• Whole Lotta Mapping by Brad Wiegmann

    Crazy as it sounds you need to forget about rods, reels, fishing line and lures when crappie fishing. Sounds insane right, but it’s not because any crappie fishing angler fishing offshore or even just away from the bank needs to know the depth and what’s beside or below them. By utilizing marine electronics, crappie anglers can actually see and locate productive areas to fish.



    So many different mapping charts are available. Some units even come with basic mapping, but lack detail contours. However, there are maps with detailed cartography with high definition mapping available.



    Navionics (www.navionics.com) is one of the companies with a whole lotta mapping going on with three different levels of charts available: Navionics+, Platinum+ and HotMaps Platinum. Each mapping chart is loaded with features. Advanced charting allows anglers to see, locate and navigate on the water. In compatible marine electronics models from Lowrance and Raymarine SonarChart Live displays 1 foot HD bathymetry mapping in real time while navigating.


    A bathymetric chart shows the present, visual presentation and measurable description of the reservoir or river submerged terrain. These maps illustrate the land under the surface.


    Contour lines on maps indicate elevation below the surface. Lines will be close together on steep ground and farther apart when on flat ground. Contour lines will also follow the shape of the terrain.



    Professional fishing guide Brad Whitehead (Phone: 256-483-0834) uses two units when guiding clients. “My Lowrance unit I use for mapping while I use my Humminbird for sonar. When pulling sideways, my clients love to see fish on the sonar unit, but I’m really using the mapping and sonar to find the crappie before they catch them.”


    During postspawn, Whitehead starts looking where crappie should be by looking at his map chart on his Lowrance unit. “Crappie will be migrating to brushpiles, the farthest area on long points and high spots where they will stay during the summer months. I will keep my boat on the tip of the break line at whatever depth that is, but it’s normally pretty deep from 20- to 25-feet.”


    Whitehead also noted the one reason he likes his Lowrance unit is because of its mapping chart. “When crappie fishing on the 5 Bear Creek Lakes I have contour lines with the Lowrance unit, but my Humminbird unit doesn’t,” said Whitehead. One option now available for mapping on uncharted bodies of water is to purchase graphs that offer live charting.


    When crappie fishing in the summertime on Lake Pickwick, Whitehead loads up his War Eagle 754VS boat with 12-foot Sam Heaton B’n’M Poles (www.bnmpoles.com). Each rod is rigged up with 6- or 8-pound Vicious low-vis line because of the gin clear water clarity.


    For lures, Whitehead uses two different rigs. “I will rig some rods with a 1/16-ounce jig head and 1 1/2-inch Charlie Brewer Slider (www.sliderfishing.com) or a 1/16-ounce lead jig head with a Slab Magnet from LeLand Lures. I add a size 4- or 5-split shot. This allows the lure to hang vertically keeping them in the strike zone,” said Whitehead. If the crappie are reluctant to strike the lures, Whitehead will add a Crappie Nibble to the lure to entice a strike.

    Comments 5 Comments
    1. hdhntr's Avatar
      hdhntr -
      looking forward to figuring out best unit for my new boat.
    1. scrat's Avatar
      scrat -
      Wow! Lots of good electronic,sonar, mapping, and how to fishing information.
    1. Ketchn's Avatar
      Ketchn -
      mighty nice read and very informative
    1. Anchor Man's Avatar
      Anchor Man -
      Great report and pics, good to see the young man catching some.
    1. Jiggah's Avatar
      Jiggah -
      For those of you who fish from boat or shore without electronics, you can actually visit fishidy dot com and over on the right side click on the layers and select Navionics mapping and you can see depth, structures, creek beds ... and more!
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