Thread: Why no sunfish during cold weather crappie fishing?

In Spring and Summer I always catch bluegill while I am crappie fishing with minnows and jigs. But once the water cools down the bluegill stop showing up on the end of my line and it is just crappie. Why is this? I still end up fishing all types of water from shallows to deep water so I would suspect I'd come across them. Are they simply more dormant?

I beg to differ. I think they just moved on ya to another local. Take a look at these fellers fish. They done real good up in the frozen tundra.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/minne...tml#post654715

Taken from a site on sunfishin in winter:


Sunfish Ice Fishing Location

In early winter Sunfish can be found in the same places they were just prior to ice up. Look for them in shallow weeds and just off the weed line. Especially when the weeds are combined with shoreline breaks and points. Click here to learn about fish attracting lake structure.

Sunfish in Natural HabitatBy mid winter the Sunfish will have moved off the structure, usually to the nearest deep basin. Start by looking for them suspended in the basin near the structure and at the same depth of the structure. Sunfish follow food so as the zooplankton and minnows move, so do the Sunfish.

Late winter they'll begin to move in closer to the bays and weed lines. Sunfish spawn in shallow, dark bottom bays after the ice is out. You'll find them moving closer to these spawning areas as spring approaches.

I'll fix you up with some super double secret wormage when you guys come down in a couple weeks Wasabi. Guaranteed! (to wiggle)

I think the fish are still there "somewhere" , as the ice fishermen prove, BUT the older I get the COLDER the winter is. Maybe I just give up too soon , ie just before frostbite sets in? :-)

I have been find a few suspended over the deepest water in a 3 acre lake. I troll around in my kickboat with 2 poles/2/4lb test line/curlytail/featherjig/1/32oz/crappie nibble.

In my experience, gills are reluctant to hit a large, (relatively) fast moving jig in cold water. However, they will readily hit small, slow-moving baits. I have no problem catching gills on maggots during winter months.

I dont have much problem finding sunfish in the winter as long as i can find some dark water, here on on the scuppernong river in columbia nc the saltwater is moving in on us here is my catch a couple of weeks ago in dec

bocefish, I guess that says it all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice catch bocefish ! Dark water?