06-07-2007, 03:37 PM
Panfish are primarily found in structure. Notice I said "in" structure. I've caught many smaller bream along open water banks and above rocks, but the larger fish always seem to be caught under low lying tree branches, in submerged limbs and stumps, or in lilly pads or saw grass. If you see bank structure that you just know you're going to get snagged in, drop a bait in there. I can promise that there is a big panfish there somewhere.
Along the eastern states of SC and Georgia, one of our most prized panfish is the Morgan. (also called a Warmouth) It looks like a huge bream with a bass's mouth. They get very big, in the 4 pound range, (average around 1 pound), and are known for their tastey, sweet, and flakey meat. Unlike most other species of panfish, Morgans do not school and finding more than one in a particular area doesn't happen often. I've never seen a Morgan caught along an open bank. In the Pee Dee and waccamaw rivers here in SC, if you don't drop your bait in the structure, chances are you'll never see a warmouth on the other end of your hook. Cypress knee's are the favorite place for large morgans to hang out. I've caught my largest fish inside a cypress stump; LOL, that's right, not beside it, inside it.
Red breast are also another South Eastern favorite to target. They don't have the massive size of the morgan and crappie, but they do share the trait as a great table fare. These fish are also targeted along structure, but can be caught early morning and late evening during the summer months on small poppers. Redbreasts, like most other species of panfish, primarily feed top water early and late in the day. Poppers are deadly during this time of feeding, and generally yield larger fish.
During the hot part of the day, i'll take the bobber off the rig and toss my bait on the bottom next to a piece of structure. Panfish, like many other species of fish, move to deeper and cooler water as the hot part of the day rolls around. Usually, by either switching to a bottom rig or deepening your bobber, you can still catch fish during the heat of the day.
Especially along a river, fish the banks that are accessable by your bait. Let me explain. If the water is high, and you're limited to fishing the edge of the structure on the deep side, and the water runs back into the woods beyond your reach, you're wasting your time. The fish will be in the shallows on the swamp side feeding in safety away from would-be predators. Fish the banks where the water doesn't run up into a swamp or out of reach. The fish will hold along the bank in the shallow structure.
Having the proper tackle is criticle when it comes to landing big panfish in harse conditions. On an open lake, sure, a cane pole with a little mono is more than enough to get the job done. But, along the aggresive rivers in my local area, it's best to amp up the gear to keep from tieing on so many hooks when you get snagged. Especially when the water is high, you're litterly IN the structure, and getting snagged is all part of the game. I use ultra lite spinning tackle, but with 10 pound super braid spooled on the reel. dragging a fish out of a tough snag is easy when you're rigged up braided line. It also makes a much smaller fish seem larger, so the fight is more enjoyable. [
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There are many more tactics that can be used, as they change with each body of water and situation. Most of the time when i'm targeting panfish, i'm gathering bait to go catfishing. [
] There's no where to purchase live bait around the bodies of water I fish, so I have to rely solely on my ability to catch my bait. I can usually round up a couple dozen bream regardless of the time of day or conditions. But, it's taken alot of years of frustration and baitless catfishing trips to figure out my local bodies of water.
With any tactics, they are subject to alteration at any time. I keep a detailed fishing log for both my freshwater and saltwater fishing trips. I keep information like air and water temp, barometric pressure, water level, tide (if applicable), weather conditions, etc.... Anything that plays a possible role in the fishing condition I take note of. I also take note of what I did that day and if I was successful or not. Making a fishing log is an indespensible tool if you're serious about targeting fish year around. Being able to look back on previous years conditions to find out tactics that worked can save you alot of guess work. So instead of hunting a winning combanation, you spend your time catching fish.
Keep in mind, there are going to be days that is doesn't matter what you do, the fish will not bite. The first thing you learn when you start fishing is there is no magic lure, there is no secret spot, it's all luck of the draw. If you hit the water and think you're going to tear 'em up every time, you've already lost the battle. [cool]
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Along the eastern states of SC and Georgia, one of our most prized panfish is the Morgan. (also called a Warmouth) It looks like a huge bream with a bass's mouth. They get very big, in the 4 pound range, (average around 1 pound), and are known for their tastey, sweet, and flakey meat. Unlike most other species of panfish, Morgans do not school and finding more than one in a particular area doesn't happen often. I've never seen a Morgan caught along an open bank. In the Pee Dee and waccamaw rivers here in SC, if you don't drop your bait in the structure, chances are you'll never see a warmouth on the other end of your hook. Cypress knee's are the favorite place for large morgans to hang out. I've caught my largest fish inside a cypress stump; LOL, that's right, not beside it, inside it.
Red breast are also another South Eastern favorite to target. They don't have the massive size of the morgan and crappie, but they do share the trait as a great table fare. These fish are also targeted along structure, but can be caught early morning and late evening during the summer months on small poppers. Redbreasts, like most other species of panfish, primarily feed top water early and late in the day. Poppers are deadly during this time of feeding, and generally yield larger fish.
During the hot part of the day, i'll take the bobber off the rig and toss my bait on the bottom next to a piece of structure. Panfish, like many other species of fish, move to deeper and cooler water as the hot part of the day rolls around. Usually, by either switching to a bottom rig or deepening your bobber, you can still catch fish during the heat of the day.
Especially along a river, fish the banks that are accessable by your bait. Let me explain. If the water is high, and you're limited to fishing the edge of the structure on the deep side, and the water runs back into the woods beyond your reach, you're wasting your time. The fish will be in the shallows on the swamp side feeding in safety away from would-be predators. Fish the banks where the water doesn't run up into a swamp or out of reach. The fish will hold along the bank in the shallow structure.
Having the proper tackle is criticle when it comes to landing big panfish in harse conditions. On an open lake, sure, a cane pole with a little mono is more than enough to get the job done. But, along the aggresive rivers in my local area, it's best to amp up the gear to keep from tieing on so many hooks when you get snagged. Especially when the water is high, you're litterly IN the structure, and getting snagged is all part of the game. I use ultra lite spinning tackle, but with 10 pound super braid spooled on the reel. dragging a fish out of a tough snag is easy when you're rigged up braided line. It also makes a much smaller fish seem larger, so the fight is more enjoyable. [
] There are many more tactics that can be used, as they change with each body of water and situation. Most of the time when i'm targeting panfish, i'm gathering bait to go catfishing. [
] There's no where to purchase live bait around the bodies of water I fish, so I have to rely solely on my ability to catch my bait. I can usually round up a couple dozen bream regardless of the time of day or conditions. But, it's taken alot of years of frustration and baitless catfishing trips to figure out my local bodies of water. With any tactics, they are subject to alteration at any time. I keep a detailed fishing log for both my freshwater and saltwater fishing trips. I keep information like air and water temp, barometric pressure, water level, tide (if applicable), weather conditions, etc.... Anything that plays a possible role in the fishing condition I take note of. I also take note of what I did that day and if I was successful or not. Making a fishing log is an indespensible tool if you're serious about targeting fish year around. Being able to look back on previous years conditions to find out tactics that worked can save you alot of guess work. So instead of hunting a winning combanation, you spend your time catching fish.
Keep in mind, there are going to be days that is doesn't matter what you do, the fish will not bite. The first thing you learn when you start fishing is there is no magic lure, there is no secret spot, it's all luck of the draw. If you hit the water and think you're going to tear 'em up every time, you've already lost the battle. [cool]
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