Locating larger fish

[jolle]

We have been crappie fishing for years and pretty much know the game and how to fish on the lakes that we fish.

However, I have found it odd that we have never caught any really big crappie, despite boating thousands of fish. The largest any of us has caught was probably a bit larger than 13". Now, I know there are larger fish in the lakes we fish, as they are caught all the time.

My question is this. Do the large fish actually form their own schools and stay separate from the smaller fish? Lately especially, we have been getting into a bunch of fish, but you have to throw back 3 for every keeper you catch, and those keeper fish are usually around 10-11". We have moved around and tried different tactics such as larger bait and such, but have had little luck finding bigger fish.

Is there a secret? Do big fish separate, or are they mixed in with the little ones and just are very outnumbered?

[big "E"]

The larger fish deffinately form their own schools.Crappie school by year class.Ive found that when I catch smaller fish I can adjust my depth and find the bigger ones.It seems that the bigger ones are above the small ones more often than not on lake wylie here in south carolina.This info. is taken strictly from night fishing as I dont know much about the daytime.We tightline over the side with floating lights and I guess maybe the bigger ones take first seat at the dinner table.(closer to the light.)

[jolle]

Schooling by year class seems to make sense, and definitely would explain why you can get into a whole mess of little ones. We generally fish during the daytime, and at this time of year we try to find the schools and then fish vertically with both minnows and jigs and try to find a preference. We're going out tomorrow and will hopefully pick up on some larger fish, although the little ones keep things going when its slow. Thanks for the info.

[Moose1am]

This is the best kept secret out there. I also can't seem to find the big crappie. When I fished Patoka Lake the last two years all I caught were 8" long crappie. It seemed like that was the only size in the lake. In two years I only caught one nice crappie of any size. I caught that one while I was eating my sandwitch and had laid my fly rod down. Maybe that it my problem. I need to be more patient. My personal feeling is that the larger and older crappie are smarter than I am. LOL.

I have been fishing some small stip pits that are very close to home. I can catch 15 crappie each time out but they are all small. Now there are some large crappie in these pits as they have been caught.

I would think that these crappie run in schools of similar size and age.

I have tried fishing deeper areas near the spots where I caught lots of small crappie and that has not worked for me so far.

I think a lot has to do with the lake itself. Some lakes like Kentucy Lake have larger crappie. Each lake has different characterists that promot different growth rates for crappie.

I think that right now Patoka Lake has so many small crappie that they can't get enough food. The gizzard shad are not providing enough food for the crappie as they grow too fast and soon reach a size that the crappie can't eat. I think that the gizzard shad are proving to be to much competion for the crappie. Also few stripers are left in Patoka Lake for some reason and without the stripers to control the gizzard shad they crappie will suffer.

If anyone has a idea on where the big ones hang out please tell us.

We have been crappie fishing for years and pretty much know the game and how to fish on the lakes that we fish.

However, I have found it odd that we have never caught any really big crappie, despite boating thousands of fish. The largest any of us has caught was probably a bit larger than 13". Now, I know there are larger fish in the lakes we fish, as they are caught all the time.

My question is this. Do the large fish actually form their own schools and stay separate from the smaller fish? Lately especially, we have been getting into a bunch of fish, but you have to throw back 3 for every keeper you catch, and those keeper fish are usually around 10-11". We have moved around and tried different tactics such as larger bait and such, but have had little luck finding bigger fish.

Is there a secret? Do big fish separate, or are they mixed in with the little ones and just are very outnumbered?

[jolle]

Haha, I knew I wasn't the only one Well, I have heard other people complaining of the small fish too around here. But just a month or so back the Crappie USA tournament came through the state and fished two of my favorite lakes, and the fish and weights that won the tournament were amazing. And it wasn't just a fish here and there, most of these guys were loading up the boat with BIG fish.

I guess thats why they are making money off of it and I'm not! LOL

[lebruce]

The bigger crappies I've caught been deeper then the smaller ones when they're in schools( daytime fishing ).In the summer I usally find them on their own little piece of structure ( stick,stump,ect.) away from all the little ones on a big piece.I think it's so they don't have to compete for the food.I have my own little slot limit on crappies and release all my big crappies so there will be some to catch down the road.It could be on your lakes in the years past to many big ones were keepted and now they have gotten genetically smaller.Just a thought.

[sidvicious]

my personal opinion, based on observation and experience, is that larger crappie are comparable to larger whitetail buck deer - smarter and more shy. also, they are fewer in number as recruitment studies prove.

consider the math. suppose there are 10 small fish to every large fish. then, factor in the survival instinct of the larger fish. the second factor effectively reduces the number of larger fish by fiction, beyond the actual numbers.

my sense is that the larger fish don't school seperately per se. they are there, IF they are there, same as the small fish. the difference being they are smaller in number as wiser to the hook.

consider this. i fish oxbows. tree structure is everywhere. often, to locate fish, i'll grab my light spinning gear and cast a small jig [no float] as far as i can throw and slowly reel in. when i hit fish, i move to the spot and fish with my pole. the important thing is, rarely, if ever, have i caught a really big fish while casting in this manner. but, when i move on the hole and fish normally, i can get'em if they're there.

if a person knows how to fish and fishes often and still doesn't catch big fish, i'd say that it is more a factor of the population being stunted for a variety of reasons. most likely overpopulation and/or inadequate environmental circumstances.

cheers,

sv-

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

Here are the rules for big fish, believe them or not:

1 Bigger baits
2 isolated cover
3 major creek or river bends
4 the densest, most unreachable shore in Spawn
5 the night bite & low light periods (revised, forgot to mention before)
6 Hickory, Walnut, Cypress, and Cedar stumps
7 a color or bait that is not commonly being used
8 scents, nibbles, and pastes
9 SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Patoka is definitely not suffering from lack of big fish! My 2nd biggest Crappie ever is from that lake, and it was caught just 2 years ago.
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[big "E"]

Do they act differently at night because of the lights?I noticed you had the nitebite as one of your rules.Thats the only way I fish for crappies.I've noticed I dont have any luck during the daytime, even though I change everything about the presentation.I routinely get skunked during the daytime but tear them up at night.

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

Do they act differently at night because of the lights?I noticed you had the nitebite as one of your rules.Thats the only way I fish for crappies.I've noticed I dont have any luck during the daytime, even though I change everything about the presentation.I routinely get skunked during the daytime but tear them up at night.

Without a question. Many more of the largest fish feed at night. During the day, they are usually spending their time by defending, and holding in their prime locations. They defend these spots much like a male does his bed during the Spawn period. They will migrate up and down in their particular locations in order to stay comfortable, but normally don't venture too far until dark. They normally don't like to chase their food either, prefering the ambush instead. That is why I stated SLOWW! too. That seems to be about the only way to get them to bite during the day with a "defensive" bite. Sometimes they will attack with a "reaction" bite when the right erratic crank bait gets too close to their domain as well.

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