April 01, 2012
By Matt Straw
Learned something today. Should learn something every time out, but sometimes the lesson is less apparent than others. This time it came through loud and clear.
Generally, anytime after ice out we can find panfish shallow. If they aren't in the usual spots, we follow the wind, looking for the warmest water. And if we can't find them shallow, we look deep—where wintering habitat comes closest to those spring-time haunts where we find them year after year.
But ice out came way early this year and guess what? Ice out panfish were nowhere to be found. We couldn't find them with our Aqua-Vu Micro, we couldn't find any activity using our eyes, and we couldn't see panfish with sonar. We did the unthinkable. We blanked for bluegills.
Honestly, it's hard to get blanked around here. I think I've been blanked less than 10 times since moving to this area over 2 decades ago—and that's for all species. Water temperature wasn't the issue. It was 44.2°F to 45°F everywhere we went, and we've caught lots of crappies and bluegills in water colder than that at ice out. The problem was day length. Sometimes, panfish move shallow under the ice in March and we continue catching them there right through spring. But the ice left early and, even with the roof melted away, the panfish in this lake were not yet interested in moving shallow.
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At least the bass were biting, so we weren't completely blanked. And bass are in the same family of fish as bluegills and sunnies, behaving accordingly. Just like their smaller cousins, largemouths react best to small jigs baited with waxworms or leeches until the water reaches about 54°F every spring. It's a phenomenon we count on for bonus activity on light gear.
But the bluegill thing makes me want to stay on the water until I can figure it out. After 20 years of finding them shallow at ice out in this lake, they threw me a monster breaking ball. Which serves to illustrate that living things—even the ones with "pea-sized brains"— are not automatons. No matter how long you play this game, fish will continue to surprise you, making it all the more enormously fun.
1 Clear Lake, California The largest lake in California (43,000 acres near Lakeport) is known for lunker largemouths, but houses overlooked giant 'gills, yielding the 3¾-pound state record last year, along with others over 3. The bite by docks and at the edge of tules is strong from mid-April into September. Nearby Collins Lake, renowned for trophy trout, also produces massive sunnies — 2 to 3 pounds. The best bite starts in April and lasts into the spawn in May and early June. Contact: Clear Lake Information, lakecounty.com; Clear Lake State Park, 800/444-7275,
parks.ca.gov ; Collins Lake, Â
collinslake.com .
6 Deep Creek Lake, Maryland This impoundment in the northwestern corner of Maryland yielded the state record 3-pound 7-ounce 'gill, giving evidence of its productivity. With a deep basin, the Prespawn and Spawn periods are protracted, with prime action from mid-April into early June. Contact: Fish Deep Creek, 240/460-8839,
fishdeepcreek.com ; Guide Ken Penrod, 301/937-0010,
penrodsguides.com .
7 Coastal Impoundments, Virginia Four reservoirs near Norfolk and Suffolk, Virginia, are regular producers of big bluegills and shellcrackers. Fertile lakes Cahoon, Western Branch, Prince, and Burnt Mills have a history of trophy fish production. Western Branch (1,265 acres) reopened to public fishing in 2010 and is known for outsize redear, with certified specimens approaching 3 pounds. Boating permits required. Contact: Burnt Mills Reservoir Manager, 757/441-5678; Chesapeake Bay Office, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 757/465-6812,
dgif.virginia.gov .
5 Kentucky & Barkley Lakes, Kentucky-Tennessee These massive impoundments — Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River and Barkley on the Cumberland — are joined by a canal and offer outstanding fishing for big redear sunfish, as well as bass and crappies. Contact: Jack Canady, Woods and Water Guide Service, 270/227-2443,
woodsandwaterguideservice.com .
2 Lake Havasu, Arizona-California Lake Havasu, impounding about 45 miles of the Colorado River, has become redear central after producing the all-tackle record 5-pound 7-ounce fish, along with many others over 2 pounds. The record was 16¾ inches long and boasted a 19-inch girth. Best action runs from April through June, when fish gather in coves to spawn. Locals fish livebait but small spinners and cranks catch some monsters. Contact: John Galbraith, Âbasstacklemaster.com; Captain Jerry's Guide Service, 760/447-5846,
havasufishingguide.com Â; Havasu Fishing,
havasufishing.com .
3 Pelican Lake, Nebraska Nestled in the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge in the Sandhills region of Nebraska, Pelican Lake consistently produces the biggest 'gills in the region, many over a pound and occasional 2-pounders. Blessed with abundant and diverse large invertebrates, growth is fast in this shallow waterway. Abundant vegetation provides habitat for bugs and a sanctuary for big sunfish. Most giants are caught through the ice or in early spring. Contact: Valentine National Wildlife Refuge,
http://www.fws.gov/valentine/ .
4 Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee Labeled 'Earthquake Lake, ' a mighty tremor of the New Madrid Fault in 1811 diverted the Mississippi River, backing up this highly productive 11,000-acre waterway in northwestern Tennessee. Big bluegills and shellcrackers roam the shallow lake's cypress forests and lily pad fields, yielding prime pole-fishing opportunities all spring and summer. Contact: Bluebank Resort, 877/258-3226,
bluebankresort.com ; Eagle Nest Resort, 731/538-2143,
eaglenestresort.com .
9 Richmond Mill Lake, North Carolina Located near Laurel Hill, North Carolina, Richmond Mill likely offers the best shot at a 2-pound bluegill, truly a rare animal. This pay-to-play waterway, owned by the Kingfisher Society, is managed to ensure balance between bluegills and largemouth bass and habitat quality. After refilling in 2000, it's approaching prime productivity. Giants sometimes require finesse presentations, such as tiny jigs tipped with a bit of 'crawler. Contact: Kingfisher Society, 910/462-2324,
kingfishersociety.com .
10 Santee-Cooper, South Carolina This lowland jewel produced the former world record shellcracker and continues to yield amazing numbers of platter-sized bluegills as well as redears, not to mention big catfish, bass, and crappies. Spring comes early and a fine bedding bite starts in late March, lasting into May, but recurring on a monthly basis until September. Anglers also take jumbos in the Diversion Canal between the paired impoundments in fall and winter. Contact: Santee-ÂCooper Country, 803/854-2131,
santeecoopercountry.org Â.
8 Tidal Rivers, North Carolina Flowing into Arbemarle Sound in the northeastern part of the state are a series of blackwater rivers that represent the northernmost range of the coppernose bluegill, the southern subspecies known to attain large size. Panfish expert Jim Gronaw picks the Pasquotank, Yeopim, Perqimens, and Chowan rivers, with loads of 9- to 11-inch fish and some over 1½ pounds. Local expert Jeffrey Abney scores with hair jigs tied in a grass shrimp pattern. Contact:
bigbluegill.com ; Pembroke Fishing Center, 252/482-5343; Bethel Fishing ÂCenter, 252/426-5155.
