Crappie tips?

[dtownalltheway]

Ive never targeted crappie but the lake im going to has them (fletchers). It is only about 5 - 9 ft. Deep. Any tips on how to catch them or what to use? When you use lights at night do you just light a lantern in the shanty? Im not looking for spots just tips on how to generally catch crappies. I also would like to know any advice on how to find them in shallow water. Thanks for any tips guys

[fishybill]

Same way you would fish them in deep water.

After dark, with a lantern, small pimple or jiggin rap, maybe a couple deadsticks out.  They most likely will be biting best only a couple feet down in skinny water.  Find some structure at a decent depth and hit it.

[monoped]

Sure,lantern in shanty. Be safe and have some ventilation and only refuel and light out side.
If no flasher unit to find fish depth,start 6 inches off the bottom. Single hook through 2 inch or smaller minnow,(below dorsal fin above spine) with enough shot to put top of float level with water. Let spec take float 6 inches under before hook set. Or if it takes it all the way across hole first set hook at 3 inches under. If missing them experiment. A jig with a head hooked wax worm can be tried too.
Rods disappear when left unattended with line in water when slow fishing calls for stepping out of shelter.
Good luck.

[fishybill]

Sure,lantern in shanty. Be safe and have some ventilation and only refuel and light out side.
If no flasher unit to find fish depth,start 6 inches off the bottom. Single hook through 2 inch or smaller minnow,(below dorsal fin above spine) with enough shot to put top of float level with water. Let spec take float 6 inches under before hook set. Or if it takes it all the way across hole first set hook at 3 inches under. If missing them experiment. A jig with a head hooked wax worm can be tried too.
Rods disappear when left unattended with line in water when slow fishing calls for stepping out of shelter.
Good luck.

Good point, let the bobber go down a bit on the deadstick rods.

Another one is keep your finger on the line of your jigging rods to detect light bites.  Bare finger, not with gloves.  LOL

[dtownalltheway]

Man you guys are awesome! Thanks alot I'm going to try these tips. There is an old river bed and also an old railroad grade im going to try and target. How do crappie taste? Like gills? Do you use the lantern just because crappie like the light? I have an electric one that uses batteries that I planned to use because I use my buddy heater for heat. Thanks again for the tips.

[carbidemanfishing]

I was having luck on a small slender spoon tipped with a small berkley powerminnow around dusk. Caught some persh to same way.

[sweetdad040]

Plankton are attracted to the light, bait fish are attracted to planton, crappy are attracted to bait fish, and I'm attracted to crappy. Its a vicious cycle.

[monoped]

They are my personal favorite to eat. I fillet and skin. On rare occasion scale and fillet. Flavor a little better with skin but i hate scaling.

[fishybill]

They are tasty especially through the ice.

Another tip:  If the bite is on more than 1 rod simply creates room for a litany of debacles.  So if you start catching you will catch more with only one line down.

[tree digger]

Catch a lot of them on regular gill jig (glow after dark) with spikes/waxies, you can be more agressive jiggin and taking it away to trigger bites than with bluegills, a lot of them will also lift the bait, so if bobber lays on its side or spring lifts at all, its hammer time.

[butcher]

Sweetdad,

Good suggestions so far.  Thought I'd add a few others as well:

1.  Sometimes crappie shy away from the light.  If you are fishing a good spot that should hold crappies but aren't getting bit, drill further from your light source.  Some nights the crappie will bite better if there is no light at all.

2.  Crappies LOVE to suspend.  I have a lake that I fish that is uniformly 10-12 feet deep.   At night, most of the fish I catch are only 2-3 feet below the surface of the ice. If you have electronics, use them to locate crappies.  If not, start high in the water column and work your way lower until you find fish.  Once you locate the depth where the fish are feeding, chances are most of the crappies in that body of water will be feeding at that depth.  Good to know if you have buddies fishing with you - of course you'll need to decide whether you want to be a good buddy or secure bragging rights for the biggest/most fish that day... 

3.  Crappies WILL NOT hit a bait that's presented below them.  Their eyes are set on top of their heads so it's nearly impossible for them to see anything below them, therefore it's better to have a bait two feet above them than 2 inches below them.

4.  Crappies LOVE wood.  Standing timber or brush, especially in deeper water will hold crappies.  If wood isn't avilable, look for weeds that are still green and healthy.

5.  Crappies are largely nocturnal feeders.  They bite best from dusk until dawn so target them at those times.  Overcast skies can be productive all day. 

6.  Crappies are notoriously light biters and will often drop a bait even if they feel the slightest bit of resistance.  Often, I'll use a small jig or spoon tipped with a fathead minnow or waxworm.  Be sure to watch the line for any hint of odd movement.  If you see the line twitch or move in an unusual direction, set the hook.

