DOLDR
HOW DUDLEY DEALS WITH THE
10 WAYS THE VIRGINIA PRO OVERCOMES THE TOUGH LATE-SUMMER BITE
I
By Curtis Niedermier
PHOTO BY CURTIS NIEDERMIER
f bass anglers could pick one month they wanted to repeat over and over
throughout the year, most would choose May or June, or any month when the
weather is pleasant, the fish are aggressive and catching them is easy.
No one would choose August.
With the exception of some Northern smallmouth anglers, most wouldn’t
choose September, either.
What’s ironic is that if you want to win the Forrest Wood Cup, qualify for a T-H
Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Regional or make the Costa FLW Series
Championship, or if you just want to have a good showing in your bass club’s
classic, you need to be able to catch bass during the dreaded late-season period
otherwise known as the summer doldrums.
A lot of money is made in August and September, but it’s pretty rare for tour-
naments that time of year to be classified as slugfests (again, save for some
smallmouth derbies). It’s not that techniques for catching fish are any more com-
plicated in August and September. The challenges are finding unpressured fish,
staying focused and aggressive in the heat, and piecing together a good game
plan for bass that are scattered and often not presenting a clear pattern.
David Dudley, the veteran FLW Tour pro from Lynchburg, Va., is probably more
capable of dealing with the doldrums than most. He’s won the Cup and come
close several other times because he’s an expert at tackling tough conditions. If
you want to experience some hot August glory, too, heed Dudley’s advice.
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FLWFISHING.COM I AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018