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Mornings were great, then they weren't.
Midday rocked, then it bombed.
Evenings were dead, now they lively.
Fall into winter fishing here is bipolar
and off it's meds.
Trying to figure out these patterns for panfish
is making my head spin.
At least I'm catching something. Thinking of trying
to catch some minnows and try that. Heard tiny hooks and
powerbait works for catching em.
Some days are like that.
My thoughts on what you posted. Water temps are going down and their habits will change almost daily. Sometimes darker bottoms and rocks exposed at the edge of the water will warm up on sunny days and the fish will seek that temp change. Seemingly anything to be in water a degree or two different. I too have had my challenges trying to find fish this time of year. Lots of new videos on YouTube about them being on the banks and creek mouths. Keep pitching that jig, you’ll find em.
I’ve found when bank fishing, there’s no need to get to the lake at daybreak when the water starts winter cool down.
The water temp has been cooling all night .
Wait until the sun has had time to warm up the surface waters .
When it’s cloudy , I don’t expect to catch much if I go . There’s a reason they’re called Sunfish.
Morning are dead for sure.
Afternoons have been okay at times.
Evenings have been best.
5 days ago it was flip flopped.
I will keep pitching jigs, worms and everything else. Gotta get out there and learn.
Did you have a warming spell ? It’s a roller coaster this time of year .Quote:
Originally Posted by fish_4_any
Smaller the body of water the more dramatic the water temperature change .
We’re talking sunfish , bream , brim . Not crappie . That’s a different ballgame but still affected by temps .
It is warming and evenings have become very productive. Too productive. Caught a couple hand sized shell crackers, (long eared redfish?) and a few smaller mix bag sunfish. Had the stringer in the water in about 5 feet of water against a bulkhead and something bigger decided to try and take my catches. Will hopefully dmfind out what tomorrow if I can hook and Iand whatever fish it was I saw.
Stringer fish often get attacked by turtles but earlier this year guy had some bluegill on the stringer and a 4# bass had swallowed one and he got the bass without a hook in it.
A turtle may have taken a chunk out on one but I saw a fish ripping at it maybe 24 to 40 inches and actually hooked one for like 2 seconds before it broke my line, not bitten off, broke up high. Then I guess there a chance of alligators in the lake.
I'm confined to the bank with the water being too cold to be out safely in the kayak and have been have the best bass bite of my season. Fish seem to like shallow points, coves, and rip rap -- one ramp by me has all three. 15ish bass late one afternoon with half of them being over 12". Got two 15" largemouths this week, which is unheard of for me.
Now, as for panfish....not much action. Got a stray 10in. black crappie right off the ramp around 5PM yesterday, but he didn't bring any friends. I've caught maybe 3 bluegill in the last week. Largemouth and yellow bass have been all that's hitting consistently.
More hand sized or smaller panfish, I think I got like 14 today. Did have 2 catfish on for a good fight but they spit everything out.
Waiting for that slab bluegill or shellcracker to decide their little siblings have eaten enough.
Fed the turtles to. Dreading when I hook one and have to deal with it.
Numbers are going up for you and that's a good sign. More confidence = more fish.
here in lies the deception , that spot that was excellent for 2 days , will be dead for the next 363 days of the year :RoflQuote:
Originally Posted by fish_4_any
You will eventually pattern up a few solid spots on a lake if you dont give up ....and for sure get local advice on that lake if ya can ....:highfive
if you saw the other post , drag your john boat or whatever over to that little lake I mentioned about the end of the year to the beginning of next ....
it is possible to ketch a very high number of them there in the location I mentioned ....
its a no wake fishing lake ,full of timber and fish my friend :cheers2
then just like me , you will be a pro for the day ,,,,rotfl
No boat and know no one to fish with yet. I'll be a ways from that lake but I have Tyler state park lake to try when my house is done and can finally move in.
The fish are still in the spot. Was a couple bowfin patrolling in the shallows and a ton of tiny minnows so I hope to have some pickerel and catfish moving in too. Trying to figure out how to run some spinnerbaits, spoons and plugs without instantly getting the weeds.
Only a couple more weeks to hit the spot until I'm restricted to whenever my wife will take me fishing. Hard to stop me now when the lake is only a couple hundred yards away and I can wheel myself down there.
I never give up! Would fish 300 days a year if I could but that's a pipe dream.