7.  Crappies can take larger baits like 3+ inch shiners. Don't be afraid to upsize on agressive fish or to select for larger crappies.

I think that about covers it.  Hope I haven't put you to sleep.

Good luck and stay on top!

Butcher

[dtownalltheway]

Man you guys have been great! Thanks a lot...I'm glad you mentioned that they love wood. That makes me think I might not target the old railroad grade (was thinking they may like gravel) instead there are areas that have lots of stumps because where I'm fishing is a backwaters. I can't WAIT until Friday night when I can switch from gills, perch, and pike and target some crappies! By the way that makes me think of something else. Should I bother to keep out any tip ups for pike? Anybody have luck with them after dark? I've never tried....I've got a couple windlass tip ups that I might put some smaller shiners on and see if I can get a couple crappies on those too.

[mgordeneer]

This has to be one of the most informative threads I have read so far. Thank you all for that. I do have one question though. I just picked up a Marcum camera with infared. Will this scare off Crappie? I don't know if the light (I was thinking they probably wouldn't be able to see it) or the sheer presence of a camera down there would spook them. Has anyone had any experience with this.
It's a new toy, either way, I'll probably play with it.

[fishybill]

Man you guys have been great! Thanks a lot...I'm glad you mentioned that they love wood. That makes me think I might not target the old railroad grade (was thinking they may like gravel) instead there are areas that have lots of stumps because where I'm fishing is a backwaters. I can't WAIT until Friday night when I can switch from gills, perch, and pike and target some crappies! By the way that makes me think of something else. Should I bother to keep out any tip ups for pike? Anybody have luck with them after dark? I've never tried....I've got a couple windlass tip ups that I might put some smaller shiners on and see if I can get a couple crappies on those too.

Never hurts to keep a couple traps out. 

[dtownalltheway]

Yeah I thought should I keep some tip ups out for pike or use the windlass tip ups with a small minnow on it for crappie. If it isn't very good fishing for pike after dark I'd rather just try to target the crappie if I'm just going to be wasting my time with pike.

[IceBucky]

well i mainly target crappies and yes jiggn for them is most effective but if u feel like just sitting back and watching a bobber go down. You and a buddy or two need to set  lanterns out and spread your poles out about 5- six foot apart, I call this (the spread offence)  this can be very effective and fun

[bobberbill]

This has to be one of the most informative threads I have read so far. Thank you all for that. I do have one question though. I just picked up a Marcum camera with infared. Will this scare off Crappie? I don't know if the light (I was thinking they probably wouldn't be able to see it) or the sheer presence of a camera down there would spook them. Has anyone had any experience with this.
It's a new toy, either way, I'll probably play with it.

From my experience with a camera, they don't work the best at night. Even with infrared, the plankton clutters the screen, eyes of the fish are prominate, but camera vision is very poor. Crappies tend to suspend and roam, so it would be really hard to spot anthing in the water column. The camera works best close to bottom where there is something to see: weeds, bottom, structure. IMO flashers or graphs would do much better at dusk or night.

[slushbucket]

Great read for sure.  Butcher and others hit it on the head.  Also Just like any other fishing on the ice and maybe more so for Crappie, bumping and clattering stuff around will put them down or make them move off.  If you use the bobber make sure you have enough weight to make the smallest bobber you can get by with neutral in buoyancy...helps for the stightest bite.

Keep an eye on the bobber because like Butcher said they hit up.  Sometimes you will see the bobber float up or roll over on its side....set the hook, he just came up under the bait and has it in his mouth.

Good luck

[Machine]

This was one of the best threads I have seen on this site.  I am glad there are still some guy's out there willing to help someone.  I cannot add anything here but I can say I have picked up some new ideas.  Once again Thanks. And by the way, I think crappies are delicous.

[butcher]

Slip bobbers are a great way to catch crappies through the ice as well as just about any other species.  They allow you to hold baits at a specific depth which is extremely important when fish are suspended.  They can be used with either live baits or with jigs.

If you are going to use a slip bobber for crappies (or any other panfish or light biters for that matter), the shape of the bobber is extremely important.  Most standard slip bobbers are pear-shaped which creates a lot of surface friction.  This can be a problem for finicky biters like crappie.  If they are not feeding aggressively and feel resistance from the bobber, they'll often drop the bait before you can set the hook.  For crappies, I prefer the long narrow bobbers as opposed to the pear-shaped bobbers.  The surface area of the narrow bobbers is far less than the pear-shaped bobbers which makes it much easier for the fish to pull the bobber under the water.  Here's an example:

http://www.basspro.com/Lindy-Thill-153%3b-Pro-Series-Slip-Floats-Weighted/product/10206533/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&om_mmc=shopping_googleproductextensions&affcode_c=17kw3123296&SST=4e83d42c-c9da-fbc8-7bd0-000077bf412d

These types of bobbers are available in just about any sporting goods store, bait shop or online catalog.

