I learned something today

[6poundtest]

Crappie are a lot easier to catch if you first catch out all the active bluegill from the area!
I was able to squeak out a trip to the pond yesterday as the thunderstorms and heavy rain made their way through the state. I got soaked anyway but had another day of fast action, similar to last week's report. On the water at 4:10 and off for good at 5:45 pm.

As I launched and rowed across the lake, I could hear the thunder to the NW, far enough away that I felt comfortable being on the water. I anchored down near my favorite honey-hole and had 6 large 'gills with my first 6 casts. In 15 minutes, I had 12 fish, all on a BG Baby Shad, I think it was the Patriot color. I stayed there for just a bit longer, but a stronger cell of thunder and very dark clouds sent me to shore for 15 minutes until it passed. I never saw a single lightning bolt but wasn't going to chance it. It really came down and I contemplated packing up but it looked a bit lighter to the West and decided to wait it out. I'm glad I did because once it passed, the thunder and rain stopped and left behind very calm conditions.

Back I went and the action picked up right where it left off. I didn't hook a single calico until I had boated over 20 keeper 'gills and tossed back quite a number of small ones. As if the 'gills were grabbing it before it could get down to where the crappie were near the dock. I ended up with 5 crappie, all caught in the last 15 minutes I was there, all the hookups were from deep water rather than right after hitting the water. Smallest at 11", largest at 13". 3 more were lost on the retrieve; the lost fish tossed the hooks with head shakes as they got air during the fight. Final tally was 28 keeper 'gills and the 5 calico's. No pictures today, sorry 'bout that.
Funny how I couldn't buy a crappie until I had thinned out the bluegill. Same deal as last week; crappie came toward the end of out stay there.

My experience begs the question: Would I have been better off going to a bigger bait to discourage the 'gills and get the calico's going sooner? If I get another shot at the same situation, I'll have to try that. It sure was fun, either way! Now I have to search out the debates between line that disappears and a Hi_Vis type of line. The hits of the crappie were very light and if I didn't have such calm conditions I most likely would have missed a number of fish.

[skeetbum]

What came to my mind was, what weight were you using? If it was a 1/32 you might try a 1/16 to get a faster drop. Sometimes the faster drop also slows the action cuz they like to look at it some before they strike, so this is just input. Good gills aren't a problem to me, they eat good too.

[6poundtest]

Exactly right, I was using a 1/32. I didn't think about a heavier head, just about a bigger bodied bait. On Saturday morning, I tried a 1/16th head with a solid body Slab Bandit on my alternate water and it sank like a rock; not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I'm not complaining about the 'gills, my wife and I both love to eat them. Freezer is looking good with my recent catches. Fast action sure is fun!

[Fish on Line]

Divers taking photos of black Crappie, There are many big gills hanging with them. I started using small jigs as well