Any good Central Iowa spots?

How are others doing? I'm not experienced in this crappie fishing thing, but I'm starting to love the heck out of it. I live real close to Big Creek, but have had no luck there yet. I've had some "ok" luck at Don Williams with minnows. Lost a really big one, line broke lifting it in the boat. Bought a net as the result of that loss. Was going to head out again, but the cold and drizzle stopped me (that and should spend some time with wife).

Any suggestions on where to go, or what to use, and hey...how to use it?

Jim

Roberts Creek(next to red rock) Red Rock itself. I too live close to Saylorville-Big Creek, haven't fished them in almost a decade. Not worth the effort. Fish are too small to mess with. Don Williams, Lake Icaria, Lake Anita, Llittle River(down by Leon) 3 mile & 12 mile are all good spots for Crappie. Slip Bobbers are prefered method for both Crappie and walleye. if nothing happening on the slilp bobbers, slow troll-speed troll. Downriggers come in handy when trolling but many ways to work around not having a downrigger.

ok, I'm going to show my ignorance. What's a downrigger?. What kind of bait/lure do you use for trolling? What kind of areas do you troll in? Are you looking certain bottom features, or certain depths?
thanks
Jim

generally, when trolling, most throw out a rapala and a lot of line, or a weight(say bottom bouncer) and alot of line. Boat speed, amount of line being played out, weight of presentation ,atc, all have a factor in determining the depth for which that presentation is gong to achieve.

Go slightly faster, presentation is lifted to a higher (more shallow) depth, go slower, gain depth.

downriggers are nothign more than :arms(think tow truck boom or some such): Which attach to the boat, a line is on a spool, which passes through the arm. to which a weight is attached.(gen 4-8lbs) so, s ay fish are suspended 12 ft deep. I drop my downriger weight to a depth of 10 ft, let out an additional 10-15ft of line.

now, my presentation is going to be on a consistant 10ft depth, no matter my speed. once the downrigger weight passes above the fish(piqueing their interest) my lure-presentation follows along just 10-15ft behind.consistantly.

think slip bobber, where you choice the depth and you can acheive that depth every single time. Thats the advantage of a downrigger.

Extremely handy when fishing deep water, Lake McConaughy, Bull Shoals, Great Lakes, etc. butalos handyin shallow water where you want a steady depth.

Swing a miss at Badger Creek tonight with Jigs.
Ugh!