Where to start searching for bluegills this time of season?

[erikwells]

I fish a smaller lake in west central minnesota. It drops to 42 feet. Early in the season we find bluegills close to the weeds and in the weeds 10-12 feet. This area is very flat for and has a very slow gradual drop. I don't think they hang around this area this time of year as the weeds die out and I would imagine they mover deeper looking for higher dissolved oxygen levels. Any thoughts on what dept to start at this weekend?

[Esox_Magnum]

Our gills are still being found up shallow some guys as shallow as 2'

[Jim Uran]

Search the weeds first, (crazy year) if you don't find them there work your way out until you connect. You might get out in the 20-30 foot area before you eve connect. The deeper holes they tend to stay away from this time of year, well off the bottom anyways.

But generally you shouldn't have to go to far from where you were catching them in the weeds to find them.

[chuckwagon]

+1 I am finding them in anywhere from 8 to 20 FOW. Although most fish i am icing are in the 10 ft range .... seem to still be in the weeds or close by. Good luck

[Flaco651]

The other day I found them in 6-20 FOW. Started the morning fishing 'eyes and when the walleye window closed perch and a couple gills showed up. I moved around the area, and as I got shallower the more gills I found. At the 6 ft range further into the bay it was non stop and didn't have to move again.

[Scott M]

There is a LOT of vegetation this year because of the lack of snowfall, moderately thick ice, and so many days with sunshine. The vegetation pattern will probably continue right to ice out.

[erikwells]

Thank you my brothers. I will be out with my crew of three boys searching for the mighty bluegill. There is a bay that has weeds so I'll likly start there shallow and move out deeper until I find them. We will setup somewhere on the edge of the lakes 42 foot hole for the evening to see if we can catha a crappie. One more question-- When I put a camera down at night I can see these little bright white bugs which I believe are zooplankton of some sort. Getting the crappies to bite when these guys are all around has been next to impossible. I have usually just put a small crappie minnow or a wax worm on and been ignored. Any suggestions on something to try to entice a bite? Thanks.

[erikwells]

Tried up into 6 feet out to 14 in the weeds and on the edge. Fished a deep hole 38 feet saw crappies but only got one small one to bite. So the ice fishing on this lake continues to baffle me. Nice weekend to fish the trees had frost on them so at least the scenary was nice.

[tencountff]

Mr Wells,

Your talking Games right? I would sure think the shallow bay straight out from the outlet would kick out sunnies. I used to sight fish this area and have always done well. As for the crappies in the deep hole, it's probably more of a weather pattern, or moon phase thing. Next time you go you might not be able to keep up with the bite. Good luck

[OnAFly]

We found them roaming the edges of a basin area. It took a lot of drilling, but we found them. The problem was they were always moving. You had to just drill until you found them and get someones line down to get them to stick around. Once they did that, you caught consistent fish for about a half hour, then they would move again and the process started all over again.

It was work, but we got a limit for my dad to take home. He was pretty happy about that.

[erikwells]

Tencountff, thanks for the response. Yup tried out in front of the dam/access for a while. Checked on a couple of friends that were fishing over there as well. I'll be up this weekend so I'll pop some holes over there and try some hole hopping to see if we can find a few. Games, treats me pretty poor in the winter. We will try again this weekend. I'll setup Sat eve for crappies around the deeper water, they are there just not eating. Either way I'll be happy to be outside enjoying my boys and the season.

[Gordie]

I have been seeing lots of gills still in the shallows they are in the weeds yet. I think this no snow thing has them in there as wthe weeds are still producing O2 and the bugs are there so are all the other fish.

When I say shallows I mean 4-6 fow.

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