Please Advise - Weather / Tackle

[Mamba334]

Hello all. I was planning on taking my daughters Crappie fishing on Lake Purdy this weekend for their first trip to a Lake and a boat ride! I hope they enjoy it just like I did growing up.

Ok, so I'll ask and explain why I am asking below;

First question - tackle:

I usually fish 4 ft - 6 ft down, with live tuffie minnows (small minnows) or jig with small jigs. Should I go deeper?
I am currently rigged up with a slip bobber, #1 Crappie hook, #7 split shot weight half-way between the bobber and hook, 7" light Ugly Stick combo spinning reel, and I am using Vicious 6lb and 8lb test Clear line Flour. line. I went to Academy last night and picked up some Bobby Garland Baby Shad - Monkey Milk, Blue Ice and Cajian Cricket I think it's called. If the minnows don't work, I'll jig with that. Any thoughts on this?

Second question - weather:

On Jan 29th, people were catching 2-3 lb Crappie on live minnows around a Solar Bee. That's where I'm going. Or looking for a drop off around a down tree somewhere.
The weather for this Saturday is 55 degrees. Here is the screenshot off the National Weather Service website for this week: Attention Required! | CloudFlare
So do you think this trip will be worth it? Keep in mind before you answer, the man at the station told me he just caught the biggest Crappie he has seen in the past 10-years! Wow!
So your thoughts on this?

Thank you so much in advance for any replies back. Have a great day!

- Mamba

[Ranger690]

Could be risky. Gonna be cold in the morning. Wait at least until mid morning before launching. Low of 30 high of 55. So it will be in the 30s and 40s most of the day. Do the girls really want to go? Stick with the minnows and shorten the trip if needed. If you get them cold and bored now, you will have a heck of a time getting them to go again.

Can you go out early and see what is working and then have mom bring them to you?

[Mamba334]

No. At this place, you rent the boat for 6 hours. 6am-5pm. Fishing Almanac states that the best time to go is between 9 am - 11:15 am. I wanted to go about 9 am and we could just do 3 ours vs the 6 and see how it goes. 3 hours comes by quick and if I'm catching Crappie, I wouldn't want to go back and then go back out ya know. It's 2 miles off the shoreline. We could just fish off the bank? If you look at JAN 29th, they had the same temps and were catching major slabs. I just don't know how deep I want to fish.

The girls want to go but they'll do whatever and no mom. I have custody of them.

[Ranger690]

Warm boots. Plastic pants and coats to stop
The wind from stealing their heat. Chemical hands warmers in every pocket. Sleeping bags to huddle in where motoring to fishing area. Snacks music iPad to fend off boredom until you get the fish to biting. Forget the lunar table. Fish from noon til 5. Let the sun warm things up.

Seriously keep it fun or fishing to them will bring back memories of cold fingers and boredom. Lots of 6" fish is way better to a kid then a few big fish. Just my opinion but it's risky to start kids in February.

[RMGeorge]

Every time we go fishing I tell my grandkids we do this for fun. If, at any time, you're not having fun, let me know and we'll go do something else. Sure don't want to turn them off from fishing.

[Mamba334]

Thanks guys. We've been bank fishing before and they like it, but never really caught anything. I'll have them bundled up and they can listen to music on my phone or something if they get bored. My biggest fear is when she does or if she does get a bite, she don't drop this $40 pole in the water haha. Thanks guys.

I've also been reading up on a few tips. I went last night and got 1/16 oz jigheads for the minnows and I purchased some #1 hooks ... but now I am thinking of getting and going with the 1/32 and #2 hooks.

[Tony the Tiger]

Good luck but just remember catching is not always a sure thing. Fishing a new lake with unfamiliar tackle and techniques can be disappointing for a few trips but then again you may load the boat the first time out. You can't measure success by what you hear others are doing. People don't usually talk about the trips they don't catch fish. Hope y'all have fun.

[Mamba334]

Thanks. Yeah I know. I think I'll just go alone this time and bring the kids next time. I'd hate to get them out there and then, "oh no dad I got to pee". Lol.

If you go to their website, they tell you where they are having the most success and where. The water clarity is murky by the shore but clear in the deep by the Solar Bees where the Crappie are biting. JAN 14-29th (most recent pics) the temp outside was 40 degrees and they have stringers full and cooler fulls of fish from using minnows.

I am familiar with the tackle as this is what I always use, but I just wasn't sure if I needed to go with 1/16 or 1/32 or #1/2hook, being it a lake and I'll be fishing deeper than usual. I usually fish ponds with #1/0. I usually start fishing in March. But I've always went Crappie jigging or live minnow usage but only during Spring, not early Spring.

Also, this will be my first time putting a minnow on a jighead. I usually use a hook.

[Ranger690]

Good life jackets that are properly sized to each person and where them. Don't put an adult vest on a child. They can slip right out of an oversized vest.

[Mamba334]

Well, I shall report! I took my kids to fish on a Peir at Lay Lake. It was roughly 51 degrees out. We caught 5 2lb Crappies!!! Woohoo!!

My daughter caught her first Crappie! It was so exciting for her. She was smiling from ear to ear.

Live minnows, 4ft deep, 1/16 jighead ... BAM!

Going back next weekend because they are saying it will be 58 degrees! Oh you know I'm there!