Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Now that the Full Snow moon is here, I can count down til the Full Moon in March, this year on 3/7/2023….this is exciting for me because it has meant the arrival of
shallow panfish on the Albemarle 9 out of the last 10 years in my area….

Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 stars.

Views: 95

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by Jack Sandlin on February 16, 2023 at 3:44pm

Water temps were 50-52* last Saturday. Some big females were caught in 2-4' of water. I was fishing a little deeper than that but I caught fish that were only 3' deep in the water column. Livescope has changed the crappie fishing considerably for me. I can see now that there;s more fish shallow (suspended ) more often than I ever imagined. That's in the lakes, tidal rivers and reservoirs. 

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 16, 2023 at 2:40pm

Hey Bruce….great question which has been debated year after year, this is my 24th year keeping records in coastal North Carolina and 55 is my magic number……but as long as it’s cold at night this transition will be slower……if you get a week with milder temperatures after the February Full Moon, it can happen quickly…..the other old timers clue is blooming dogwood trees……and we have some in full bloom as of this week…….

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 16, 2023 at 2:33pm

Understand John….we’ve had a very mild winter with current surface temperatures averaging 54 degrees……..it was very warm today, 79 on my car thermometer……but we still have some cold fronts to get through……but I’m expecting things to start getting active shallow in my area before the end of February….l.

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 16, 2023 at 2:29pm

Hey Jack that’s good news…….I believe that tournament is the second week of March so there should be transition going on by then, should make it interesting if the females join the party…..good luck to you but I know you don’t need it…..

Comment by John Sheehan on February 16, 2023 at 1:55pm

50?/55?

Comment by Bruce Tomaselli on February 16, 2023 at 9:05am

How warm does it have to get to get the fish moving?

Comment by John Sheehan on February 16, 2023 at 8:29am

Fish aren't in the shallows yet at my home lake 44 degree WT reading yesterday around Noon .

Comment by Jack Sandlin on February 15, 2023 at 4:49am

Some big females have already moved towards the shallows on the Triad Lakes. I'm hoping to get up your way and fish the Perquimans Tournament. 

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on February 8, 2023 at 2:12pm

Understand Troy……how has your winter compared to the last few years? Do you expect an earlier start to your spring fishing?

Comment by Troy Dorman on February 8, 2023 at 4:36am

I'm itching to get out, Jeff!!

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Took 78 tidal crappie over the last three days….air temperatures in the mid 80s rapidly warming the shallows into the 60s"
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

First Light Tidal Black Crappie…..3/11/2026

"You can see this fish has been shallow for a while…starting to get busted up in shallow…"
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Got out for the third day in a row….plants blooming everywhere, pollen and insects moving around……surface temperatures sitting at 67 degrees"
11 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Cleaned a Dozen Speckles Yesterday…….3/11/2026

My wife said she was ready for a fresh crappie fry…..knocked out a dozen yesterday for a treat this…
23 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Another beautiful late winter day….new river today….63 degree surface temperatures..five degrees less than yesterday’s water …"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

A lot of Small Buck Bass Today…..3/9/2026

A lot of aggressive bass made for tight lines…
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"After a week long vacation to South Carolina and Georgia….drove home this morning and rolled in around 1, it was 80 degrees, I went fishing"
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Great Scene Yesterday…Common Loons Feeding in the Fog….3/6/2026

"The male is in the distance with the white chest….dark brown female closest bird to the…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Great Scene Yesterday…Common Loons Feeding in the Fog….3/6/2026

"Notice the channel marker in the distance……these loons were diving in 55 feet of…"
Sunday

© 2026   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service