Thread: Kayaks and Crappie

The Bonafide are nice kayaks… congrats. I fish from a Native Titan. Here lately seems I only get to high rock once or twice a year. Hopefully someone speaks up that gets over that way more frequently if not send me a message and I will try to get down there.

I spider rigged out of my Native Ultimate 14.5 for years before I got a gas boat. My first handle on this board was Spiderkayaker. I had a portable hummingbird FF with a suction cup transducer. I fished 3 poles 12’long and just set them down in the boat. Never put rod holders on, It was alway just as easy to lay them in my lap. Had a minnow bucket to my back. I only stopped doing it this way because I got a boat.

It was a great learning experience for me, it taught me the value in slowing down and really focusing on the water right under me. With a limited travel range you need to make the most of what you have. One spot I got big fish regularly off was a long point where a creek fed the main lake channel. The point sort of hooked at the end. In side that hook there were always quality crappie. I learned to look closer at some spots I might have over looked. I always scan the ends of long points now, and I have found a few other pockets like the hooked one.

I crappie fish from a kayak 90% of the time I fish these days. Can't speak for fishing High Rock, as I'm east of there. Like Nater said, you will learn to study the bottom more thoroughly because you won't be going anywhere fast. You will discover a lot of places that are best described as "the spot on the spot". You may have found a good point or drop off in the past, but at paddle or pedal speed, you'll find tune the locations you hit to maximize your fishing success.

I mostly pull crankbaits, but also drift jigs and do real well with both methods. Good fishing, have fun, & be safe.

Jim

Originally Posted by Yak Fish

I crappie fish from a kayak 90% of the time I fish these days. Can't speak for fishing High Rock, as I'm east of there. Like Nater said, you will learn to study the bottom more thoroughly because you won't be going anywhere fast. You will discover a lot of places that are best described as "the spot on the spot". You may have found a good point or drop off in the past, but at paddle or pedal speed, you'll find tune the locations you hit to maximize your fishing success.

I mostly pull crankbaits, but also drift jigs and do real well with both methods. Good fishing, have fun, & be safe.

Jim

Interesting on the crank baits. mind if i ask what type size depth diver you prefer?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by danman

Interesting on the crank baits. mind if i ask what type size depth diver you prefer?

Thanks!

I pull small Rapala Husky Jerks early when the crappie are moving up along sunny, calm banks to warm up on shallow flats, then switch to Berkley Flicker Shads (size 5, 6, 7s ) post-spawn when thy're starting to school in Summer. I pull Salmo Hornets (4s & 5s) and Hot N Tots in mid summer. Sometimes if they're deeper (18+ ft) in summer, I'll switch to an Off Shore Tadpole weight and run small Husky Jerks or shallow Flicker Shads behind that with good success. Gotta steer clear of brush piles though. I catch more catfish (& stripers) by accident than I prefer in summer. I'd rather not have those bigger fish thrashing around in my kayak. I usually unhook them in the net & turn them loose right quick.

I occasionally pull roadrunner jigs, but weighted lures are more prone to hang on the bottom when you stop paddling to fight fish. Floating cranks just come to the surface when you stop, though you need to be mindful of powerboat traffic. I've been spooled, lost lures, and flossed a few outboard props of those who ran too close behind me.

Have fun when you try it. You never know what you might catch either. I'm here to tell you that a 16 pound striper on a medium action rod and 10 pound test in a 12 foot kayak is like hooking into a freight train. I caught a 30+ pound carp last February with the same rig and I wasn't sure who had who.

Jim