Thread: Rend Lake Fishing

I have been to Rend Lake the last couple years in mid May to catch Cpappie. Have not had much luck. Is this to late?? Have been fishing mostly along the rip-rap along interstate 154 also tryed Marcum Branch with little success. Any help would be appreciated?? Should I go a little earlier maybe in late March or early April??

Right time, wrong area maybe. Try shallow buck brush, lay downs & foundations if water is warm. Apr to June is best time and worst weather. Bad temp swings last spring, March was record heat... Apr record cold. Hard to find bites anywhere.

Wait till the water temp gets between 65 and 70 degrees in the spring between April, May and some of June during the spawn. If the water levels are up then hit the buck brush in two to three feet of water. There is tons of brush all around the lake in coves and certain areas like Jackie Branch or Gun creek or any other area that you want to try. You can either jig fish or use minnows with a slip bobber, either way fishing right in the middle of the buck brush in the right conditions is some of the best crappie fishing in Rend Lake. If you hit it just right you will be hooked and will come back for more. It is tuff fishn sometimes because you hang up some and will loose jigs or minnow rigs but it is worth it in the long run. I have caught my limit several times fishn this way.

CX.

Crappie X is right. The overwhelming pattern at this time is buck brush. It is very productive at the end of the day but not intended for those who arent blessed with patients. Youll hang up ALOT...and its easy to get frustrated with it and go to another pattern. Also, it seems that the fish are literally IN the bushes, not on the edges that are easier to fish...thus the hang ups. Its work. I do however beleive it is the #1 way to get them at that time of year.

The buck brush has my vote!! If I remember right Crappie X, you and I had a day last year where we each had our ten fish over ten all of them ranging from just under a 1lb. to 1lb.5oz. A day to not be forgotten. That day got me hooked on the spring brush bite. Matter of fact I went to crappie pro shop last week and bought minnow hooks, weights, minnow bucket and bubbler. Can't wait!!:D

Hey ESF, if I remember correct, we both kept trying to catch our fish under 10 but could not catch any smaller fish and had to throw several fish back that were well over ten because we had our limit of fish over ten. We can thank a few ignorant people for the size limit on Rend. Limits are fine but the size limit is rediculus and needs to be changed.
So I say we all get together and try to get it changed to a straight limit of 20or 25 and do away with the stupid size limit.

CX.

I agree with you CX. Egypt does'nt have a size limit and look at the crappie that come out of that lake.

crappie X, I remember about 15 years ago there was a set limit of 25 fish any size you wanted to keep.Am i correct on this,I was only 15 at the time and fished with my dad there all the time.It seemed back then that you would have a couple good years in a row of easy catches and then a few not so good years were it would be tuff to get your limit.I kinda have faith in present set limit at rend because things seem consistant now days. But i do agree it would be nice to have 25 pigs in the livewell.:D :D

There use to be no limit at all on Rend several years ago. Not sure when the limits came into place but I do know it has been a while. I remember going to the lake and catching 5 gallon buckets full of crappie off the Bonnie dam when I was younger. Then they put in place the limit of 25 with only 5 of those being over ten inches. A few years later they changed it to ten fish over ten and the rest had to be under ten. That is the current limit in place now. I'm not opposed to the limit of 20 or 25 I just hate the stupid size limit. You have to keep track of what fish you have instead of just catching your limit and going home. It is a lot easier to catch a limit and count them then to have to bump fish to be sure you are not over any size limit.
My thoughts on this matter. Any input would be nice. I already know how all the guys I fish with feel about this issue so lets hear any input on it and how we can get it changed.

CX.

Hey X, I no my niebghor told me when he used to fish up there that they did'nt have a limit. I agree with you that keeping thack is awful. I would rather catch 25 and go home rather than trying to finish my limit out on 10's or under. We do need to get it changed and also get a dock put in at gun creek.