Depths to Target

[Fathom]

Any certain depths to target this time of year for pannies?

[monstermoose78]

deeper water and that depends on the lake. I like to start on deepest water and work shallower

[bbfenatic]

deeper water and that depends on the lake. I like to start on deepest water and work shallower

That's the way I work this time of year as well. I will add that times are just as important. I am finding them in the deep basins suspended half way down at dusk or very early morning. Not having much luck finding them outside those windows unfortunately.

[th64]

Timing is huge. You read articles about lures, you can sell lures but you cannot sell timing.

For most lakes for crappies if you are not going out in the dark or coming back in the dark you have probably timed it wrong. BTW dark is black no color in the sky, and of course some bites do not start for an hour after sunset.

Good Luck

[mn86]

alot of bites are forage driven as well so if u find the bait u will find the fish. also coming into the later part of the season finding any sort of live green vegetation can hold piles of fish at times

[th64]

MN86 or anyone else I believe bites are as you say 'forage driven' and I can pick up on that in open water(sometimes) but I cannot in the hard water season. I'm good with my vex, have 2 different cameras that I use-I can find green weeds but schools of minnows or fry not so much.

[mn86]

maybe u have found them during hard water. bait fish will often look like interference on your vex. little green flickers throughout the water column that disappear as fast as they appeared. but when u find a huge school of bait it will appear as big red blip usually half way up the water column.

[leechlake]

don't forget that a lot of lakes the fish are feeding on invertebrates, fresh water shrimp etc. I don't use my original Aqua Vu camera very often but you need a camera to see worms, shrimp etc.

[mn86]

great point leech. next time you bag a pile of fish investigate their stomachs and see what they are eating

[monstermoose78]

I have been fishing on a lake they say is a night bite only lake and I have been crushing the crappies during the day. I agree forage is huge and you need to do your homework on why the fish are where they are. I have using plastics that look like a minnow, but the crappies are not hitting real minnows very well. The best advise is keep moving during to stay on them. I am fishing a soft bottom basin area that the fish are on the hunt for hatches of something. I do see some faint marks on the vexilar sometimes near the bottom, but I do not sit and wait for the fish to come this. I bounce around until I mark fish and then fish for them. I have been watching so many set up camp in one spot and they only catch a fish or two and they say the bite is dead. While I am catching and releasing many fish in a day. I do think I may need to crack out the wax worms to try and get some of the Big Bluegills to bite better.

[Mr Special]

dont be scared to try shallow, esp during the day. dusk and dawn are great fishing times but sumtime our schedules just wont allow us to.

stay mobile, im a big fan of hole hoppin. i know its harder to do when its cold out but we've been lucky lately, take advantage of it.

last friday i was able to hop around from 5'-12'fow in the weeds. finding open pockets is best but sometimes just jiggin above the weeds wrked as well. its easier to do if you have a camera but if not then just sight fish. which is very fun but can make it tough on the knees n bak. sometime ill take my trunk liner out and lay flat on my stomach

1st thing i do when i get to a likely spot is Drill, drill and drill some more holes in various depths, in/out of the weeds. it can get a little tricky with so many open holes and ive walked into my own holes more then once.smh

so now i like to leave half about the mound so its easy to see where the holes are.

also in shallow water try to stay as quiet as possible. i notice sometimes my ice cleats made enough noise to scared them off. usually if i jigged and waited a few mins they would come bak or i'd just try another hole

for lures,

when im hole hoppin i like to use jiggin spoons,like forage minnows, small buckshots tipped with euro/waxies or plastics . last wk the good ole small Demon glow with 3 euros wrked best

FYI,

you may lose a few jigs to Northern and bass. they seem to like panfish size baits as well. lol