Still catching a lot of slabs.

[Ken Jones]

Went out 04/23 caught my quota of 25 slabs. Water is still pretty cold here in Idaho. We aren't allowed to us live bait in Idaho. My main two color jigs are red and white and black and chartruse. There were seven of use fishing and I was the only one catching fish. I tried to explain what I was doing and it went in one ear and out the other. Crappie like a moving target period. You guys that like to through out and let it sit hoping for a bite might try REELING in real slow and watch what happens. I been reading about guys going out and catching nothing. They have all kinds of excuses. You guys that are having a hard time catching crappie try a different method. I have almost 40 pounds of crappie in my freezer as of this writing. TRY A SLOW RETRIEVE. Good fishing to you. Let me know how your doing with this method.

[slabsrus]

I would have to agree in general but have found many instances when dead stickin is just as, if not more, productive than a moving bait. When the ice first leaves the lakes we use 10 - 16 foot poles and set jigs right in front of their noses just as if we were ice fishing. We are also doing some of that right now to get them out of the brush, and will continue to do so all summer. Or in late May or early June when one of those crazy 40 degree cold front comes in for a day or two. We then go right to the stumps that are protruding from the water. I have found over the years that them big old specks will hug the stumps tight in such a situation. We have plucked 10 - 20 slabs off one stump many times, but only if the jig is just dangling in their faces.

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I have noticed regardless of live bait or jigs 90% of my strikes happen right after i start retrieving so no matter what the conditions are, a slow retrieve followed by letting it sit a minute is what i have found works...

[Ken Jones]

I have noticed regardless of live bait or jigs 90% of my strikes happen right after i start retrieving so no matter what the conditions are, a slow retrieve followed by letting it sit a minute is what i have found works...

That is what I do also. I can tell that you are truly a fisherman..

[minnowsoaker]

on slow nights I've had luck swingin my bait back and forth while tight linin. Wouldn't have a bite and then just swing the bait left or right and then bam got one.

[Ken Jones]

on slow nights I've had luck swingin my bait back and forth while tight linin. Wouldn't have a bite and then just swing the bait left or right and then bam got one.

If I'm vertical fishing from boat or docks I watch my line. Sometimes those slabs don't hit but pick prensentation up and take of with it. I see my line move in one direction that it shouldn't be doing and jerk, fish on. Those slabs like a moving target. Minnows aren't sitting around ideal.