Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer

Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer

By Steve Weisman

The year was 1963, and I was 15 years old, a teenager who loved to play baseball and go to semi-pro baseball games and just kick back on a mid-summer’s evening. A big hit song of 1963 was Nat King Cole’s “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer, and when that song came on the radio when I was working in the field, I’d go to myself, “Ya, life is good!”

As we move into summer, I get a little nostalgic when I remember Cole singing the first line “Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…” Oh yes. It’s summer, but the days of summer also mean great bluegill fishing! Across the Hawkeye state, anglers can find bluegill hotspots. Before we get into my favorite lake and my presentation options, I’d like to mention good bluegill lakes across the state.

Would you believe the latest Iowa DNR fishing report mentioned nearly 50 lakes across the state that had good bluegill fishing. Plus, many of them also listed good crappie fishing. Of course, this can change, as the summer heat begins to take its toll, so my suggestions to get up-to-date bluegill fishing information, is to check the DNR fishing report or give a reputable baitshop in your area a call. Here is a quick list from the DNR fishing report:

In the northwest and northcentral,
• Lake Pahoja
• Brushy Creek
• Swan Lake
• Black Hawk Lake
• Arrowhead Lake
• Iowa Great Lakes (West Okoboji, East Okoboji, Minnewashta and Big Spirit)
• Lake Smith
• Bluebill Lake

In the northeast,
• Volga Lake
• Lake Hendricks
• Lake Meyer
• Silver Lake
• Casey Lake
• South Prairie Lake
• Plainfield Lake

In the southeast,
• Lake Geode
• Lake Belva Deer
• Lake Darling
• Big Hollow Lake
• Rodgers Park Lake
• Central Park Lake
• Diamond Lake
• Hawthorn Lake

In the southwest,
• Mariposa Lake
• Rock Creek Lake
• Big Creek Lake
• Hickory Grove Lake
• Lake Ahquabi
• Ankeny Lake
• Greenfield Lake
• Meadow Lake
• Mormon Trail Lake
• Littlefield Lake
• Cold Springs Lake
• Lake Anita
• Prairie Rose Lake
• Lake Icaria
• Little River Watershed Lake
• Lake of Three Fires
• Green Valley Lake
• Three Mile Lake
• Twelve Mile Lake

Add to these all of the farm ponds across the state, and you will find good bluegill fishing pretty much anywhere.

Search mode
To me, this is a huge key for success. If I don’t know the lake very well, I will first check with a local baitshop and get as much information as I can about general areas for finding bluegills and also study a lake map looking for deeper weedbeds. Often times, I will go on search mode with my Humminbird 998C using both downview and sideview just to see what these weeds look like. Now sometimes, these fish will be right in the weed. Lakes with good water clarity, will often have weeds that grow several feet. So, I will look for pockets and openings when I can put my bait. Sometimes, if the bluegills aren’t biting in these areas, I will move along and look for bluegills suspended away from the deep end of the weeds. If I can find them, they are often some of the bigger fish. However, you might have to move to keep with them!

When I fish an area, I don’t sit in one spot for very long. My Humminbird will let me know if the fish are there. If not, I will move along the area until I find aggressive fish. Each time I get into the bluegills, I mark the spot on my locator. Over the years, I have found that there are several spots that hold fish year after year. As a result, I have a lot of waypoints that I can go to.

Using the anchor
Years ago, I gave up using an anchor. Pulling up a huge ball of weeds attached to the anchor was no fun. Even with an electric anchor there were times that I had to help pull the anchor up. It’s definitely a backbreaking job.

So, I now use a Minnkota Terrova I-Pilot as my trolling motor and also as my anchor. Now, it does shift a little bit and won’t hold me in one exact spot, but deploying and raising the Terrova is a much easier task. I consider it an anchor system. I have found this to be true. The difference between no fish, small fish and big fish can be only a few feet when you’re fishing these weeds. it’s really easy for me to bump the boat along, using my locator as a guide.

Lures and baits
Some anglers will use a slip bobber rig with either a plain hook or a tiny jig (1/64 to 1/80-ounce) tipped with a Belgian worm (red worm, leaf worm), a medium to large leech or a wax worm or silver wiggler – in that order. For this presentation, set the bobber to match the weeds depth, trying to be about two feet either above the weeds or off the bottom when fishing the deep weed edges. One other bait that can be dynamite is a leech. The leech seems to trigger the bigger gills and helps keep the little ones away. Plus, bonus fish (smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and walleyes) love leeches, too. Two years ago, my son and I were fishing West Okoboji, and he caught a 26” walleye on a slip bobber and a plain hook. When he set the hook, he looked at me and said, “This is no bluegill!” A few minutes later it was picture time and the ‘eye was safely back in the water.

The slip bobber allows us to fish a lot of area because you can anchor on the wind side of the weedbed and then cast with the wind. We can also cast on all sides of the boat. Many times using the fancast method, we will find one spot that seems to hold bigger bluegills. It’s then pretty simple to hone in on that spot where the bigger fish are located. A slip bobber bouncing in the waves often will trigger a fish.

The other option is straightlining right over the side. This is my favorite method, because I love to feel the bite. Nothing can beat that strike. One tiny jig I have found works well is Clam’s tungsten Dingle Drop jig. The tungsten helps it get down to the bottom more quickly and you can also feel it better.

I have found a Shuck’s Jigger Minnow works really well. Everybody has his or her favorite color, but I really like the green/gold color on West Okoboji. It’s really pretty simple. Just fish this right over the side of the boat without a bobber. Once again, I will use the same lures that I did with the plain hook or tiny jig.

West Okoboji: clear water mecca
Yes, I’ll be up front with you right now. I’m sure you have your favorite bluegill haunt, but I wouldn’t trade the gin clear waters of West Okoboji for anything. Yes, I know West Okoboji is a tourist destination, but it is also known for its feisty 8-10 inch bluegills.

Since late May and through the month of June, most of the action was around the many docks that line the entire lake. They are some of the greatest structure, because 95 percent of them are wood post and wood plank docks with wood cross braces. You want to talk structure! Many of these docks reach 10-foot depths at the end, so you have shallows and depth to provide great spawning areas. Plus, after the spawn, you can still find nice fish around the end of these docks.

I’ve found that the best bite usually occurs in calm waters, and with its many bays, anglers are able to find calm waters even on windy days. With the water clarity and a good pair of sunglasses, you can see what kind and how many fish are around these docks. So, these are areas to target.

As we move into the months of July and August, all of the bays will hold weedlines that run anywhere from 14-25 and even 30 feet in depth. These weedy areas occur in all of the bays, and they are perfect bluegill habitat! However, you will sometimes have to fight off the little 4-6 inch fish to catch the bigger bluegills.

Presentations are exactly what I described earlier. When it’s all said and done, nothing beats the thunk of a bite and the feisty battle with a 9-inch bluegill. Except, of course, for the meal that comes after the fishing!