Likes Likes:  0
Thanks Thanks:  0
HaHa HaHa:  0
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Help a true beginner!

  1. #1
    SnowBass23 Guest

    Default Help a true beginner!


    Greetings everybody!

    I've been bass fishing for a long time, and would like to think I do that fairly well, or at least with some regularity! I am in south Alabama and am trying to learn to fish for crappie. The lake itself is around 675 acres, on the south end is a retaining wall/spillway. The north 1/3 of the lake is nothing but standing timber from when they flooded the creek that feeds this reservoir. The west side of the lake is mostly flat areas with a lot of grass/lilly pads. The east side has several points where the hill sides used to look over the original creek (which now serves as the deep water channel). The majority of the lake ranges in depth of up to about 15 feet. The only exception is in the old creek bed which has depths of up to 35 feet just before the spillway/overflow.

    Now, by dumb luck, a buddy and I happened to find a lighted dock on this lake a few years ago and in the spring and fall it can be some great fishing. The problem is that it also gets packed with people.

    My wife and I just bought a bass boat and I wanted to try catching crappie. The problem, is now I have no idea how to find the crappie, or how to actually catch them. Under the dock lights we just cast out little white jigs (sometimes two on a single line) and reel it in slowly. Either the bite is on and we cast one (sometimes two) every cast, or we get nothing. Nadda. No in between, either red hot or ice cold!

    When we went over some deep areas of the channel today (the water was 79 degrees) the fish finder lighted up showing fish anywhere from 7 feet deep all the way to the bottom. I have no idea how to even go about pulling fish out of deep water like that.

    So, my overall question is where do you guys begin, or where do you recommend begginners start? We were using a few different types of jigs, but no live bait. I have never had luck with minnows, but again my only luck is from that dock so far. Thanks in advance for your help and any info you might have!

    SnowBass

  2. #2
    shipahoy41's Avatar
    shipahoy41 is offline Crappie.com Legend - 2022 Crappie.com Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Not Lakeside yet
    Posts
    14,432
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default




    Check out this thread. http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=63635 If you are interested then PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy. You may find an idea or two in there. Since you are in Alabama, I'd check the Alabama Board for locations to fish. http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/forumdisplay.php?f=24
    Aquatic Species Removal Engineer.
    May God be with you. Keep CALM and STAY ANCHORED with your faith.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    616
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Shipahoy41 has a good idea seeking out information in your area. I don't know if theres any coves where your fishing locate and anchor off shore 40 or fifty feet. Use a bobber set up and have your jig about 3 foot down. Toss towords shore and slowly real in. Take your pole and flip the end of upwards which makes your bobber make ripples in water. Do that as you are reeling in. Vertical jig out in water where you have located some fish. Drop line to bottom and real up slow. Good luck. One more thing that you might try is troll around untill you start catching fish that you are after.
    Last edited by Ken Jones; 05-19-2008 at 05:05 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    milton, wv
    Posts
    241
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    my home lake is just like yours and i fish mostly at night. but when i used to bass fish i could remember in some places i found fish really stacked up on my fishfinder and i went back there and caught the heck out of them. i suggest you start in the timber where the depth starts down into the channel. in my lake that puts me about 50 yards off the bank the water slowly tapers down to about 15 ft, then drops into 25 to 30 and on the top of the drop sitting in 15 to 18 ft is where i do my best. i will use crappie tubes tipped with minnows or just plain old jigs or tubes. i will drop the bait down (while paying attention to how deep i go) and just jig it up and down real slow while moving it sideways until i catch a fish. keep doing this at different depths until you find them. then catch away. good luck hope this helps
    EAT, SLEEP, FISH AND LOVE THY WIFE

  5. #5
    Bob # 1's Avatar
    Bob # 1 is offline Moderator Fisherman's Memorial Forum * Member Sponsor
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Fort Wayne Ind.
    Posts
    8,842
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    First welcome from Indiana
    Take Shipahoy advice, he wont steer you wrong.

    PM Sent
    ------------------------------------------------------------


    Testimonials
    Night fishing tips 101
    Temperature Guide Crappie

    Fishing lights

  6. #6
    CrappiePappy's Avatar
    CrappiePappy is online now Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Posts
    23,502
    Post Thanks / Like

    Lightbulb Snowbass ...

