Crappie Help.

[Enich]

Hey guys - I'd like to increase my odds at some crappie through the ice (kind of burned out on bluegill).  I only seem to pick up a stray one here and there using the usual jigs with spikes/mousies and jigging raps.  Can anyone recommend a better bait or strategy.  I've thought about minnows but how do you fish em?  Sounds like some of you get in to them more frequently

[Pitcherbeb]

Enich, Got a Vexilar or some sort of fish finder? Having a flasher makes a huge difference! A lot depends on what type of lakes you fish, but for the most part they are usually suspended, which makes them hard to find a lot of the time. Their eyes are positioned so that they feed looking up, so keeping the bait/lure above them is rather important in catching them. Try weed edges in the evening right at dusk and chanels(old river beds or ridges) in the middle of the winter. I've never used minnows ice fishing and have not had a problem catching them. At the same time, you have to go to the right lake. I usually fish Prarie Creek, which is sounding like it is rather messed up this year. Hope this helps a little bit.

[hardysf]

if you fish with a minnow, you need a small foam bobber for your ice hole. we fish for them in 12-18 FOW and they are usually around 6-8 feet below the ice. Look for an inlet to the lake and fish the closest hole around their. Usually they move into the inlet in spring to spawn.

[AlgaeKilla]

Last night I caught eight crappies on jigs and mousies, while a tip-up with a minnow was set up not four feet away. The minnow produced not fish. I grabbed the tip-up and traded holes. Then pulled two crappie from the hole that the minnow was sitting in. Again the minnow produced no fish. The moral of the story is; its not your bait its your location. I'm not saying minnows don't work. The reason I had them is because I was crappie fishing and often they will out produce spikes and mousies. The info above is good. Crappies use "confined open water". Look for 'U' shapes in bottom contour, inside turns, points, road beds, channels, weed edges and the like. Good rule of thumb is "bait out crappies in". find a decent sized bay with relatively deep water (see 5-10 feet if the max depth in the lake is 20-30). If there is a decent sized flat with structure on the main lake side of the mouth of the bay the slabs will be there picking off the bait fish as theexit the bay. Another thing not metioned above is in a lake or pond void of structure mid winter crappies will be suspended over the deepest water, usually half way down. Always drop your bait slowly and in a manner where you can feel not only a tug, but weightlessness. They will hit up!! If you use a bobber use one you can balance so it will tip over if the bait is lifted, same with a spring bobber if it goes straight set the hook. Good luck.

[iceon]

I'm a minnow fisher when it comes to crappie I use two setups one is lite noodle rods
if you are using bigger minnows and also the spring bobber off the old hand over hand rods that is the most sensitive bobber I've ever seen. And a vex is most helpful for depth but if you know your lake you don't need it. In my own opinion your smaller lakes are more productive for crappie than the larger lakes.I do not use any glow hooks. I usually have all three rods fairly close to one another cause you get more action if the minnows see one another.

                                             iceon