Thread: Fall Gills

I catch gills throughout the winter using the same methods I use at other times of the year. I just tend to fish deeper water. My best gill fishing this past year was in January. The fish are still there, and they will feed.

Have you tied beemoths or mealworms? I do know that as the water cools down their metabolism slows down as well. Thus, reducing how much and what size baits they need to eat. They will also be deeper in the winter months. You can still find them shallow through the fall but as the lakes and ponds turnover they will start moving to deeper water.

Mike P.

we catch We fish up to 40 ft deep in january over brush and can catch 150=200 in 3or4 hrs!

Originally Posted by Prybis

Have you tied beemoths or mealworms? I do know that as the water cools down their metabolism slows down as well. Thus, reducing how much and what size baits they need to eat. They will also be deeper in the winter months. You can still find them shallow through the fall but as the lakes and ponds turnover they will start moving to deeper water.

Mike P.

Those waxworms will always work.

Originally Posted by Bluegillfreak

Normaly here in east TN the bluegill slow way down and often stop biting from september to may or atleast the way I fish for them which is normaly live worms or crickets on rock bluffs. How should I fish for them when they quit. Normaly when they stop I stop but I know they have to eat somehow.

We are still tearing them up in flats holding 2-4 ft. of water. They will stay till end of Dec. if nothing drastic changes!!Same method- 1 tightline on bottom, 1-slipcork ,about 6" off bottom. RedWorms are best, but Nightcrawler pieces work too!!

Went this weekend and was catching them in less than 4 ft. of water. Water temp was 58 deg. Catching them on bee moth. Hopefully they will still be there this weekend. :D

We fish all winter and catch both bluegill and shellcracker. We like below the dams when the generators are running giving some river flow. It is also nice to have some rain that makes the creeks have some flow. We anchor in the creek mouth on the up river side of the creek. Normally 4-12 feet of water. We throw our baits, worms, meal worms, wax worms, ect. slightly out to the river and slightly up stream. As the current washes the bait off in to the creek channel, the fish are waiting. It is a great ambush for easy food for the gills. The water is normally warmer below the dams in winter. Check out several creeks and you will find them. Good luck and pray for that rain that we need.

Question, for those who fish for winter crappie, in deeper water.. do you use smaller jigs, or larger jigs and jig vertically over them with crappie poles? Here in Masachusetts, I normally use 1/32 oz and tip it with Berkleys crappie nibblets. I normally cast it and let it drift down 8-10' and retrieve it slowly. I have tried tandem jigs also, no luck. I know there is some nice crappie/bluegills in these lakes. I tear them up in spring, summer, fall, but not in the winter. Maybe I am still fishing too fast for them??? Problem in the winter they must hug the bottom or disappear, I can't get them to hit jigs. Pickerel and yellow perch will hit it, but bluegill and crappie get lockjaw. any detailed techniques would be greatly appreaciated.
Gillbuster