Need Help Crappie Fishing

[Mr.Sheephead]

So I decided to go crappie fishing for the first time in a few years at Coon Lake MN were I use to always go to as a kid. The lake still looks the same over at the DNR access. I was fishing at the rocks and didn't even get nibbles so I went over to the back side of the DNR access to were the lake goes into Thielen Park around the houses and I was fishing around Thielen Park and had bites every now and then. The only problem was that the fish were too small to hook I just end up pulling the hook out of there mouth since they nibble at my small crappie jig's tails. I did however catch something of decent size but lost it. What i want to know is if there are still good size crappie there and were to find them. Also I enjoyed Thielen park alot and wonder if there are any largemouth bass in the back waters of Coon Lake in Thielen Park also at the rocks and docks at the DNR access.

[TommyBass]

Well I know nothing about the area your fishing.  But it sounds like you had a case of the "baby bluegills".  Generally if I get those little guys bothering my bait I change areas... I usually don't get many crappie when they are around.  Try something closer to deeper water maybe.  Good Luck!

[JigMe]

Crappie should be in deeper water now, and you probably not able to find any unless you have a boat. I am not sure about your lake, but if you are fishing from shore I would find the deepest point thats available to you.

I went out this past weekend as well for crappies, but end up with bunch of small pikes...

[D4u2s0t]

I've pulled the biggest crappies so far this year in 10-20 ft of water.  I've had very good luck trolling around the deeper areas, and with nitecrawlers.  Crankbaits are great too.  Crappie have big mouths, and will eat bigger baits.  A slightly bigger bait will avoid those baby gills, and a slightly smaller bait will let you catch the gills.  Panfish are not my ideal species, but I'll take them all day when nothing else is biting!

[Mac1]

This year has been strange. I have caught all of my crappies less than 5' from shore. And all on a hot pink trout magnet 1' to 2' under the bobber. Also, all were caught while the magnet was in motion either from the wind or reeling in. 15 to 20 per trip. Lot's of fun.

[Jay S]

We've been catching them close to shore with trout magnets in a few colors.

[bear7625]

Crappies suspend! That is what an avid crappie fisherman told me was one of the most important thing to remember. When I asked him why, he said crappie don't see things below them. He said if you have a locator and you see fish suspended at 15', all your presentations should be above that. He also said if you don't have a locator you can use a small spinnerbait to locate them and then a slipbobber to find the depth. Something to think about.