They also avoid clear shallow water, where they're vulnerable to predators during daylight. Try different depths, placing your bait in several locations, and moving along the shore. Slow going during the day can turn into fast action in the evening. Make your stand then where you caught at least one fish during the day, because it's not unusual for the whole gang to show up after dark. The nice thing about bullheads is that they'll follow the smell of your bait and come to you when they're active.
Patience is a virtue at dusk.
Early in the season, ice recedes gradually from shallow water toward the centre of a backwater. The melt pattern is a clear indication of how water warms around shore and extends out. Great bullhead catches can be taken in open shoreline water, even while the remainder of a bay is covered in ice. The mouths of slow-moving creeks are favourites with bullhead anglers because the warmer inflows attract forage that brings in the little catfish. Anchored in the mouth of a creek or channel, with the lantern glowing, is a great way to celebrate spring on a river.