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As July approaches and water temperatures rise, gamefish begin transitioning into their deep-water summer patterns. Catching fish this time of year isn't necessarily tougher, but tactics to take fish are indeed different than during the spring months.

I spoke with Brad at Frankie's Live Bait and Marine this morning about our area lakes and how they've been fishing lately. Brad reported that the panfish bite is phenomenal with sunfish extremely active under and around docks as well as the inside weedlines.

It was also noted that bass anglers are keeping plenty busy on Chisago Lake and Green Lake. The Fishers of Men Regional Bass Tournament, held last Saturday on Green Lake, was a resounding success. It took a five fish limit weighing an astounding 21 lbs. to capture first place. If you head out in search of bass, try throwing a jig worm or Texas-rigged worm along the weedlines, or cast crankbaits out on the gravel bars. Also, try throwing top-water baits into the lily pads during low-light periods.

Although the walleyes begin to move to deeper water this time of year, they are by no means impossible to catch. Work the soft-to-hard bottom transition zone in 18-24 feet of water, pulling live bait rigs or suspend a jumbo leech under a slip-bobber. Needle Point on South Center Lake and the area around Nelson's Island on North Center Lake have given up fish during the evening hours. Pulling leech rigs or night crawlers behind a floating spinner rig are time-tested summer approaches.

Anglers are catching crappies in fairly high numbers as well. The trick is to use your electronics to find suspended schools of actively feeding fish. Beginning in mid to late June, crappies tend to scatter somewhat throughout a lake's main basin, but they're by no means impossible to find if you're patient. Look at water near the A-frame to hold fish above 20 feet of water. Typically, the crappies will suspend from near the bottom up to 10 feet below the surface. Small leeches and minnows used with light flu-flu jigs under slip-bobbers are catching numbers of crappies this time of year.

Good luck and I'll see you on the water.

Dan Brown's weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankie's Bait and Marine, in Chisago City, and St. Croix Outdoors, in St. Croix Falls, Wis.

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