So.. where are the panfish before the water warms up?

[mainbutter]

I stopped by my old faithful recreational panfish spot (i.e. nothing over 8 inches, and a 6 incher is bigger than average) day after ice out just to take a look, and spend five or ten minutes casting a few flies I've tied this winter. I spotted three dead fish on shore, but that was it. Nothing was swimming within eyesight near shore.

So since I'm still relatively new to this cold weather thing, where are the panfish in the spring when the water is still very cold? I'm hoping to break the canoe out if we get a day with low wind, and hopefully boat the first open water fish of the season.

[itchmesir]

From what i gather they should be no deeper than 5'... depending on how long the ice has been off... the crappies may be moving into the shallows soon... probably suspending just off of drop offs right now

[gtfourmn]

I caught about a dozen yesterday in the usual summer spot near shore with a weightless trout nymph under a bobber. They are there, but not as aggressive.

[OnAFly]

Depending on the weather, they might be shallow or in the same spots as during ice season. As the water warms they will move in. But, if it's a cold rainy day like today, they will most likely be in their deep basin areas or staging near there.

[reinhard1]

i agree with what you said. shallow lakes will have the panfish comming in shallow sooner than the deep lakes. the deep lake i fish the crappies realy are not in their shallow feeding area till mid to the end of may sometimes depending how early the spring arrives and warm or lack of warm weather. in shallower lakes i would look to small bays, especialy on the north end of the lakes and areas were creeks enter the lake. good luck.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

just fish a lake in the STP area and caught a perch, sunfish, bass and crappies.