Basics of locating bream beds...(I know it's early)

Hello all!

I'm preparing for late spring and would like to get some insight on bluegill / redear /sunnies fishing. I want to get my 3 sons (5,6,8) on some bed fishing this May. We live in Central Arkansas, so no ice / ice out etc.

I'm not new to fishing, but I am new to fishing from a boat (and brand new to using electronics) so my question is:

How do you decide which spots to check (for beds) on a new lake? What do you look for on google maps? What do you look for when on the water?


Thanks in advance guys!

FWIW, I rarely bed fish. You can catch gills year round. Just move out into deeper water.

I know that doesn't directly answer your question, but it's something to consider.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

FWIW, I rarely bed fish. You can catch gills year round. Just move out into deeper water.

I know that doesn't directly answer your question, but it's something to consider.

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I'm certainly interested in fishing panfish year-round, but being new to boat fishing, the idea of finding them in deeper water seems like a much more daunting task.

I'd like to find the best potential locations for beds so that I can hopefully get my sons on some fast action later this Spring. I want to be able to spend more time fishing than finding fish with them.

i cant tell u how angry iv been locating brim atm i guess in missisisppi u cannot catch brim until spring time tbh iv never fished winter for them only catfished n winter i can always throw around good structure fallen large trees n catch messes of them i was on a lake for 3 hours yesterday a 800 acre rez walked all the way around it hitting every single good bankspots and couldnt see a single fish the water was clear as day as well it proves here all brim are in the center of the lake on the bottom lol my last 8 trips in a month iv yet t catch a single brim im not gonna even try till late march now early april

I found this thread with a lot of great info. I apologize for rehashing a reoccurring theme.

I'll post the link for anyone else looking for the same thing: https://www.crappie.com/crappie/panf...ng-bream-beds/

I never catch fish out of their beds....

Once water temps reach the optimum for panfish to migrate to shallows,beds are simple to find.Shallow coves,and flats warm the quickest,look for hubcap sized impressions,if your timing is correct,you can actually smell the beds ( fishy odor )

If you have side image you can find them easily! Lookin the areas stated above. Here is what they look like on Si ( excuse the poor quality of the pictureI took it with the camera on my cell phone ). Not enoght knowledge yet to figure out how to take them and down load them with the unit!

Attachment 331599

Helix 9 SI on state lakes . Turn one side off and cruse the coves shooting the bank . Farm ponds and even beds in shallow water you may smell them . Wear shades and search shallow points/ sandy hard bottom coves . Attachment 331603

Here’s a few pics of si beds. If you have an si unit they are very easy to find. As to where to look. Many bluegill will bed shallow.......but many will bed deep and those that bed deep will be big. It all depends on the water you’re fishing. I would check coves.....ledges that drop maybe a couple of feet to a flat bottom. I’ve even seen them make their beds on the side of the ledge. Also check at the end of points. I have a couple of videos on my YouTube channel “TroutMagnetMan”.....that if you watch you will see what some bedding areas look like on the lakes I fish. Nothing wrong with bed fishing. Many though take out the males.....that is not the ones you want to take. Take the females if you can. When the big males are removed you are taking away the good genes.....resulting in cuckholding. You can look it up but it basically means when the older bull Gills are removed the smaller males move in and dilute the gene pool.

RegardsAttachment 331601Attachment 331602


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Thanks guys! I don't have a SI unit, just DI.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by eagle 1

Helix 9 SI on state lakes . Turn one side off and cruse the coves shooting the bank . Farm ponds and even beds in shallow water you may smell them . Wear shades and search shallow points/ sandy hard bottom coves . Attachment 331603

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man i wish they were at the banks like that here right now

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Originally Posted by matt1991

i cant tell u how angry iv been locating brim atm i guess in missisisppi u cannot catch brim until spring time tbh iv never fished winter for them only catfished n winter i can always throw around good structure fallen large trees n catch messes of them i was on a lake for 3 hours yesterday a 800 acre rez walked all the way around it hitting every single good bankspots and couldnt see a single fish the water was clear as day as well it proves here all brim are in the center of the lake on the bottom lol my last 8 trips in a month iv yet t catch a single brim im not gonna even try till late march now early april

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I see you are from Mississippi. Are you related to William Faulkner? ;-)

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Originally Posted by USMA65

I see you are from Mississippi. Are you related to William Faulkner? ;-)

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lol no im from central ms faulkner was form new albany eagle here has a much better chance being related to him

My granddad could smell them.

Me, I use SI. :)

Tom

Maybe I findem a little different than most. I like 60 degree plus water where it is really slack or no movement with wood structure. I want to have 8-10 fow under the boat and still just barely cast to the bank. I then pull the boat fairly close to the bank and perpendicular to it. I then make parrelel cast to the bank from both sides of the boat fishing all depths from 4 to 10 ft. I don't fool with any thing shallower. If I find them I mark the spot and go look for another while that spot settles down. Then I park the boat parrallel to the first spot a good cast distance away and pickem apart. When fishing rounded coves instead of banks I use a fan method. I have found the better fish are in 6 ft or deeper. Sight fishing shallow water usually don't work for me. I am a loud fisherman apparently. And yeah I can smell them.

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Ive had my best luck find a bank that runs perpendicular to the river channel then find a cut in the bank or a small point sticking out. I believe they like protection from the current and big waves from the big boats......you can spook them like someone said before. cast til you find them then find another spot and come back to the first one..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eagle 1

Helix 9 SI on state lakes . Turn one side off and cruse the coves shooting the bank . Farm ponds and even beds in shallow water you may smell them . Wear shades and search shallow points/ sandy hard bottom coves . Attachment 331603

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Is that Lamar Bruce?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Here’s a few pics of si beds. If you have an si unit they are very easy to find. As to where to look. Many bluegill will bed shallow.......but many will bed deep and those that bed deep will be big. It all depends on the water you’re fishing. I would check coves.....ledges that drop maybe a couple of feet to a flat bottom. I’ve even seen them make their beds on the side of the ledge. Also check at the end of points. I have a couple of videos on my YouTube channel “TroutMagnetMan”.....that if you watch you will see what some bedding areas look like on the lakes I fish. Nothing wrong with bed fishing. Many though take out the males.....that is not the ones you want to take. Take the females if you can. When the big males are removed you are taking away the good genes.....resulting in cuckholding. You can look it up but it basically means when the older bull Gills are removed the smaller males move in and dilute the gene pool.

RegardsAttachment 331601Attachment 331602


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This is how I find mine


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by feeshrman

Is that Lamar Bruce?


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No that is our farm pond .

I want to know more about smelling bream,and when you do do you know where its located in the water.Can you smell just one or does there have to be a lot in the same location.could you talk a little more on this.And does it only work on this one type of fish, or will it work on diffrent kinds like crappie,bass,ect.
Please talk on this. Im very interested...thanks not meanning to hijack this thread but I think it goes along with what the O.P.s Question was..again thanks.......

Locating bream beds by smell is not difficult,but in my experience I’ve only smelled them in shallow water.I know where to find bream beds on my home lakes,and unless some major event changes things,they are there year after year.
I know I’m in an active bedding area by the noticeable smell,less active no doubt would have less or no smell.Dont overthink it,you will know it when you get near it,but don’t fishing just because you don’t smell them.

This is very interesting,I will start another thread I have never heard of this but I want to know more about how its done.The bream must give off a certain smell during spawning and nesting time that must be different than other times.thanks