Angler X Outdoors

Hello Friends!

We are well into summer now, and hot weather has water temps on the rise.  Recent rains caused the Mississippi River level to rise, adding a new challenge to finding and catching fish.

One of our favorite summertime highwater fishing adventures is to go frogging for bass.  Backwater flats that were once unnavigable are now full of water and hungry bass.  Keep pushing back into areas that contain mixed vegetation, low to moderate flow, and most importantly, duckweed mats.  Cast hollow-bodied frogs across large and small areas of duckweed until you find fish.  Cover water quickly until you start seeing and hearing that distinctive slurp of topwater feeding fish.  Once you've located some bass, slow down and fish thoroughly for multiple bites.

With the warmer water temperatures, the catfish are amped up and ready to eat big meals.  Try live bait placed strategically upstream of a large tree or deadfall for flatheads. Use cutbait or dip baits for channel cats along channel breaks and side channel trees that have fallen into the river.  Don't spend too much time at any one spot.  Keep moving until you have located some willing biters.

Walleyes will use wing dams throughout the summer, but during high water periods, wing dams are not their preferred spots.  Instead, look for major current seams that give the walleye a place to get out of the flow and ambush an easy meal.  Live bait rigged up on a leadhead or river rig can get these fish to bite.  Also, try casting or trolling crankbaits in backwater runs with low to moderate flow.  Focus on depths from 5 -15 feet of water and keep moving until you find some active biters.  Slow down and try different crankbaits once you've located some fish.

Crappies will now be retreating to large trees with little to no flow.  We like fishing with a slip bobber rig and minnow in and around the trees until we've located some fish.  After finding a tree holding crappies, you could opt to get in close and dip a jig and plastic around the branches to coax the crappies out of their hiding spots.  You will also find bluegills hanging out in these areas.  If you prefer to catch bluegills, focus on riprap banks and wing dams as well once the water levels drop and the flowing water is minimal.

Good luck on the water!