Author Topic: Little crappies?  (Read 5113 times)

Offline GrizlyGarou

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Little crappies?
« on: Jan 05, 2017, 06:25 AM »
I'm looking for small crappie, not advice on where the bigger ones are...

I'm planning on training my beagle to locate schools of crappie on ponds, but I need live crappie in buckets to start the training. I figure smaller ones will live longer and be less likely to splash around inside the buckets.

I catch plenty of good eater sized crappie, but I'm looking for the four to six inchers. Where are the babies living in the winter? Are they roaming around like the eaters, or are they hiding in the weeds or something? Maybe I'm jigging wrong? Any advice is appreciated.

"One hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."  Anonymous

Offline lefty2053

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 08, 2017, 06:55 AM »
Do you really think your Beagle is going to smell Crappies threw the ice? I think what will happen is you will train it to find a bucket.  :roflmao: :roflmao:
<===Lefty===

Offline GrizlyGarou

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 08, 2017, 07:21 PM »
Nah, I'm gonna cut holes for her to check. Cadaver dogs find bodies under water so I know it's possible for them to smell stuff under there. She's the kind of dog that needs to be constantly learning new stuff and have a job so the worst that happens is I keep her busy for a while and she doesn't jump on my counters to eat the crumbs in the toaster...

Seriously, though, what kind of spots do people tend to avoid because they produce small crappie?
"One hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."  Anonymous

Offline Skywagon

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 09, 2017, 06:33 AM »
Nah, I'm gonna cut holes for her to check. Cadaver dogs find bodies under water so I know it's possible for them to smell stuff under there. She's the kind of dog that needs to be constantly learning new stuff and have a job so the worst that happens is I keep her busy for a while and she doesn't jump on my counters to eat the crumbs in the toaster...

Seriously, though, what kind of spots do people tend to avoid because they produce small crappie?

Hurry up and get that dog trained, I would like to rent her for a day!

Offline Kevin23

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 11, 2017, 11:14 PM »
Not sure if you are serious or not. But its funny either way!

Seriously, dink crappies hide in structure so they don't get eaten.
EYECONICFISHING

Offline GrizlyGarou

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 12, 2017, 05:54 AM »
Yup, I'm serious. I had figured they were probably in structure, but I've never tried for them there since I've always chased the good eater sized ones out on the flats and basins. I appreciate the info!

Not sure if you are serious or not. But its funny either way!

Seriously, dink crappies hide in structure so they don't get eaten.
"One hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."  Anonymous

Offline jpd949

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 13, 2017, 08:10 PM »
Please tell me you're kidding

Offline Stickhick86

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 10, 2017, 06:02 PM »
Post pictures if you get her to do it
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to ice fish, have his wife mad for ever.

Offline Bryce

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 12, 2017, 01:08 PM »
Can't help with little crappie but not entirely impossible for a dog to point fish.

Three years ago spent several hours searching for Perch, managed a couple that my fishin' bubby had been messing with, decided to call it a day and head home.

Headed back across the lake with the dog running and playing ahead of me, the only ones on the ice that day so didn't worry a leash,  anyway she was at a full fun with her nose to the ice when she went on point.

Figured what the heck, nothing better to do, so drilled a hole and dropped a line.  Got the four biggest perch of the day and rainbow in a matter of about 5 minutes.

I know it was a fluke and more luck than anything but I keep telling myself she pointed em.
Can't work with her on it cause lost her to cancer two years ago.


Offline UFCreel

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #9 on: Feb 13, 2017, 08:24 AM »
Bryce- Sorry about the loss of your dog. I too had a Golden Retriever that would mark crappie for me. He would run around and then start barking at the ice. I would drill a few holes and the crappie would be there. But this was shallow water. I too lost him a couple of years ago at the age of 5. I miss him. My friends all said i should have rented him to IDNR too. As when you walked up on them and asked if they were catching and they said no. I would say Bass find there fish and he would. We all got many of laughs out of it. It became a game of sorts.
Flags up! Bobbers down!

Offline NYBasser

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #10 on: Feb 16, 2017, 08:54 AM »
So, who's gonna be the one to start the dog training business for ice fishing?

Offline eriksat1

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Re: Little crappies?
« Reply #11 on: Feb 17, 2017, 08:52 AM »
Wouldn't it be easier to just use a flasher if you are drilling holes anyway?

 



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