Thread: CJ WATER TEMPS AND FISHING THREAD!

Now that we have the Lion over with, I'm ready for the lamb.....
CJP

The 4.4inch Flappers are in and ORDERED...hope to have them for the 7th!

No idea who got the Marina concession other than it wasn`t me...

March...Lion or Lamb! Sign of the DUAL FISH!

This is also the time when everyone is getting ready for Ice-Out and the Spawns....this is also time to use common sense!
All the experts and salesmen are going to be telling you what to buy, what to use, and how you should fish...the only thing I am going to tell you is to trust what you have learned...your colors may need to be adjusted due to Crappie or other fish learning what "Hurt" them last year, or water quality changes that may mute or change hues! Fishing is fluid, things change, you must adapt, you can have different weather and patterns in the same day! ALL OF THESE ARE JUST MY GENERAL IDEAS SO YOU HAVE A STARTING PATH! Adjust, learn, and share!

Remember...when someone tells you that this is the only bait that will work, or this technique is the only way to go during the spawn, just remember the pics of the fish that I caught on aluminum foil, paper, and part of a plastic bag!

After Ice-Out, fish will start to gorge in the shallows to get ready for the spawn, baitfish move in due to the rocks and shallow water heating during the day, the Crappie will move in and out from deep drop-offs, to feed and relax...after 40 degrees use your normal baits, you don't have to downsize and use ice fishing gear again, save that for when the water hits 39 in the late fall, next year!
Go ahead and use your NORMAL 3 inch bait, it will also be a treat for a gorging Gator too! I like the bright colors for Gators and Crappie at this time, or if the water is normal to dingy and the sky is dark...but natural shad OR MINNOW colors work well if the sun is out! Remember that lake color will change natural colors that we see....Bluegill colors, Silver Shad, Silver glitter, are good if water is stable and normal in color...Blades, Road Runners, Beetle Spins, bright colors, etc, will all give off vibration and flash to attract fish in ugly dirty water. Fish will eat no matter the color of water or weather condition. We caught them in torrential rains, and high and muddy water. CJ has areas that clear faster and areas that fish congregate if it gets muddy....remember, they are opportunistic and they must get ready for the spawn! FISH EVERYTHING A LITTLE SLOWER THAN NORMAL! MAKING THE BAIT LOOK INJURED OR NOT NORMAL IS PREFERRED!
Remember to WATCH your keys...Craws will be coming out (think SLOW Fresh Lobster), mayflies, other insects also...this effects and affects the colors that fish are keying on!

At around 50 degrees Male Crappie will be in Pre-spawn mode, and will be looking for a nursery...I bump up in Size so the little Crappie do not bite as often.
Does bumping up in lure size stop small males from biting, heck no, a 7-8 inch Crappie will hit a 4.8 inch swimmer, but not as frequent as they would a 2-3 inch bait.
For some reason, if the water is clear, they like smoke and silver glitter, Silver Shad, and the Bluegill...yes, they will still take White, Chartreuse, and gummies also. It won't take you long to determine what color they want most...if you find fish, then just keep throwing that color until they stop, then throw something else. Most people stick with a 2-3 inch swimmer, curly tail etc. SPEED IS SLOW TO NORMAL! YOU CAN VARY RETRIEVES, FISH WILL LET YOU KNOW, THEN KEEP DOING IT TILL THEY STOP BITING, THEN CHANGE IT UP AGAIN!

At Spawn...time to have fun...I throw ANYTHING...caught Crappie last year and the year before, on the above mentioned "Trash", just to shut-up the experts! Also threw 5.8 inch Fat Swimmers. The Crappie will normally just smack WHATEVER you offer....they are trying for a easy meal, or trying to guard their nest, both result in a BIG BITE. YOU CAN BURN THE BAIT, BOUNCE IT, JIG IT, ETC...JUST HAVE FUN AND PLAY....AND LEARN!
Small fish are shallow and up in the rocks, big fish have the pick of best sites and are on the deeper fringes, normally they have 1-2 rocks, on a solid or gravel bottom, and nothing else around which makes it easier to see and guard the nest. Out of the way areas are goldmines for fishermen! Do the same, if they stop biting try a different color, then move!

After Spawn around 70 stable degrees (at depth)...they will once again gorge for summer...same shallow to deep feeding pattern, except night becomes more of a player....normally they come in at night and head to the daytime holes to suspend and feed if it is easy pickin's. Crappie take advantage of their superior eyesite at night.
Daytime Water conditions and sky color will normally tell you what colors to throw and same sizes still are around 3 inches. AGAIN, THEY WILL SOME TIMES WANT THE BAIT MOVING FAST, SOMETIMES SLOW, AND SOMETIMES BOUNCING, STOPPING STARTING, ETC...it is up to you to try and find what they want. Insects become a food source at different times to vary the diet!
Some days the Smoke bodies, blue, gold, black, and iridescent flake baits, come into play, due to the larva of the 'flies.
In the Main Summer Pattern, Crappie normally feed from dusk till just after dawn, then head out to deep water OR SHADE...normally unless it is cloudy or overcast, they will only take a EASY meal, which means slow, dying, or vertical jigging!
Shade water can be up to 10 degrees cooler that surrounding areas, or highly oxygenated water close to Springs or splashing along the shore, can also attract Crappie and other fish...so don't just wonder why you caught a 15 inch Crappie, 26 inch Gator, or Huge Bass or Cat, in 1 foot of water...use that knowledge! Same with creek channels that flow, currents, thermoclines, cover, etc.

In Fall, when the fry are around 2 inches, is when you will have to do something different...either drop in size, change presentations, etc, due to the influx of perfect eating size sushi! We all know how tuff this gets, but you can still catch fish if you adapt!

Everyone have a Great year!
Good Fishing to Us All!

Yes master, The force is with you !!!!!!!!

Seems to me, this winter continues on and on causing severe cabin fever... Going to the Indian Lake boat show this weekend, gonna be 45 degrees...

when will this weather end!!!! gosh!!!!!

The March 7th "Fishermen's Breakfast" at the Springfield Cracker Barrel at 8am, will feature Comedy and lies from;
Intimidator (Brent), Doc (Tim), DanVan (Daniel), JAB/SocDad (Jeff), Downtime (Paul), FlatheadKing (Jeremiah), Cajun Willie (Bill), PhantomBassBoater (Jesse), Shaggi/y (Rick), SSouthard (Steve), and Lowell (Lowell).....so far! Plus the Main entertainment will be provided by the PoleCat himself (Fritz)!

ANYONE is more than Welcome to join in the festivities!
Oh, almost forgot....BRING PRESENTS, my birthday is March 5th!