Sunnies

[fallfrenzy1]

Has the sunfish bite picked up on any of the local lakes?(Duluth area)? I want to get my little girl (4) out so she can experience and enjoy some constant action. Will probably give it a shot this week anyway, but any info would be helpful. Thanks

[fishane]

Awhile ago I gave some advice on a decent crappie bite so someone could take their seven year old son and his seventy something dad out and catch some fish. It turns out that the seven year old had five o'clock shadow by noon and went to UMD, and the grandpa was forty six and drove truck OTR. Not only that, but the seven year old was very social and had lots of friends that liked to listen to loud rap music while fishing.

[Northlander]

Ya its too bad that some people will use the old " I want to get my kid on some fish" deal so they can go get some fish for their lazy selfs. Seems like more and more lazy people, I wont even call them fishermen, who just want to come on this site and read about a bite and then go fish it. Plain old laziness. Heck half the fun and satisfaction is doing the work and finding your own fish. Much more rewarding to me.

Ill help people out but I will make sure they have to do some work too.

As far as sunnies go to Fish, St.Louis River Bays, Little Island, Chub and others have them. As far as where they are biting? Do some searching in these places and you will find them. If not you may stumble onto your new favorite Crappie, Walleye or bass hole. Good luck and have fun.

Oh, Fallfrenzy I am not pointing a finger at you. Im not saying you are doing this. Im just venting a bit I guess. I have been burned just like the above poster. Lesson learned!

[fallfrenzy1]

Sorry fella's your right! I was out to rape and pillage the local sunfish population in one of the many lakes in the area. My 4 year old daughter and I are all about that! Anyone out there who has a kid or kids knows that it puts a bit of a damper on the fishing and hunting that you were use to doing before becoming a parent. I was just looking for a little heads up on what to expect (deep shallow) lately due to the messed up winter we have been having. Typically they have been in shallow in the past years I have went at this time. I remember a time when people would post here and friendliness was a given. That has obviously changed. What is the point of this site if information isn't being shared between fellow sportsmen? I agree that finding your own spots is more rewarding, but with a 4 year old is also limited and dangerous.

[Casaloma]

I got a finger to point, too!

Right to Tim at Hi-Banks of Fish Lake & others in a position like Tim whose business it is to have anglers go through his resort road, catch some fish & come back in for pop, beer, pizza & a fishing report. Give these 'Tims' on the lakes you want to fish a call & see what they say. This technique has worked for me better than the old 'where are the crappies at' posts here.

Personally winter & summer Hi-Banks has always told me honest & put me where I needed to be to fill my fishing goals. Even before he knew me from Adam ( or however that phrase goes. Now he know my face at least, because he earned my business.

I also think that Northlander put some nice lake/river info on the bottom of his post. With walleyes closing here the panfish ought to start getting a little nervous.

[SKIPPERS KID]

Well said boys look at me and fish lake there where so many gopher holes around my house. I gave up on that lake and the hot spot so people thought well good fishing.

[Surface Tension]

Where getting to a time when the gills are moving into areas that they plan on being come ice out. Heres how I narrow my searches on big & small water down as a process of elimination. North side bays that open up well to the south that include shoreline with with hummuks, reeds & cattails. Those areas warm faster and the gills know this. In that type area I then look for weed beds and mud bottom that'll give gills cover and feed. I'll feel confident the gills will be around there somewhere so I won't spend much time at a hole if nothings around. I won't move far though, usually just enough to change depth a little.

If I can't find that bay on the lake I'm on then I'll try and find the same makeup along a shoreline or island.

Keep in mind you usually don't find the bottom type your looking for on a steep break. Keep to the flats and your more likely to find that spot. At either location I like water no deeper then 12' and can go as less as 6'.

Now, some guys might think I'm eliminating good water that will hold gills and they would be right. You can get gills suspended in deep water, and you can get gills on rocky breaks, and you can get gills in a lot of areas. My point is if you can find what I've described your percentage of finding gills will be increased. I do this elimination for all species of fish. The criteria will change but if I include all that into a spot then I've knocked that lake size down into very specific spots. Could I get fish an other way and in another spot that doesn't include my elimination process, absolutely and I know that and will turn to that if I can't get anything going with my plan A.

Theres nothing that will help you more then to know a lake. Put what I've posted to a lake you know best.

From what I've said I'll bet everyone on here can picture that spot on a lake they know. Theres your plan A, move around that spot till you get something going. If its a no go then then move to another spot, plan B.

Bringing kids along is great but lets face it your time on the ice is limited and searching around isn't very practical. So that leads to your post. If you need to, email me and I can give you a couple places to go. They won't be a secret honey hole and you'll probably have a crowd but your 4 year old won't mind.

[Northlander]

Fallfrenzy did you read my whole post? If so why so defensive? Like I said my comments were not pointed at you.

Even though you have a child you still have to do some work man. If you feel its dangerous to do this with your child and cant get a sitter than I guess I wouldnt go fishing. I know that sounds harsh but my kids safety would be 1st as well.

This site is still full of great info if you do some reading and searching. Just dont go looking for info that you can drive up to and drill holes and catch fish. Thats not what this or any other site should be doing. Thats how lakes get over fished and a hot bite goes cold in a hurry.

On another note if you would ever like to get out and do some panny searching let me know and we can try to hook up. Maybe you can hit the Kewanis Contest on Fish Lake Sat?

[fishane]

Aw shucks, I was just trying to have a little fun. If you want to me on a lot of gills go to Murphy Lake off of 53. Drive out from the access and go around the big point and you are there. There will probably be a bunch of permanents there yet. And of course, being on fish and getting them to bite are two different things. Your 4 year old may struggle a bit, because last time I was out it was spring bobber time. Of course, up here finding bluegills is not a problem, finding nice ones that are not totally infested with neascus is. (Neascus is a totally harmless but visually unappealing parasite also called Black Spot.)