Details, Details

[Darryl Morris]

Just wondering what everyone thinks. Today, my clients were average (unable to adjust quickly to a long rods, totally unfamiliar with a slipfloat let alone tightlining a jig 15' deep, etc.) and I had to work harder than normal to get them on a mess of crappie. In the process, I contemplated the "details" of crappie fishing. For example: fishing deep or shallow side of the brushpile, making sure the bait isn't too deep, slow vs. fast movement of the presentation, bait checking, hook gap, minnow size, even, are my slipshots too close to the hook and scaring off the crappie.

How many of you think about the "micro" details when crappie fishing, what are the micro details in your opinion and have you found that making micro adjustments has a positive affect on your catch?

Thanks guys and gals, I look forward to the discussion.

[David Waters]

absolutely, details are everything. Thats why I hate fishing in strong wind because details get thrown out the window and you just hold on and hope for the best.

Some of my details.

Plain hook and minnow (Kentucky rig), one ounce bank sinker, almost sitting still
Same rig with 16th tiny hair jig?
Same rig with orange beed, or plain hook
Same rig with 16th ounce jig head without jig body, slight movement
Same rig with tube or curl tail, maybee Gant type hair jig, slight movement
Different rig, 2 16th jigs of some kind tipped or not, decent movement
Two 8th jigs of some kind with split shot, decent movemet to faster
Long line single jigs at a good speed, not tipped
Crankbaits? Fast troll

Do I fish big brush, Isolated stuckups, channel side, shallow side, flats, deep channel drops, verticle jig, tight line, long line, troll, cast, cane pole. 6 pound, 8 pound? Minnows, no minnows, spray, niblets, 12 footers, 10 footers, bait casters, spinning tackle, red green, orange, both, all, ahhhhhhh.

Details Details Details.

[Crappie Reaper]

I have only tried a slip bobber once during spawn so I could toss the bait up under the brush. I really don't have any experience in using them. I do mix up my speed when trolling, which I only starting doing this summer. I had always been tie off or anchor guy. Drifting has never produced a fish for me. Now, I like to troll to locate them, if there is more than 1 in the area, I will pick up another rod that is holding my 1/64thoz jigs. The same thing I use when fishing brush. As for hook adjustments, I definately adjust the hook on the smaller jigs to open it up a bit, and get a little more clearance between the chenille. If I am fishing a brushpile, I start at the outside, then over the top, then drop down into it. If fishing deadfalls off the bank, I work from the outside, and will drop a jig straight down through the limbs to get deep into it. I only own one long pole, and it is a pain to get a fish off of once it has been hooked. Experience should render that in time.

[Mrs. Crappie Stalker]

One of the good things about Paul and I fishing together is that we both usually have out four rods each and when we start out, we try to have different presentations --1/16 and 1/8 oz jig heads, diff colors on heads, diff. jigs, some rigged minnow only, some jig and minnow, which crappie nibble to use and at least one rod in hand -- and then fine tune when one of us starts catching. Add to that - what depth do we think is gonna be most productive and which way is the wind blowing? The best thing for me is that Paul is always on trolling motor detail and I just fish, which is not so good as far as he's concerned, but, hey, he's the captain.

[anchorpuller]

The best thing for me is that Paul is always on trolling motor detail and I just fish, which is not so good as far as he's concerned, but, hey, he's the captain.

You go girl.. keep him thinking that!
I love it when my husband's buddy (my fishin buddy) goes, as I get to sit back and fish except for anchor duty
When my husband goes, he drives and all that, but frustration abounds cuz he doesn't have a clue where to fish.....and won't be told!

[Mo'nBack]

I fish by myself most of the time and I worry about the details so much that I always catch less fish than when I'm with someone. By myself I change jigs from rubber to hair and back, different colors, 10000 different presentations, and finally fish my structure from top to bottom and all sides and angles. I vertical jig about 99% of the time, but make it even worse when I pick up a UL, cause then I have to start all over. I pretty well know what color and presentation SHOULD work so when I'm with someone else, I try to find the best spot instead of trying to perfect the spot I'm on, thus eventually covering more water and getting closer to more fish. Wish I could do that on my own, but I try to get it exactly right.

[Cane Pole]

Know your lake. Keep records. Put out attractors for different seasons ( or find someone elses). Being able to predict were fish are gonna be a certain time of the year under certain circumstances is a good thing to know. Read local fishing reports. This a good help too. Now, when u get this down to a science, let me know.haha..I can pretty well guestimate where to start by doing these simple things. Sometimes I am right, then sometimes i just pee into the wind...You gotta find the fish first before u can get em...I concentrate more on where they might be than what they might eat...I can always throw the tackle box at em when i find em...When things are slow, I mark the spot of a caught fish, then go back and check the location out with the sonar. This kinda gives u an idea what is going on "down there". Just my opinion, but hell, I got plenty of them...hahahahah

[fishingpox]

There are two lakes that I troll. Both are deep. They average 15 to 30 feet deep. One of them I like best because if it is windy, I can get out of the wind. I like trolling slow to no movement. But sometimes those suckers won't bite unless the bait is moving some. If I know the fish are there, i try several times to get them to bite by trolling faster through that spot. If no bite, I move to another spot. I never use corks, I might increase my catch if I did, I just don't like corks, I even tight line minnows when fish are spawning. If I'm jig fishing, I do bend the hook out a tad. I try different presentations with the jig. I feel on any given day, the fish are feeding somewhere on that lake. Eventually I find that spot too. Its hard work finding feeding fish.

I do not think you are the problem, you may have had some not so experienced clients. I fish out of the front of my boat, my buddy I fish with sometimes when pulling up a fish with 15 foot of line out is not coordinated enought to get the fish in the boat and slaps me in the chest with it, kinda ticks me off.

[ilbowhunter97]

As a newbie to the board I would like to summarize:

Life is full of hard decisions as a crappie fisherman...


Good Luck All,

Bo

[FalconSmitty]

bowhunter>>> They don't sell crappie at kroger..