Summer Tactics

[Fishin_Magician]

Hey guys,

I am a cold weather crappie fisherman and a bit new to this warm water slab chasing. I did a couple searches on these forums and got a few pointers I think I was overlooking.

1. Fish in the shade. (under dock, shady side of bridge, ect...)
2. Use water frozen in soda bottles to keep bait alive.
3. Let bait adjust to warm water before dropping it into hot lake.
4. Usually fish are deep in the summer 15-30 feet of water.
5. During heat of the day fish will head far up into brush for shelter.
6. Fish are more scattered in the summer. (a bit controversial)
7. Usually minnows work better then jigs to hot sluggish summer fish.
8. Drink allot of water so you do not die in 100-degree temp.
9. NIGHT STALK!

Well there are 9 tips I learned from this forum. I was wondering if anyone has any I missed?

I am going to D'arbonne this weekend and it will be my first time on the lake. Also with my limited experience summer fishing crappie I need all the help I can get!

Thanks guys for any summer tactics,

~Fishin' Magician~

[shadow]

Hey FM, the most important one you listed was #9 Night Stalk! I think it should be # 1! :D

[David Waters]

more tips I think might work

1 slow down presentation
2 downsize baits to match bait size (recent hatches)
3 read crappie.com!!!!
4 cover lots of territory, don't stay in one place too long
5 I find fish almost always suspended between 8-15 feet, no matter the depth because of the thermocline. As the sun comes up, they usulaly find thick cover for shade
6 the most important tip in catching fish in the summer is.......GO FISHING!

[TAE73]

4. Usually fish are deep in the summer 15-30 feet of water.

Dont be afraid to look in 1 to 10 foot of water if there is structure for them.

[crappieseeker]

Fishin Magician, some of those pointers depend on who you ask. First of all, I myself think jigs work just as good, if not better, if you fish them right and are using the right color. Second, most all my fish come from the sunny side of the bridge and not the shady side. Sometimes it depends more on the underlying features and water flow etc., than it does the shade.

[Mike Sutton]

Of the five fish I caught today, I caught them in the following way:

1. On a rattle trap in, casting toward the bank in about 4ft of water. This one was caught under a tree overhang.
2. Under a bobber in about 3ft of water on a minnow.
3. Under a bobber in about 3ft of water on a jig tipped with a minnow.
4. Under a bobber in about 4ft of water on a minnow.

All four above were caught between 9am and 11am

5. Trolling the rattle trap in about 7ft of water.

Caught about 1:30pm

The lake I was fishing on is not deep, maybe 8ft max.