Al Lindner: June is one of the top two months for open-water fishing

As someone who’s been in the public fishing spotlight for several decades, I get asked a lot of questions. There’s two, in particular, that come up on the regular: “What’s your favorite lake?” and “What’s your favorite time of year to fish?”

The former is rather difficult to answer because there are so many great lakes, and, truth be told, I’d prefer to keep my favorite to myself. The question about time of year, however, is as easy as it gets. If I could only fish for two months, there’s no question it would be June and October. These two months are as good as it gets when it comes to open water fishing.

The month of June is a special time of year – and just might be the best of the best. Fish mostly have wrapped up their spawning rituals. At this time, they’re still pretty concentrated, they’re swimming in rather predictable locations, and their activity levels are near peak – in other words we have the ultimate recipe for some incredible fishing action.

In terms of locations, think shallow, specifically shallow weed growth. Green healthy weeds are exactly where fish will be at this time of year. Emergent weed growth as well as inside and outside weed lines are ideal places to start our search. Weeds throughout this period are generally just coming up – a stark contrast from where they’ll be in a month or so.

In terms of multi-species action, there’s no better time than the month of June. Whether you’re after walleyes, bass, crappies, bluegills, or something else, you can find a good bite. With so many fish shallow right now, it’s important to be able to adapt.

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While you might have intentions of chasing after something specific, it’s entirely possible to stumble on a better option. I can think of numerous occasions where my gameplan completely changed simply because of something I found. Say you’re chasing bass, for example, and run into a pile of big bluegills. With so much possibility, it’s important to go prepared.

Throughout this month, I rarely hit the water with less than 15 rods. I’ll have a mix of options rigged for a variety of species. In my eyes, it’s always better to have something and not need it, then not have it… and need it!

Some of my favorite options include the Avid Series, Black Bass, and Avid Panfish from St. Croix. If carrying a boatload of rods isn’t an option, seek out some versatile options that can do a number of things well.

My game plan for this timeframe is simple – fish fast.

I’m not a big fan of fishing slow and in all honesty, I’ll do whatever I can to avoid it. Thankfully, this is one of those timeframes where you really don’t need to do that.

Typically, I’ll have a paddle tail on a rod for every species – different sizes for different species. When paired with a range of jig sizes, they are the ultimate lure in terms of versatility. They were tailor-made for fishing fast and covering water.

This time of year is a great time to be on the water, especially if you’re a multi-species angler. Fish are still shallow and generally very cooperative. Remember to be prepared for anything and to keep an open mind – you may just stumble on to something special.

Sometimes are best days on the water happen by accident.