Originally Posted by
Pier252
I had done a search for this and saw where there was an article written by someone who everybody gave a great amount of props to. There was a link to the article. Which no longer works. So now I ask you
How does everybody fish at night for crappie?
I anchor up over a crib in 8-12' of water.
What time spam usually?
7pm until 12:30am- Tournament hours. I like to get to my spot and set up before darkness falls.
Kind of submersible light?
I use a green fluorescent light about 12" long and drop it about 2' below the surface. I also hang my Coleman white gas lantern about 3' over the water, about 3-4' away from the boat. The light draws the bugs, the bugs swam around the light and not me. When they die, they drop into the water, feeding fish. The green light takes about an hour to draw in the bait, and the lantern give the bait something to eat. The crappie are drawn to the bait. My light is 12v, and I plug it into an accessory outlet I installed in the boat, just for that purpose.
Rod length?
5'6" and 6'6". Two pole limit in Illinois.
Minnow or jig?
Minnow on a bare hook.
Average depth?
Depth depends on where the Crappie are, Crappie feed up, in other words they look up to eat. So they will be below their food. Start high and go low, or start low and work your way up. Up to you.
Moon stage?
I prefer a full moon for safety reasons. Plus I can keep the lights off in the boat so they don't draw the bugs to me. Remember you must have an anchor light on while your anchored up. The Coleman lantern suffices this requirement nicely.
Structure or creek channel?
Cover, preferable fish cribs with fish on them.
Looking for some insight as the summer approaches and I would love to get out there and I'm sure others are searching wondering the same things.
HOI Crappie Club holds night tournaments for this very reason. Entrance fee is $20 per two man team, and if you want to get in the big fish pot its another $10. or $15 per head. Best part, at the end of the night, we talk shop. Who did what, what worked, what didn't work, etc. At the next club meeting the winning team gets to tell the rest of us how they won. We set up the club as a way to learn how to catch crappie. You get to see first hand what worked and didn't work. With 8-10 boats per tournament, get a variety of methods at the same time. If you pay attention, you can learn what worked in those conditions. We have had a variety of conditions too. Besides, summer gets pretty darn hot under the sun in the heat of the day. Night fishing also opens up other options.
Also if I forgot anything that you see as informative or a must please post it! Thanks guys!
One last thing. Where to fish? I prefer to fish the outside edges of the swarming bait, or push on through and present my bait lower than the swarm. Trying to separate my bait from the rest.
I learned all of that night fishing tournaments.
HOI Crappie Club
Where family and friends come to compete for a little more than bragging rights.
Quick, someone teach me how to fish so I can win this tournament!!!
Likes: 
Thanks: 
HaHa: 
Reply With Quote
Lets go soak a line. Pat
I know a guy that only fishes at night here on my local lake, and all he uses is a little head light so he can see to bait and re-tie. I have also vertical jigged brush in total darkness. Most people know that fish get more active right at daylight and right before dark, but its the hours BEFORE daylight and AFTER dark that are the best, they are missing the best bite!!
