Thread: Winter Rigging Help?

Have been fishing three timese at Jordan and still haven't had a bite. This is on the same days when some fisherman are reporting catches on here of 40 plus fish with 10 good keepers. When winter crappie fishing from a boat, do you use corks set at a pre determined depth or just weights to hold the bait down? Do you need to find the fish on a depth finder? Is it necessary to anchor or mark with a float and just work arond that? Open water or around structure? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Michael

Maybe some of those who are catching the fish will chime in and tell you what they are doing that is so special! lol I sure would like to know myself as I cant seem to catch a more than a couple myself lately. You are asking all the right questions though. I will say that many have different tactics though and it probably stems from personal preferances. I have seen boaters use weights on the bottom with hooks above on dropper loops and no bobber or with bobber or a weight above the hook with jig and live bait below or just hook with minnow and not a jig. Other folks just cast a jig and swim it back after counring it down to their depth. At different times the fish will hit them all and that is for the fisherman to determine. I feel for crappie they will take live bait if they will take anything. I have not had much luck with just jigs but others have. I dont boat fish much though. I think that most who find fish on boats have found spots that produce and go back to those spots year after year. Sooooo... you can learn a lot about crappie fishing just by being observant on the lake. Typical crappie behavior this time of year is they will be in deep water on channel ledges and near or easy access to spawning grounds possibly or mouth of creeks and even up the creek(which is where I am most of the time!). You can look for brush on the lake or similar structure. Crappie like it and will hang out there or at bridge piling or other structures like at dams. Once you find some good spots you will most likely be able to go back there again and again and get some slabs. Everyone on Jordan seems to like the 64 bridge and when they are biting they do well there. But I am sure they are in more places than that on Jordan. Good luck and report back with results and LOCATIONS so I can go catch a fish!

The ones I caught Saturday on Jordan were swimming in the 30' to 33' depths, so I anchored in water around 34'. I have a marker that I can throw in the water when I see a good reading on the fish finder. When it is a little slow, I fish five rods with minnows out the back with two hooks on each one. I use a bell weight with the hooks on a loop at about 10' and 20'. If the bite heats up, I obviously have to put a rod or two in the boat. Back in November on the Eno I was down to two rods because the bite was on.

you gotta hold your mouth just right. lol definetly mark fish on your graph and stay on them, KEEP YOUR BAIT AT THE PROPER DEPTH,the transducer on your trolling motor maybe a couple feet into the water so take that into consideration, crappie will come up to take a bait but don't go down, rather be two foot above than 6'' below. keep moving till you find them. every day is a little different. generally at jordan they are relating to some type of an edge, creek channel, or drop off, if it has brush that just sweetens it. don't get discouraged seeing other people catching and you are not, it means your in a good general location you just have to fine tune a little bit. i have pulled up caught our limit and got ready to leave and had guys not 20 yards away talking about they had been there all day and had only a couple, and some days your are the one watching others catch'em. maybe.

Try a jig or bare hook/minnow 18"-24" above a 1/2-3/4 oz sinker. Slowly work an area with the weight touching the bottom as much as possible. I was in the same boat as you until someone showed be this. Don't be afraid to use a sinker large enough to stay on the bottom...someone who can fish circles around me will use a 5oz weight on windy days. I guess the biggest advantage to that much lead is that it doubles as an anchor.

Saturday, I had my best success on minnow over 3/4oz weight in 26-28' Sunday--same depth but with a 1/8th jig above 1/2oz weight.

If you're smart enough to post on crappie.com, it's only a matter of time before you figure 'em out.

Good Luck!

Jeremy

I can diddo what's already been said. No matter what level of fisherman you consider yourself I find you can always learn a trick or two as a variety of tactics or styles work with regard to cathing our fickle finned friends. The website is an absolute gem and a there is tons -o - knowledge to be had and shared. Keep reading, asking and posting what you know already.

PG24

you got some great info here happy face, I'm sure it'll come together for ya, just keep at it, this site has helped put many a fish on the plate for me.

If you want to take your boat up here to falls some day, I'd be happy to help you out.
I got the rods/an all.
if you got a boat with a finder we'll be set. I'll show ya what to look for.
some folks like trolling, some only drift, an most anchor up,
you need to learn all 3.
I might have to blind fold ya around my condo's though lol
have a great day an hope your luck changes.
steve

Originally Posted by crataegus

Try a jig or bare hook/minnow 18"-24" above a 1/2-3/4 oz sinker. Slowly work an area with the weight touching the bottom as much as possible. I was in the same boat as you until someone showed be this. Don't be afraid to use a sinker large enough to stay on the bottom...someone who can fish circles around me will use a 5oz weight on windy days. I guess the biggest advantage to that much lead is that it doubles as an anchor.

Saturday, I had my best success on minnow over 3/4oz weight in 26-28' Sunday--same depth but with a 1/8th jig above 1/2oz weight.

If you're smart enough to post on crappie.com, it's only a matter of time before you figure 'em out.

Good Luck!

Jeremy

happyface,

This same advice has helped me land more fish this winter. I'd definitely recommend you give it a shot.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the good advice. I will try some of these techniques. I now realize some things I was going wrong.

I have 13 rod-holders mounted on my boat and because of this, taking the rods to and from the boat can be a pain. To help things out, when I make my rigs with a bell-weight at the bottoom, I tie a loop for the hooks. I pinch the line and put it through the eye of the hook and then circle back under the hook. When it is time to go home, I can easily remove the hooks so I don't get so many tangles transporting the rods. I did have to buy an extra-powerful set of reading glasses to put the line through all those little eyes in the hooks. If any of you guys have a good tip for a better way, please pass it along.