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...