Author Topic: Are gills skinnier in the winter?  (Read 2308 times)

Offline Neil McCauley

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Are gills skinnier in the winter?
« on: Feb 17, 2015, 12:46 AM »
I'm not used to ice fishing for gills but went recently and is it just me or are they a lot thinner this time of year? I am used to getting full thick fillets off them in the early/mid summer months, no such luck on my last bunch.

Offline Swift

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Re: Are gills skinnier in the winter?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 17, 2015, 09:08 AM »
Maybe a little on my waters. Think it has much to do with cold water condensing the meat, not eating as often as they don't need the energy levels and breeding is a ways off and aren't pigging out for it. Seem to weigh nearly the same, the fillets seem denser

Online Spider1

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Re: Are gills skinnier in the winter?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 17, 2015, 09:13 AM »
it's gonna depend on the depth and temperature of the water, snow cover and that sort of stuff. It's not really the fish or time of year but whether there's enough food for them. In more shallow, cold waters or water darkend by snow cover there might not be as much food for them to keep fat. In the summer there is an abundance of food. Most of the lakes I fish have plenty of food and the gills can be fat and happy... that is until they hit the ice ;)

Offline Gills-only

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Re: Are gills skinnier in the winter?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 23, 2015, 11:38 AM »
Some lakes I have fished , have noticed "skinny" fish, must be in the food chain or something, most of the lakes I fish they seem pretty plump!!

 



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