Fishing trip advice needed...

[nralover]

I will be going with my father on our first crappie fishing trip the second week of September, and I need some advice on baits. The lake we are going to is an oxbow lake, about 2400 acres and is mostly quite shallow (less than 10 feet). I will take some minnows, but I want to take some artificials as well to give us the greatest chance to make this a special time. What would you guys take to give yourself the best odds?

[sac-a-lait]

the best odds? well dynamite or electric current I heard tell give you REAL GOOD odds of "catchin fish" (as Jerry Clower used to say)...That would make it REAL special wouldn't it?? You Dad would remember that one forever!!! LOL.

Take some type of glow jigs and use as many poles as the lake allows. That time of year you can find a channel, follow it and just troll. I would put at least 2 jigs on each pole too!!!

You coming to Sippi' to fish?

[pstone]

LOL, besides Dynomite, or electric curent, finding a GOOD guide in that area will be your best bet. You will catch more fish, and have fun doing it. That's my suggestion....

[smoothlures]

Yeah, if you want your first trip to be memorable, I'd try to find a guide. If you have the time to put into figuring them out and doing your research before you go with your dad then you may be able to pattern them and get on them. If you can't, then a guide will do that for you. Good luck whatever you do.

[crappielimits]

I would longline troll as many rods with double rigs as possible. Try points and ledges off river or creek channels. I like k-baits from southern pro. Also vary jig head sizes and speed to control depth.

[Ken Kinser]

first i would put the name of the lake where you are going to get advice on that lake,there is a lot of crappie fisherman on here that are good and give advice.2nd take hair jigs tube jigs and twister tails common colors blk/chart,red/white anything with chart in it hope this helps

[gilby1955]

take some crappie nibbles also, the silver ones or chart ones are best

[nralover]

This is Horseshoe lake in Illinois. From the pics it looks to be filled with cypress trees, looks like the deep south to me...

[skiptomylu]

If there are guides there I would recommend getting one also. They can make a huge difference especially when it a lake your not failure with. Ask him what you should use since you would be going with him.

If you are not going to get a guide, get some jigs and long line troll with small jigs. Set your troll motor on about 30% +- and keep around grass and depth changes. You should find some fish with any luck at all.

Colors...
My Christmas jig has served me well for a long time-FL Red/Green/Yellow Chartreuse which is called FL. Yellow most of the time.

The other chartreuse is also good. Mix both colors of chartreuse with red, black, blue. Clear water Silver/Blue/White is a great color.

Tube jigs work well too and the old standby Roadrunners and they have my Christmas jig colors in the Original marabou.

Can't hurt to carry some minnows too!

If I can help with any jigs or other help let me know. My web site has a lot of pictures you can use as a place to see lots of color combinations to use for ideas. There is also some info on trolling you can read.

Skip

[crappiepappy]

and I was going to an Oxbow type of water, with cypress trees, I'd probably use two different setups :

Long poles w/minnow & float .... to fish around cypress knees and the tree itself, from a distance.
Short poles w/weedless jigheads and tubes/grubs/Panfish Assassins ... to cast to individual trees, from a distance.

Now, here's the disclaimer :D .... I've never fished an oxbow lake, nor have I fished around cypress trees. This is just what I would do, with the equipment I already have, given the opportunity to fish this type of water. Due to it's average depth, I'd be most likely to be using 1/32oz size jigheads, Roadrunners, BeetleSpins, or Roostertails (for casting).
And, while I doubt there are any "guides" for this (state park?) lake ... you can certainly take note of how/where the more successful anglers are catching their fish.
And remember, how many or how big isn't always a measure of how successful/memorable a trip is .... take in the whole trip experience, and enjoy the time spent with your father.

.... luck2ya'll .... cp