NittyGrittyBoy Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 So, if anybody likes catching slab crappie, prespawn and spawn are some great time to catch the largest slabs. Not only do I like to Bass fish, I also flat enjoy crappie. So with that in mind, anybody want to share secrets, tips, and tricks that they like to use for crappie?! ? Quote
Tracker22 Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 During the spawn I catch most of my crappie one foot from the waters edge. 1 Quote
DanielG Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 No tricks or tips, just what I see where I fish, and I'm simply unsure why it is.... In my morning trolling loop around my lake there is one area that always has crappie. It is in a deep water section (40 ft) but they are always within 10 ft of the surface. No structure and no cover. They'll bite on almost anything, but in the spring the thing that gets them for me is some simple 4" berkley swimbaits. Usually the whiter the better. The $2.98 ones from Walmart. Five in a package. I often snag three or four fish in a few hundred feet. Shad crankbaits do it later in the season. Halfway through the summer they eventually grow as big as a dinner plate. I love the fact that they bite so easily. The thing I've always been puzzled by is that after the initial hit, and they rise to the surface, it's like pulling in a dinner plate. Heavy but they don't move much till I get them on the boat. They sort of ride on their side as if saying 'okay, you got me'. I've never caught one anyplace else on the lake I live on. Bass, pickerel, an occasional trout but crappie in a 3 mile loop area are in that one few hundred foot spot. That's my crappie story. I catch 3-4 on the average my first 15 minutes out fishing almost every time. But, it's a nice way to start. 1 Quote
Super User gim Posted February 28, 2020 Super User Posted February 28, 2020 Here in MN, we can't legally target a bass until the "opener" which this season is May 9 on inland waters. However, our panfish (which includes crappie) season is continuous so depending on when the ice is out I get the itch to just get the boat out a couple times prior to opener and target crappies. Luckily it coincides as to when they are generally moving shallower as the water is starting to warm up. I look for areas 4-10 feet deep with any kind of weed growth that has already started and either use a small minnow under a float or a small plastic. I don't normally keep them but I will keep a few bigger ones on rare occasion for a fish fry. Last spring I caught three of them that were between 12-13 inches, which I think is pretty good size for where I am fishing. I've been trying to catch a true trophy the last couple seasons now, which would be 15+ inches but I haven't found one yet. I see people with them at a crappie contest every spring - up to 17 inches in length. So I know they are in there and I intend to try again this spring. 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted February 28, 2020 Super User Posted February 28, 2020 7 minutes ago, gimruis said: Here in MN, we can't legally target a bass until the "opener" which this season is May 9 on inland waters. However, our panfish (which includes crappie) season is continuous so depending on when the ice is out I get the itch to just get the boat out a couple times prior to opener and target crappies. Once open water hits and until bass opener, I'll be targeting crappies here as well. More to test the new mods to the canoe, but catching any fish is better than not getting out at all. 2 Quote
Super User jimmyjoe Posted February 28, 2020 Super User Posted February 28, 2020 I have a situation like @DanielG. One cove, one little hole about 75x150 yards. In the flooded brush I use a slip bobber with marabou jig, and in the clear water I use very small spoons. Half cornmeal and half flour, and don't over-fry them. Mmmmmmm .......... yum! ? jj 1 Quote
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted February 28, 2020 Global Moderator Posted February 28, 2020 Two words: Bobby garland 4 Quote
DanielG Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 10 hours ago, jimmyjoe said: I have a situation like @DanielG. One cove, one little hole about 75x150 yards. In the flooded brush I use a slip bobber with marabou jig, and in the clear water I use very small spoons. Half cornmeal and half flour, and don't over-fry them. Mmmmmmm .......... yum! ? jj Well... except that my lake is 4 1/2 miles long and up to 90 ft deep. with no brush. Quote
Super User jimmyjoe Posted February 28, 2020 Super User Posted February 28, 2020 20 minutes ago, DanielG said: Well... except that my lake is 4 1/2 miles long and up to 90 ft deep. with no brush. Wow! I'm jealous! ? This lake is 260 acres. Why the crappie are only in this one little cove, I don't know. I have my suspicions, though. I think there's an underwater seep or spring there. I've seen that before. If you look uphill from this cove, you can find muddy places and soft ground. That usually indicates a seep. Crappie would love that. jj Quote
DanielG Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 1 hour ago, jimmyjoe said: Wow! I'm jealous! ? This lake is 260 acres. Why the crappie are only in this one little cove, I don't know. I have my suspicions, though. I think there's an underwater seep or spring there. I've seen that before. If you look uphill from this cove, you can find muddy places and soft ground. That usually indicates a seep. Crappie would love that. jj My crappie are only available on the first part of my regular loop. From the dot, which is where I live, going south about an inch. where that little curve is. It's the only place I've ever caught crappie. Interesting thing too; as a kid crappie didn't exist in this lake. In fact I had never seen one till about five yrs ago. BTW, the weird trolling loop is this shape out of doing it for a long time. It's where the bottom rises and falls and seems to harbor fish waiting to pounce as forage comes over the underwater hills. The lake as a strong top to bottom current. 1 Quote
Dorado Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said: Two words: Bobby garland You beat me to it Fish an 1/8 oz Beetlespin with gold blade and black/chartreuse body during the spawn. Zoom it by submerged trees and bushes. Parallel to sandy or muddy banks. I hear they hit em’ hard like a bass would! I even hear that you can also catch bass too with that season-specific technique! ? Quote
NittyGrittyBoy Posted February 29, 2020 Author Posted February 29, 2020 Went today and caught over a dozen, biggest went 13" The wind was so stinking bad we trolled minnows around the dam. Love the crappies Bobby Garland is the secret. I like Limit Tackle on facebook, great baits 1 Quote
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