I have been fishing off the bank since November here in Eastern Tennessee (open waters no ice) and catching good numbers of gills with a few other species mixed in. The biggest change from my normal warm water patterns is size of my offerings. I have sized down from 1/32 to 1/48 and 1/64 jig heads and 1.5in baits or smaller. I am fishing shallow flowing waters of creek mouths, nothing over 5ft deep and around whatever cover is available to cast at but mostly mud and rock bottoms. Main lake temps are in the low 40’s. Here are some recycled pics from various dates this winter.
Dec 1st, Trout Magnet Bison Color on 1/64 head
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Dec 4th 1/48 head Bison Trout Magnet tipped with Berkeley Gulp Wax worm.
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Day after Christmas 1/48 head with Lunkerhunt Spade Grub tipped with Larvae.
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New Years Eve same bait as above, with a Crappie or two mixed in on the Trout Magnet.
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January 5th same baits and nice size for this particular lake.
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January 8th
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Then 2 weeks ago using a 1in Mayfly plastic bug.
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Last Friday after zero degree wind chills and frigid temps a nice gill on a Green Trout Magnet with red flake tipped with the Berkeley Wax worm.
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In the winter, down size baits and jig heads when fishing shallow. It has worked here and I hope this will help you in your pursuit of this scrappy little Panfish.
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app