Ice fishing tip: Think shallow for late season panfish
Locate standing weeds in shallow water in late winter, and hungry panfish will be hanging out nearby.
sunfish
Ice fishing tip: Using spoons to catch more late-season panfish
Small spoons tipped with plastics, worms, or minnow heads and tails will attract more perch, crappies, and sunfish thus boosting your odds of catching more fish.
In search of jumbo sunnies
Local fisheries managers are responding to angler desire for bigger sunfish by seeking out specific lakes that would be a good fit for improving sunfish size quality by reducing sunfish bag limits.
DNR: Releasing big sunfish helps protect against stunted population
When anglers keep only the largest sunfish, which are usually males guarding nests, the remaining small males don’t need to compete with larger males to spawn. Instead of growing, they devote their energy to spawning at younger ages and smaller sizes.
Sunfish Paella
Recipe courtesy of Keane Amdahl from his cookbook “Lake Fish - Modern Cooking with Freshwater Fish”
Paella is one of those quintessential Spanish dishes that is both comforting and incredibly flavorful. The soft rice is spiked with saffron and paprika, and the roasted red peppers give a pop of delicious sweetness. Craft this dish using your sunfish, with the option to prepare using skin-on fillets.
A winter ice fishing tactical Q&A with ‘Tackle’ Terry Tuma
As the heart of hard water arrives across the great North American ice belt, “T3” answers your questions to help improve your angling skills this cold-weather season.
State-record hybrid sunfish caught in southwestern Michigan
The record fish weighed 1.8 pounds and measured 11.7 inches. The previous record – held by two anglers – was 1.44 pounds, set 30 years earlier.
Fishing tips: Move outside the weedlines to catch more summer bluegills and crappies
Use electronics to locate panfish in deeper water during the warmer months of July and August.
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