What are some different tactics for catching crappie

[chambone9]

Hi im new to the site and while im only 19 Ive fished a lot ive always done the same ole thing for years start the year off on deep brush then troll in spring after that cast jigs and then wait til fall when it cools off. But last summer I went night fishing and killed it so that got me wondering how else can I catch these fish. Hopefully you guys can help.

[willsjwills]

I would start by going to the Crappie.com home page and reading the fine articles on crappie fishing. Reading what the experts do can get you started. Good luck.

[skeetbum]

It would help to know if you were on the bank or in a boat. The techniques are almost endless and most have been posted and can be found by doing a search when you get a question about a certain one. Welcome from Middle Tennessee, look forward to seeing your pics of fish caught with the new ideas you gain from here......Skeet

[river scum]

limited only by your imagination. any way you can get a bait in front of a fish is good. with fish its location & mood that dictate how you go about it. i 2nd what willisj said, read up on here.

[chambone9]

Thanks im in a boat. i mean for instants I read the article about trolling in fall never knew that would work. im not one to go around the lake and waste time trying to make up tactics. Especially when I can be catching fish

[jimp]

welcome from TN. Just need to browse the forums, there are numerous styles or methods for catching crappie such as longlining, tightlinging, spider rigging, single poling, dipping, dockshooting, pulling or pushing cranks, etc, etc,. It depends on where you come from as to what the style may be called. Some styles are more popular in some areas of the country than others. Read up on the different styles, and see what appeals to you. You might like some and not others but you gained some experience and knowledge that may help on down the road.

[chambone9]

thanks i mean i can look up how to on google but i mean the names of different techniques thank you for all the different types here

[Eagle 1]

Crappie now has an online magazine ( free. I think) that will discuss all kinds of techniques .

[Tracker123]

Welcome to the forum. I suggest you go to your state page, that way you will be visiting folks with similar waters, weather patterns, etc. Good luck!

[CrappiePappy]

The "names" of different techniques won't do you much good, without an explanation of how that technique is performed.

Here's how I define/perform the techniques I use :

Tightline/Still Fishing - boat anchored, or tied off ... lines run from rod tip to bait, without floats attached. Rods may be in pole holders, laying on deck/seat, or hand held (but not moved or reeled).

Dock shooting - underhand shooting of bait to the water's surface that lies beneath a dock, by means of pulling back on bait to load the rod energy & release bait & line coming from reel in such a way as to "shoot" the bait underneath the dock .... usually ricocheting or skipping the bait across the surface. Allowing the bait to pendulum swing back (not reeling), using the countdown method (counting the seconds as the bait falls, to allow bait to reach a specific depth before retrieval), or slowly reeling bait at a steady pace (swimming) are some of the methods of retrieval.

Vertical Jigging - holding your bait at a stationary depth, and moving it slowly in a up/down or side to side motion.

Vertical Casting - dropping your bait to the bottom, or to a depth you know/believe to be below the fish present, then very slowly reeling the bait back up. (in depth explanation : Crappie Pappy Article )

Trolling - moving the boat at a specific speed, while dragging your baits along. (general definition)

Drifting - allowing the boat to be moved by wind or current, while baits are deployed.

Longline Trolling/Longlining - "trolling" with speed enough to drag baits well behind the boat.

Spider Rigging - multi-pole method employing poles arranged in a spread formation, with front or front/back pole holders.

Pushing - use of heavy weights to hold baits (usually crankbaits) down at a specific level, when boat is moving.

Pulling - longline trolling with crankbaits. May or may not be weighted down with extra weights attached to line.

Casting - "throwing" the bait into the water, by means of arm/wrist motion on the rod. Overhand, underhand, & sidearm motions can be used.

Flipping - pulling out a specific length of line from between the reel & first guide, plus a designated length of line hanging from the rod tip to the bait ... then swinging the bait towards the targeted spot, while releasing or feathering the hand held portion of the line. Tight quarters method used for control & accuracy.

Pitching - allowing bait to rest in one hand, while holding rod in the other ... reel is tripped to free spool line ... rod & bait are lowered from the starting point & bait is "pitched" at the same time as the rod is raised, allowing bait to slide off open hand & be projected by the upward rod motion.

Double poling - fishing while holding a rod in each hand.

Dipping - dropping bait down beside an object in the water & lifting it back out after a specific determined amount of time. Variation of the Vertical Jigging technique.

Bobber/Float fishing - use of a floating device attached to line, for the detecting of fish biting the bait. FLoat/bobber may be stationary (fixed) on the line, or may be designed to slip up/down the line & held to a specific depth by means of a "stopper".

FnF (Float & Fly) - generally a fixed float / set depth rig ... long rod, spinning reel technique that uses a counter balanced float attached to a 3way swivel, & a specific length of leader line attached between swivel & bait. Float is counter balanced with weight inserted into the sides of the float, so that the weight of the bait sets the float in an upright position ... so that when a fish takes the bait into its mouth, but does not immediately dive (pulling the float under), the float will fall over on it's side (due to the offset weight) & indicate what is commonly called a "lift bite".
This method is similar to, but slightly different, from fixed bobber/slip float fishing with live bait, and the commonly used casting method (with artificials).

As with any "definition" ... there's the potential for multiple inclusions & combinations, as well as state & regional differences in the technique names & how they're performed. These are solely/simply MY interpretations.

... cp