New to crappie fishing

[walliceman]

Dont have ice yet but still preping.


Hey guys,
Besides me fishing for walleyes, i was thinking of a place to cacth crappies cause i heard they are very good to eat, Anyways I dont exactly have a map this time for where i will be fishing but i was wondering if anyone can give me any tips lures you know what kinda structure they like, things like that. Thanks a bunch, One more thing what type and lb test do you veterans use? I plan on using and unltra light rod, i Do not have a vexilar unit yet but will hopefully have one on christmas day to aid in my searches.


-Evan

[walleye4]

Where are you planning on fishing? Depth of water body?

There is many ways to target crappies thru the ice.  I mainly fish reservoirs for these fine tasting fish.  There is alot of places that you can look for them.  Brushpiles, docks, steep drop-offs, weeds, points, and the list goes on.  As far as fishing for them, I like to use 4#/1# dia. fireline Ice line for my crappie fishing.  This line is very tuff, don't have to re-spool after every trip and you can fish even the lightest jigs with it.  I do use mono but mainly just on my slip-bobber rods.  There is 1000's of different lures, jigs, and baits to choose from too.  Teardrops, micro jigs, swedish pimples, jigging rapala's, kastmasters, spoons, and many others to numerous to mention.  I am sure other guys will give more advice and tactics.  A vexilar will up your odds on finding the fish and help you catch them.  Wouldn't trade mine off for a million years.

Hope this gets you started.  Anymore ?, ask away and we will help as best we can.

[walliceman]

Thanks im not exactly sure the maximum depth but i will find out today,
 It is in connecticut and its name is lake lillinonah. It is fairly close to me that is the reason i ask.  What type of minnows do you use? fatheads or shiners? And what is your favorite type if bobber? I know a slip bobber, but what brand, where do you get them online if you can?


-Evan

[walleye4]

I mainly use shiners and waxworms.  As for bobbers, I like to use the smallest I can get away with.  Generally, I use the Thill Light Bite.  If you have any other ?, email me at [email protected] .

[walliceman]

Thanks and by the way the max depth of the lake is 90 ft.



-Evan

[walleye4]

With the lake being that deep, start your search over any structure that you know of that is in 18-35'.  They might be a little deeper than that but not very often.  If you don't know where there is any structure, then try the primary points or the dam area of this lake.  This is where my ice action will be this season since we are under drought conditions and the lakes are really low.  We do have a couple of brushpiles that we will fish but that is about the only structure left in the lake and it will hold a little of everything.  Most of our crappie are staged off the dam in about 17' of water.

Hope this helps you

[trapdaddy21]

when searching for crappies i like to look for structure like cribs, rocks, or humps that could hold bait fish. if i were you i would attempt to locate some structure, then from there it is hit and miss. if your not catching crappies during the day try fishing after dark, some lakes i fish you catch them during the day and some lakes are better at night. i think it depends on the area you are fishing and when the crappies come schooling through. when you catch one crappies, get your line back down because they usually come in flurries!

[trapdaddy21]

i recently just bought some new bobbers that aren't really like a normal slip bobber, but they work great. they clip on your line and stay at the right depth by using a bobber stopper. they allow you to reel up your line like a slip bobber, and are what ever size you rip them off as.

[firsticerules]

trapdaddy21 are those the yellow foam bobbers with a plastic tip or something like that, cause i saw them in a magazine and they look like they would work good

[whitebassbenny]

meal worms on a sabiki rig and sink it to the bottom

[crappiemaster]

I would also check out inside turns in depths from 15'-35'.  What i use for lures are the Northland forage minnows.  I would also use crappie minnows, waxworms or maggots.  that is what has worked the best for me.

[fishhead4268]

I lived in Newtown for 26 years, next to Brookfield. I ice fished crappie many times in lillinoah and Zoar!!  Candlewood used to have good crappie to. The boat launch in the cove on the Newtown Roxbury line was always good, and just below the big bridge in Roxbury in the cove next to launch is a great crappie cove>>   My brother still lives there and ice fishes all the time. E-Mail me and I will give you his E-Mail. He fished Bantam Sunday for pike.  FISH-ON               FISHHEAD