crappie bite

[slab slinger]

Sorry guys neglected to post over holiday weekend, personal reasons. Crappie were tough today and have been the last few trips for me. Found fish scattered in deep water middle of bigger coves. Trolled cranks and got a few to bite. I haven't mentioned long lining jigs on the form but thats whats been working for me when crank bite slows and has for years. I'm not going to get into detail on how i long line but it's not to hard to figure out. Bites have been on marrabo jigs 1/8 and 1/4 oz tipped with minnow. Sometimes Road Runners work well but you have to watch for them not to be twisting circles. Better to stick with jigs w/o spinners.

His time of yr is tough to stay on a stable pattern fish are still staging in open water and some are heading to wood and will begin the summer pattern. Staging fish are what i had best sucess with. They are a little more agressive and easier to catch than the fish barried up in a brush pile. I did see fish starting to cling to piles in 18-25 fow. Their wasn't any fish on 3 of the piles i check last week but were some today. Didn't have much luck getting them to bite but they're their.

Little tip for some fishing piles. Mark the pile on your graph and look for fish suspended above the pile. Those are your active crappie and will bite. The fish in the pile are hard to catch. If i mark several fish above a pile i will fish it till no bites. Then go to the next one and so on. If no marks above the pile i don't bother fishing it but will come back if clouds roll in and check again. Cloudy days crappie scatter out around the pile, sunny day clear skies will drive the crappie into the pile.

The last few trips i haven't been able to zero in on a real consistent pattern but when they get into summer pattern and hold I'll post how i fish this pattern and what works for me.

Toady we only managed 13 keeper crappie, 6 whites, and a pair of 15" eyes. Fished mid lake big sac arm. Didn't bother with pic kinda discouraged with how the day went. Did bass for an hour or so. Caught several fish but only 4 keeps biggest was 18". Caught all bass on Tex rigged zero worm Dirt color. I don't eat bass but like to catch them. Lot better eatin fish out there my opinion.

[wuteversbitin424]

Great deport slab. I havent been out lately but about now is when i start it up again. Its hard to pull away from catchin 10-15lb cats this time of year. Although its been a lil slow since all the rain and ive been to tight on time to go where they are. May do some trolling soon

[ranger90]

Where you finding the cats at? All I can do is bank fish but I haven't had any luck yet

[wuteversbitin424]

Most of the time thats what i do too. Fish the rip rap around bridges. Cork set around 2-4 ft deep with a number of baits...crawler, shad, leeche, shrimp too name a few. Channels spawn at 75-80 degree water and WILL NOT EAT while the males are on the nest and the females get ran off because they will eat the eggs. So if they stop biting at one place go to a bridge with cooler water. I start at aldrich and work my way to twin bridges and then towards the dam. Then after spawning i fish flats drifting. Males will stay on the nest 2-3 weeks. After they will gorge on shad on the flats early and late.

[Sac River Jim]

this is the kinda of thread i want to see on here. if you cant learn something about both crappie and catfishing from this thread pack it up and have a garage sale lol!!!! thnx slab for starting a very good thread and the great info and you too wutever for the great info on catfishing !!!!!!

[wuteversbitin424]

I agree jim...seems as if some are trying to qualify for a seat in washington...lol sorry i couldnt resist. Sorry for hi-jacking your thread slab. I hope to get out some next week and look for some crappie. You may have pm me with a bit more info on long lining jigs. Ive only heard of that a couple times. Although im sure i can google it. Btw 13 keeps with the eyes as a kicker is still a good day in my book! We`re gonna have to hit the water sometime!

[Aggressor1988long]

You are right about the cats, water today 71.8 now these crappie I caught were in 13 feet in the middle of the coves and some still had pre- spawn eggs, I cannot figure that out. And especially when they hammer down on a spinner bait. I just cannot figure the fish out this year.

[Sac River Jim]

You are right about the cats, water today 71.8 now these crappie I caught were in 13 feet in the middle of the coves and some still had pre- spawn eggs, I cannot figure that out. And especially when they hammer down on a spinner bait. I just cannot figure the fish out this year.

Lendall the baptist preacher at Verona keeps a crappie rod on deck when hes throwing a spinnerbait. when a big crappie hammers it he grabs up the crappie rod and commences to fill up his live well.

[wareaglecamo]

A link on the basics of long-lining for crappie . . . http://www.bnmpoles.com/news.aspx?showarticle=165

[wuteversbitin424]

Thanks wareagle!