How is the midwinter bite shaping up?

[Jim Uran]

I really haven't been out chasing bluegills as much as I'd like to but the times I've been out I have found a few scattered along the edge of the basin..

The crappies are in their usual haunts, scanning the mid depth basins of the lakes while staying mobile will get you on fish!

How is everyone else doing?

[bbfenatic]

Hey Jim:

I am finding fish where I have not in the past on my normal lakes. In the lakes I fish they have been shallow for the most part 10-17'; for some reason they have not moved to deeper holes yet...probably with lack of snow cover they are hanging closer to weed lines with weeds still giving off oxygen and bait fish/bugs in the weeds. I did find a new lake putting out nice crappies in 38-40' all suspended at 20'....using large 1/4oz jigs with a 2.5" Pink Shine Gulp minnow, not fast a furious but every crappie cruising the area absolutely hammers that offering.

[CologneSS]

I agree...a lot of the fish that I have found this year are in shallower water. The smaller the presentation the better and lately have had much more luck with a dead stick that anything else. Have also found fish on lakes this year that last year I couldn't catch a cold on. I guess its a give and take but that is fishing and a huge reason why I love it!

[Jim Uran]

Wow, well Ill make sure to check up shallow for some fish. Ive been drilling the deeper pivotpoints and out deeper doing well on crappies. And over the main basins and pounding them after dark. Havent fished a huge variety of lakes but have been doing well. Bluegilla have been out a little farther too....again, deep pivot points in the 18-22 foot range have been producing for me.

[chuckwagon]

Hey Jim. What do you mean by a pivot point? I think I know what you mean ...

[Jim Uran]

I call the top or the bottom of a drop off a pivot point.

[chuckwagon]

Cool thanks. Am I right in saying that in between the two pivot points is wear the gills will be picking large and bugs out of the mud ?

[Jim Uran]

No Id say out from the deeper pivot point is where you will find the sticky bottoms where the gills will be relating to bugs otherwise check the top of the drop especially if there is weeds on top... In between the two pivot points can be good if it isnt too steep of a drop. I should have said that those pivot points shine on steep drops. So many variables. I need to include a more detailed explanation with my next report.