Surprise Crappie

Saturday was a family reunion of sorts, and was hosted @ my Moms.

That translates into I moved all my gear (Grill, Coolers, & everything else she doesn't have to host an event) to her house for a day for cooking, coolers, etc. The plus side is that she is on a small lake, and I took some fishing gear, as there were to be some smaller kids there, and I know my Mom does not have any fishing gear.

Well, as the day wore on, the little kids must have had to much *City* in them, and never fished, however..... Jen wanted to go try, so I rigged up a pole, and she caught the first fish. Shortly after getting a second pole ready, I hooked one, and Jen thought it was a small Bass, and so did I.

Much to my surprise, it was a CRAPPIE. So I was/am confused, *Steve Chime in on how that's a regular thing for me, being confused* as there have never been Crappie there in the past. When I say *past* were talking 14 years.

So to my surprise when I pulled in a single Crappie. You would think that if there were there, some one might have caught on on accident even, but no, never in 14 years.

Mom thought it was the largest Bluegill she had ever seen. I tried to explain to her that it was a Crappie, but I just stopped trying, and agreed with her. It was easier that way at her age. The neighbor came to look because my Mom was making such a fuss, and asked if it were an invasive species, as he had never seen one before. I put it in a bucket, and tried for some more, to no avail. I ended up letting it go, in hopes that it goes and spawns all over the place to make more Crappie.

& that got me to thinking, if it had been 14 years, of fishing that lake and never a Crappie. I wonder if some one transplanted some to that lake?


I was also joined by Bosco the St Bernard, my oldest Son's Dog. He likes fishing with me as long as his feet do not get wet. (I think he has to much city in him too)


Attachment 379314

Attachment 379315

I would guess they were "introduced"...looks like a nice lake. I like the pic with Bosco. Guessing he's the one with the hair?

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Yeah,

I’m on the left with my shirt off...

It’s a Small Lake, Bass Lake to be exact.

I’ll place the transplant of them on FishingCouple as that’s their neck of the woods.

Plant some more for me :)

OE


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buddy has a place on a lake not too far from my home lake and wanted some crappie to put in and we caught a bunch of them on a couple of trips and put them in areated tub and he dumped them in. that was before spawn so should be on their way and big enough lake with big predators in Catfish and bigger bass should be good for it.

That's not too far from the Beats-a-Tent. I've thought about fishing it but always seen to go farther north instead. I like the looks of Rock Lake too.

Sparty,

Your dang close, as Rock Lake is only 1,741 feet away.

She is on Bass Lake. Small lake, common fish, Pike Gills, Bass. Until now, we can at least 1 Crappie.

Its mostly private, but does have a public paunch on the North East side and rarely patrolled.

Watched multiple boats picking Bass off beds one year, prior to season opener. They would catch a few, and motor away. ended up being lake local's, and would take them back, and clean and eat.
(We could see them via binoculars from Moms deck)

Very little management, and fish size is marginal. Its not a lake I would make a trip to fish by any means. If the Crappie take hold, that might change, but until then, Ill chase them local.

OE

Sounds like a good impromptu reunion.
Some creeks by me have suddenly gained rainbow trout. A guy who lived nearby said that some official looking dudes in official looking duds had come in and released them. I asked a few of my dnr contacts and they knew nothing about it. I've heard some people move fish miles just so they have their favorite fish to catch.
Hopefully you get some crappie recruitment.

I keep catching wild new species at Houghton lake that I've never seen before.
This is a logperch, same family as yellow perch and walleye. I was fishing for bluegills off the dock and kept getting bites and losing bait so I switched to my smallest hook and had fun catching dinks when it appeared.
It's a cool river species that likes cold water so Iowa surprised to catch it here. Attachment 379803

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