Summer Fishing Tip: Slow Down for More Bites!
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Tackle & Gear
When August rolls around and water temps hit their peak, the bite changes. Fish just aren’t going to burn a ton of energy chasing fast-moving prey in this heat, just like you wouldn’t want to run around in 95° weather.
Check out how I approach lethargic fish in the dog days of summer in the video below!
Insiders: August’s FREE Tackle Tester is the same lure featured in this video, the Flea Flicker. Get yours here.
Featured Gear:
- Lure: Flea Flicker
- Rod: Slam Stick Medium
- Reel: Otis 2500
- Line: 10lb Daiwa J Braid
- Leader: 15lb Ande Mono
Another bonus? Hard baits like the Flea Flicker hold up better against nuisance fish like puffers and needlefish, which love to shred soft plastics this time of year.
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Valid on your first Flea Flicker purchase only.
Here’s my go-to summer approach:
- Look for fish up shallow early or late in the day
- Cast past them and let the lure sit before starting your retrieve
- Mix up your pause lengths and twitch intensity until you find the pattern
- Stick with it once you see results
Slow it down, keep it in front of them, and you’ll see more strikes this summer.
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Great Flea Flicker lesson! Gracias!
Thanks, Pat. I have to start using the Flea Flicker more, I tend to throw a Skinny Lipper most of the time, all 3 sizes! I do use the FF in the winter and it works especially for me when there is a warming trend!
It’s a great winter lure! Basically any time the bite gets tough
Only a 10 lb braid with only a 15 lb mono ? Thats seems a bit on the lighter side. If a monster are that bait, could the line and leader truly hold up ?
Thanks Again Pat
It’s all about the structure you’re fishing. Since I’m on a lot of open flats I use light leader when I can. I’ve caught some truly large fish on light line.
I’m not a hard bait guy but I’ve had good experiences with the tweaked worked slow
Same, I live and breathe soft plastics but there are times hard baits just work better!
Thanks Pat!
No problem sir!
Thanks Pat good stuff! Just got back from a day trip out of Keaton beach. Went north a bit. Winds about 5-7 mph light chop, not too bad at all. Tried everything in the box. Started just before and at sunrise with a moon walker. Then changed up to skinny lipper , flea flicker, gold spoon. Finally even though it was a bit choppy I pulled out popping cork with some gulp plastic and the reds and trout came alive. Caught more throw backs than keepers but still came home with a nice red and a few trout. Never used the popping cork with a choppy sea before,but it surely worked for me that day. I appreciate all the help I’ve gotten from salt strong. Come along way since I first joined up. Still got a ways to go and hopefully will never stop
Learning more and more. Thanks !
I typically only use a popping cork when there’s chop. I think the noise helps the fish find the lure. Glad you found something that worked for you that day
I use all your lures right now more early mornings and late evenings haven’t caught a lot yet but a few fairly good ones mostly bass since I don’t live close to the coast but they do work our lakes are so low this year not much cover have to fish the deeper spots but morning and evening the banks are pretty good thanks for the info Pat as always love your videos
Thanks for watching! Hopefully some rain will get those ponds back up!
Great video Pat. I’ve had success using the Flea Flicker during the winter months, slow twitches and longer pauses with success on the Trout. I haven’t been out much this month, but will give this a try in the heat. My go to is usually the weedless jigs fished very slow in the deeper pockets and Moon Walker pre dawn.
The summer bite can be tough for sure! Slow way down in this heat!
In general, I use the Flea Flicker and the Paul Brown Xdine heavily in shallow water. t
The Paul Brown seems to attract more strikes, but the Flea Flicker is much sturdier and can stand up to the strikes from large fish that wreck the Paul Brown. I tend to fish them rod tip up, making the bait break the surface on the twitch and then let the bait fall. I have caught several large reds on these lures using that technique. I previously used the MR-17, but found that both of these lures out perform it routinely.
That Paul Brown does work but you’re right, all it takes is one good redfish to tear it up and that starts to get expensive!
Thanks for the tip!
Have used the Flea Flicker quite a bit with some limited success. Seem to catch more fish with the Twitch Reaper. I think it’s from Savage Gear.
I think the issue most people might have with the Flea Flicker is that you have to fish it slower than most twitch baits. A lot of times I’ll put a 7-10 second pause between twitches to make sure it stays in the strike zone.