Crappie friday & sunday!

[Mikey topaz]

Nice plan b!! Glad you found em man

[crewchief2]

jmurr, would appreciate any tips you might feel like giving out. No crappie experience to speak off. Hit my local lake yesterday, which is loaded with em, marked tons of fish, but couldnt buy a hit no matter what i did. Must be doing something wrong. Thanks

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by crewchief2

jmurr, would appreciate any tips you might feel like giving out. No crappie experience to speak off. Hit my local lake yesterday, which is loaded with em, marked tons of fish, but couldnt buy a hit no matter what i did. Must be doing something wrong. Thanks

If they were indeed Crappie and would not hit small artificials, try going back with a bucket of small live minnows.. I have seen times when they would not touch jigs, but would instantly hit a live minnow.. Killies are terrific if you can find them as are fatheads.. Anything really, including small shiners. Lower them down to the depth you are reading fish at with a split shot a couple feet from a fine wire hook, or these days a lot of guys use the drop shot rig.. If those fish you are reading are crappies they will surely hit live minnows, so will perch and white perch...

[crewchief2]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

If they were indeed Crappie and would not hit small artificials, try going back with a bucket of small live minnows.. I have seen times when they would not touch jigs, but would instantly hit a live minnow.. Killies are terrific if you can find them as are fatheads.. Anything really, including small shiners. Lower them down to the depth you are reading fish at with a split shot a couple feet from a fine wire hook, or these days a lot of guys use the drop shot rig.. If those fish you are reading are crappies they will surely hit live minnows, so will perch and white perch...

Thanks, will definately give that a try, and yes, i know they're crappies. No perch in this lake, and i do catch them through the ice. I was using different jigs, a beetlespin, and also super worms, which do well through the ice too. Will try the minnows, thanks for the tip.

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by crewchief2

Thanks, will definately give that a try, and yes, i know they're crappies. No perch in this lake, and i do catch them through the ice. I was using different jigs, a beetlespin, and also super worms, which do well through the ice too. Will try the minnows, thanks for the tip.

just another tip... crappie can be notorious for feeding upwards only at times. if your lure or bait is at their level or not high enough above them certain days they will flat out ignore it no matter what. Idk about down south but in the northern nj lakes this time of the year they often eat those little tiny larva wormy things that hatch out of deep sandy bottoms (not sure what insect they are).

[crewchief2]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

just another tip... crappie can be notorious for feeding upwards only at times. if your lure or bait is at their level or not high enough above them certain days they will flat out ignore it no matter what. Idk about down south but in the northern nj lakes this time of the year they often eat those little tiny larva wormy things that hatch out of deep sandy bottoms (not sure what insect they are).

I'm definately up north, and i had the bait everywhere, above, below, in between. just no luck, Gives me incentive to keep trying. Thanks for the tip.

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by crewchief2

I'm definately up north, and i had the bait everywhere, above, below, in between. just no luck, Gives me incentive to keep trying. Thanks for the tip.

they can certainly be picky, but i gotta say it's odd to not catch any at all if they're there... if the place has deep water with structure or structure nearby deep water this time of the year that's where i'd fish. it can be tough from shore if that's how you're doing it cause if you have to suspend the lure/bait a few feet above them in 20-30ft of water you'd need a slip bobber. drop shot rig with a long leader to the weight will work too if they are near bottom feeding upward.