I need help

[Morphine]

Well its nice to be here. I have been fishing off and on for several years but never really took it serious till now. I have been trying to gather as much info as I can since I really don't know I whole lot about it. Any suggestions or tips would be useful. I plan on fishing a small private lake this weekend that I have fished for the past two weekends located about 30 miles from lake hartwell. I haven't been very productive so I know I am going about it all wrong. I am kinda lost when it comes to water temp and how deep to fish. I have just purchased a depth finder so this should help out alot. Please help!

[Deacon]

Well its nice to be here. I have been fishing off and on for several years but never really took it serious till now. I have been trying to gather as much info as I can since I really don't know I whole lot about it. Any suggestions or tips would be useful. I plan on fishing a small private lake this weekend that I have fished for the past two weekends located about 30 miles from lake hartwell. I haven't been very productive so I know I am going about it all wrong. I am kinda lost when it comes to water temp and how deep to fish. I have just purchased a depth finder so this should help out alot. Please help!

I found the best way to learn is A). This site / B). Get books & plenty of books
I got mine from Barnes and Noble and places like that. They have some good used books for cheap.
I also search the web for all the articles I can find. Go to google (or any search engine) and type in crappie and look out. Plenty of good stuff.

[JimmyS]

Hello Morphine, Welcome to Georgia Crappie.Com ! We are happy to have you aboard, Give us some more info.Is the water clear or stained, How deep, do you have soft or hard bottom, A lot of grass, Or little, do you have any underwater structure, stumps or logs? we have some excelent anglers that post on this site as well on the main forum. Give us som info. and as deacon said there are some very good books on crappie fishing, One is Crappie Wisdom by Al Linder. Just ask and we will try and help you out. Good luck, Good Fishing JimmyS

[Morphine]

Every time I have visited this lake, the water has been staind. Even during the summer months when it isn't raining all the time. I have read the article about using opaque jigs and darker colors and have tried this with very few bites. There is some structure at the western dam side of the lake and this is also the deepest part. There is also lots of grass along the east and north banks and the water is really shallow there. I believe the lake is a soft bottom but I am not 100% sure. Me and my father-in-law have been without a depth finder so we really have only been fishing at the dam. I have ordered one and it should be here by this weekend but just in case it doesn't arrive, where would be the best place to try my luck? Also, my friend has turned me on to red hooks. Do these make a difference? I plan on fishing in the evening throughout the night. I have purchased a floating light and a green submersible light to help aid me.

[papasage]

in muddy water try a road runner . the blade will give some flash. that way the crappie can se it father . or try some2 ' shinners insted of minnows . they are bigger and the fish can see them father away.

[Morphine]

I have tried roadrunners with little success. The lake has recently been flooded due to all the rain we have receiving from the hurricanes. I think they are spread out more and I just need to fish different locations of the lake instead of the same place everytime. Maybe near the grassy areas? I think there are lots of structure in the lake due to everyone in the community dumping christmas trees in there year after year. I have a lot more things to use in my tackle this go around so I will post up when I get back. Till then, keep the ideas coming!

[AUTiger]

I've only been crappie fishing for a few years now but I tell you it's hard to beat trolling for finding fish and learning the lay of a new pond...you cover a lot of water and typically with more than one bait and/or depth. I'm set up for "long lining" on the big lakes but I generally use corks and move a little slower when I'm fishing ponds until I figure out a little more about the depths and amount of trash in the pond that might hold fish or steal my jigs!!! Good Luck and save a few for seed!!!

[papasage]

try slowing down with a roadrunner. the blade dont have to spinn fast or at all . got to find the right speed for that day. i have seen jigs fall to fast with 8 lb. test line change to 10 lb. and git bites . crappie are finikey and it take patiences to catch crappie . unless you catch them on bed bunched up . i call that ambushing them . of just catching and not fishing .

[Morphine]

I have just switched over to a 10lb mono spider wire this week so that should help a little. I have been using my road runners and every other jig without a float, so I plan on using one this weekend to help get my jig at the right depth. I have learned a lot from this website and others this week on different techniques, tackle, and things that are just plain common sense. I believe the outcome this weekend will be different, plus I got three cases of beer to help with my hand eye coordination. I plan on investing in a better rod -n- reel in the near future too.

[JimmyS]

Well Morphine, Glad you are getting some help, We have some good anglers here that don't mind sharing their expertice with you . I am proud of this board, We realy have some good people that post here. Hopefully we can all get together some time soon and meet some where for a day of fishing, I was thinking about some where that would be central for every one, I am open for suggestions from every one. Back to your needs, I am trying to figure out if you are fishing from a boat or the bank, I think you are using a boat. A deph finder will make all the difference in the world for you. It will not only give you water depth, But under water structure, and that is so critical to finding mr crappie.Deacon had some good advice about slow trolling Using jigs and or minnows. In the stained water may I suggest using the squirming squirt, inch and a half in lenth, 1/16 oz in weight. red/char blue/char black/char dark green and solid chartreuse just to name a few. Try fishing at different depts untill you pick up a fish and then set all your floats at this dept. Also you can tight line while you are SLOW trolling. Slow is very critical, If the wind is pushing you too fast, You can use a drift sock to slow you down to the right speed. How ever you decide, Good luck and let us know how you do. Jimmy S.