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HEAVY COVER GILLIN !!!

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HEAVY COVER GILLIN !!!

A GROUP FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES TO FISH HEAVY COVER FOR GILLS AND RED EARS !!!!!

Location: TROY GROVE ILLINOIS
Members: 62
Latest Activity: Jul 6, 2015

Discussion Forum

FISHING THE WEED SLOP AND FLOATING DEBRIS CANOPY

found a pattern that has been working for me lately.... just less than two weeks after spawn the B'Gill are hanging in the slop weed and floating weed debris canopy. im fishing a slip float set at…Continue

Started by Slip Sinker Jul 6, 2015.

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Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 5, 2013 at 5:32pm

Always consider fishing flooded cypress and surrounding cover....These spots yield awesome creels of solid bluegill in coastal N.C.

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on February 5, 2013 at 5:20pm

David & Jeffrey , thanks for the input and comments in this group and to all who recently joined ! Ya know  Jeffrey you are reading my mind posting these pics that most of us only dream of and many thanks. David a kayak is great to fish from if you don't have any back issues. Had to give up pretty much Canoe fishing for just that reason , but loved it when I was able to do it.....

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 5, 2013 at 2:46pm

The Albemarle/Pamlico Estuary in coastal North Carolina is a massive group of waters second only in size to the Chesapeake Bay. By it's brackish water and coastal setting, the trees bordering these waters are exposed to heavy salinity during drought periods and seasonal winds year round from storms...Thus we have thousands of push overs with dozens every year......This indirectly forms an amazing panfish fishery with many locations offering heavy cover at and below the water's surface......Game On!

The downed wood offers the fish refuge from predators and high skies sunlight.....Lots of aquatic plants native to the swamp such as Wax Myrtles flourish right at the water's edge hosting hundreds of native insect species. Many clusters of native marsh grasses form in the shallows providing shelter and food for dozens of native species including Grass Shrimp and various minnows.......Thus the ecosystem of the estuary is born and maintained in these heavy cover regions that can be isolated in areas or go on for miles.......The challenge is to locate the fish in these vast regions.....So much of this area looks the same from the surface but we must look at it from a fish eye view to understand what attracts and holds big gills....

Little clues like degree of sunlight and water level/movement can be the big difference in catching these fish........

In North Carolina, these areas hold big gills and great numbers.....make mental notes and consider a conditions log if you're fishing large bodies of water.......Some of the prettiest cover on my home rivers, rarely produces a fish and this has puzzled me over the years. But as I keep notes, I determine common denominators and by a process of elimination, I rate these areas and have sustained proven results in these waters.....

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 5, 2013 at 12:13pm

Im lucky in that my home waters, Lake Murray, SC has a wide mix of cover. Some areas on the lake are essentially devoid of it, while the upper end I frequent is a tangled mess in places.

It takes both environements, actually, to make for a quality fishery. Believe me, though, there are days when I am glad to have my kayak. Many of my favorite spots would be almost unreachable if it weren't for that.

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on February 5, 2013 at 9:31am

Mike & LOFR, GREAT SHOT OF COVER AND STORIES about gills in cover. Up were I live we don't have the Cypress trees of course but lots of old brush, and tree limbs in the water for cover. NOt to mention weeds also. Out In Iowa we had a spot called the "LOG JAM" and it was a bout a hundred yard stretch of water in a shallow bay the had fallen small trees in it. Trees were mostly 1-2 feet in diameter and were all mixed up under the water , and the gills and red ears used to love to build nests under and around them. Lost many a bug in there over the years ...........

Comment by carl hendrix on February 4, 2013 at 11:02pm

hahahaha well said lord of the flies!

Comment by Lord of the Fly , Rods on February 4, 2013 at 10:40pm

 I know yall would love some swamp fishing if you like a lot of fish cover, imagine big fat bluegill laying in the shade of a trunk of a submerged tree, just waiting for the next cricket or offering to come drifting down to him, then he cant take the chance of another fish taking it away from him so he darts to meet it and turns to go back to his shadey spot just as fast, then he realizes that cricket just bite him back in the jaw and is trying to lead him back to the surface, so he turns his body sideways to the pull and starts making circles while trying to go deeper, well you know the rest of the story.        LOFR

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on February 4, 2013 at 8:01pm

HEY MIKE , THANKS FOR POSTING THAT PIC HERE and what a great shot. Looks like you got some heavy cover down there too ....

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on February 4, 2013 at 6:36pm

Oh yeah you don't have to worry Jeffrey, between Old Al tree trolling and me in the snags and barbless hooks the fish are sate!!!!!!!!

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 4, 2013 at 6:32pm

No worries Carl.....I got them set up with barbless hooks.....long distance catch and release....LOL

 

Members (62)

 
 
 

Latest Activity

John Sheehan posted a photo

July Bully jig/crawler piece

The lonely Bully and in July midday! Didn't see them at this spot earlier this year. In years past,…
Monday
John Sheehan posted photos
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Quality Gills…Caught and Released….7/9/2025

"Thanks Bruce…..I think they’re here for the Buck moon tomorrow and a week from now…"
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Beautiful Crappie Replica Mounts…..7/9/2025

"I thought they tuned out great…..the tuxedo crappie looks real…."
Jul 9
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Jul 9
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"We’re in another heat wave so I got to my first spot ten minutes before sunrise….left the ramp at 5:30 and back on the trailer at 8:30…"
Jul 9
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Yeah most nests are not this close to the water and this river is remote with alligators and large…"
Jul 7
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Guess the Osprey knew it was a great spot too. The Cormorants up here are murder on the stocked…"
Jul 7
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"This was a great fishing spot for me until the osprey nested……I’ve seen chicks…"
Jul 6
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Jul 6
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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So many spots to place your bait...

"These cypress trees are now in the water….still producing great fishing…"
Jul 6
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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The big Cypress downed by a Hurricane.....

"This is a good example John…..I posted this picture in 2012 and a couple weeks ago I caught…"
Jul 6
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Jul 6
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Thanks John…..being in the south we’re always drawn to cypress trees and the…"
Jul 6
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
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Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Nice info, Jeffrey! Up here my main Crappie habits have been wood cover near deep water and willow…"
Jul 6

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