Made in the Shade
Finding shaded structure can help anglers find fish on hot summer days.
Story and photography by Danno Wise
One thing everyone knows about August in Texas is it is hot. This heat can affect both fish and anglers. Of course, fishermen have the luxury of being able to head to the house to soak up some A/C when the temperature becomes intolerable. Fish also try to “beat the heat” by seeking out areas of cooler water. But, with the sun beating down for over 12 hours a day, most of the water in the open bays is tepid at best. However, there are areas of every bay where some sort of structure cast a shadow over at least a small portion of the water, providing fish an oasis of cooler water in the shade.
Freshwater fishermen often rely on shaded structure to catch fishing during the late summer heat. But, for whatever reason, saltwater fishermen don’t usually don’t give as much consideration to the cooling effects of shade, thinking instead mostly of water depth. While there are plenty of fish sulking in deep water during the summer months, fish found under shaded structure are often active at various depths in the water column. And, since these areas aren’t as heavily fished, the fish found there are often “more cooperative.”
