Dig deep for fish during these heated dog days

The last couple of weeks, I’ve been on several lakes all across the upper half of Minnesota. One thing they have in common, they register the highest surface temperatures I’ve ever encountered. On the Canadian border, mid- to high-70s are pretty common, and around Cloquet, water temps in the 80s are the norm. The heat hasn’t shut down fishing, but adjustments need to be made.

Some fish, such as largemouth bass, have no problem with the heat and can be found ultra-shallow all summer long, especially with proper cover. Other fish, such as lake trout, tend to move deeper in this extreme heat, and lately I’ve been focused on chasing these wandering schools lurking in the abyss.

One advantage of fish pushed out of the shallows is that you can easily mark them on your fish finder. Once located, you have several options to deliver your lures to the depths. For starters, downriggers are widely used on the Great Lakes and big bodies of water to accurately place spoons, meat rigs, and crankbaits at a precise depth. The downrigger has a hefty weight commonly referred to as a ball, supported by a small boom that hangs over the boat. The downrigger has a depth reading that allows the ball to be deployed with pinpoint precision. Attached to the ball, or the downrigger cable itself, is a line release that allows your bait to trail behind at your desired depth. Although downriggers can be your best bet, they are bulky, and for the casual user, a very spendy piece of equipment.

Fortunately, there are several other ways to reach great depths. One of my favorites is utilizing lead core line. Lead core has a coating of Dacron line that changes color every 10 yards. On a large level wind reel, you can fit 10 colors of lead core. Each color deployed behind the boat will bring your lure down 5-7 feet, depending on trolling speed. After marking the fish on my graph, a simple math equation puts me in the strike zone. For example, if I’m trolling over 160 feet of water, and I’m marking fish 45 feet down, I want to put my lures just above those fish. Letting out 7 colors of lead will place my lure in close proximity. If I’m running multiple rods, I will stagger the amount of lead out, and duplicate any winning formulas.

A second option is to use either keel weights or snap weights. Keel weights are inline sinkers that can be chained together and are usually fished just ahead of your bait. Snap weights perform the same function, but can be snapped onto your line 50-100 feet in front of your bait, and need to be removed when you’re battling a fish. Both systems are less accurate than riggers or lead core because of all the variables that come into play, but certainly, they will get the job done.

Another solid option is Dipsy Divers. A Dipsy Diver is a round disk that acts much like pulling a pie plate through the water column. It creates massive water resistance, bringing the disk into deep water quickly. Trailing 4-8 feet behind the diver, you set your lure. Dipsys also offer directional functionality and you can set them to run off to the sides of your boat, sacrificing depth in the process. Dipsys pull incredibly hard and need to be secured in a solid rod holder. When a fish hits, they do release, allowing them to be easily reeled in while fighting your hooked fish.

Two other options require specialized rods and reels. Trolling with wire line or copper line is very popular on the Great Lakes, and certainly has inland lake potential. Wire line carries a 1-pound weight or heavier, much like a downrigger over the side of the boat, and is fished in similar situations. Copper line fishes more like lead core and is deployed well behind the boat, trailing an amazing 400-600 feet behind the boat when the leader, full copper spool, and backing are all deployed. To throw in one more twist, you can add a snap weight after your full run of copper or lead core has been deployed to gain a few more feet of depth.

Scorching surface temps have forced me to adjust the last couple of weeks. I’ve moved offshore and deployed a full arsenal of techniques and equipment allowing me to pursue the fish as they migrate deeper and deeper to escape the summer heat … they hold little mercy for me as I blister in the sun far above.

Bret Baker is an award-winning outdoors columnist and lifetime resident of Cloquet. Email him at [email protected] with fishing questions.