Sunfish

[Guest]

Thanks PJV, Hey everyone my ten year old just tied his first improved clinch knot last night!! I'm real proud of him. Hope fully his younger brother will get motivated to show him up and learn the knot too. Then I might get some more time fishing and less time fixing their lines.

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[Guest]

this is some quality time though.
not much can beat sharing an interest with a child.
Monty

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Say what you mean and Mean what you say.

[Guest]

Any body know which sunfish species are available in Lake of the Woods?

I know there are pumpkinseeds. What about bluegills, longears or greens?

[Sartell Angler]

If you aren't using live bait for sunfish, you are wasting your time. Put a piece of a crawler or a leech on a small jig below a slip bobber, and watch it go down. For crappies, do the same thing but use a small crappie minnow instead. The only artificial bait I use for crappies are beetle spins, but that is only when they are very aggressive.

Sartell Angler

[Guest]

Frankly I couldn't disagree with Sartell Angler more. I've seen gills hit every thing from Live bait to my Aunts knitting yarn on a hook. I've seen them bite on marshmallows caramel corn, canned corn, and bare hooks. Like my one-who-thinks-I-am-silly Labrador if they can get part of it in their mouth they will try and eat it.

[basser]

Never seen this before- last Sunday fishing a Bass tourney my partner throwing a 3/8 oz. spinner bait caught a sunny that wasnt even as big as the spinnerbait, hooked it in the mouth even- try as I could he wouldnt let me take a picture of it. They were also grabbing the tails of scum frogs and wouldnt let go till you lifted them out of the water. Kinda puts the live bait theory to the test. Enjoy

[Guest]

It was dead calm, hotter than a habenaro (sp?) sauce marinaded roast pig, and overcast at my Mother-in-Law's (no crack's please, she will often watch the kids so I can go out and do some, as my kids call it, "boring walleye fishing" in the AM's) lake place Monday, 7/23. the 'eyes quit hitting around 0700 (par for that lake, it's pretty clear). I was fishing a point off an island when I noticed in the weedbed near the island, little snouts popping up out of the water and sucking bugs off the surface, quiet as could be. Motored on into the bed, whipped out the old 4-wt. and proceeded to catch 25-30 nice keeper 'gills with a couple pushing the 8-10 oz. mark. Didn't keep any cuz I had to get to work (only 45 min. out of Duluth) by Noon and time spent cleanin' fish is time away from catchin' fish. They destroyed one ant and one popper. MAN WHAT A BLAST. The bite quit after about 45 minutes but during that time it was some of the hottest shallow 'gill fishing I have ever had.

Luv ya Blue(gill)!!

PJV

[Rick]

Anyone care to share some tactics to go after bull gills?

Deep scattered green weeds have always been good to me and let's not forget those bullrushes.

[slick2526]

Just wondering how deep should I look for the sunfishes this time of year? Im in the detroit lakes area. The lake is called according to this map i have the max depth is 19ft but I would ad another 5-10ft to that. Its just shaped like a a bowl, really no structure besides a hump. There is some gravel that gos out into the lake from the public access tho. other was its a clay/sand/mud bottom. thanks for your help.

[Guest]

sure thing...Ever caught a fish in the lake?
If so, where? And what time of year?
Whats the water clarity?
All these things are factors for fish location.
PCG

[Rick]

Is this topic worthy of it's own forum.

Let's hear from you sunfish anglers.

[Guest]

I think it does deserve its own forum.I like sunnies,they are my favorite for tthe table and would like to see more in depth information on how to fish for them.Sure every one can catch some sunnies but I have seen that their may be more to it than just casting a bobber out with a worm.It would be nice to hear from some of the panfish gurus on seasonal locations,techniques,and gear to find the really big bulls.

[Guest]

Ditto, I agree with fishead 100%
I fish for all different species fish,but sunfish is my favorite--very tasty..not nearly as hard to catch as a walleye..more plentifull in my area perfect fishing conditions for them are usually very nice weather,not overcast with a 40 mph wind with whitecaps that scare me Finally,theres no mile long line at the boat landing the first day of theyre season

[SpikeRoberts]

Pete_S took the words right out of my mouth I love fishin' for sunnies and I'm interested to hear how some of the wise folks on this forum approach them. I've learned a lot about fishing 'eyes here, I'd love to pick up some pointers on the big gills too.

[Ruegs23]

I was just wondering where do the sunfish stage before spawning. Depth wise and location. I have never really caught sunnies before they spawn.

[Guest]

Well right before Gills spawn they are staged up in the deep water close to where they are going to spawn. Infact, after they leave the shallow bays in spring, this is the place to find them until spawn.

I had a really neat experience last year. We were fishing prespawn gills on a lake by park rapids. It was June 11th and I found the fish in 23 ft of about 9 ft down. The lake is crystal clear and you could see them. The neat part was that as the mid day sun warmed the water enought the Mature males slowly worked there way shallower, as we did, and started making beds in 2-5 ft of water. The females of course stayed out deeper but it sure was neat to see.

If you are looking for these areas they are really easy to find. Everyone has a few spots that they "know" the gills spawn in. Well, just keep working your way out using your electronics and your eye looking for fish. A simple drop line works really well and on a calm day and there is nothing better then your vexilar for this. Ok, I am getting a little long winded here, but the key is finding that deep water leading to shallower spawning areas. Good Luck!ScottS