Where you would fish for sunfish on this lake?

I live on this 220 acre lake near Annandale, MN. In the summer we catch sunfish of all sizes like crazy – the lake has a huge sunfish population. However, in the winter I cannot find the sunfish anywhere!!! The lake clarity is very good. As of right now I can see about 17 feet through my hole. I have tried shallow by green weeds, talked to people spearing pike and they are not seeing any sunfish! Where would you try to catch sunfish through the ice on this lake? I just want to catch some fish with the kids! Any advice would be great. Thanks! Chad

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TTT – anyone?

On the dropoffs or maybe deep, but chances are the fish may be lots shallower than you think!

With really clear water they might be out deep too. I’d start looking around the point on the west side of the lake out towards the basin areas. This might be one of those lakes where you spend an afternoon punching holes and looking down there with your electronics until you start seeing something. If those deeper flats are harder bottomed, what Dave Genz calls a “sticky bottom” there can be a lot of fish out there eating bugs.

SR

I would try some of those deep holes, probably starting with the one in the middle of the lake off the point and little hump, if that’s a no go, try the north end of the lake in the deep hole. Haha, I hate playing this game sometimes, good luck.

Tonka wrote:

I would try some of those deep holes, probably starting with the one in the middle of the lake off the point and little hump, if that’s a no go, try the north end of the lake in the deep hole. Haha, I hate playing this game sometimes, good luck.

So you think the sunfish might be deeper? Because of the water clarity? I just find it crazy that they might be in 30 feet of water with all the weed growth but I am not finding them shallow either!

Go shallow, as in 2-5 feet. The best panfish bites I’ve ever been on made a flasher useless because there was such shallow water. Sunfish especially…

Their in 30 ft at nugget with all the weeds shallow on that lake……you’ve been away too long.????. That 30 ft break where it its shallow water on the south end really quick looks interesting too. Good luck looks like you have a lot of holes to punch to find them.

If shallow doesn’t work, I would look at any one of those fingers that jut out into deeper water. Start shallow and work your way out and around them.

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have fished a lot of lakes in that area in the past not that lake though. I would drill a hole right outside the weeds shallow drop a waxworm and jig. If no luck move out to a big hole and see whats deep or suspended. Do you have sonar? would really recommend talking to the guys at little jims regarding where to ice fish the lake.

buckybadger wrote:

Go shallow, as in 2-5 feet. The best panfish bites I’ve ever been on made a flasher useless because there was such shallow water. Sunfish especially…

I agree with the deep theory, but this one has merit. None of my lakes are clear enough, but years ago I finally decoded a small, clear pond by drilling in 3′ of water in the weedy end and sightfishing. Was a blast, except I kept getting too close to the hole and dipping my hat brim into it.

-Rev

I ran into this on a small lake near me too. 3 hours and 65 plus holes and never seen any sign of a fish on the sonar. It shouldn’t be that tough but it was. I have never ran into a lake where i couldn’t at least mark fish…but i did now. Maybe i should have just kept drilling for another hour?

Have you tried staying till dark? They might only be actively feeding in low light periods with water that clear. They are most likely tucked into the greenest weeds during the day. Some could be out deep as well. Not all fish of the same species behave the same in each lake.

Deep basin at night.

right in front of the launch looks like emergent vegetation, i would start poping holes there trying to locate the vegetation and work my way out to deeper water to find the weed edge. If that doesn’t work i would i find the most defined point/feature on the lake and start on top and move out off the end and sides of it into deeper water checking with your flasher.

This lake is near and dear to me, it’s where I learned to fish.its not a good winter lake. I’m not trying discourage anybody but I can’t recall anyone doing much in the winter. Since 1970.The areas circled in red are good starting pts. I would think of them as funnels or channel from deep to shallow. I would like to buy
The stucco cabin on the west side. My grandfather build it in 1970 using recycled materials from houses torn down
From interstate 94 in St. Paul. Cost 1500.00 dollars.

Using a camera when scouting shallow can be a great asset, ‘gills may be in the weeds and hard to see on a Vex. Also you are just not seeing much H2o shooting down-the camera looks off to the side.
Pro anglers can have this same problem, some lakes are puzzling.
Good luck