still scratchin my head

[WHARFRAT]

Pretty windy weekend, though the mornings were fairly calm, just raining a bit, but not too bad that you couldn't fish.

Started out early Saturday, heard the crappie were off the banks in about 4 ft of water. Found a few that way, but for the most part, all were under the legal length limit. Since it was calm, I was throwing 32nd oz jigs. Once the wind came up, went to 16th oz, but the fish became un-interested my jig at the 4 ft spots. Wound up keeping 1 fish around 10", probably caught 30-40 dinks.

Went in, had a little breakfast, wife wanted to go out. By now the wind blowing pretty hard. Found a couple of spots where you could hold the boat. Not much luck, started looking elsewhere. Thanks to my downimaging HB, started noticing trees/brush anywhere from 10-18 ft that were loaded with fish. Spent most of the next 3 hrs fishing some of these spots. I bet we caught 100+ crappie, but only boated 3, that were between 9-10". The bite was pretty light, but probably because they were so small. I went up to a 8th oz jig fishing straight down on top of the brush, the wife stayed with the 16th oz, didn't seem to make a difference. Color didn't seem to make much of a difference either. I was using something dark and chartreuse, she was fishing white and chartreuse.

Went back out right before dark for about 2 hrs, didn't catch as many, wife did manage one just over 12", but that was the only one you could stick in the livewell.

Sunday was about the same, nothing but dinks. I did see a boat which was fishing minnows in exposed brush, I did see them put a couple in their livewell, but don't know how well they were doing at other times.

Water temp was in the high 60's to just over 70. Water was fairly clear. Lot of junk floating in the water. It was like a maze on Saturday going down the lake. Sunday was better.

[nomolites]

We still have fish spawningon the North Shore. I have heard people talk about night spawning and I believe this is the first time I have ever seen it. We have a large dock over 25 FOW in a pea gravel cove with a mature crappie bed beneath; the area between the dock and the shoreline is littered with beds that are empty during the day. Later in the afternoon males move on those beds and the females must be coming in after dark; I have never seen that before. You can't buy a bite vertical jigging over brush(really unusual) under the dock but we have still been able to go out and catch good fish pulling cranks deep during the day at 18-21 suspended over the basin in deeper water. Nothing shallow. Most of the fish are females and have not yet spawned but are ready. My wife and I caught ours in a few hours Saturday, not fast and furious as is sometimes the case-just steady. Caught this toad while we were at it.

[Old plug]

I know it has happened at lest twice in the gravoisi the last 3 yrs years. I know people that catch them at night and during the day. Al during the same period catch. I believe it is pretty complicted thing.

[conorsixtakc]

We still have fish spawningon the North Shore. I have heard people talk about night spawning and I believe this is the first time I have ever seen it. We have a large dock over 25 FOW in a pea gravel cove with a mature crappie bed beneath; the area between the dock and the shoreline is littered with beds that are empty during the day. Later in the afternoon males move on those beds and the females must be coming in after dark; I have never seen that before. You can't buy a bite vertical jigging over brush(really unusual) under the dock but we have still been able to go out and catch good fish pulling cranks deep during the day at 18-21 suspended over the basin in deeper water. Nothing shallow. Most of the fish are females and have not yet spawned but are ready. My wife and I caught ours in a few hours Saturday, not fast and furious as is sometimes the case-just steady. Caught this toad while we were at it.image.jpg

Glad to see you're still busting em! That toad come trolling?

[nomolites]

Glad to see you're still busting em! That toad come trolling?

Yes, on "the" bait.

Mike