Thru the ice Bluegill vs cold water Bluegill...?

[Jeff Soto]

Why is it that in areas that the lakes freeze over in the winter, fishermen can fish through the ice and do very well, catching lots of Bluegill, and in places like here in southern California, where it does not usually get below freezing and the lakes DO NOT ice over... we have really slow Bluegill fishing, even though we have found a group of fish with the help of electronics?   My question is this. If Bluegill still feed and bite good thru the ice for the northern states fishermen,  how come they almost stop biting completely when the weather and water gets cooler in the warmer southern states?  How does a thick layer of ice make a difference?  Any thoughts or does someone know the actual reason for this occurrence?  I would love to be able to go out in the wintertime to my local lake (that is fantastic in the spring, summer and fall) and catch more than 1 or 2 Bluegill, if even any at all...

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

The blue is a baby blue marabou. There are no highlights or shimmers added. It is just a basic jig, but it hauled a nice bass out from under a dock last summer. The jig was so small, I still wonder how the fish ever got hooked... or managed to be landed.

Must have been the expert abilities of the fisherman. LOL

[Tony Livingston]

January 6th, and it's 57 degrees here right now. I had 1/2" of ice this morning, but I believe that I will be able to fish open water tomorrow afternoon. Gonna' try that cold water Bluegill bite!

[Leo Nguyen]

Just make sure to catch the fishes and not a cold ;) Good luck!

[Greg Rogers]

I'd also add downsize the baits on those tiny jigs.  We use true micro size plastics from Makiplastics and/or a single spike (maggot) or waxworm.  In winter they are basically feeding on microsopic daphnia, etc., so they are in no hurry.  Color is important, even at that size, when they are eyeballing it that close and that long.  Bear in mind too, water changes density at lower temps.  Everything slooows down like syrup.  The tungsten jigs will give you a smaller jig at a heavier weight for the physical size.  They can be caught but it's sure easier when you can literally stand 5 feet over their head and shake it in their face for a few minutes till you see them suck it in.........