Trolling or Drifting

[mini moe]

I haven't been successful in the past trolling or drifting for crappie. What's the secrect? A tournament fisherman gave me some ideas on early season fish staging near creek mouths, but I was in the hosptial and didn't get a chance to try it. I think they are on the banks now. Can you still get them in deeper water? Do they move in and out while they're spawning? He told me to use two crubs about 18 inches apart. Does anyone have anymore lure or jig or bait configuration that may help? Speed and places to toll? Thanks very much for any info. A GREENHORN,

mini moe

[Timmy Tom]

I'm not a expert but trolling drifting has been working for me. I do not know your lake but I use a depth finder to locate structure but mostly fish and see how deep they are. the lake I fish has very little cover and I fish what little cover there is plus drift open water (main creek channel). I also use two poles and tie two feather jigs to line and work the poles up and down slowly to entice tough fish to bite. Color is a major factor. I have tried several colors of jig combinations to come to the best color as of now. I know the crappie are shallow here but I like drifting. I have noticed to that i'm not catching any egg laden fish so they must be shallow too. We went this morning for 1.5 hours then rain ran us off caught 12 crappie and one w. bass drifting around boo condo and open water. Fish were 3 to 7 foot deep in 12 -18 foot water. Keep trying you will find out what works best and use different colored jigs at same time. Try gr.chart. head body with dark (Forest green)tail or gr. chart. head with white grub.

TT

[Piscolli]

In AZ we troll alot. Must folks use 2 1/16oz Kalin grubs about 2' apart and troll about.8MPH. The most important thing is depth. If the fish are suspended at say 12' and your bait is at 13', you won't catch a thing because crappie only feed up. Or if your too fast they may not chase after it.

[bobberwatcher]

I have just started trolling this year (thanks to getting wore out by my buddy ceb). I have had the best luck with 4 poles (cuz that is all I own ). If this is the first time on the lake in a while, I will tie on 2 jigs about 12 - 15" apart and never use the same color twice. Once I find a fish or two, I remember what color I caught them on. If it is the same jig, I will use different color/types of jig heads with the same body and see what they like the most. Once I figure out the color combo, all jigs will be the same color/make/model. If I go to the same lake a couple days in a row, I will usually start off the same way I left the day before. If that doesn't work, back to the drawing board.. I will use shinners the same way but the only difference is I will tie a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce weight on the very end to keep my lines good and vertical. This seems to work for me. Good luck

[whackmaster]

trolling and or drifting can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be....start out by fishing a couple of 1/16 oz. jigs 18" apart on your main line and pull them behind your trolling motor in and around the depth you suspect them to be in...keep adjusting the amount of line you have out behind the boat cuz this {along with speed } will determine your depth. As for drifting do the same thing but perhaps throw out a rod or two with a slip bobber and minnow to pull along as you drift. Try different depths and I'm certain you will catch fish. As you become more familiar with what you're doing your techniques will evolve and maybe what you started out doing will be alot different than where you end up.....but keep learning and keep trying !

[crappiefarmer]

I haven't been successful in the past trolling or drifting for crappie. What's the secrect? A tournament fisherman gave me some ideas on early season fish staging near creek mouths, but I was in the hosptial and didn't get a chance to try it. I think they are on the banks now. Can you still get them in deeper water? Do they move in and out while they're spawning? He told me to use two crubs about 18 inches apart. Does anyone have anymore lure or jig or bait configuration that may help? Speed and places to toll? Thanks very much for any info. A GREENHORN,

mini moe

Where do you fish in N.C.. I'm from N.C.. Maybe can give you some advice if you'll let me know where. You probably just have not hit the right spot because if your drifting and you run into some fish, You'll get bit. CF

[mini moe]

I fish High-Rock and Norman. Norman used to be loaded with crappie but me and my buddies don't do so well there anymore. I fish High-Rock the most. Thanks Farmer.

moe

[mini moe]

In AZ we troll alot. Must folks use 2 1/16oz Kalin grubs about 2' apart and troll about.8MPH. The most important thing is depth. If the fish are suspended at say 12' and your bait is at 13', you won't catch a thing because crappie only feed up. Or if your too fast they may not chase after it.

I have heard that they feed up and not down, I wonder when they are on the bottom & deep, will they hit when trolling? When brush fishing and they are deep sometimes they take it pretty slow.

mini moe

[skiptomylu]

I troll with my troll motor at a speed setting of about 30%, maybe a tiny bit more if the wind is holding me back. I just troll a 1/32oz and 1/16 oz jigs and keep it around and over grass.

Crappie will move in and out until they are done so yes you can catch fish in very shallow water, but also in water 6'-11' deep.

If you catch a nice fish throw out a marker and keep going a bit, maybe pick up another on the same line and then just keep going back and forth over them and you should pick one up each time you troll over the same spots.

[mini moe]

Thanks guys , does anyone else have any inf.?

mini moe