Tommy I hear that mud flats this time of year during mid day is or could be hot spots for crappie due to warmer water and shad. What is your thoughts on this?
Tommy
If the shad are there - the crappie will be there as well. What I find so fascinating about any type of fishing is establishing patterns - lets say you find shad balls in 15 FOW and work them and find white bass - then find crappie relating to shad in 17 FOW - I really enjoy identifying patterns like that and putting the pieces of the puzzle together!
Slab
I know you are a multi species angler, but have you always fished for Crappie, or is it relatively new? And what is your favorite species of fish to fish for, and why?
Tommy
Its a little bit of both - old and new. We used to crappie fish a lot when I was 16 - 25 (I'm 48 now) on the Mississippi River - open water. I've always preferred crappie when Ice Fishing for them - I feel that if I can "mark them" I can catch them. Favorite species? That's a tough one - but right now - I am really hooked on crappie!!!!
rdjj71m
I have a hard time fishing a new lake for the first time. Tommy, what are the four top things you do before fishing a new lake. Thanks
Tommy
Study Maps, Study Maps, Study Maps and Study Maps! LOL But not too far from the truth.
I first find all of the maps I can find on a lake - including aerial photographs - it's incredible what they can both show you and help you understand.
Then I call anybody I know that may have fished there - even if I am fishing a walleye tournament - I call my bass buddies - they usually have run into walleye - esp with my favorite tactics - SHALLOW WATER
Then - I work the bait shops - buying lots of tackle first - incredible how people will open up if you spend a little money - good for the little guy - good for my tackle collection - tough on my wallet.
LAST and most important - TIME ON THE WATER - taking all of that data and putting it together.
"G"
What is your favorite crappie fishing method ?
Tommy
I love to fish for crappies with whatever technique will work for them - but right now I would have to say that Trolling with planer boards is my favorite!
Slab
Can you provide some info about how in particular you use your planer boards? Do you use Line Counter Reels? What pound test line.....etc..
Thanks Tommy. Not wanting to know all your secrets, but just wondering if it's the same way I've seen used before.
Tommy
Most important - OFF SHORE OR-12's with the tattle flag kit - best board on the market and great family run business!!
Abu Garcia Line counter reels - check them to make sure they are all fairly close - sometimes you get a "Rebel"!
Berkley 10 lb test Trilene XT Moss Green - 95% of the time - same line I use for walleyes.
Set them out as far as you need to!
HillBilly
Hi tommy,Whats your favorite winter time baits and what method do you use when cold weather fishing?
Tommy
If I am standing on Ice (Which is what I consider cold weather) I am suing fairly large Ice jigs (number 4 and 6 hooks) and Large plastics.
If I am in a boat - again - Large plastics and 1/4 ounce jig heads on brush piles or standing timber. Berkley Twitch tail minnow (PowerBait) sometimes with 1/2 inch of the fat part nipped off.
Tracker123
OK, lets hear it Tommy, Jigs or Minnows?
Tommy
I like minners (Spider rigging) cause it's new. But - if I had to choose - I love jigs and artificials - so I will say JIGS!!!!
Rees Guide
For an impressive win at Grenada, yall had an awesome couple of days when most of the rest of us were struggling. Grenada is my home lake but it still kicks my butt from time to time. Did you see anything while you were here that would give you a game plan if you were headed back to Grenada this next weekend? I know yall spent a lot of time looking at the side image. Thanks in advance for help and for your encouragement to the rest of us watching when you were announced the winners at the CM Nationals. John
Tommy
Thanks Rees!
I would say that those fish should still be able to be caught trolling - and the main basin below the fork (especially if you find the shad) might get even better - DEEP.
Biggest thing that I always have to remind myself - is that fish (no matter what the species) will be where you find them. And that is usually near their food!
Ifish4redd
What is your go to bait and why?
Tommy
Trolling Cranks - Berkley Flicker shads and Salmos - because they just plain flat work - and both had countless hours of development put into them.
