"Bedding bluegill are available in June, July and the beginning of August. Then, it's necessary to move back to the creek mouths. Fish early or late and stay in the shade."

During September and early October, Booth pointed out that the fish move deeper into the river, and anglers find that the fish have returned to the outside edges of eddies in water 5 to 6 feet deep.

As the water begins to cool sometime in October, fishing picks up again in the creeks. "Go back in the creeks about 40 to 50 feet," Booth emphasized. "Don't go far, because the fish are skittish. You find fish feeding on the edges where insects are falling into the water. As fall progresses, leaves begin to accumulate on the surface. Any debris on the edges provides a feeling of security to the fish, and they bite as soon as your bait enters the water.

"Depending on the weather and the amount of debris, fishing in the creeks may continue until January."

Both Dave Armstrong and Roger Booth noted that shellcrackers become active as the weather cools. According to Booth, three patterns produce in winter; the first requires early scouting.

"When the water is low in summer," Booth advised, "look for clamshells on the bank; it will look like a shell driveway. Remember those spots and return to them in winter. With a higher water level, start searching for shellcracker 30 to 45 feet off the bank."

Booth's second pattern produces shellcrackers from December to March. "If you can find lily pads with shells attached to the stems," he said, "rake the pads with your paddle to shake the shells off the pads. Either the smell of the bruised vegetation or the broken shells attract shellcracker. Back off about 20 feet, anchor and get ready to catch fish."

Booth's third winter pattern involves targeting the warmwater plume from Alabama Power Company's Barry Steam Plant, which is known locally as "the Hot Ditch." Those water releases raise the Mobile River's surface temperature by an average of 17 degrees immediately downstream. Bream feed all winter here.

"Fish the mouth of the Hot Ditch," Booth said, "and you can catch a variety of species in December, January and February."

Regardless of the season, Booth said, bream become active feeders when the tide is moving. Like other fish in the Delta, bream swim in an environment where they are triggered to feed by moving water. To take advantage of this feeding response, plan to fish the first two hours of an incoming or outgoing tide.