What is everyone's general approach when they fish waters with a relatively quick current? We've had a combination of high temperatures and very little rain the past month, and fishing has really slowed down for me at the usual spots. A guy I was fishing near mentioned that he likes to fish by the locks/dams when the water level is low and the temperatures are high. I figured bass would go to deep calm water in the heat and not necessarily fast water, but does this make sense to you guys? If so, do you think the upper calm end or faster lower end would be better?

Anyway, I really made this topic just to get general information on fishing quick waters, like those found on the downside of a lock/dam. Do you still use soft plastics even in the strong current, and if so how heavy do you weight them? I was thinking perhaps a medium-deep running crankbait or a football jig head with a grub on the end? Or maybe you just don't fish them at all for summer bass lol. Any advice/tips are appreciated.

Thanks!

There can be some good fishing below dams for summer smallies. Pretty much anything will work, the rivers I fish mainly run shallow, so shallow cranks, minnowbaits, grubs or tubes on 1/8 oz heads all work. Thing is, even though the current appears to be moving fast, there are usually alot of rocks breaking it up.

You're right, a lot of fish move deeper in the summer but not all of them. Fish can be found shallow by dams or creek or river mouths into a lake because the water is constantly circulating and it is often cooler there plus food is basically carried right to them. I always struggle fishing fast currents (part of why I don't like trout fishing). Not sure the depth you'll be fishing, but the best advice I could offer is throw some type of soft plastic but over shoot your cast and allow the current to carry the bait past the structure your fishing. Experiment with your weights until you find something you like.

Also, don't overlook inline spinners. For the most part I cast slightly upstream to give the bait a chance to get down than work the bait as the current takes it down. Basically letting the current do the work and not doing much if any reeling until either the current gets too slack or I am past where I think the fish are.