Jig and plastic ( and I have limited experience here) would be a berkley power minnow minnow or twitch tail minnow.
Ice - Custom Jigs and Spins Demon and a "tooth pick" shaped piece of red Powerbait.
Mttoney
I'm getting into crappie fishing and getting my arsenal set up. What weight line do you recommend for specific applications? Trolling, spider rigging, jigging, etc? Does it vary for short rods to long rods?
Tommy
Trolling - 10 lb Trilene XT Moss Green
Spider rigging - 12 lb Trilene XT Solar or 10/2 Spider wire stealth - flame green
Jigging - 8/3 Fireline - Flame Green
I always have preferred to use longer rods than most in Walleye - Crappie - I will tend to fish shorter than others.
Rdjj71m
Tommy, I am the only person pulling cranks at our Oklahoma CDC tournaments. Is there a good place to get more information on pulling cranks. I love it, but need to get a lot better. Thanks
Tommy
I'm finding that some of your best info is right here on Crappie.com!
I will be speaking at Grizzly Jig next Spring and will share just about everything!
Precision Trolling has a lot of information - Mark Romanack - Fishing 411 television will share alot as well.
Mrdux
How are you setting up your boards. Do you use the boards that are on the line back to the reel or do you use droppers off a main board? What size bait will you typically start with on a new lake? Jig, cranks or other?
Tommy
Off SHore OR-12's which are an In-Line that attaches right to each rod on the main line heading back to the crank. Off shore also has a mini-planer board that is also and in-line that I am really have a lot of fun and success with - OR-34 is the model number
I always thought bigger is better - and the #6 Flicker shad - # 5 Salmo Hornet, If I fished bandits - it would be the 300 series, etc.
Cranks - they allow you to go up to 3 mph and cover more water - you can always slow down once you find them!
RCC
When you get to a new lake do you just go fishing and rely on your previous research or are you actually looking for fish on the sonar before you wet the hook.
Tommy
A little bit of both - I like to start out trolling with my E-TEC 250 HO at 2.5 to 3 mph and that allows me to fish areas I think will hold fish - while I look for where they are at - under the boat and to the side!
I have my humminbird set up in so I can run my boat at 25 mph and look for bait and fish - then spin around and set up for a trolling pass.
When the fish are schooled up and tight to cover - I will usually look for them first and then fish once I find them.
Mrdux
Thanks for helping us out. Do you use some source of info on trolling like a Trollers Bible or do you use trial and error for new baits you might try? I know the trial and error method of trolling Bandits has cost me a small fortune. I plan on figuring out how to use the planer boards here on KY Lake.
Tommy
I use the Precision Trolling Data (Trollers Bible) religuosly!!! In fact - just dropped $300 on a new I-Phone so I can get the App - couldn't wait for the Android version!
One thing that I firmly beleive about trolling - is mistakes catch fish - and "plowing" into timber catches fish as well!
We should never be afraid to lose a bait - or we may miss a fish or two.
To make an omelet - ya gotta break a couple of eggs! TRUTH
Slab
What is your go to color, jig and crank bait?
Tommy
For a Jig - it would be glow/Char or Glow/Pink for the head and black/char for the tail
Cranks - Chromes when it is sunny and pearl bellies when it is overcast, orange when the water is dirty
If all else fails - Orange seems to be a constant for success!!!
RCC
You probably never have a day like this, but if you are not catching fish, do you continue to stay with the same technique you started with, or do you always have a "plan B".
Tommy
Oh - We ALL have day like that! Especially me.
My new mantra is: "The definition of insanity is to continue to fail, doing the same thing over and over, expecting it to succeed" Or something like that.
Plan B - maybe Plan C and Maybe even Plan D
I was completely floored when I heard that there were guys catching crappie right below the waters surface or in 3 FOW at Grenada - makes my mind do cartwheels.
i am especially fascinated by the anglers that have been telling us that trolling Off Shores was a fluke - and that it will never happen again!
Tommy Skarlis, 2013 Crappie Masters National Champion
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