|
3/26/2001
- Article
Panfish
on Really Small Water
By Noel Vick
From
coast to coast, panfish anglers embrace the arrival of spring.
Unsafe
black ice has vanished and our beloved bluegills and crappies frolic
in predictable places. Classic
shallow and stained-water locations host much of the activity. Wind protected bays and river backwaters rank high.
Many of these venues are considered “community spots”,
where boats pile up and shore-casters line the banks.
But if you don’t enjoy running with the Jones’, some
fine-tuning is necessary to find that “spot on the spot”, away
from the masses.
 In
the spring of the year, panfish chasers focus on the shallowest of
shallows and the darkest water Mother Nature affords.
They understand that stained and shallow places warm the
quickest, attracting prespawn, and later, spawning panfish. Prespawners shallow-up to gorge themselves on emerging
insects and schooling baitfish.
Spawners come to perpetuate their species.
Go
a step further this spring. Dissect
your favorite waters and locate some Really
Small Water.
Inlets
are a good example of Really Small Water.
Not the inflow of a well documented throbbing creek either,
because these aren’t secretive.
Rather, a trickling stream of warmed water, which had its
origins as snow. Lake
maps don’t reveal many seasonal springtime inflows.
They’re exposed through careful shoreline studies and time
on the water. Crappies
and bluegills already know the whereabouts of such dwellings…
The
seepage of water through a bog or wall of cattails is another find.
Spring’s thaw strains rich and warming water into the main
lake, and again, panfish are drawn to such locales.
Boat
harbors, be they manmade or not, contain tepid and colored water,
and accordingly, throngs of baitfish and buggy edibles. The average angler earmarks massive multi-slip resort and
public harbors, but smaller one and two vessel private harbors often
go untouched. Take care
to not provoke lakeshore owners by snagging their pontoon’s
upholstery or dock posts, but remember too that your state’s
waterways are public domain.
River
backwaters are common panfish lairs.
Shallow and current-free expanses get hit all spring long,
but you can avoid the boating-crowds by investigating further. Look for high water pools formed behind stretches of
shoreline timber. I
favor drifting along wooded stretches searching for hidden hollows
of water – not true backwaters – which potentially hold fish.
Most of these spots will be bone dry in another couple of
weeks.
Beds
of dead reeds and rushes, shoreline oriented or a freestanding
island, also host early spring panfish.
Big beds get noticed, so do smaller ones.
But it’s not just an ordinary field of browned vegetation I
look for. I prefer one
with pockets…openings. You
can find these concealed clearings by slowly motoring around an
entire weed-mat. Crappies
and bluegills love such hideaways, and many go unchecked.
Another
commodity worth searching for is newly emerging vegetation within an
expired bulrush or reed bed. Rest
assured that a bed, or even part of a bed that features fresh
growth, rests in warm and fertile waters.
This theory also holds true with fields of lily pads.
Take note of young lily pads budding from the lake floor.
Speaking
of standing weeds, the inside edge – open water section between
shore and where vegetation begins – is another overlooked
producer. Panfish find warm water, wind protection, and a safe haven
inside these gaps. And
such places frequently occur on the main lake, where spring anglers
seldom take notice.
Now
that you’ve been introduced to some Really Small Water, I must
give you the bad news… These
are tough spots to hit. That
is, hit with a lure, a jig to be exact.
Pinpoint
casts are the only way to access these fish.
Tangling tree branches and snarling weed tips block passage
to the best of the best. But
with a little practice, some finesse, and the right gear, no bull or
slab is unreachable.
I’ve
all but abandoned the notion of attacking Really Small Water with a
jig alone. Even with
the lightest, most abrasion resistant line, paired with a long but
firm rod and aerodynamically designed jig, it’s still an ordeal to
reach fish. Any sudden gust of wind or turn of the boat puts your lure in
harms way.
A
bobber, that’s my solution. And
not just any old model will do.
The right bobber,
or float as some call them, gives you precision depth control, and
in this instance, added weight for improved casting distance and
accuracy. Many anglers
have turned to the Rocket Bobber.
Powerful
for its size, The Rocket Bobber casts for distance like nothing
you’ve ever used. Need
30 yards into a headwind to reach the back of a boat harbor?
No problem. Give
the rod tip a snap and you’re in; keep the trajectory low for
greater accuracy.
Casting
distance is crucial because shallow-ranging panfish are easily
spooked. Often, pods of
fish scatter when a careless angler motors too close.
It’s much wiser to visually identify a hunk of Really Small
Water, back off, and launch a long distance assault.
And the durable Rocket Bobber won’t explode on contact if
you misfire and smack a rock or dock post.
I’ll
conclude with this tactical suggestion…
Think small when it comes to bait and lure selection.
Frequently hyper-finicky, springtime panfish will shun gaudy
jigs and large frantic minnows. Reach for a 1/64th-ounce jig or a miniscule
ice-fishing lure. Go to
tiny minnows, which I call “slivers”, or wax worms and maggots,
because they’re universally accepted.
By design, the Rocket Bobber executes flawlessly with light
jigs – no split-shot necessary – and announces even the
slightest nibble by raising its tip.
Pay
extra care to your surroundings this spring.
Panfish will be in their ordinary community spots, but with a
taste of resourcefulness and stealth, you’ll find finer fishing in
Really Small Water.
Editor’s
note: The sensational Rocket
Bobber is available in both panfish and gamefish sizes.
Look for it in local sporting goods and bait stores.
But if you can’t find one, contact Tackle 2000, Inc., P.O.
Box 2187, Wausau, WI 54402-2187 or visit their web site at www.tackle2000.com
|
