Why will the fish not move up?

[Alphahawk]

This is about Bluegill but I figure it will get more exposure here and someone can answer this question. My son and I go to Center Hill each Spring in April and May and fish for big Bluegill from the bank at Edgar Evins. Since they have been working on the dam they keep the lake at 630. Last year when the flood came in May if we took a canoe up and fished in water where we would normally be casting to when the lake was at 630 we caught Bluegill by the hundreds. Since the rains came in April and the lake is just now getting down it is the same thing. With the water level down to 639 you can cast from the bank where we would normally be standing with the lake at 630. You get in a canoe and paddle out to where you could cast with the lake at 630 and you catch Bluegill. Center Hill was high for a whole month last spring and those fish never moved up on that whole bank we fish....which is about a mile long. This year the lake was high much longer and they still have not moved up and will not. By the time the lake gets down to 630...which if we get no more rain will be in about 10 days....the water will be hot enough to drive the Bluegill deep in that location. Does anyone know why those fish will not move in closer to the bank when the lake rises that high and stays that way for a while? When the lake is at 630 we catch those fish only about 20 feet from the bank.


Regards

[M R Dux]

What is the water temp? I would say that water temp is by far the biggest deciding factor for them moving shallow.

Here on KY Lake, the temp is 6-8 degrees less than it would be in normal years PLUS we had record lake levels for a couple of weeks that really have things turned upside down.

[Drum_Master]

I agree with MrDux about water temp. Also, during a full moon gills move shallow to spawn, and can be caught very easily then (usually).

[Alphahawk]

I carry a thermometer with me and check the temp when it is getting close to spawning time and go there at each full moon even though in past years it has produced nothing. Center Hill is a deep lake but the area these Gills are in have several coves with good bottoms that would make for good bedding areas. They show up at the same place each year...probably in that mile stretch there are literally thousands...and they are big Gills. It is a long walk from Edgar Evins marina down to the saddle dam and back but I have done it several times trying to find the bedding locations of these fish when the bite quits in late May. I love my Crappie fishing but am an avid big Bluegill hunter and this location mystifies me. The lake is now down to 637 but they have slowed the drain to make peace with the Trout fisherman below the dam but when it gets to around 634 I will make that 100 mile drive and continue my quest. I just can't believe that many fish would head to the lower end of the lake to bed when there is prime bedding area where they are doing what I would call their pre-spawn in April and early May. I also have never caught a Gill there with the split and bloody tail to show that they were fanning beds.



Regards

[flyboy2610]

The bluegill will use the best bottom area to spawn, even if it's in deeper water. Maybe they just don't like the bottom area closer to the beach.

[Alphahawk]

You may be right about that. I can switch to a reel with 4# test and put a split shot above my jig and cast it pretty far and see if that gets any results...or maybe even a drop shot type set up. Good idea. I will let you know if that works.



Regards

[bfish]

Just a guess, but hasn't the water been being pulled out the whole time? When they are pulling (ie dropping the lake), fish tend to go offshore. While it could be possible that last year the lake was up but not being pulled down so rapidly.

[skiptomylu]

I can tell you about what my lake and the crappie did this year and last. First fish don't like the water changing near their spawn.
So last year the crappie moved in just as expected, but our leaders of the Sabine River Authority decided the lake was too high even though it was not over full pool by any means, still they dropped it 2' over a few weeks time period. The crappie after only being on the banks for a very few days moved out to 9 1/2' of water and stayed there the entire spring. This year our water was low and I did hear of some being caught shallow (2' of less), but only from one person. All the fish I found and caught were in 6'-8' of water and would move out more like 10' or more if the temps dropped at all.

So water levels changing is not a good thing and don't think it matters if it up or down, the fish don't care for that. Small changes just make them hesitate IMHO, but a larger drop or rise of a foot or more and they don't like it at all. I think this year and last year most of them spawned at deeper water than normal. Now I am not saying there was not any that spawned shallow, but most of them I believe were deeper.

Skip

[Alphahawk]

I can tell you about what my lake and the crappie did this year and last. First fish don't like the water changing near their spawn.
So last year the crappie moved in just as expected, but our leaders of the Sabine River Authority decided the lake was too high even though it was not over full pool by any means, still they dropped it 2' over a few weeks time period. The crappie after only being on the banks for a very few days moved out to 9 1/2' of water and stayed there the entire spring. This year our water was low and I did hear of some being caught shallow (2' of less), but only from one person. All the fish I found and caught were in 6'-8' of water and would move out more like 10' or more if the temps dropped at all.

So water levels changing is not a good thing and don't think it matters if it up or down, the fish don't care for that. Small changes just make them hesitate IMHO, but a larger drop or rise of a foot or more and they don't like it at all. I think this year and last year most of them spawned at deeper water than normal. Now I am not saying there was not any that spawned shallow, but most of them I believe were deeper.

Skip

I think you and bfish hit the nail on the head. Same deal last year. Water rose up to about 652 and they pulled it down a foot and a half a day until it got back to 630 as the dam is being worked on and they have to keep it at 630 to keep pressure off the dam. Yep I think that is the answer.


Regards