Sunfish

[Rick]

Lets talk about sunfish here.

[rcthd]

What are the best bets for artificial bait for sunny's I have tryed a few with no luck. Alex area
Thanks Rick

[delmuts]

i'm no expert,but here is my 2-bits worth. i use alot of small jigs (1/80 to1/16) smal twister tails (3/4 in) i use small twin tails (3/4 in. called down here willow tails) even small 1 in worms.(walmart calls them burgie worms) i have found that the majority of the time they want some bait on it. (pc of worm,wax worms,small minows and small leeches on a jig can work too) don't use to heavy of a line. it can kill the action of your lure. location can be the most important. so hope i helped a little. del

[rcthd]

The only one that I actually got a bite on was the burgie worm (which I bought for crappie) using a bobber. When you say the split tail do you mean like the mr. twister? and how do you present it, slow retrival or on a bobber?
Thanks Rick

[delmuts]

morn rick. this thunderstorm sure goofs up my fishing. the split tail(willow) is a very small twin tail! it's about 3/4 in long. we have a distribitor in waterloo. i fish them on a 1/80 to 1/64 jig. usually tip it with wax worm. if the fish are shallow(down to 6 ft) i use it under a small thill bobber. many times i use a small split shot to help in casting.work it with a twitch pause retrieve. i have also used it with a dropper rig.( a 1/4 sinker at end of line with the jig any where from 6 in to 2 ft up the line) when fish are deep. use a motion like you were ice fishing.i normally use 2lb test line unless there are weeds then i go to 4lb. here in iowa we can use two jigs per line so we tie them about a foot to 18 in apart. again sometimes under a bobber, a dropper rig, and sometimes we slowly swim them after counting them down to a cetain level. one thing is don't use to heavy a line; it kills the action of the jig. have had luck using small tube jigs and sometimes small twister tails ( i'm talking 3/4 in) hope this helps. del

[delmuts]

rick i didn't mention i buy my small jigs at cabela's . that's the cheapest(i'm cheap!!) place i've found them. they have them on a no. 10 hook or a 12. they have them down to 1/100 of an oz. ( PS i need to use my bifocles to tie these little squirts on) del

[Rick]

Hey Del,
just to let you know, we're working with a manufacturer of ice fishing jigs to get them available to everyone at FishingMinnesota.com at a bit over wholesale price.

Ice Buster Bobbers will be available for online ordering and will be a bit more than 10% under the retail price.

We're working to get the best and most innovative products to you at substantial discounts. Keep an eye on the Products or Store links.

I've been asked to do a lot of things and I'm working hard to make this site what you folks want.

Tell your friends to visit, that's what keeps this site getting better-The way you like it.

GoodFishin : )
Rick

PS. Thanks to all for the heart warming compliments. Constructive criticism is also gladly accepted as well(please use the contact us link to send your ideas). I may not be able to make all the changes, but I do make most of them.
RP

PSS. Sorry, I got a bit off topic.

[Toad]

As far as fish go, I never met one I didn't like-- and that certainly includes those vigorous sunfish.

Wanted to let you folks know about a pattern that's been hot and happening for me alot at this time of year. Originally we found the spots by jigging for walleyes. The hot spot is a submerged rock pile or rock hump. Best ones we've found for big sunfish are those that top out at 10 to maybe 18 feet of water. Better yet if the rocks are also encrusted with tufts of weeds.

Fish vertically with a jig and small minnow or a panfish leech. You can stack 'em up in a hurry on spots like this. So how 'bout you fellas? Anyone else noticed any similar summertime patterns for big panfish?

-a friend called Toad

[delmuts]

thanks toad. i got a spot on shields that this works well. plan on trying the weekend after labor day. love those big sunnies on an ulta-light. del

[Ice Hole]

That would be great if you could Custom Jigs & Spins on the list you are trying to put together. I would buy at least $100 worth of those little buggers!!

[Rick]

I know these are usually closely guarded secrets, but can any of you help turn some poor souls onto some hot late ice sunfish lakes.

[Bryce]

Have had luck using the powerbaits for shallow (5-6') water. Both the pink "crappie nibbles" and the ones that look like wax worms. In this shallow of water, pull the top down on your house and you can see down the hole better and keep your bait away from the smaller ones and perch.

[MnSportsman]

Hunt lake/south of Shieldsville.(Faribault area)Has some great Sunfish year round, but has always been a great late ice B-gill & Sunny lake. Kelly-Dudley is another.I'll be out there more now in the late ice/iceout time of year.
See ya out there!
Good Luck!

------------------
Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 03-03-2001).]

