Summertime bug hatches don’t need to be a BAD thing. If you understand how they impact the movement and attitude of the fish, you can use them to your advantage. In this video, veteran guide Brad Hawthorne shares his strategy.
When you show up to a lake, it can be exciting to see bug hatches occurring. As someone who lives near Mille Lacs Lake, I get particularly excited because I know that bug hatches can lead to more congregated fish. If you spot a plume of bugs in the water column, you can be sure that the fish will be nearby. In this article, I will share a recent fishing experience at Lake of the Woods to illustrate how bug hatches can be used to your advantage.
Fishing at Lake of the Woods
Yesterday, my friend Nick and I went fishing at Lake of the Woods. When we arrived at our cabin, we were amazed to see that it was covered in mayflies. There were mayflies every three inches on all four sides of the cabin. This was a clear indication that bug hatches were happening in the area.
We decided to fish in a funnel area, where the water was ten to fourteen feet deep. In just two hours, we were able to catch 40 fish on spinners. This is considered to be excellent walleye fishing. While we didn’t catch any giants, the fish we caught ranged from thirteen to eighteen and a half inches in size. This successful fishing trip can be attributed to the bug hatch and the fish being attracted to the bugs.
Using Bug Hatches to Your Advantage
When you start seeing bugs coming up in the water column, it’s a good sign that fish will be around. In these situations, it’s important to adjust your fishing techniques accordingly. Here are some tips for using bug hatches to your advantage:
- Rigging Techniques: Instead of using leadcore or spinners, consider rigging and pulling spinners. This approach mimics a natural presentation and can be very effective when fish are feeding on bugs.
- Pay Attention to Wind: Bugs are often blown into certain areas by the wind. Pay attention to the direction of the wind and focus your fishing efforts in areas where bugs are being blown in. This can increase your chances of finding fish.
- Look for Congregated Fish: Bug hatches can cause fish to congregate in certain areas. Keep an eye out for plumes of bugs in the water column and fish around them. This can be a productive strategy for catching fish.
Bug Hatches as a Positive Sign
While bug hatches can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if there are excessive numbers of bugs for an extended period of time, they are generally a positive sign for fishing. Fish consume a significant amount of bugs throughout the year, so when bug hatches occur, it points to where the fish are likely to be.
