Share your favorite winter-crappie technique

[Arkie John]

I could use a little assist on my clear-water home lake. I have not boated a limit in months.

But my favorite deal this time of year is a double rigged drop shot minnow outfit, fished deep in the channels. I use my electronics to find the specks' congregating and throw out a marker or two to show me the channel for a hundred yards or so. Then I just lower the drop shot rig to the bottom and raise it up just above where most of the fish are. 6 lb leader, using a 14' WMarshall rod.

Thanks in advance, for your response.

aj

[drill instructor]

Also try longlining some Hot Grubs threw those schools of fish. Just slow your speed down a little.

[bugman]

Vertical jig deep brush and docks with a 1/16oz tube tipped with a nibble when things are tough,on the days when they're active i'll pitch to the brush and just tick the top of the pile and hang on......fairly simple techniques but they have produced well for me over the years.

[albiechaser]

John your doin the right thing with that setup, what time of day are you fishing and how long will you stay in your spot, you my need to wait em out, many times I have been over fish and nothing would bite, then all of a sudden like a switch got turned on,
it was one after another. (trust your spot/setup)

we have a river channel here in Raleighs Falls lake,
thats where they are this time of year. and usally right around the edges/drop off, near the bottom.
what I do is take 3 floats, with a 15 foot of 100lb mono attached and a 2oz weight, throw it in the chanell and let it drift to the edges, Ive had 5 out there, I ussally throw em out around 30yard appart,
very cool to see right where the drop off is,
works for me,
have a great day
steve

[oldfox]

Dress real warm.....then drill, skim and jig :D

[NIMROD]

I been fishing river channel up river here. The deep holes 20' and jigging structure with 1/8 th oz jig. I drop to the bottom and raise jig up about 1' and slowly jig.
Catching lots of small fish with a few keepers mixed in.

[Cane Pole]

I could use a little assist on my clear-water home lake. I have not boated a limit in months.

But my favorite deal this time of year is a double rigged drop shot minnow outfit, fished deep in the channels. I use my electronics to find the specks' congregating and throw out a marker or two to show me the channel for a hundred yards or so. Then I just lower the drop shot rig to the bottom and raise it up just above where most of the fish are. 6 lb leader, using a 14' WMarshall rod.

Thanks in advance, for your response.

aj

This is my goto rig. I goto it everytime I go fishing. I prefer 6-7 ft med to medium heavy rod. Big weights, big hooks, big baits equates to BIG FISH......

[Ken Jones]

I could use a little assist on my clear-water home lake. I have not boated a limit in months.

But my favorite deal this time of year is a double rigged drop shot minnow outfit, fished deep in the channels. I use my electronics to find the specks' congregating and throw out a marker or two to show me the channel for a hundred yards or so. Then I just lower the drop shot rig to the bottom and raise it up just above where most of the fish are. 6 lb leader, using a 14' WMarshall rod.

Thanks in advance, for your response.

aj

John, I think the method that you are useing aren"t doing you just. I have found fish at 50 and 60 ft. The water I"m fishing in is back waters of a dam. Places behind dam are at 120ft at the deepest. I locate my fish on my depth finder and drop anchor on top of them. Sometimes I use 1/320z and 1/16oz jigs. I use crappie tubes 1&1/2in. long tipped with berkley white niblets. Catch fish every time I go out. A slow retrieve is my success catching slabs. The problem this time of year you can"t feel a hit. They grab it and hold on. I see the end of pole bend a little and I jerk fish on. If your not having much success catching crappie I would reccamend that you slow your retrieve down. Good luck. I was out, caught 29 crappie. water temp. 41degrees, air temp. 30degrees. Going out tomorrow. Colder now than last time. Perch fishing from shore this time. Tuesday taking boat out for crappie. going to be warm at 42 degrees.

[slabbandit]

Tightline vertical jigging 1/4 oz jigs with Crappie Nibbles in 12 to 15 feet water on edges of main river channel. On warm, sunny days though I'll be casting a cork and jig rig sometimes only 1&1/2 to 2 feet deep.

[Arkie John]

Well, folks, that is a variety of ammo you have given me. I neglected to say that when I am fishing the channel, I am vertical fishing. I rarely cast and retrieve.

I can find the fish most of the time, just not in great numbers. And when I do, it seems they are very slow or inactive.

I was going this morning but I was awakened by my wind chimes singing a LOUD song to me before daylight! The wind chimes is nature's way of tellin' me to "stay in bed today and keep the boat off the water during local wind warnings." lol

Maybe tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your input. Don't you think it would be good to share (with permanent stickies) our favorite go-to rigs for each of the four seasons? I know it would help me and I've been fishing for more than fifty years. Imagaine how it would help a newcomer to the sport!! Just a thought.

aj