Remember what Slushbucket said - crappies bite upward and often very lightly so sometimes the bobber will not go down, it will just bob or tip to the side.  If you see any sort of disturbance with your bobber, set the hook.  If you find you are missing strikes, downsize to a smaller bait.

Good Luck!

Butcher

[monoped]

Butcher has a point with float. i weight them in advance to float in a glass at home,once minnow added at lake it can be fine tuned to barely have surface tension. Thills pencil shapes are great for finicky fish though i use the small foam crush to clean type floats the most.
The float rising like a perch bite i don,t get alot but a point i overlooked.
Regarding depth when we fished blind,starting at six inches off the bottom. Float depth raised by six inch increments till bites occur.
Often fish within two feet of bottom mid winter. due to oxygen or bait? And also then in deeper water or at least in holes. Early ice when weeds still alive worth being above them or at least on edge. Till o2 starts failing depths in teens for me. Late winter and last ice often six inches to a foot under ice in shallower water.

[Greg 49274]

You did mention a river bed. Do not over look this feature.
I have had many a good night fishing a river bed in a dammed lake.
A few feet away would be no action; on the dip of the river bed would be great.

[danbfishin]

I agree with butcher, i get less or no action whe using a light. I also use tip ups when i fish for crappie. They have plenty of time to take it by the time you get there. I use a small red trebble with a couple of glo beeds on 6 lb floro. Split shot about 6 to 8 inches up to keep the minnow from scooting all over the place. Make sure the tip up is a good free spooler & set a light trigger.  Have minnow 2 to 3 feet below ice, put lights on tip ups. sit back and wait for flags. This method has out produced jigging for me.
Good luck.

[dtownalltheway]

Ok fellas today is the day! I'm leaving in about 3 hours to head up north so I'll let you know how these tips worked out for me! Thanks again for all the tips and I can't wait to try them out. Hopefully they result in a nice dinner for me!

[swampbuckster]

Have fun dude! Good luck!!

[fishineveryminuteofit]

I use Stren's hi-vis gold mono to help me detect teh upward bite that crappie are known to give. I can see this lo memory line well and when they lift the bait and put slack in the line, set the hook.
G'luck

[1moslab]

Sweetdad,

Good suggestions so far.  Thought I'd add a few others as well:

1.  Sometimes crappie shy away from the light.  If you are fishing a good spot that should hold crappies but aren't getting bit, drill further from your light source.  Some nights the crappie will bite better if there is no light at all.

2.  Crappies LOVE to suspend.  I have a lake that I fish that is uniformly 10-12 feet deep.   At night, most of the fish I catch are only 2-3 feet below the surface of the ice. If you have electronics, use them to locate crappies.  If not, start high in the water column and work your way lower until you find fish.  Once you locate the depth where the fish are feeding, chances are most of the crappies in that body of water will be feeding at that depth.  Good to know if you have buddies fishing with you - of course you'll need to decide whether you want to be a good buddy or secure bragging rights for the biggest/most fish that day... 

3.  Crappies WILL NOT hit a bait that's presented below them.  Their eyes are set on top of their heads so it's nearly impossible for them to see anything below them, therefore it's better to have a bait two feet above them than 2 inches below them.

4.  Crappies LOVE wood.  Standing timber or brush, especially in deeper water will hold crappies.  If wood isn't avilable, look for weeds that are still green and healthy.

5.  Crappies are largely nocturnal feeders.  They bite best from dusk until dawn so target them at those times.  Overcast skies can be productive all day. 

6.  Crappies are notoriously light biters and will often drop a bait even if they feel the slightest bit of resistance.  Often, I'll use a small jig or spoon tipped with a fathead minnow or waxworm.  Be sure to watch the line for any hint of odd movement.  If you see the line twitch or move in an unusual direction, set the hook.

7.  Crappies can take larger baits like 3+ inch shiners. Don't be afraid to upsize on agressive fish or to select for larger crappies.

I think that about covers it.  Hope I haven't put you to sleep.

Good luck and stay on top!

Butcher#3 is kinda like a urban myth crappie will hit a bait below them found this out some years ago reading in-fishermans ice fishing secrets and have seen it myself.great info in that book if you have not read it.some times the light works for me some times not.but it is still fun

[jodeew1004]

Just really got into crappie fishing throughout the ice this year. I dead stick a minnow rigged through back around the dorsal fin on a tiny size 18 treble hook. Then jig a small spoon tipped with minnow or wax worm had good luck with the smallest Hali spoon in glow