2012 Guided Fishing Trip Openings
with Steve Welch
Catch some big fish in February! They are bunched up deep and fattened up for winter. Contact us for availability.
Guided Fishing Trip Openings
on Second Boat (without Steve Welch)
Contact for current availability.
Book Your Trip Now!
Online in Steve's Online Store
E-mail fish@lakeshelbyvilleguide.com
Phone (217) 762-7257
Cell: (217) 840-1221 |
The fishing is red hot right now for crappie. We have been getting our three man limit each and every day. The water temps are perfect and the fish are bunched up and feeding heavily. We are working on main lake brush in the 12-16 feet range and even deeper on the south end. Just bury a Deep Ledge Jig 1/4oz. in the brush or out on the end of a down tree and hold it very still. They will hit it so hard it about takes your shoulder off. Then simply reel him in and repeat. That simple but not really. I have 1282 way points to run to and from and can hold a boat motionless in any wind so we can all fish vertically right down in the thick stuff. Those are the two tricks of the trade. Covering water and hovering.
This pattern we are on right now will be the same pattern right on through December and early January or until ice up if we have any. As they start dropping the lake you will see me leave the north end with it's mid depth and shallow brush and seek out deeper stuff they will live on throughout the winter. River channel banks that drop off from shore very quickly with good, deep structure. Crappie fishing really is a cold weather sport and they stay active right on through the winter. If you have good clothes to stay warm in we bring a heater for your hands and we can fish in just about any winter weather. Nothing beats a meal of tasty fresh crappie out of clear cold water.
Depending on water color as to what color jig and tube I use. If in clear water lighter colors, shad colors or pearl white. If in stained to dirty water a lot of chartreuse with dark colored tubes like brown or black and chartreuse. The fall rate in winter isn't important so I always use a 1/4oz. Deep Ledge Jig. The big profile helps the fish find it and it fishes nearly weedless with it's heavy weight and light wire hook. We also use Fireline Crystal 8/3 braided line to aid in strength so you can free your jig from cover.
After painstakingly working every night painting and pouring jigs we now have them in D&M and Chip's Marine formerly Marve & Kathy's. Located on Rt. 32 in Sullivan and south of Sullivan. We also have them in a new store called the Atwood Armory located just north of Atwood on the Ivesdale Slab. We welcome our newest customer and hopefully others will follow. We now have quite a selection on the website with the Candystipers taking off as the go-to lure for white bass and walleye on the lake and the Deep Ledge Jigs gaining popularity as well. We also offer gift certificates for 2012 guided trips.
I am still out guiding most every day so don't hesitate to book a trip. You can get in pretty quick and actually watch the weather and get a trip on a nice day. Hope I will see you at the fishing shows this winter!
Fishing Calendar
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Crappie |
Walleye |
White
Bass |
Muskie |
January |
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February |
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March |
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April |
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May |
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June |
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July |
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August |
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September |
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October |
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November |
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December |
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Fishing Guide, Steve Welch - owner/operator