TROLLING CRANKS FOR CRAPPIE

[GRANDPA TATER]

Just wondering what the earliest that you can catch some crappie trolling cranks? Is it more related to hours of sunlight in a day or the actual water temp?

And if you could only troll with one color of Flicker Shad, what is your favorite?  Depending on water clarity and sunlight I'd probably choose one of the versions of firetiger.

Same question if you're pulling Bandits? I'd probably have to go with the old reliable Silver & Chrome.

It's getting to that time of year! I hope you all are whacking them!

Tater

[fishinwrench]

Post-spawn.    Mid-June til October is crankbait trolling time here at Lake O.

[MrGiggles]

I've had success in early May. Pretty much as soon as the spawn is over and done with. 

If I could only pick one color flicker, it would probably be blue tiger.

[Quillback]

I'd say well past post spawn, once they move off the banks.  I always used Bandit 300's.  White, Pink or bubblegum, anything but black unless you want to catch walleye and bass, black is good for that.  My uncle fishes 300's in the Miss, crappie factories, they bite them all summer there too.  

[DADAKOTA]

The week after Memorial Day.  Not much traffic and lots of crappies.

[Big Mike]

size 7 flicker shad purple color.  They make 3 or 4 different ones.  Slick purple candy, purple fire tiger and a few more that I cannot think of.     Stockton walleye love purple but I also catch a good number of crappie on them as well.  June through October.  if i was just after Crappie I would go with a fire tiger.  I have done well with the Uncle Rico color also.  I always get ficker shads for xmas from my kids and they always get me the uncle rico ones(they like the name)😄 

[nomolites]

You can pick them up on the way in to spawn as well; they will suspend in the larger spawning coves prior to moving in and again on the way out.  As a general guideline they like to do this at the midpoint of the water column i.e, if the depth is 20 they will be around 10, if 40 the. 20, etc.  Your electronics should give you a good idea.  A bright colored wiggle wart at 100’ back is a great choice for those fish in that 20’….try to stay 1.2 - 1.5 mph.  And as mentioned above, it’s hard to be purple/white/chartreuse combo like the “Uncle Rico” or “Purpledescent” in a shad imitating bait - they are excellent.

Mike

[straw hat]

I highly agree with nomolites!!

[watermen2]

All good info and advice. I get them during the spawn on the points out from their spawning cove after they pull off later in the morning. Tend to get a better grade of fish as well during the spawn with trolling the mouths of the coves. I have done better with the Bandits personally. Along with all the mentioned colors I seem to do well with a brown craw with orange belly as well as any of the pinks like grenada shad. I also seem to do better with blue chrome over the black, Depends on the day as much as anything. Middle of June and I'm done.

[nomolites]

2 hours ago, watermen2 said:

All good info and advice. I get them during the spawn on the points out from their spawning cove after they pull off later in the morning. Tend to get a better grade of fish as well during the spawn with trolling the mouths of the coves. I have done better with the Bandits personally. Along with all the mentioned colors I seem to do well with a brown craw with orange belly as well as any of the pinks like grenada shad. I also seem to do better with blue chrome over the black, Depends on the day as much as anything. Middle of June and I'm done.

Agree blue and purple or chartreuse chromes outperform black, and definitely catch the larger females suspended as they tend to wait to move in until late in the day.  I tinker around with baits and colors until I find the favorites of the day then replicate(I am a crank bait a holic); run two deep and two shallow(er) lines if by myself - can run 6 with boards if I have help but usually 4 keeps me busy enough.  I have a few bandits and I know they are popular, but I am usually prospecting for walleye as well and tend to go with longer baits like Reef Runners 600s or # 7 deep tail dancers paired with wiggle warts.  They all catch fish if you run them at the right depths.