Fri, May 5th, 2023 - 5:01pm
January 18, 2021 - 10:21am | By James McCarty
The Flag Outdoors Expert Steve Carney has your weekly Outdoors Angle right here!
Mid to late January is when we start seeing the crappies and bluegills transition into deep water basins on most lakes here in the northwest. The shallow water bite has subsided and now we turn our efforts to the deepest water on any given lake looking for active schools of panfish.
This deep water phenomenon coincides with the new hatches of insects and larvae that are now coming from these deep, muddy basins. These are easily detected by the little green lines that rise from the bottom and proceed to the surface. These are the actual critters hatching from the bottom. These little green lines rise together in unison and move exactly the same speed so you know it's not fish but rather the hatch. These hatches usually begin around sunset but it's not uncommon to find them during daylight hours. Why they start hatching when the sun goes down is unknown to this angler but I have seen this pattern for decades. I assume it has something to do with sunlight penetration and light intensity.
When you are on your chosen lake, head to the deepest water and use your electronics to scan these deep water basins and look for fish and hatches first before dropping a line. Sometimes you have to drill a dozen holes to find the motherload. Keep moving and investigating. When you hit the jackpot, it's an amazing feeling.....success!
Steve Carney is The Flag WZFG Outdoors expert. He can be heard every Thursday morning at 8:05 on AM 1100 WZFG. Check out his weekly podcast on am1100theflag.com and hear his Outdoors Angle reports every Friday on AM 1100 WZFG. You can also visit stevecarneyoutdoors.com for more information.
