chesdin or Swift Creek Lake in Pocahontas State Park, which I fish a lot because I live in metro Richmond, either have current or a nearby breakline. And don't overlook small feeder creeks in the backs of coves. There often will be a pocket of deeper water, with cover and current, which will hold a bass or two. Try a small stickworm, wacky rigged, in these areas," he concluded.
Text and photos courtesy of Mike Bednarski.
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