Thanks: 
HaHa: 
Reply With QuoteSorry for not commenting earlier. That is a great report. Wish it would have had pix, but did enjoy reading it.
Crappie.com 1K Star General
Mississippi River backwaters
I fished a backwaters near Winona on Thursday and the fishing, and catching, was superb. We focused on stick-ups in about 30-35 feet of water with a relatively low flow rate and found crappies all over scattered thru the wood at between 5" and 9" of depth. Some were working the wood, others were simply right out in the middle of wide open water. What we threw out to them or how we offered it wasn't an issue, but color choice made all the difference between being hit or not being hit. The bluegill glitter in clear plastic with a chartreuse tail was the color to have tied on.
We arrived at 5:30 to heavy, dense fog. By the time we got to where we wanted to fish we had some sunlight and as soon as we figured out a part of the pattern we were in fish. The fish were all decent sized today with a total of three dink fish. All of what we kept we in the 11 1/2" to 12" range. While we could have kept 50, or two single 25 fish limits between us, we kept 11 so we could have a fish dinner that evening. In three hours of fishing we caught maybe 80-90 crappies that could have been kept, some a tiny bit smaller than what we kept and some much larger than what we kept. The three dink fish don't really count, but the smallest crappie we caught that could have come home was just under 10 1/2". The fish quality was very good.
The heat drove us off the water, but those few hours we had to catch crappies was simply great.
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Sorry for not commenting earlier. That is a great report. Wish it would have had pix, but did enjoy reading it.
Crappie.com 1K Star General
"Wish it would have had pix, but did enjoy reading it"....."D"
Sorry friend, but I seldom carry any tech devices in the boat with me. Or in the woods for that matter. I never needed them when they hadn't come into existence yet and I still find little use for them while I am out and about. If I get something worthy of a picture I take one at the boat ramp. The fish we caught on this trip are average for the area. Had I stuck a 16 or 17 incher I'd have gotten a picture when we landed the boat.
Two pools above the pool we fished this day is where we see some huge fall crappies and getting those 16 and 17 inch pups in the mix at a regular rate is common. That pool has a far greater and complex system of backwaters where the crappies can achieve some surreal sizes. These are black crappies. Several pools to the north is where the 21" beast black crappie that stands as out state record was taken. Many Minnesotans think that some of the northern lakes have big crappies....they really haven't spent any time here in the lower SE corner fish them.
By the way, in the first paragraph when I mentioned how deep the fish were at, it is supposed to read 5 and 9 FEET, not inches.
AntiochBA LIKED above post
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thanks for posting...interesting....I live right by the Mississippi here in the land of Tom Sawyer...some guys do fish it for crappie and do catch some...I never have and have no reason why not. Different animal down this far though,swift and murky. Asian Carp by the Millions...literally
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I've been to your neck of the woods and it never ceases to amaze me how different the Mississippi River is between here and there.
Keeper
Thanks for the info. I'm a little late reading this but just got into fishing crappies this
year. I am going to get over in your area next year. I fish in the Faribault area quite a bit.
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Wayne if you decide to hit the river let me know ahead of time where you plan to snoop...the closest town maybe. I may be able to help with some specific areas to fish depending on the pool you plan to head to.
Keeper
I will do that, thanks.
Crappie.com 1K Star General
I am also late reading this post. However, It was an excellent report. I haven't logged into CDC for and it was a great read. Sounded like an awesome day. I migrated up here from Kansas 4 years ago and just can't get the hang of these natural lakes. I may have to try it over there next year. I love fishing "stick ups"
Remember "I" before "E," except in Budweiser
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Ma and I get to the Faribault area fairly often. The lakes around that area are of no interest to me. I hate how they skunk up in the summer and that just spoils my desire to fish them any time of the year. Rochester has Lake Zumbro 12 miles to the north. Very nice crappie and sunfish size in the lake. Muskies and pike too. The dnr has splashed some walleyes in there and every once in a while I'll get one in the 18 to 22 inch range. Lots of bass there too. And channel cats.
The big river has a whole lot more to offer and if I have time I make the trip there instead of the Zumbro.
