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Thread: Beginning Crappie Angler...

  1. #1
    Rose Jackets67 Guest

    Default Beginning Crappie Angler...


    First of all, very nice forums. Lots of good info to be had.

    Now, here's my situation:
    My best friends family owns a pretty large nursery near Athens, GA, and there's a lake on the property thats around 7.5 acres. We've always done well on catching both size and quantities of largemouth - many 30 fish days with best 5 fish usually well above 10 pounds. With so much success with the bass, we didn't have much urge to pursue anything else, until a massive crappie hit my 5" junebug senko (fish went 2.2 pounds on a cheap spring scale).

    So, we decided we need to do a little crappie fishing and we've gotten skunked so far.

    The lake is fed by two different creeks, both entering on the same end. Primary forage is shiners and crawfish. This place is loaded with cover, but is shallow ( barely 15 feet at the deepest).

    What are some recommended baits to start with? So far, we've thrown small floating Rapalas, marabu jigs (white and chartreuse) and Power Bait crappie nibbles on a jighead under a float. Again, we've had no luck so far.

    So, what do the experts recommend as far as locating fish and recommended bait/technique?

    Thanks in advance!

    adam

  2. #2
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    I am definitleyno expert, but hope this helps. Don't know if you tried jiggin some of the cover in the lake. Sounds like there is a bunch. This time of the year the crappie should be movin into the shallower areas. I would hit some of the cover that is in 8 foot or less with some jigs at different depths. It all really depends on several factors with locating the fish (ie water clarity, temperature, weather patterns, shad movement, time of day, etc...) . Once you find the right depth it should be on. Hope this helps ya
    Welcome aboard from Missouri
    Last edited by crappierascal; 03-29-2006 at 08:51 PM.
    "She's A Bute Clark"

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    I'm with rascal on this one I'd hit the structure. If you have structure at 15' start there and then work shallow until you find them. Don't be afraid to try shiners or a double rig on a slip float.
    "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

    Dave

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    I fish a 40 acre private lake that is very similar to what you described. I will tell you what has worked for me and you can give it a try. I fished the lake with little success when trying to catch bream and crappie. I finally found the bait they wanted a year ago and have been killing them ever since. The bait is a roadrunner jig head w/ a Southern Pro triple tail grub in black w/ a chartruese triple tail. I fish it on 4 lb. line and throw in and around structure. The crapppie and bream tend to hang out on the banks that are adjacent to the deepest water. Cast out away from the cover and work your jig in close. You may be surprised to find fish away from the cover as well as in it. I believe some fish suspend out in the open waiting to move in to the structure. Make sure you have some super glue so that you can out some on the tip of the body as you push up to the jighead to make contact. This will help you catch more fish per body. I use Spike It Garlic Oil on my jigs and it has proven to work for me. Since you only have seven acres you can use this lure to look for fish in the deepest water pretty quickly. DO NOT fish fast, the slower you reel usually the better. Use the smallest jig head you can because the lake is shallow. I do have some heavier heads for those days when it is windy.
    I went two weekends ago and my father and I caught 30-40 fish in two and a half hours. I think you will be pleasantlyt suprised if you just get in the boat and drift with the wind right down the middle of the lake at how mnay fish you will catch.
    It took me a several trips to figure out the pattern on this lake but now I just go out there and stomp them. This all in a lke that other people complain about and say they can't catch fish.
    Well, I hope that helps!!! Good fishing.

  5. #5
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    If your gonna vertical jig the structure, you need to let your line out,I start by letting enough line to hit the bottom, then reel up a little. After a few minutes raise a foot and continue this til you find the right depth. Hold your rod in front of you reel, then pin the line with your pointer finger against the rod, and loop it back between your your poiter finger and your middle finger. This will let you feel the slightest of bumps, when that happens give an easy hook set, easy being the key. Hope I've helped more than I confused.

  6. #6
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    CrappiePappy is offline Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Question Let me get this straight ....

    Quote Originally Posted by Rose Jackets67
    First of all, very nice forums. Lots of good info to be had.

