Lock jawed Bluegills

[Schoe]

I couldn't believe it after fishing two half days in some of the finest southern Iowa lakes that my partner Illinoisgiller and myself couldn't buy a Bluegill or Crappie. Like they say, sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. It just wasn't us as we talked to a dozen or so other fishermen that hadn't done anything either.

I cant stress the fact enough that even though we had no luck with the fish I had a wonderful two days of comrade with Mike and meeting and talking to an assortment of people along the way and am looking foreword to our next trip Schoe

[Timotha7]

This time of year (and others as well) I have always had my best luck
fishing for crappie after dark
With the cooler water the algae and weed lines are dying off and the
water is clearing a great deal
Been my experience that the areas I catch them in they lay off into deeper
water then come up shallow an feed when sun sets
Seems like they come up onto rocky points with drops to deeper
water and hang about 4-6 foot down
I think it is a combo of the sun warming the water so it stays warm at
nite and also that the little bait fish don't come out to feed on the rocks
and flats till the sun sets cuz they got no cover with weeds dying off

Tim

[Timotha7]

Love them lighted bobbers!
Let me know how you do

I think you will also find that you get bigger fish on avg at nite than
you do during the day as well
As fish grow their eyes get more sensitive to light, and from what I understand that holds true for bout all species

Like grandpa taught me big fish get that way cuz they are doing something
keeps them away from fishermen
Since most all fish follow basic patterns of feeding and moving around on
structure, lot of times means that they are feeding at nite time

Lakes round here you can go elbow to elbow during the day an same lake
is empty and perfect place to spend the evening after bout 10pm :-)

Love fishing out there on nice cool fall evenings, play lil delta blues soft
on radio, watch the wildlife move around that you would never see during
day

Been known to carry an old fridge shelf an dig "pit" then put some charcoal
in it an grill up some sausage at shorline level with lil cheddar cheese so
that you don't get hungry bout sunup

Nitetime fishing in fall ROCKS!

[Timotha7]

they feeding on minners or fry perhaps? sounds like they are
serious bout getting a meal

[Schoe]

I haven't ever tried that lighted bobber and balloon trick, but one lake where we were fishing this week that would have been impossible because of the tree tops and brush in the lake. I would guess 80% of the lake was like this with very little open water. Schoe

[Illinoisgiller]

gofish, Perhaps most of the year my methods are working out fine. BUT, this last trip gave me a hard lesson in humility for sure. We were on two fine lakes for targeting some BULL gills. Just plain could not find them. On the timbered lake my fl8 vexilar was next to useless of course. :rolleyes: This lake was filled without touching the underbrush:cool: , and flooded 4 ponds holding huge gills. It is a beautifull lake to fish with cover consisting from goosberry bushes to big trees. The second lake we fished , I made the wrong decission to put in at the upper,shallower end and time constraints and wind didn't allow for finding them.
My next attempt here local will be armed with clear light line and ice jigs tipped w/waxworm for the gin clear strip pits.
This is the time of year that I should be hard at my deer hide working, but will find (make) time to chase those elusive baiters I love to eat.
I guess you are correct. We do fish totally opposite. You are catching and I am NOT.:D :D Mike

[Schoe]

Well Captain, it sounds like you probably have enough now for a good meal. I hope to get out again soon before the freeze up. Our Deer season opens here in Illinois this coming Fri. and I will be giving that a try. I have two guests coming up from Arkansas to hunt with me and will make a report on our success. Schoe

[Illinoisgiller]

Good to hear you got on a few Capt. I'm going to give it a try again tmw. Taking the float tube, so might not be out there long. The water temp should be down around 40 now, so might be a bit brrrr .I put a short leader of 2# Trilene XL to temper the effect of the loud Hi Vis Fireline. I thought I had gained full confidence in Fireline as a year round line, but will try this once.:rolleyes:
Gofish- I'm also taking my tube bait box along. :D
I probably shouldn't be chasing them in this cold. It not like I'm short of fillets. :rolleyes: Mike

[Illinoisgiller]

Had a nice day on the lake. Had to fight the wind quite a bit though.Although light bite for sure, the best was on a little 124 th oz. silver jig that I tied up with orange hackle. I ended up with 26 bluegill, and the largest 3/4 lb. Couldnt tell the difference in water temp. The feet still got cold but not unbearable. The 2# leader didn't last long. The first wood I found took that in a hurry and I didn't replace it. Just too much hassle trying to work with that light a line with cold fingers. I didn't give up till 5:00 and dark was comming on fast. I hope everyone had as great a day as I did .Mike

[Illinoisgiller]

I had a nice day on the lake today. I couldn't tell the difference in water temp., Feet got cold but not unbearable. I had to fight the wind a lot at times, but calmed down right before I got off. I ended up with 26 gills w/the largest at 3/4 lb. The bite was light all day but best was on a little 1/124 th. oz.silver jig that I tied up with redish orange hackle. Sure wish I had taken a camera to capture the beauty of the placid lake during sunset.
I hope you all had as nice a day as I. Mike

[Illinoisgiller]

Gofish, My waders are actually made for summer wear.:rolleyes: They are good ones though. Cabela's breathable . Main thing is they don't leak!!! I got them big enough that I put a light set of long johns and blue jeans underneath. I wore one pair of winter wool socks too.
I think I'll be more concerend with the weather above the water. It's tough to keep hands warm enough for fishing. I think I'll make an effort to find light, somewhat waterproof gloves that are made for winter.
I wanted to ask the other float tubers about pre-winter wear, but I was the only one there.:D :D Imagine that. :rolleyes:
Fried fillets were GREAT tonight

[Illinoisgiller]

Gofish, My waders never touch my skin. I wear a pair of insulated long johns under a pair of jeans inside my waders. They get pretty cool of course. Well, I'd guess some would say they get cold, but I'm a tough old goat sometimes.
I would have to remove at least one glove and probably both repeatedly for baiting wax worms.
I think I may have found what I am looking for. Ice Armor makes an ice fishing glove. They claim to be waterprof. I'll have to find where I can try some on because at $30.00 a pair (gulp) I want to make darn sure they fit right.:rolleyes: They are probably the same type material that capt. Kirk spoke of in golf gloves. We have a Wally World here (who doesn't ? ) and I'll check there first.
Quickly running out of time. Starting Fri. ,I'll be tied up with salting up a few hundred deer hides. Mike

[T Bartels]

Where can i find some of those 1/124 ounce jigs?!?! i don't think i've ever seen them around here?? i'd like to get my hands on a couple of them....thanks!!:)

[Illinoisgiller]

T-Bartels- I used to get my 1/124th oz. jigs at K&K Hardware in Bettendorf. If they are out just get the 1/80 oz. They are in the fly tying section
gofish- I wear a size 10 1/2 shoe and I got waders with size 12. I wish I had gotten even larger.. Oversize waders and boots don't seem to be a problem in a float tube and I don't walk far. Undersized ,crowded boots ARE a problem. I have an extra set of waders that the stocking feet will leak if the boots are too crowded.
I got a call yesterday from a friend in Iowa that got a set of tubes for he and his brother after seeing me in mine. They tried them out last week and really like them. They don't have any boots yet and just put the fins on over the stocking foot. They bought both sets of waders from the bargian bin in Cabela's, and got lucky. They don't leak. :D
I sprung for a pair of those Ice Armor ice fishing gloves ,so should have happy hands next trip:D :cool: :)
Busy times here now. Deer will be pouring in for a few days.

[T Bartels]

Gofish- i used to tie some of my own but they were like 1/32nd ounce though and Giller i know exactly what your talking about so next time we're down that way i'll have to pick a few up!! thanks:)