I have noticed that you fish for crappies quite a bit. My wife and I have been fishing walleyes for a few years now and want to expand our abilities. I feel pretty comfortable in the walleye area, but am quite a novice on the crappie thing.
I would like to learn more about crappie fishing. We started to try and catch crappies about a year or so ago. I have had very mixed luck. Sometimes the bite is good and sometimes I can't get any response. I have done some reading on it and am going to try and apply a few of those ideas, but would like to learn from someone who does it on a more regular basis.
If you are willing to share some knowledge it would be very much appreciated! I am willing to try spring, summer, and fall periods. Whatever it takes to be able to catch a few more crappies. Both my wife and I would VERY much appreciate any tips that you are willing to share. I DO NOT expect you to share any of your honey holes with me. Just whatever ideas/patterns that you think someone starting out could benifit from. THANKS!!!
Greg P
04-16-2002, 02:00 PM
JAK,
Here is some additional information on crappie fishing. I know this is a walleye board, but hey, sometimes I fish crappies also. As far as eating fish goes, I find crappies to be second only to walleyes. A lot of the people I fish with prefer crappie fishing because the action can be great, with good numbers of fish to be caught once you find them. And I do not know anyone who likes to eat fish, and does not like to eat crappies.
Like you, I have had times when I do very well, and other times that I cannot buy a bite. It seems that at certain times of the year and water temperatures I can always find crappies in a particular spot, then they seem to disappear. Then I can find them at different areas later in the year.
Since you said you have done some reading on crappie fishing, I will try and give you some information that may not be emphasized in the literature you already read.
First of all, you must find a lake that holds good numbers of crappies. Some lakes do, some don’t. In Minnesota, most lakes have netting surveys that will indicate whether or not a lake has good potential, this information is available at the MN DNR website. Bait stores will also know, or ask people at the launch.
For spring crappies, (I think) crappies spawn at around 60 degrees water temp, so the key is to find that water temperature during the spring. Since different areas in the same lake may have large temperature variations, particularly large lakes with many bays, you may be able to find fish in different areas a week or two apart. For example, when I fish Lake Minnetonka which is essentially several lakes joined together, I may fish one area for a week, then move to another area for a week, then to another area for a week. Generally spots near large, deep, open areas of the lake will be the last to produce, and produce the largest fish. The secret here is to keep moving until you find them. I will fish a spot for about 10 minutes, if I catch nothing or just little ones, I move on. I have caught them in as little as 2-3 feet of water in the spring, so do not be afraid to try it shallow, they may be a bit spooky, so stay quiet and use long casts.
Summer time is very hit and miss. I have the best luck in the evening, usually in around 6-15 feet of water, with weed growing up to within about 5- 10 feet of the surface. It can be hard to get them to bite during the day, unless it’s overcast. For some reason, one shoreline spot or point will be great, and 100 yards away, nothing. You can sometimes find the schools hanging around in about 15 – 30 feet during the day, and move in to shallow weedy shelves in the evening.
I have found fall to be the easiest time to find crappies. They are usually schooling in deep water during the day, and may move a bit shallower towards evening. Drive around with your graph, and you should be able to locate the schools. Some lakes they are suspended around 15 to 30 feet down in 40 - 50 feet of water, other lakes they are hanging around 20-30 feet of water near the bottom during the day. The key here is to use your graph to find the schools, they will appear as large suspended clouds and usually you can pick out individual fish near the edges of the schools. I have seen schools of fish on my graph that are very large and dense, and these fish can be quite easy to catch. These schools move, so you must stay on top of them, moving shallower during the evening. I have the best luck with these fish from mid September through later October. I sometimes drive around for an hour looking for schools, they may not be in the same area week to week.
Baits. Most frequently I use a small jig tipped with a crappie minnow. My preferred size of jig is 1/8 oz, and I will add a splitshot sinker if I needed to get the jig down to the fish. My favorite jigs include fuzzy grubs, tube jigs, Red Neck jigs, flu flus, and small twister tails. My favorite colors? I usually start out with pink, or pink head with white tail. I have also done well with chartreuse or yellow heads and sparkly green tails. When fishing with jigs, if they are in shallow, I will often put a bobber on and slowly move the jig along. In deeper water, I usually try and hold the boat over the school, and fish vertically without a bobber. Getting an 1/8 oz. jig down 30 feet requires good boat control (add a sinker about 8” above the jig if it’s windy). To keep the boat steady, I will use either a good long anchor rope, or I will use my kicker to hold the boat with the back to the wind and hover over a school. Using the kicker allows you to follow the school if they move.
If you find a school, but they are biting very light and they are hard to hook, I will switch to a slip bobber setup. I like a pink or green, or glow Gamagatzu hook, with a minnow. The plain hook with minnow can be more effective during the day in light bite situations.
I always put a Berkley Crappie Nibbler on ahead of the minnow. Both with jigs and plain hooks. If you are skeptical about nibblers, give them a try, you will usually outfish someone who is not using them. I really like the new sparkly kinds, pink being my favorite color. I also use them walleye fishing with good success.
