crappie fishing next week

[polock]

should i just plan on vertical jigging around cover at 10-20'deep??

[Phil Lilley]

The guys I've talked to have found crappie on the mud flats in 10 to 18 feet of water close to the bottom and using swimming minnows. One guy said he was catching them on flesh colored sm's with a yellow jig head- said they wouldn't hit it unless it was yellow. Wierd. That was up Long Creek.

[Bill Babler]

Fishing has been off the last week, due to the cold, just not getting out.

If I were after the fillets, I'd go up Long Creek to where it and Cricket divide and as Phil stated start prospecting the flats. Put your boat at the edge of the channel break and start casting the swimming minnow toward the bank 12 to 22 ft. let it fall to the bottom and just barely creep it back to the boat, maintaining the minnow just off the bottom.

Try different colors and locations and learn as you go. It won't be fast, but I bet you catch some.

Also as your boat is in the channel keep checking your graph to see if there are any concentrations of fish on the bottom in the channel, or suspended. I like to keep a maribou handy for this as I feel the feathers work better on a vertical presentation.

Just take your time and if you feel you are fishing slow, slow down even more, its cold out there.

[Growler]

Bill, you mention "it's cold out there." That's a good statement to remember. I had a friend who fished tournaments tell me to imagine swimming in syrup. That's how they feel with their metabolism rate (fish's) slowed down by the cold temperature. Work your bait so a fish "swimming in syrup" could get it.

G

[Bill Babler]

BIG G. I think you get it. Great post.