Finally found a couple!

[6poundtest]

Been reading here for quite a while and finally joined up a few days ago. I've recently begun fishing a lake I haven't fished in over 15 years. Back then, we used to catch quite a few calico's (the NE name for 'em) along with the 'gills. I've been to the lake a half dozen times this year and have done fine with the other species but until today I haven't found a single crappie. I'd begun to think I was crazy for thinking there were any in there but knew I'd gotten in to them heavily before. I've been reading back on a lot of older posts and what stuck in my mind was the light bite, often on the falling of the jig. I fish mostly 2" BPS Tripple Ripple grubs and have really had a good season to date with them on perch and bluegill.

Well today, the wind was pretty calm and we were fishing the outside edge of a weedline in roughly 8-10' of water. Picked up a lot of fish of all different varieties on the jigs. Finally saw a very light tap on the line, just after an up movement and set the hook into what I at first thought was another 11" largemouth (we'd caught a bunch of those). Great fight and finally rolled him over down in the water along side the boat and told my partner "grab the net, its a big calico and I don't want to lift him in!" (thanks for the reminders that their mouths can be pretty fragile).
I was smiling like an idiot when I boated a 14"er. Immediately cast back in to that area and a couple of cast later boated another, then another. Partner then rigged up the same way as I was and we worked our way along that weedline and ended up with 9, the smallest at 12". They ARE still in there!

Finally!!!!

Now I just need to find them consistently. I don't know if this was a fluke or not. There is not much as far as structure in this lake other than weeds and some boulders along one edge. No downed timber or sharply jutting bottom contours. I'm guessing next time I'll start along side other weedlines like I worked them today and see what happens. A couple of fairly steep drofoffs, deepest water is about 40' according to my Humminbird (the HB will be another post, though).

They sure made big fillets compared to the 'gills and perch I kept. Now I can't wait to go back and hopefully, get in to more of these beauties.

[Mindog]

Sounds like you got it figured out. With the exception of the PICS! Please tell me you took some pics.

[Spawn]

Good job man!

[6poundtest]

My partner did snap a cellphone pic of me and my first one. I then returned the favor when he boated his. He also said its the biggest calico he'd ever caught; all his others were real panfish sized.
When he sends it to me I'll see if I can get it posted.



I'm still excited! Ken

[Slabs Inc]

Pivot Point Crappie - YouTube

[Drtodd10]

Nice link Slabs Inc

[RetiredRR]

Like riding a bicycle sometimes, it just comes back to you when you get in the right situation...........and it sounds like
you got back in the groove real quick. And, welcome to the forum too. Good post and thanks for sharing.

[6poundtest]

Well he looks small in the picture but he really did just touch the 14" line.





And my partners:




He was facing the sun so it really caught the color of the fish nicely.

[river scum]

nice ones guys!

[Frank Cecil]

Nice pictures. Good job