When looking for a spot on a new lake, I will find prominent points, and work along the sides of the point and the corners of bays on either side of the point. I don’t know why, but usually one side is better than the other, and the point itself is not typically the best spot. Depth depends on the time of year, spring 3-10 feet, summer 6-15 feet, fall 10-50 feet, depending on the lake. I have located and caught crappies in the fall in 45 + feet of water near the bottom, during mid day, and followed them into about 25 feet of water towards evening.
I fish a variety of lakes in Minnesota, here are some of my favorites: Spring: Minnetonka areas around Wayzeta bay such as the Arcola bridge and Swifts Point and Tanger Lake and the docks near port of Excelsior. Rice Lake(Paynseville), Big and Little Pine near Finlayson. Summer I like Borden. Fall I like all of the lake listed except Minnetonka. There are hundreds of great crappie fishing lakes throughout Minnesota and Wisonsin.
Key points: Find lakes that are known for a good crappie population. In the spring try different spots until you find them. Summer, look for a shelf which levels off at around 6-10 feet deep near deep water. Fall, I search deep holes or drop offs looking for suspended schools. In the fall, drive the boat around and find the schools. Verticle jig with minnow for aggressive fish, and plain hook slip bobber for light bites. If you catch a bunch of small fish, move to find the bigger year class schools.
I hope this helps, if you have specific questions, please feel free to ask. I will be on Minnetonka over opener, Wayzeta bay area, and usually stop in at Haskels in Excelsior around noon. I would be happy to compare notes. I have an Alumacraft Trophy 185, tan with green trim, Yamaha HPDI motor, typically a boat full of people. I almost always do very well around opener for big crappies (~1/2 to 1 lb) on Tonka. I have a marine band radio, pick a channel let me know, and give me a call.
Best of luck.
WOW! Can you ever type! Thanks for the response. I like you, also converse here at work over lunch time. I really appreciate you taking your time to write me a small novel about some of your experiences.
I may have to try some differant lakes. I fish mainly Kabetogama and Namakan. I also fish the southeast arm of Rainy Lake a little. I have heard that Rainy can produce some very nice crappies but yet to have experiance it. I have caught some some decent ones on Namakan and Kabetogama though.
I will try the hint about crappie nibbles. I also have found that pink/white and chartruse to be productive colors for me.
I would definatly share notes with you if I was going to be at Tonka. We rent a trailer sight by the season on Kabetogama and spend as much time there as we can. We will be there the week following opener.
If it works out some time that we can fish the same area I would like to pick your brain for a few more hints! I want to say THANK YOU again for responding. I also want to say again, that I do not expect you to share your secret hot spots with me! Just thanks for the information that you are willing to share!
If you want to send an e-mail to me directly you can find my address below.
jkiehne@ci.rochester.mn.us
Greg P
04-17-2002, 11:51 AM
JAK,
Hold the phone here!!
I consider the eastern basin of Rainy Lake to be my specialty. I make several trips up there each year. During the 4th of July week, I work for room and board at the Kettle Falls Hotel as the 'Athletic Director'. My job is to run the volleyball tournament, and keep kids busy playing baseball, horseshoes, Frisbee, etc., so the parents hang around longer and spend more money. Inevitably, I end up taking some folks I meet out fishing for walleyes. I generally camp on the remote island sites, or stay at the Kettle Falls Hotel once in a while. I have also done the houseboat deal a couple times. I have also fished sayed on and fished Kabetogama once, in the fall.
I have never had much luck with the crappies on the American side of the eastern basin of Rainy, with the exception of the area outside of Black Bay (western basin). I would be greatful for any pointers. I have tried a few times in the shallow bays along the south shore, and nothing. As a matter of fact, these bays seem rather devoid of any fish, with the exception of Anderson Bay. I have caught a few crappies while walleye fishing, but never consistently. It may be that I am not there at the right time of the year. I have heard of people doing very well with crappies up in Stokes Bay, but I do not fish Canadian waters.
I have heard of good crappie fishing on Kab, but never gotten in on the action. I have heard of good crappie action in Sullivan Bay, particularly near the entrance and along the narrow stretch leading into the bay.
What parts of Kabetogama do you primary chase the crappies? (No need to be specific, just general areas).
I am planning to spend a couple of weeks up there again this summer, starting with Memorial weekend. I was thinking of camping at Wooden Frog for a couple days, then moving to Rainy for the remainder of the week. Be glad to buy you a cold beer in exchange for some pointers.
I have done very well with walleyes on Rainy. I could easily write another novel about that…I would be glad to give out some information on that if you are interested. There are several people on this board who fish Rainy, Kab, Namaken, Sand Point, and Crane.
p.s. Yes, I can write plenty, my typing speed is very fast, due to all the practice as a software developer for many years. I usually have plenty to say…
What you have heard about in Kab is correct as far as the location. Sulivin and Lost bays along with the area at Ash River are places that I have caught crappies. Or at least I heard from reliable sources that they have caught them there. Like I have said I am fairly new to this.
I have also heard that Stokes and Red Gut on the Canadian side are supossed to be great. I have also heard that Black Bay is supossed to hold some excellent crappies.
We will be on Kab over Memorial week. We stay at a resort that is just around the corner from Woodenfrog. You must know Rick and Shawn along with Marylin down at Kettle Falls. They all seem like very nice people.
We will have to try and talk some more before then. If you want to e-mail me direct my address is in the last note. It seems that the board is extremely slow right now.
Hope to hear more from you later!