Nightstalking Problems

[Hoosier Crappie]

Went last night with my girls & neighbor and his little girl. Watched fireworks from the distance over the lake (fireworks were 1/2 mile away). Fish were 10-17ft in 20ft of water. Set out lights and using jigs & minnows. No bites, nothing. This is in an active area where fish have been caught recently. Last year we found good schools and only caught a disappointing few. Normally night fishing has produced & is fun for my girls. In the past night fishing has produced crappie earlier in the year, so I don't believe last night was b/c we are too early or water temps. Three weekends ago at different lake in Indiana we found fish in crappie waters and set out lights- again nothing (using jigs & minnows). Any suggestions?

[Ken Kinser]

Might want to try alittle shallower, 20' is good dept with the right cover but i'm catching crappie in4-7 ' at patoka in 17' of water. just a suggestion

[gabowman]

I'm sure youre fishing different water than I am here in Ga., but surface temps @ 90 degrees has certainly effected the night bite as well as the day bite. We were still catching 'em in 80 degree water but not everywhere you anchored down to, had to find 'em first.....and their food.

[plantdr]

HC I don't know where your fishing but, if you have a creek that emptys into a river channel you might give that a try. We caught 25 last nite sitting on a slope that went from 19 to 45' we were anchored at 30' or so. We tried shallower water but it wasnt produceing for us. Depth finder tells me me where to setup. I have to mark a lot of fish and or bait before we setup. The area with the most "life" in it gets my vote for the place to setup. Water is very hot right now. Check out Canepole's temperature and fish catching depth post. Good Luck ,those are some lucky girls to have you takeing them out fishing.

[joewildlife]

I've been having a very hard time this year. Three nights we went out and didn't catch hardly any before being chased off the lake later by thunderstorms. it appears crappies don't like thunderstorms. We need a longer period of stable, hot temps, for the fishing to get good on my favorite night fishing lake. Haven't had it yet, and it is already July!

[unknown 5]

The 4th of July weekend probably had a lot to do with it. The lake I live on is full of boats of all kinds and they have the fish spooked. I can fish anytime, so I stay off of the water on hollidays and most weekends. Try it on a Tuesday night.

[joewildlife]

Sunday night would have been good, hot temps day and night.

I might try wednesday if the thunderstorms don't threaten, AGAIN.

[Crappie Dale]

Hello!

[SLABurns]

I fish a lake in northwest Indiana that is clear as gin, so it may not apply to any of your types of lakes, but I can't catch a fish unless I get into atleast 30 fow at night. I catch most fish at 16 to 20 feet. Here's my problem though and I hope all the experience here can help. When I tightline I have a hard time figuring out exactly where my jig was. The only chance I have is to hand over hand the fish into the boat. It provides lots of excitement, but is not the easiest. Without having a reel counter, what methods seem to work to know what depth your at and to mark your line or whatever to put the jig back into the same spot?

[plantdr]

SLABurns, I count pulls off the reel. The distance from the reel to the 1st eye on the rod is a "pull". Obviously distance varies rod to rod but this works really well and can help everybody in the boat get in the zone. I use a spinning reel most of the time. Just put a finger on line to keep line from causing problems, pull line toward rod eye with other hand. As of late I start out at 8 pulls or 16' deep. Do keep in mind rod position, 8 pulls from the wieght touching the water and the rod 4' above the water, ends up in a different place than counting from the wieght{ or hook} with the rod 2' above the water. Strive to repeat starting position over and over. With a little practice it becomes 2nd nature.