What do you do in the winter?

[drew03cmc]

How do you catch panfish (gills, crackers, etc) when the temperatures plummet and the lakes all but freeze? I am wondering as I am relatively new to the flyfishing for panfish thing.

[Ham]

Fish.

Fly fishing for panfish might be tough to do in the winter time though.

for your fly rod fishing, silly trout seem to bite all year.

Crappie can be caught all year long at least down here.

[gonefishin]

You can catch them but, you gotta fish deep and slow. Fishing for pan fish this time of year is more of a spin fishing proposition. Fishing at this time of year I use 2 lb line, small sensitive slip bobbers and micro sized jigs or better yet live bait. Try south facing banks with cover and deep water close by.

[Charley Hart]

How do you catch panfish (gills, crackers, etc) when the temperatures plummet and the lakes all but freeze? I am wondering as I am relatively new to the flyfishing for panfish thing.

As they say SLOW. Just when you think it is slow enough, go slower.

I started in mid-February last year and had a blast. Understand a good day then fishing was like 1-2 fish an HOUR. So you had to be real patient.

There was a pro there and I call him a pro cause of his gear. All designed for crappie. He had his drag so light that when he set the hook on small crappie you could hear it engage. Well he out fished me, but I was right behind him.

Got some looks from the frustrated guys. They were just NOT going slow enough.

[Terry Beeson]

Sinking line on a fly rod and fish slow and deep... 'nuff said...