Summer fishing: how to find fish in the heat

July and August bring true heatwaves to Lithuania – the water warms up, temperatures jump past 30 degrees, and many anglers simply give up at that point: the bite drops to almost nothing, so the rod stays home. I used to think the same way, until I realised summer just needs a different approach, not giving up on the idea until autumn.

Why the bite is worse in the summer heat

Fish are cold-blooded – their body temperature simply matches the water temperature. As the water warms, a fish's metabolism speeds up and it needs more oxygen, while at the same time the oxygen in the water itself decreases – warm water simply holds less of it. Adding to this are overgrown algae and plants, which consume oxygen themselves at night, and in hot weather the water also stratifies – warm on top, cooler below. The result: fish slow down and feed far less often, conserving energy.

If you ever see fish swimming at the surface (especially in the morning) – it means oxygen in the water is critically low, and on such a day it's really better not to expect much.

Where fish hide in the heat

Most often they simply drop deeper – 3-6 metres, where it's cooler, and perch sometimes go down as far as 8-10 metres. If someone keeps fishing the shallows and wonders why nothing's biting, the answer is usually simple – the fish have just moved deeper.

It's also worth searching where cooler water flows into the lake – springs, small stream confluences. Such spots often look unpromising, but in the heat they're exactly what draws fish in. Shade matters too – under a tree, a bridge or a jetty the water is cooler, and on a hot day both bream and roach often gather there. And if there's a stream riffle nearby, or any spot where the water moves and mixes – there's more oxygen there, and such a spot can work well even at midday.

When to fish best in summer

In summer, the hours matter critically. In the morning, from five to eight, the water hasn't had time to heat up overnight yet and oxygen is plentiful – that's the best window for the whole summer. Up to eleven it's still quite decent, especially for white fish, but after that activity drops. From eleven to five in the evening is the hardest part of the day, when only a deeper spot and cooler water help. In the evening, as it starts to cool, fish come out again – from five to eight is a great time for predators, and on some days the very best bite happens just before dark, somewhere up to ten.

For me personally, this plan worked best: get up at half past four, be at the water by five and fish until about nine. In the afternoon I simply take a break, and in the evening I come back for another hour or two.

What to change in your technique

For bream and roach in summer it's worth choosing smaller hooks and thinner line – fish become choosier in the calmer, warm environment. Plant-based baits work best – corn, peas, bread, dough – and it's worth ground-baiting far less than in spring, since fish aren't as hungry. If you usually fish at 1.5 metres depth, in summer it's worth trying 3-4 metres.

🛒 Hooks → 🛒 Braided line → 📖 How to choose a hook for white fish →

For predators, slow soft plastics with long pauses work best – in hot weather a pike rarely wants to chase a fast-moving lure. Let the lure sink lower; jig-type lures at 3-5 metres depth usually outperform surface lures. And if you want to try something different – warm summer nights are simply made for catfish. A big animal-based bait on the bottom, from nine in the evening to three in the morning, and patience.

🛒 Soft baits → 🛒 Jig heads →

And a few practical details worth bringing on a hot day: sun protection, plenty of water to drink, light clothing, a ventilated bucket or keepnet to hold fish in water, and for the evening – a torch and mosquito repellent, since mosquitoes get especially annoying in summer mornings and evenings.

🛒 Polarised sunglasses →