I need some help. It's been pretty hot down here in Florida at around 85 in the morning and evening and about 98 in the afternoon. I'm catching fish like usual just not as many. I'm fishing a lake later and it's got a sandy bottom and lots and lots of big logs in a few spots. I've caught fish on square bills and Texas rigs and stuff like that, but I'm looking to switch it up. Any ideas?

Slow your presentation down. I caught this one on a pegged senko flipping reeds slow and deliberate. They are there. If your hot then they are too. It will pick up once it cools down.

Try fishing at nighttime.

I really try to Slow Down in the Heat we get this time of year. The water is hot, and I also feel the fish are pressured and sick of seeing the same creatures flying by on 1-2 ounce tungsten weights. 

I do better with spinning rods, 8lb test, split shot and 4" worms....In heavy grass,cover, just try to have a strategy for getting them out, but I try to get the strike first. I find finesse not only gets more strikes on tough days but also big fish as well. You can also fish the split shot rig like a crankbait and real it steady, slow,and use a small 3" paddle tail swimbait, stealth seems to help on hot flat days when the lake looks dead.

Good quality line with drag set properly and you can land a big fish in nasty cover, worse case, go in and get it. I try to use 6lb but I find 8lb to work much better for Finesse since it does not fray as easily. If you are pitching to wood then you have to re-tie often,  but throwing bitsy Jigs in 1/16-1/8 skipped on spinning gear is a nice change up from flipping gear...I would give the small bait, really slow approach a try even if you want to go heavier with line but I would try changing things up this time of year and think about putting a new bait, color, or just try and go stealth and slow...Simple natural color, solid brown or black trick worm is hard to beat on a tough day.

 

Try skipping under docks from late morning on.Deeper docks that are low in the water are best.Most docks like this consistently hold fish.They will bite a variety of soft plastic baits.

Another pattern is fishing a deep hole very slowly with a large worm.

And I fish with live bait more in the summer.Shiners or bluegills.Hook em through both lips.Use as small of a hook as you can,so the baits action won't be reduced.I generally won't use a cork in most of the places I fish.

I know some people think it's less than sporting to use live bait but if you release the fish,what difference does it make?

And even if you don't release it,its OK so long as no laws are broken and you don't get too greedy.

 

 

Like the others are saying, slow down and look for pads, or vegetation with two or more types in close proximity.  In the heat they are looking for cover or drop offs with cooler water if the O2 is right.  Work the lures methodically slow until you get on the bite.

I agree with the above members that fishing slow is a good idea this time of year.I caught a bass that was less than a ounce away from being a ten pounder a couple months ago bank fishing at night, so it's definitely a good time to bass fish in Florida during the summer.Make sure to watch out for alligators and other critters that come out at nighttime. 

slow down,way down as Shaw Grigsby says. when it's hot it seems to affect the fisherman more so than the fish. they adapt better than we do.