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Thread: Longlining / shootin docks / pulling cranks.....which .....when ........why?

  1. #1
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    Default Longlining / shootin docks / pulling cranks.....which .....when ........why?


    Is there a breakdown as to what times of the year you should be doing which method?

    Over the last few years I have trying to find some crappie skills, mostly in the spring and fall. My modes of attack have been as follows........

    March thru May = Longline with jigs and minnows/cork in the warmer water +58 degrees ...........pretty good luck

    June ~ Oct. = Struggle to catch anything

    Oct. thru Nov = Shooting dock with jigs and have pretty good luck

    No experience on pullin cranks, is that the same method as longlining but with different lure? Can I use the same rod and reels and troll at the same speed?

    Are the different methods chosen by the temps/time of the year or a combination ?

    Thanks in advance.

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    hey, as you have found out, obviously catching crappie is easiest during the springtime spawn. they will bite just about anything that you throw at them.

    when the water starts to warm up the bite slows down and then you have to really like crappie fishing to catch very many...atleast that has been my experience.

    i see more and more people pulling cranks. you can use the same rods for pulling cranks that you do use to pull jigs. however, you'll probably want to use a stiffer rod for pulling cranks if you do it very much as a crankbait will cause a lighter rod to bend a great deal more. the bandit series crank is a good one. also i like the strike king slab master. it just depends on how deep the crappie are suspended. i've had luck with this method trolling with two B'n'M Sam Heaton 9 ft poles from a 10 ft boat equipped only with a trolling motor. it sure helps to have a nice boat outfitted just for crappie fishing but right now i don't have that luxury. you just have to use what you have and then trial and error until you have some success.

    i also have had luck in the past 2 weeks fishing deep sections of some local creeks from a canoe. no electronics, no motor. just the sam heaton rods, some jigs, and southern pro baby shad baits under a slip float. when i find a section of the creek that looks promising, drop a small anchor and use vertical jigging and cast and retrieve around structure...and was surprised at the results.

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    for my this time of the year, most of the fish pull out into open water, so pulling cranks does the best for me,
    using deep diving baits and varying the distance behind the boat, and also the speed that your pulling them,
    just keep trying diffrent depths & speeds till you hit on one, then set them all alike, time on the water is the biggest thing.
    It's still hard not to sink a minnow in a tree top
    Good luck
    Darrell Keil
    Wheeler Lake
    Shoalscrappie.com

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    As the old saying goes different strokes for different folks. Allot really depends on the water your fishing and what your going after ie. if your fishing for a fry up you may want 1 technique while tourney fishing or for pleasure another might be your best course of action. Look at the Professionals, some work 1 technique all year round ie. Capps & Coleman slowtrolling or Huckabee verticle jigging. While other prefer to do a multiple of techniques. And just cause 1 technique works on 1 lake doesn't mean its gonna work on another 20 miles away. Good Luck
    I aint here to tell you anything. You want to know what Im doing....pm me and meet me on the lake.

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    some good info on pulling cranks in the MS board "pulling cranks 101", somewhat stiffer rods, line counter reels and 10# line are the norm. I have about $70/rod & reel (Ulgy stick 7' and Okuma 15da reel). Most guys use the BnM trolling rods in 8,10 &12', but I don't like the really long rods, just too long imo. I usually fish solo, so I can put a 7'er out each side on a driftmaster Tbar rodholder mounted up on the bow, works for me, as having 4-8 rods out seems like too much work to me as well. I use this rod holder when I longline as well with just 6.5'er's, the shorter rods just make it easier on me imo.
    GO BIG ORANGE !

    I meant to behave, but there were just way too many other options available at the time.

  6. #6
    CrappiePappy's Avatar
    CrappiePappy is offline Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Wink Depends on who you ask/believe ....

    Quote Originally Posted by kellerqx View Post
    Is there a breakdown as to what times of the year you should be doing which method?
    Over the last few years I have trying to find some crappie skills, mostly in the spring and fall. My modes of attack have been as follows........
    March thru May = Longline with jigs and minnows/cork in the warmer water +58 degrees ...........pretty good luck
    June ~ Oct. = Struggle to catch anything
    Oct. thru Nov = Shooting dock with jigs and have pretty good luck
    No experience on pullin cranks, is that the same method as longlining but with different lure? Can I use the same rod and reels and troll at the same speed?
    Are the different methods chosen by the temps/time of the year or a combination ?
    Thanks in advance.
    But seriously ... it's more a water temp thing, since that's what drives the fish to go where they go & do what they do. Thumbs Up

    For me :
    Prespawn is usually a good time to longline, since they can be scattered along the path they're taking towards their spawning grounds. Dock shooting can be productive during this timeframe, too.

    Spawn period is a casting, jigging, or minner/float time ... depending on the depth & cover they're using. Dock shooting works, too, if there's good cover under/around it.

    Post spawn, into early Summer, you can use longlining, casting, jigging, minner/float methods, or about any other method you like ... depending on the weather/water conditions.

    Summer, into early Fall, trolling cranks seems to be a good choice .... but, also a good time to spider-rig/slow troll, longline, casting (early), and tightline fishing at night. Dock shooting can be productive, during the heat of the day, as the shaded waters are cooler.

    Fall into Winter, casting to deep cover, dock shooting (deep water docks), tightlining minners over deep wood, and spider-rigging channels should work.

    These methods work for me, or people I know that fish the same waters as I do. It's also a matter of what kind of lake you fish, where it's located, prevailing weather & water conditions, and time of year ... & how that relates to the habits & movements of the fish in that lake. I don't think I've fished "normal" conditions, at any lake, in any state I've gone to, for several years Rofl ... and my recent "catching" rate reflects that. Doh But, I never claimed to be good at it, just like doing it :p

    ... cp

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    gabowman is offline Super Moderator * Crappie.com Supporter
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    You just gotta stay versatile and try different methods to see whats gonna work. Last summer I caught limits all year long pulling jigs (longlining) and this year I gotta slow it down and use minners (spider rigging) since the longlining bite has slowed to almost nothing. I havent gotten into pulling cranks and I havent single pole fished in years. Dont expect only one method to work like its "supposed to". Try 'em all until youre back to catching fish again.
    Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

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    Im with bowman versatility is key any day be ready to do anything.
    I aint here to tell you anything. You want to know what Im doing....pm me and meet me on the lake.

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