Crappie Attractor - Where to place & how to mark?

[PGottshall]

If there's already a thread on this please direct me to it (Thx).

I'd like to see some discussion on the best places to drop Crappie attractors, & what seasons they'll work best.

I have a couple thoughts - the creek channel in my lake is 40ft deep, & I see fish holding on the sides in Nov (central IL), with 52F surface temperatures. Should I drop attractors there? Will fish be attracted to cover in colder water anyway?

My "best" summer spot is in 12ft, along a shore-line with a fair amount of bottom clutter (branches / tree roots) already there. I'm wondering if something "different" like a PVC tree or "death star" will attract lots of fish, or if it'd be a waste with all the existing cover.

Also, I dropped a PVC attractor, & can't locate it with my sonar, even though I marked it on GPS. I saw discussion about how PVC is "stealthy", but would like to know how to make my attractors more visible. I'm not too concerned about other fishermen locating. Hopefully I'll locate it next year when fish stack up on it.

FYI - there's a video for sale on e-bay, "Jim Duckworth's Instr Video on Building Crappie Beds", $9.95. Is it any good?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

I appreciate all advice.

Thanks,
Paul

[Darryl Morris]

My experience with producing and placing attractors is limited. However, the absolute best way to consistently locate your spots is with a GPS that has the WAAS option. I am the world's worst at using line-ups and finding a brushpile. However, my GPS unit puts me right on it every time. The time and frustration it saves is well worth the investment. And, you don't have to buy the most expensive model. A basic hand-held portable unit is all it takes. Garmin is a good brand.

[Larry-Southern Indiana]

Try wrapping plenty of copper wire around your attractor near the top. Your depth finder will pick it up then. I bought a 500' roll at Home Depot for around $12.00..... This is also what I use in tying my cover to concrete blocks. It won't rust away and is cheaper and easier to use than concrete. And I'm all about being cheap :D . I set my attractors around 15' to 20' at Patoka at summer pool level. I got plenty of stuff to fish at above those depths as well as below them. Good fishing.

Larry

If there's already a thread on this please direct me to it (Thx).

I'd like to see some discussion on the best places to drop Crappie attractors, & what seasons they'll work best.

I have a couple thoughts - the creek channel in my lake is 40ft deep, & I see fish holding on the sides in Nov (central IL), with 52F surface temperatures. Should I drop attractors there? Will fish be attracted to cover in colder water anyway?

My "best" summer spot is in 12ft, along a shore-line with a fair amount of bottom clutter (branches / tree roots) already there. I'm wondering if something "different" like a PVC tree or "death star" will attract lots of fish, or if it'd be a waste with all the existing cover.

Also, I dropped a PVC attractor, & can't locate it with my sonar, even though I marked it on GPS. I saw discussion about how PVC is "stealthy", but would like to know how to make my attractors more visible. I'm not too concerned about other fishermen locating. Hopefully I'll locate it next year when fish stack up on it.

FYI - there's a video for sale on e-bay, "Jim Duckworth's Instr Video on Building Crappie Beds", $9.95. Is it any good?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

I appreciate all advice.

Thanks,
Paul

[Larry-Southern Indiana]

Couple of things I forgot in my reply above. I try to put my stuff where there isn't any cover. I like big bays with points back in them. If you have two points close together I'd set my cover between in around the 15' to 20' level. If there isn't any points I look for any changes in the bottom as I idle towards the back. Sometimes these bays have what I call gulleys like the surrounding land above the water that have turns in them. I'll look for any direction change at the depth I want to set my cover at. If I find what I'm looking for it's gonna get cover in it. I also idle through the bay and see which side is deeper and if there is a dropoff of any kind. I like the bottom of drops if the deeper water in the bay is near. I like to think of it as a hotel for fish. Most of the places I fish at Patoka have these features. And most crappie fisherman that fish there always head for the trees just like a rabbit going back to his hole. I like fishing the cover that very few ever see. More and usually bigger fish and their all to myself 99.9% of the time. :D Good fishing.

Larry

If there's already a thread on this please direct me to it (Thx).

I'd like to see some discussion on the best places to drop Crappie attractors, & what seasons they'll work best.

I have a couple thoughts - the creek channel in my lake is 40ft deep, & I see fish holding on the sides in Nov (central IL), with 52F surface temperatures. Should I drop attractors there? Will fish be attracted to cover in colder water anyway?

My "best" summer spot is in 12ft, along a shore-line with a fair amount of bottom clutter (branches / tree roots) already there. I'm wondering if something "different" like a PVC tree or "death star" will attract lots of fish, or if it'd be a waste with all the existing cover.

Also, I dropped a PVC attractor, & can't locate it with my sonar, even though I marked it on GPS. I saw discussion about how PVC is "stealthy", but would like to know how to make my attractors more visible. I'm not too concerned about other fishermen locating. Hopefully I'll locate it next year when fish stack up on it.

FYI - there's a video for sale on e-bay, "Jim Duckworth's Instr Video on Building Crappie Beds", $9.95. Is it any good?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

I appreciate all advice.

Thanks,
Paul

[fatboy]

I was talking today to a guy from work that i saw in town. He works on the opposite shift that i do and was telling him about the death stars. He said he never made any exactly like that, but has made plenty from pvc and had the same problem. He said he went to LOWES or wherever and bought some wooden pressure treated dowels the same outside diameter of the pipe. He said he whittled or cut down one end and drove them into the ends of the pipe. The dowels were 1 foot long. He said the crazy thing was, it looked like a suspended half star on the bottom. He said he didn't like a 360 degree star because of its tendancy to sway side to side real bad. My 2 cents worth.

[fatboy]

I am not gonna personally build any stars, i am gonna raid Canepoles house for that white spiral with all the waypoints on it. Nice avatar Canepole.