sunfish after iceout?

[bluebill97]

Ok, there has been some great info on crappies just after ice out. Now how about bluegill? Do they hold on deeper weedlines utill the bays start to warm up just as a crappie will hold in the deeper watter? I have found it to be more difficault to catch bluegills then crappie after ice out. It seams like the sunfish dont move shallower untill after the crappies are on there way out of the shallows? Maybe someone can help clarify this for me!

[CrappieJohn]

Bluebill...I don't go out and fish for gills intentionally, but while doin the crappie thing early on , right after ice out, I manage to tag a few real dandies in the same haunts and depths that I am catching my craps in. These fish are most always the big bulls. I could not tell you if the fish are there pre-staging or if they just prefer the much deeper water at the time. The lake I generally fish is stained and has some predator species in it but I do not think these fish are there because of those factors. They do not seem to hang around real long though in deep water and by the time I start moving in shallow for the crappies on the wood, I quit hitting them. Then , when the craps begin spawning, they seem to reappear in all sizes. I am sure they spawn after the craps do in our lake. I have never been able to pattern these little guys...would like too. Hope this helps. Crapster

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