Matt Stefan: Use the summer sun to your advantage

Often times, the fishing articles I read suggest fishing shaded banks for bass. I do agree with this, but often times I find myself fishing the banks that are exposed to the sun because it allows me to pinpoint the bass easier.

A shaded bank allows the bass to roam freely, while a sun-exposed bank often times will have fish congregating under a single source of shade from a tree or dock. This is because the bass that live on that sun-exposed shoreline will be looking for shade, and the single overhanging tree is the only place they can find it.

Consequently, by identifying the sun-exposed banks, I can narrow down the number of targets holding fish, which allows me to be more efficient.

Another good example of this is when fishing docks: I would rather fish a cove with three docks in it than a cove with 50 docks because the fish have fewer shade options to choose from.

The key is realizing that bass love to use shaded areas, but being able to figure out which shaded areas hold the most bass is what will make you a better fisherman.

–Matt Stefan
Bridgford Fishing Team