For many boaters the next three months is the time to start playing “in” the water instead of “on” the water.

The diehard fishermen will continue to fish the busy landlocked lakes with some success.

The early morning and late evening bite is best when fishing the high traffic lakes.

To catch the major activity period you need to get up early and be casting before the sun comes up.

The only exception will be those nice overcast days and if it’s raining the fishing will be good all day.

On clear days try to find fish early on the east bank of which ever lake you’re fishing.

The east bank will offer more shade for a longer period of time during the morning hours.

Do just the opposite during the late evening.

Fish the west bank. I have a couple good patterns working for the bass on the cypress tree lakes like Bruin, St. John and Concordia.

The fish are holding in extremely shallow water during the middle of the day.

You can locate the bass in the thickest cover on the lake, the cover that offers the most shade.

Target the cypress trees in shallow with thick overhanging limbs.

The fish will hold tight to the base of the tree. Presenting a lure in the strike zone is a challenge.

Try making a hard side arm cast and skipping a heavy jig or soft plastic under the overhanging limbs.

One of about ever five casts will find the target. If you’re using soft plastics peg the slip sinker to the head of the lure.

An un-pegged sinker will slide up your line and the lure will become separated from the sinker and never reach the strike zone.

This is no place for surface lures, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and the like simply because there is no way you can present these type lures in the thick cover.

Stick with heavy lures with a flat surface that will allow it to skip across the water and under the limbs.

The bream spawn is still on. Some have spawned while others are still on the beds.

I located a dozen or more bream beds on Concordia recently while bass fishing.

Try the mid lake area on the east bank.

The bream beds were in between the cypress trees in open water.

The best way to catch the bream off the bed is with live bait like crickets and red worms or cast a small spinner on an ultra light.

Try to stay cool and take plenty of water on your next fishing trip.

This summer is shaping up to be a hot one for sure.

Good luck to all.