Years ago I spent a few weeks in Central America. One of the men I went with shared a simple, yet profound, statement: “Don’t complain about the obvious.” His example was the heat. If you’re hot, everyone is hot. What is the point of commenting on it ad nauseum?

Well, maybe it isn’t hot where you are. But it is hot where I am.

That said, you can still fish. I have three things worth sharing with you about fishing when the red fills up the thermometer. Because although not fishing is an option, it certainly isn’t the only option.

Click on the links below for three longer pieces that each deal with fishing when the heat is on:

You Need Water to Fish

While this is appropriate for  fish to habituate to your particular river, pond, or coast, it also has a very real application for you.

Sling packs have bottle holsters and drift boats have footprints for coolers because anglers need to stay hydrated. For every hundred articles about how to prospect for trout, which fly rod to buy, and where to go on the next vacation, there probably isn’t one piece on water. Even with the premium people pay for high-end, vacuum-sealed tumblers to carry their beverages, there isn’t a lot of fishing-focus on that kind of water itself.

So, in brief, I’ve got three reasons why you should be drinking early and often while fly fishing:

Catch & Release (into Hot Grease)

Before I go any farther in this article, I do want to acknowledge the hard left turn that these ideas appear to be taking from the usual fare found on Casting Across. After all, you’re usually reading about the quarry and culture of fly fishing. Crappie are not the usual quarry and lithium-ion filet knives are generally not part of the culture. I’m not advocating for an incursion, per se. I do think that it is important to validate that such interests do lie within the borders of this great outdoor nation.

And I’m going to firmly plant my flag in the soil of fried fish.

Chasing Dusk: 5 Tips for Summer Evening Fishing

In June, July, and August, we all have a love/hate relationship with the sun. There is a lot more daylight, but the tradeoff is an oppressive heat. Some parts of the country can get downright steamy, forcing anglers to wear oxymoronic lightweight layers. At the same time, there isn’t another time of the year where you can fish until 9:00pm without artificial light.

All that to say, there are some ways that the late, hot summer evenings can be utilized to the fly fisher’s advantage. Weather, light, and time do impact the behavior of fish, insects, and other people. With a little planning and consideration, there can be a lot of angling benefits to the opportunities of this time of year.