    Now, here's my situation:
    My best friends family owns a pretty large nursery near Athens, GA, and there's a lake on the property thats around 7.5 acres. We've always done well on catching both size and quantities of largemouth - many 30 fish days with best 5 fish usually well above 10 pounds. With so much success with the bass, we didn't have much urge to pursue anything else, until a massive crappie hit my 5" junebug senko (fish went 2.2 pounds on a cheap spring scale).

    So, we decided we need to do a little crappie fishing and we've gotten skunked so far.

    The lake is fed by two different creeks, both entering on the same end. Primary forage is shiners and crawfish. This place is loaded with cover, but is shallow ( barely 15 feet at the deepest).

    What are some recommended baits to start with? So far, we've thrown small floating Rapalas, marabu jigs (white and chartreuse) and Power Bait crappie nibbles on a jighead under a float. Again, we've had no luck so far.

    So, what do the experts recommend as far as locating fish and recommended bait/technique?

    Thanks in advance!

    adam
    A 7.5 acre pond .... loaded with 2+/-lb Largemouth .... 15ft max depth .... extensive cover .... creek fed .... primary baitfish biomass is "shiners".

    First of all ... I think that there are probably not a great "number" of Crappie in this body of water. The Fry & YOY Crappie would probably be controlled by the Bass, to some extent. The size of the pond is also a factor ... not much room for all those Bass AND a sizeable population of Crappie. If there were, you'd surely have caught many of the smaller ones, using those baits that you've listed. (are there "other" species of gamefish present ? )

    Targeting just the Crappie, amongst all those hungry Bass, can be a daunting task .... since they both would feed on the same foodsources (shiners, each others young). Fishing around heavy cover with live bait, and even baits with treble hooks, can be frustrating ... especially if doing it from shore (you didn't say if you were bank or boat fishing). But, in either case, I'd be more likely to use a weedless jighead and a 1.5-2" plastic body ... 8lb mono or 10lb test braid ... casting to the closest shoreline cover, for now (Crappie spawn earlier than Bass). If I was able to get on this pond, in a boat ... I'd be Vertical Casting the standing cover, right up against the main body of whatever that cover was. I'd also be casting my weedless jigs to any shallow, isolated cover on any mud/muck banks.
    Capturing some of those "shiners", and using them for bait, would also be a good method to explore. (you may also consider using Fathead minnows, or Creek Chub Minnows - caught or purchased - if it's allowed) You would just have to take into consideration that the Bass may be more aggressive at taking these, than the Crappie.
    Releasing the Bass will keep the current population density at a negative change ...... keeping some of them will allow the remaining Bass population to grow to a slightly larger overall size, and may impact the numbers of the Crappie population (allowing it to increase, somewhat). Removal of any great percentage of the Crappie population, would only serve to increase the Bass size & numbers. It's a balancing act, that you have to take into consideration, of how your fishing pressure & success will impact this body of water. Crappie don't usually do well in ponds under 50 acres ... especially if the Crappie are White Crappie. Black Crappie are slightly less problematic, but can still overpopulate & stunt if not controlled by anglers and/or gamefish predators.
    This is just MHO ... based on what I've read about Crappie in ponds, and the biomass balance of predator/prey & predator/predator relationships. There are always "exceptions", and your pond may be one. I hope it is, but I wouldn't get my hopes up of catching stringers of large Crappie from it ... it just doesn't sound like it is capable of producing & maintaining such a population. ............. luck2ya .... cp

  7. #7
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    I have never crappie fished a small lake, but in general the smaller the body of water, the more the fish like live bait. I am not speaking for everyone, just my experience. You know you go to the pond and catch a few on artificial bait, then they shut down until you throw out the live bait.

    In short, try some minnows.
    LET IT RIP!

  8. #8
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    Are you fishing from a boat, or off the bank?
    DO-GOODER EXTRADINAR :p

  9. #9
    Rose Jackets67 Guest

    Talking

    Thanks for the info guys.

    We are fishing from a boat, and split our time today between persuing the two species and did well on crappie with hair jigs and marabu dressed road runners.

    Y'alls advice was invaluable, and I felt much more confident and prepared thanks to you.

    In about four hours this afternoon we caught around 12 or 13 crappies (7 were keeper sized) and about the same number of bass (less than half were over 14").

    Again, thanks a lot for the info - I jusst may end up a crappie fisherman yet

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