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I am in Indiana and the water temps have been around 44-45F. Would I look for bluegills in the winter locations such as 20-30 ft deep or near pre-spawn areas 5-8 ft deep, or somewhere in between? I have never targeted bluegills in the fall so I am at a loss on this one. I am not asking for names of lakes just depths you would start at. What would you look for on the locator to make your decision?
Years ago,before i started crappie fishing, i caught a lot of bluegills during the winter months. I would basicly start fishing main lake points and work my way up and down them until i located fish. If they were not on the points, i would go to the flats and try there. Sometimes 'gills move around a lot and you have to hunt for them, their is no specific depth that you can say to try. I fished with 3-4 ultra-lites and a light egg sinker rigged so the line fed freely thru the sinker, i usually used a small light wire hook or a tiny jig head baited with red wigglers or crickets, meal worms are another alternative. Besides 'gills i also caught lots of shellcrackers using this method.
feesh thats the way I do it also and I use a bobber stop under my egg sinker to keep it from sliding on down to the hook or jig.......that way a fish can pull the line through the egg sinker without feeling it. Really a good way to catch those big winter bluegills and red ears.
Up north, i'd say to check for brush in 6 to 10 ft of water. Hair jig tipped with maggots or waxworms will be all you'll need to load up the boat. 4 to 7ft deep under a small bobber.
This time of year they will be deep. If you know of spots in the twenty-foot and deeper range where you've caught them before, that would be the first place I would look. Points could be good, as could drop-offs.
Thank-you all for the info. I have never fished for bluegills at the 20ft + mark before so this ought to be exciting.
Good idea about the bobber stop G, i always used a very small swivel with a bead above it, glad you mentioned it because i left that part out. BTW, I bet you fish Trace Lake a lot!Quote:
Originally Posted by "G"
feesh
my house is 4 miles from the ramp at Trace lake....Lake Lamar Bruce was my favorite lake for red ears but they drained it and are re-building the dam.
Quote:
Originally Posted by feeshrman
i used to go to Lamar Bruce all the time, was a super nice ranger there that lived at the lake (probably 15 years ago or more) I made the trip to Trace a couple of times also. If you were not careful you would get your rod snatched out of the boat by one of them big red ears. I may have to go try this style fishing again sometime, Kemper Lake is not far from me and i know it has some excellent bream in it, with it's clear deep water it would be perfect for that style of fishing.
This time of year I usually head for secondary coves on the main lake where water drops off to at least 15 ft. Here in MS I usually will find big ones 8 - 12 ft. deep from this time through Christmas. Probably quite a bit deeper up north I imagine. I like to fish 1/32 oz. beetles (white, black, or yellow) or 1" curly tails on 2 lb. test line just off the bottom. Also like waxworms near the bottom. Never tried it, but will try dropshotting next time I get a chance. Seems like it should be a perfect presentation for this time of year.
On my last trip this fall the water temp was 47 degrees and the lake had turned over. The gills were grouped up on the bottom of a break in 25 FOW.
I caught some nice gills slow trolling a 1/8 once KISS Bug Jig laced with power bait. Along with the gill were some nice crappies.
(BTW) the bite was very lite so a lite sensitive rod was a must.