Often, the bright sun and hot conditions of mid-day summer afternoons is thought to be one of the worse times to be fishing, and in certain situations it is; however, for anglers looking to score on catches of bass, northern pike, and even muskies, this is the perfect time to work lures in the "slop".
Just what is "slop"? Slop is basically any combination of thick weeds that grows to the surface of the water, and quite often found in our shallower lakes here in Wisconsin. These thick mats of weeds hold countless numbers of prey species such as insects, smaller fish, frogs, and the like. In turn, the predator fish such as largemouth bass and northern pike are drawn to these areas for the food; think of it as an underwater version of our local fish fry's! In addition to finding food and a place in which to hunt it, larger gamefish also may find solace from the bright sun as well as angling pressure and boat traffic in the thicker weed beds.
So where does one begin fishing, after all, some lakes have acres and acres of dense weeds that could hold fish. For starters, look for slop that has access to deeper water in close proximity. Next, look for the weed beds that are made up of more than one type of vegetation. For example, weed beds containing random patches of lily pads will typically hold more fish than a weed bed made up of all the same style plant. In addition, if there are logs, stumps, docks, or any other types of structure in the slop all the better!
Fishing the slop is an exciting method to catch fish, but does require more specialized equipment. For starters, a long, stout rod is much better suited for providing the strength and leverage necessary to muscle a big fish from the heavy cover; I prefer a 7 or 7 foot heavy action St. Croix casting rod equipped with an Abu Garcia 5500C3 or 6500 C3 and spooled with 30#-50# Stren Super Braid. While this may seem like overkill, the heavier equipment is necessary to bring the fish to the surface as soon after the hook set as possible; the longer it takes you to bring the fish out of the slop, the more likely it is that the fish will manage to free itself.
As for lures, there are a variety of weedless presentations that work well. My personal favorites are the weedless surface lures such as Bass Rats or Texas-rigged Berkley Bat Wing Frogs. With surface lures, you get to see all the heart-pounding action up close and personal. As with any type of surface bait fishing, it is important to remember to "reel til you feel" if you set the hook every time a fish blows up on your bait without feeling them, you're going to come up empty more often than not.
The next time it seems too hot to head out for an afternoon of fishing, give slop fishing a try. Not only is it exciting, but you may be rewarded with one of the trophy fish that reside there! Remember, catch-photo-release; I'll see you on the water
Tight lines,
Joel DeBoer