River Panfish

[whitetail_freak]

hey, just got off of the miss after a great morning of panfishing, hadnt really had a good bite with the panfish for a while, but i found them in about 7 ft this morning. they were stacked, crappies,sunnies,perch, even 2 little walleyes.. it was alot of fun.

where do you guys find the pannies in the summer on the river? same spots as winter or what? any ideas where to look would be greatly appreciated.

[Rick G]

Two words for summer pan fish on the river. Sand and weeds.

[Stick in Mud]

If you include rock bass in this discussion, then you'll find them anywhere muskies are swimming!

[Rick G]

When I said pan fish I wasnt talkin bout the red eyed devil fish just gills and crappies. Some people like catchin them rock bass--just not me.

[Stick in Mud]

I've heard rumors--I've never done it myself--that if you mixed up rock bass fillets with sunnie/crappie ones, you couldn't tell the difference. I know it's true for eel pout fillets--we mixed a few mille lacs burbot up with some walleyes and perch, and no one said anything....until we told them, that is.

In all seriousness, the best panfish places are those with reduced current, at least in my experience.

[daylate$short]

Your rumors are true rock bass is excellent table fare. Its a shame that fisherman view them as a rough fish. Try it once you will be pleasantly surprised.

[whitetail_freak]

anyone fish by the colvert by cathedral? i caught a MONSTER crappie there the other night, the thing was 15 3/4 inches! i thought it was a bass at first! i did not realize there were such big crappies there, or is that just a fluke? i realesed "her" by the way. already got a few big slabs on the wall, and didnt need another one. But does anyone fish there? and what is so special about that spot? is it a little deeper right there or what?

[Rick G]

It is just a little hole the crappies winter in. three feet deep all the way around it until it gets to the main river channel. I usaly hit it once or twice a winter. There are very few large crappies in this spot and lots of 7-8 in fish. The spot also gets very crouded at times as the hole is only 10by 10ft.

[jigginjim]

I have caught several rock bass, found them to be wormy in so lakes. Have not caught many large enough to keep from the river. But they do taste the same as other panfish.