It’s August, and it’s hot. A lot may even argue that it’s too hot to fish. But don’t let that discourage you, as the trout action in August can also become very, very hot. One thing anglers can do this time of the year is plan to begin their time on the water each day just as early in the morning as possible. Make it a point to be across the bay and setup in your initial fishing spot almost an hour before the sun is scheduled to rise. There are various reasons for doing this, with probably the most common-sense reason being that it’s the coolest part of the day, and you can get a lot of fishing time in before your brain begins to bake from the heat of the sun. However, from a mere tactical standpoint, there are a couple different reasons you should like being out there so early when it’s hot.

The first is that the waters along shallow shorelines have cooled significantly in the overnight hours, and baitfish and predators (trout) alike often seek refuge along these flats during pre-dawn hours. The shallow water is cool, and the fish feel a greater sense of security there over that of the unknown dark murkiness of deep, nighttime waters. Another reason you should prefer earliness when it’s hot is because the pre-dawn bite is typically somewhat more aggressive over that of when the sun has already risen into the morning sky. Heck, there have been instances when the bite has turned completely off the moment the sun rises. But not to worry, when that happens you can often turn around and fish out in deeper water and find the bite again once you find the bait.

All in all, this month is a time for you to be starting-out early and shallow. And as the day progresses into middle and late morning, look to be following the baitfish into deeper water. It’s for this reason that your targeted fishing areas this month should be places where there are shallow flats that offer the fish immediate access to deeper water. Such places include areas like the many spoil banks piled-up along the Victoria Barge Canal and the open waters of the Intracoastal Waterway, the numerous shell reefs located in San Antonio Bay, and the many open-bay island areas – Big Bird and Little Bird Islands, Grass Island, Steamboat Island, South Pass and First Chain of Islands, etc. Granted, this month may not offer some of the most comfortable fishing conditions, but you can certainly take comfort in knowing that this month often offers a high potential for some very prosperous results.