What's better?

[Stick in Mud]

A friend and I were discussing which would be better for shallow-water panfish in the spring....a shallow bay in an otherwise deep and clear lake, or a shallow bay in a relatively stained and shallow lake. Being nowhere near expert (or experienced) panfishermen, we could speculate about the merits of both, but our lack of knowledge left us at an impasse. So I figured I'd ask the question on here...

[Jim Uran]

I think they are both good, you're comparing apples to apples with this one!!

[Rick G]

I would pick the shallow bay in the lake with the better size fish .

[ozzie]

tough one as the shallow bay in the stained example would be different as the lake itself is shallow so the bay might not be the hot spot.....where as the deep lake you can just about count on the fish to be there at a certain temp/time.....the nice thing about the clear lake situation is that you should be able to see the fish where as the stained lake you are casting aimlesly till you find the fish but the fish will be spooked easier in the clear water......

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, good point...there's nothing better than watching those big slabs eat your bait!

[fishinfey8]

In a clear lake, they might be a bit deeper. I have a fav lake that is bog stained up north that I regularly find crappies in 6"-3' of water. Sometimes when they're stacked, their dorsal fins stick above the water....AWESOME! The best way to catch them in really shallow like that is a flyrod with any dry fly.

[reinhard1]

those stained lakes warm up faster, and the crappies will be in the shallows sooner. i have a couple of those stained lakes up north also. probably right with the fly's, but the lakes i fish up north i use up to an 1/8th ounce fuzzy gruy with fathead. right opener you can hammer the crappies along with the walleys in the same waters. good luck.

[fishinfey8]

Ya, some of my friends that live up north always have the flyrod...always. They usually out-fish me 2:1 when the crappies and sunnies are in shallow. I finally got the hint and tried it last year and it worked phenomenally, especially in the really shallow stuff. Either way I would say that you want to look for a muddy or dark bottom, with some sort of cover around a shorline. Panfish in general aren't too picky, but they need some stable water temps to spawn. This why you find them in smaller, protected bays. Find those stable conditions, mixed with the right water temps and you will be golden in any body of water! Minnows, tubes, tiny rapalas, tiny gulp alive minnows, twisters, beetle spins, Ratso's under a float, they usually aren't overly picky when you find them!

[reinhard1]

i fly fished when i was younger. i have a 8 foot spinning rod that i use for loopers and crappies and walleys at times. maby i'll try putting a wet fly or nymph under a bobber with a small split shot and work the shallows that way. i have used a flu flu and small gulp presentations here in the metro area and works real well in the shallows. i realy have my best results up north on panfish in late may and through june. love those stained lakes. good luck.