Plan accordingly and you can still do well outside during the dog days.

Kentucky – Laurel River Lake Bass

If you like to fish beautiful waters, then Laurel River Lake is known as one of the most pristine in the Bluegrass State. It’s deep, clear and surrounded by the hardwood hills of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The scenery may be worth the trip alone, but the bass fishing will keep you coming back again and again. Laurel River Lake is home to three black bass species: spotted, smallmouth and largemouth. A 2018 bass assessment conducted on the lake by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife showed at Laurel River Lake, the length of a 3-year old largemouth bass averaged 13.5 inches. When compared to other lakes of similar size, this is considered to be excellent growth for largemouth bass. Meaning, this is where you find big bass.

Minnesota – Lake Superior Lake Trout

Native to the Great Lakes, the lake trout is one of the most prized fish to catch in the North Country. Perhaps that’s because they taste incredible when brined and smoked. Captain Rob Hering of Optimum Charters in Duluth, MN says, in August the “lakers” are going to be down deep. “Feeding lake trout want cooler water in that lower 50s to mid-40s range. Those temperatures are going to occur at 90 or so feet deep. You need downriggers to get down to them.” He said you want to fish with big spoons, flashers and flies. On the North Shore, he said to focus on fishing the shipping lane by the Lester River up to McQuade. “The Line,” which is an affectionate name of the Minnesota and Wisconsin border is another top spot. He said on The Line, you need to go out 7 to 8 miles from shore to reach water 90 feet deep. A pro tip Hering offered is to use a Fish Hawk TD to give you the water temperature down deep. That way you know right where to put your lures.

Nebraska – Missouri River Flathead Catfish

Ask any catfish connoisseur in the know and they’ll tell you flatheads taste better than other whisker fish. It’s said this is so because flatheads eat live food. August is a great time to load up on flatheads from the Missouri River in Nebraska using bank poles and trotlines. Little bluegills are a favorite flathead bait. They can be used if they are purchased from a bait dealer that acquired them legally, or if they are caught by hook and line and used on the same body of water from which they were caught. Nebraska has a 15 hook limit, so you can use one trotline with 15 hooks or three trotlines with five hooks each. You can use up to 15 bank poles with single hooks. All bank poles and trotlines must be checked every 24 hours.