    Quote Originally Posted by SnowBass23 View Post
    Greetings everybody!

    I've been bass fishing for a long time, and would like to think I do that fairly well, or at least with some regularity! I am in south Alabama and am trying to learn to fish for crappie. The lake itself is around 675 acres, on the south end is a retaining wall/spillway. The north 1/3 of the lake is nothing but standing timber from when they flooded the creek that feeds this reservoir. The west side of the lake is mostly flat areas with a lot of grass/lilly pads. The east side has several points where the hill sides used to look over the original creek (which now serves as the deep water channel). The majority of the lake ranges in depth of up to about 15 feet. The only exception is in the old creek bed which has depths of up to 35 feet just before the spillway/overflow.

    Now, by dumb luck, a buddy and I happened to find a lighted dock on this lake a few years ago and in the spring and fall it can be some great fishing. The problem is that it also gets packed with people.

    My wife and I just bought a bass boat and I wanted to try catching crappie. The problem, is now I have no idea how to find the crappie, or how to actually catch them. Under the dock lights we just cast out little white jigs (sometimes two on a single line) and reel it in slowly. Either the bite is on and we cast one (sometimes two) every cast, or we get nothing. Nadda. No in between, either red hot or ice cold!

    When we went over some deep areas of the channel today (the water was 79 degrees) the fish finder lighted up showing fish anywhere from 7 feet deep all the way to the bottom. I have no idea how to even go about pulling fish out of deep water like that.

    So, my overall question is where do you guys begin, or where do you recommend begginners start? We were using a few different types of jigs, but no live bait. I have never had luck with minnows, but again my only luck is from that dock so far. Thanks in advance for your help and any info you might have!

    SnowBass
    Since you've been bass fishing for awhile, you can use some of the same techniques ... your equipment/bait will just be a little "lighter".
    Shoot the dock in Spring & Fall. Shoot the dock in mid Summer, during midday hours. Use your previous technique, whenever it's worked for you before.

    The pads/grass area might be worth fishing, if you have Black Crappie ... jigging it or minnow/float ... especially during Spring spawn.

    Standing timber can be cast to, jigged, Vertical Cast beside, and tightlining minnows or minnow/float rig around them. Isolated stumps or groups of trees, blowdown trees, and along the outer edges of lines of trees are good places to try.

    Trolling (in all its various forms) can be done with jigs, minnows, small crankbaits, inline spinners, roadrunner type spinners, and beetlespin type spinners. Outer edge of weed line (if deep enough), channel runs thru the standing timber, and main lake channel edges are good places to try.

    ANY blowdown tree, that sticks out into deep water, is prime real estate. Any tree or clump of wood debris that's submerged out of sight, and can only be found with a depth finder ... another good spot to try.

    Read all the articles, at the Home Page link ... lots of good info on techinques, and other general info. Try them, tweak them, experiment with them. Read up on the fish itself ... habits, habitat preferences, food preferences, reactions to water temps, etc. Think "shade" (they may be a Sunfish, but they don't really care for the Sun :p ) For White Crappie ... think "wood" -- For Black Crappie ... think "weeds". But, don't be surprised if you find either or both species, on one or both types of cover.

    Welcome to Crappie.com !!

    .... luck2ya ... cp

  7. #7
    shipahoy41's Avatar
    shipahoy41 is offline Crappie.com Legend - 2022 Crappie.com Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Not Lakeside yet
    Posts
    14,432
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    You da man Pappy. Always have a wealth of information for folks. I appreciate your advice and info too.
    Aquatic Species Removal Engineer.
    May God be with you. Keep CALM and STAY ANCHORED with your faith.


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Northern Cayuga County, NY
    Posts
    1,640
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Send a PM to Bob#1... He's taken the time to go through this forum and compile a ton of information that would take you weeks of browsing to find. He calls it Crappie 101.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    226
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Listen to crappiepappy he has a lot of good information. I like the idea of trolling it's a great way to find fish. I love to use roadrunners and don't forget to experement with different colors.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    1,083
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Try this link: http://www.myoutdoortv.com/main-home...-homepage.html

    In the search box on this page type in Midwest Crappie. Russ has some fine shows on different techniques for catching crappie. Not just your normal fishing show. He will show you how to use these different techniques.

    Good luck and welcome aboard!

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

BACK TO TOP