Getting a little down

[BAFishBarn]

worry more about location and jigging in the fishs face than the line you use. run and gun a good water till you find some then remember where that was. another thing that will help you is fishing a local river. its way easier to find fish in a river than a lake most days. you said your catching sunnies. that tells me you mite also be fishing too deep. crappie love to suspend

like said we all get skunked a times

I usually fish a jig under a float and usually about 18" deep. But I have no idea what the water depth is in each area I'm fishing.

I've been catching bass like crazy but when i switch to crappie I get nothing. For weeks now.

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[deathb4disco]

I bought a spool of 4lb fluorocarbon and will spool up my crappie rod with it today. Before I was using 10lb mono ...

HO. LEE. COW.

The 4# line is a step in the right direction.

[deathb4disco]

I usually fish a jig under a float and usually about 18" deep.

Lose the float.

Cast the jig out, count it down (one thousand one, one thousand two, etc.), and swim it back slowly. Change depths until you find fish.

[Crestliner08]

Started out fishing from a boat back in the 70's. We never had sonar back then either. We "mapped" the depths of our lakes with a hand line. Tie a large bolt to the end of a section of parachute cord (or whatever else you have handy). Then every 10' tie an overhand knot. Use a small section of various colored ribbons to indicate the depth. Stop your boat on what you think is a likely spot and drop the line. Now you know how deep it is.

We did that for many years. Then I got my first "green box". A Lowrance flasher type sonar. Awesome device back then. Like I said, a 2D LCD sonar is not that expensive these days.

[BAFishBarn]

Lose the float.

Cast the jig out, count it down (one thousand one, one thousand two, etc.), and swim it back slowly. Change depths until you find fish.

I need to try that. I always heard crappie like it slow and to look at the bait for a second before deciding to bite so that why I use the float.

But I have some time today so I'll spool up the 4lb fluoro and give it a try at a local pond. I've seen pics of people catching crappie in it but never caught any there personally.

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[SKs Crappie Catching Adventures]

What you're complaining about is what excites me to chase these fish, they are a challenge..... There's a few things we'll several things I tell folks to help them but here's a few I'll type up for you.....
Structure
Structure in different depths
Structure for different wind directions
Jigs
Jigs in different colors
Jigs in different sizes
Action and pay attention to what brings a bite and repeat..
Use a loop knot (very important)
This time of year move, move and move to find the active fish on structure....
Bait in the area you're fishn....
If you put this puzzle together you will catch crappie......
Put the work in and it'll pay off....

[SKs Crappie Catching Adventures]

A favorite sayn I have is "Enjoy The Hunt Or Stay Home".....

[BAFishBarn]

A favorite sayn I have is "Enjoy The Hunt Or Stay Home".....

I do enjoy the hunt! But I also enjoy reaping the rewards!

I need to learn to tie a loop knot. I've just been using a palomar knot. Heading out to the pond now. There is no visible structure but some cover that I plan on fishing.

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[Spoonminnow]

Here's a pictorial reply to much of the above:
Sonar: a picture speaks :

Water temp turned off or on - who cares, you're fishing regardless.
Baitfish mixed with crappie or other panfish - a sure sign fish are near and catchable mid-depth.
Bottom is hard showing stumps.
A color unit goes for less than $100 and can be hooked to a motorcycle battery if you're rowing. I made my transducer portable:


I made this buoy marker from a kid's splash toy and chuck it overboard in the direction of multiple fish strikes especially if the wind is blowing the boat:

Knowing exactly where fish hit is extremely important !

Never used a loop knot and won't start now:



Note lure color brightness. If the water is murky it might make a difference.
Note: all jigs pictured are unpainted. (less distraction from the lure or make it look larger to fish than desired)

Line diameter affects lure action. That rule is set in stone! For light lures, the thinner the better. Most photos show braid attached to the jigs and not just any braid.
Jig weight and hook size are matched to plastic lure length or how fast or slow I need to retrieve the lure.
Couldn't have said this better:

Lose the float. Cast the jig out and swim it back slowly. Change depths until you find fish.

Floats work some of the time but waste time in an area where fish aren't biting. (though I do like seeing a float dive multiple times when the float bite is on !)


At times species don't mix, but at other times you may catch four species in an large square-foot area all day long. If bass and sunfish are the most prominent species to hit your baits for consecutive weeks, could be the crappie population is depleted. You won't know for certain unless you fish a water early and late in the year if the summer crappie bite has been tough. Fish move and associate so don't assume anything.

[catchNgrease]

Blow downs or lay downs would be my suggestion with out sonar. Especially those that extend into deep water. No sonar needed those are laying at a steep angle. Fish it slow. Check it all out feeling every brànch.

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