[Maryjl]

I've never had any luck catching Bluegill on artificial bait either. My best luck has come from wax worms and small peices of nite crawlers. I have read that sunfish rely on scent to fin food. Of course when they are on a spawning bed they bite anything. The Bluegill is one of my favorite fish to fish for. I love the fight the little rascals give ya on an ultra light. <>< Mary

[Rick]

The sunfish are shallow on most lakes right now. Green weeds are a key.

[Pherris]

Mary,
I had never had luck for Bluegills until I tried the Berkley Power Bait. I have had good luck with the Power Grubs on a jig. Good Luck

[Maryjl]

Pherris,

I've tried that and for me the live bait has worked best. Who knows maybe I'll give it another try this year and see what happens.

Thanks Mary

[Guest]

Are the gills moving in near their spawning areas yet?

[GullGuide]

No, not towards their spawning areas, just into the shallows after food.
A common misconception is that panfish are spawning when the move into the shallows early after ice-out. The fact is, they are there because of the newly hatching plankton and other food sources which appear in the warmest areas of the lake first. Crappie, as well as sunfish spawn well after other species have done so, usually mid June.
But yea, they are a biten'!!
>"////=<

[codeman]

What I've found that works consistantly, year after year after ice out for sunnies is a small white popper tipped with a Eurolarva. Use the smallest popper you can find and fasten your bobber 4 or 5 feet up the line. Cast it out and retrieve slowly, popping it lightly. Its a blast watching the sunnies rise to hit this set-up. I've tried this presentation on quite a few different lakes and it rarely fails during the early ice-out season.
Once the water warms a bit, I switch to flu-flus. These are panfish magnets. I started making my own a few years ago so I could have the color combinations I prefer. (Black or pink head with brown/white or black/white feathers). Two years ago the pink head with black and white feathers were the killer combination.

[Maryjl]

I've been waiting and waiting for the Bluegill to come in and spawn. I've caught a couple that were still full of eggs. The poor little things are going to burst pretty soon. Do you think the water is going to warm up enough for them pretty soon?

[Born2Fish]

I have been gettin some huge bull bluegills this year. I am not an expet on when they spawn but i do know that they are hittin like mad here in southern minnesota. And they are mainly these huge male bluegills. I have caught a few prego females but really not that many.

[Bodyman]

Popper fishing for Gills is something you have to try if you like to fish for pan fish. I picked up a fly rod for trout fishing a few years back, but spend most of my time with it fishing for sunfish. Light action, it's a 5/6 weight rod and 8' long. It wasn't all that hard to get efficient with it. I'm no expert with by know means, but you don't have to be to catch sunfish. This time of year is especially good with the water warming to mid to upper 60's. Bluegills spawn from 67 to 80 degrees. You can also catch them all summer on the surface.

I was out last weekend on Big Round lake in wis. Fishing a sharp drop from 3' to 15'. The 3' was sand and gravel island in the middle of the lake and the gills were in there thick. The males were on the sand making spawning beds and the females were on the edge of the drop in deeper water feeding up. I started using an orange popper and it was one after another until the clouds moved in and they really slowed down. So I changed to a white popper and got back into them one after another. What a blast.
My brother was along fishing bobber and worms and I out fished him 10 to 1 easy. We ended up keeping 25 nice gills 8" average. Threw back alot of bigger males and most all the females. I don't feel bad about keeping sunfish during the spawn. A single female will produce up to 500,000 eggs.But keeping only the biggest ones isn't good for the lake. I try to keep the average size fish the body of water holds. Leaving to biggest to spawn.

If you want a change in tactics for sunfish try a flyrod and some poppers and you'll be hooked like I am.
Good Fishing

[Guest]

Anyone use Fly gear to catch panfish? What kind of fly's do you use?

[Guest]

Flyroddin' for 'gills is the best. I have a Shakala (sp?) 8 foot,4 weight I won in a radio contest from some trout-snob fly shop. (they would probably defecate in their drawers if they saw one of their precious trout rods landing "not a trout". But, up theirs). I load it with 5 wt. wt. forward line for added distance. I usually have a 7-8 ft. leader (6 probably works too)usually 4 lb. test (I like tapered leaders just because they work better). I love to use those rubber spiders/ants with the rubber legs. Color is usually irrevelent (white, black, yellow, brown). Poppers work well too, but I seem to have more success with the spider/ants. I also use them because they float longer and stay in one piece longer than normal dry flies. Man if you tag the big 'uns shallow in the spring you can be in for some of the most fun you will ever have fishing. The big ones will spin and spin right up to the boat. On a 4 wt. it doesn't get any better. The occasional Small-Mouth helps keep you alert too.

Good luck!!
PJV

[This message has been edited by PJV (edited 07-02-2001).]