Winter Brim???

Crappie are caught in high numbers during the winter. Is the same true for Brim or are they a little more sluggish?

I have personally caught a good mess of brim on various trips in the winter. I rarely target brim in the winter, but on those trips I have done well.

I find them in deep water around cover. If I go it is usually for shellcracker and brim, and before the end of the day I have a right good mess of both or either of the two.

By the way I've never seen a "sluggish" brim...they always try to pull me out of the boat...even in the winter.

Happy Fish'n

How about a little know-how stumpbumpers? Never have fished for them in winter, baits to use etc.

I use night crawlers on the bottom, over top of structure. Straight down or under slip cork. Nothing special, just simple fishing...

Same as any other time of the year except they are deep and I do mean deep. Same baits... Crickets are out of season and worms are easy to find, so that's what I use... plus I catch a mess of cats sometimes too. Like I said its finding them that is the hardest...

but that's going to vary depending on wether or not the universe is centered around you at that time in the spot or location you are fishing...Don't get me wrong they are usually pretty easy to find if you know your home water...knowing the bottom is key I guess...This type of fishing isn't something I can write a book about. My favorite place to go is the same places I crappie fish... bridge pilings...gets pretty deep aroud them, peirs, and just slow trolling with the worm kinda like a drop shot rig and let it bounce accross the bottom. I like fishing like that with my younger brother we usually do pretty good.

Good luck and Happy Fish'n

Up here in midwest Illinois, the gill fishing is tough right now. I have been out twice in the last week or so with the Fish Cat#4 float tube . The water temp was 40 degrees. The ones I caught were on the bottom near wood at 14' to 18', gin clear water. I was using tiny jigs tipped w/wax worms. Got enough for a mess both times, but no impressive numbers . ( Also got a case of cold toes after 6 hrs:rolleyes: )
Next trip I'll try the worms. Hadn't even given them thought because we are so close to the ice fishing bite.
For your info., I haven't EVER gotten crickets to work very well up here. I had good luck with them at Reelfoot lake in NW Ten. but up here they would be my last choice. Weird, but true

When we fish cold water gills we are fishing through ice in water that hovers just above freezing. Depending on the body of water and the structure within, the gills may be anywhere from 3 feet of water to 30 feet. One such lake is Bradford Lake just south of Gaylord, Michigan. We set our portable shanty just off a steep drop that goes from 12 feet directly to 28 feet. We make sure to be set up about 20 minutes before day light. The water here is crystal clear so we us 1/80 oz tear drops in subtle colors tipped with spikes or wax worms. As the sun comes up we can usually see several gills suspended anywhere from just under the ice to 12 feet or so down. The majority being in that 12 foot range which I believe to be relating to the 12 foot flat which we are setting just off of. I little jigging or twitching will usually entice a bite and then just follow the fish out of sight as the sun rises higher in the sky. The gills tend to head slowly deeper as the sun gets higher but they continue to bight well into, if not all day.

>> The gills tend to head slowly deeper as the sun gets higher but they continue to bite well into, if not all day.<<

Thus explaining why snow cover on the ice lengthens the bite.
We haven't done much lately except at a friend's farm pond. Hope we get ice this year. - Roberta