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Reply With QuoteIn cold weather I prefer the small minnows because they seem to live fairly well after a hook damages them. In warmer water, the larger minnows (medium) seem to hold up to hook damage better and not die as quickly. Where you hook the minnow is a matter of personal preference. I usually go in one eye and out the other.
Occasionally we will put out a bobber, normally one per angler. If you get too many bobbers floating around they are going to get in everyone's way. Usually the folks on the down current end of the boat will be the only ones that can use a bobber out in the dark without creating problems for everyone as the bobbers will drift down current and the lines will drift in next to the boat be in the way. The bobbers we use are mostly the lighted ones that we can see out in the darkness. If you're fishing close to the boat, , then regualr bobbers will work fine if it is illuminated by the boats lights. If you haven't tried the lighted bobbers yet you should get you one and give it a try. It is extremely exciting to watch a lighted bobber in the darkness start dancing when the fish takes the bait. We fish a fixed cork about two ft of line below the hook, usually a # 2 eagle claw gold and no splitshot. Some nights it seems like our best action comes on the lighted bobbers.
On board your boat you should also keep a camera handy to get a photo of a nice fish as soon as it comes out of the water. They look better when first caught than after they've laid in a cooler and got their "clothes" ,messed up. The excitement of the catcher is also more obvious at this time. I know the guys that fish with me sometimes gets annoyed with me telling em to hold up your slab and lets get a photo. Believe me its a lot easier to do it right after it comes out of the water than after he's tossed it in a cooler. Sometimes they will grumble but always look forward to getting the photos which I give em when I get a chance.
Most nights you are going to catch some fish. Some nights more so than others. Different locations produce differently on different nights and some locations are seasonal, being better at different times of the year. Finding your hot spots is a matter of trial and error. Once you have pinpointed your holes and know the conditions that produce a good bite at that location you are well on your way to harvesting a quality mess of tasty crappie fillets. Finding good locations on your lake comes with experience. As I said earlier, a good map is worth its weight in gold for doing this.
A bonus of nightstalking is the lights attract many different species of fish and you will also catch LM bass, catfish, perch, etc. In cold water lakes where there is a more variety of fish to catch, you will also catch them around the lights. Catching a bass or large catfish on a ultralite rig is exciting and gives you ample experience in untangling the huge messes they make with the rest of the rigs you have out.
We nightstalk year round and usually catch most of our bigger fish through the colder months. In our area there is plenty of nights that you can spend on the water fishing if you carry a duffel to store your clothes in to use as you need em. When the nights turn bitter cold, then I come out of the dark and start drifting the deeper water with minnows during the warmer hours of daylight.
The methods and equipment I've described is how I have my boat set up. If you are new at the night stalking game, I would recommend you join a crappie fishing forum like www.crappie.com and get to know some locals who will take you out on a night stalk. By doing this you will be learning a lot of short cuts on how you can to set your boat up by following their leads or modifying their methods to suit your particular situation.
If you are a laid back type of fisherman who enjoys being on the water when the sun goes down, when the pleasure boaters, water skiers and and jet skis have called it a day, anchored in one spot enjoying a quiet night with your family or friends, then you should give nightstalking a try.
Suddenly I was brought out of my thoughts and back to the present by Gary hollering, "fish on. Hey Rango, are you gonna put a line in or you gonna sit there all night?". Time to start baiting up and helping him out with the bite. Good luck with your night stalking and good fishing.
This is how I have my rod racks constructed on my boat, referred to as "the Beast" by those who night stalk out of it. As you can see, if you have your rods at your fingertips you can respond to the bite very quickly. The type of rod holders and how you have them mounted is a matter of personal choice, however they must hold your rods at the ready so you can respond immediately to the bite.
Here is one of the two chain style anchors i use on the beast. as you can see from the design, if you snag the anchor on something you can pull the rope in the opposite direction of the hang, the slip ring on the shaft will slip to the anchor head and pull the anchor loose. a very effective anchoring system that works fantastic for me. these anchors hang and hang good and very seldom will i have an anchor slip out of its set and create drift problems for me. note the storage bucket that keeps the anchor rope stored and tangle free. Its a good idea to tie a block of Styrofoam to the end of the rope incase the rope gets away from you or you need to toss the anchor rope overboard to free the other stuck anchor with the motor.
The submersible lights I use on a night stalk. the lights you use are a matter of personal choice. there's many different styles and configurations on the market. Id recommend you try several different lights to see which one works the best for you.
Here is a typical clamp on light with a small reflector that's been modified by adding alligator clips to hook on the battery, a strong clamp to attach it to a light pole and a 12 volt 40 watt rv bulb that runs off a deep cycle battery. I use two of these lights on the beast, mounted above the console, one pointed toward the front and one pointed toward the back. these two lights completely light up the boats interior, making it very easy to see what's going on in the boat. this setup can also be clamped to the boats gunnels and shined on the water to draw the minnows in.
Once you have your anchors set, the fishing lights and interior lighting on, and your rods in the rod holders, this is what your setup will look like. the water is lit up by submersible lights which will attract the crappie to the bait fish that is drawn to your rigs.
The end result of a successful night stalk
Cold weather don't stop our nightstalking, unless its a bitterly cold night. as long as the temps are bearable we will continue to fish through the winter months and some of our best night and biggest fish are caught during the colder months.
Even small children can participate in a night stalk and they usually catch their fair share of the crappie. memories to last a lifetime are made on nights like this.
Bass, commonly referred to as "green carp" by local night stalkers are a common visitor to a night stalk and these fish can wreck havoc on a night stalkers setup. very seldom do you get one to the net without a mess being made of your setup.
Catfish are also a common visitor to your stalker setups at night. referred to as "thugs" by area night stalkers, these creatures can also create huge problems on a night stalkers set up with ultra lite rigs.
If you do your homework and set up successfully for a night stalk for crappie you can be carrying a cooler full of fish like these pictured home for a family fish fry.
article by Rango
Originally Posted by FalconSmitty
