Slow Dancing with Sunfish By: Tyler Mohr (in collaboration with Garett Svir from Slab Seeker Fishing)
Alright here’s the deal, your early ice is over and those big bluegills you were catching have since moved on. Now what? Where do you go? How do you find those fish again? Even if you are lucky enough to locate them, how do you get them to bite? These are all valid questions, as most anglers tend to get stumped come mid-winter when things get tough. Panfish metabolisms slow down and they become picky about choosing their food and hold tighter to cover. This the time of year when you have to refine your tactics and practice the art of the “slow-dance” and really entice fish to eat. I asked big bluegill expert Garett Svir to breakdown the ins and outs of small presentations, subtleties in jigging, and how to know when slowing down can help to heat up an otherwise cold bite.
This time of year, the fish are extremely susceptible to spooking because of their less aggressive state. In order to keep from startling skittish giants, Svir begins to “swim” his jig as soon as it hits the water. In-line style reels like the 13 Fishing Black Betty Spooler are great for controlling drop speed due to the fact that you pull the line out by hand. This technique allows you to specifically control your lures speed of descent as well as drastically reduces the amount of line twist. “Line twist” may sounds like a minor issue, but it is a not-so-small detail that can make or break your outing. The twisting of your line will cause the jig to rapidly spin in circles underwater when it should otherwise be holding completely still. Often times this spin of death can scare off wary ‘gills. Svir emphasized the importance of fishing the entire water column, which is extremely difficult to do when using a spinning reel. Fish may be holding in different areas of the vegetation that you’re fishing; sometimes hanging up above the tips of the weeds, other times they may be hiding in the thickest clumps near the bottom. By covering the entire column you can identify the location of the fish and adjust your plan accordingly.
After the right rod comes the right jig, following the drop speed theory a Kenders 3mm tungsten jig is the perfect place to start. The heavy yet compact profile allows you to manage your fall while still getting the most feel out of your jig. The weight of the tungsten responds well to controlled movements and requires a little less finesse work. If the situation calls for something even lighter, and with a slower drop speed, Svir said he will drop down to a lead jig as small as a 1/150 of an ounce for a tantalizing fall with more action. Although once you make the switch to lead you will rely less on feel and more on watching your electronics, your rod tip or spring bobber like a hawk.
In the end, every lake is different and every fish is an individual that should be worked uniquely to the way it reacts to your presentations. Learning how to effectively slow down and pattern fish in mid-season vegetation is a critical skill to catching more of these bluegills, and larger ones at that. Often times, if you feel like you are fishing too fast, you’re probably right. Trust your electronics and take what the fish are telling you. Understanding the way fish react to your bait will tell you everything you need to know. If you don’t take it from me, take it from Garett Svir, who has caught more 10+ inch bluegills than most of us could ever dream about.