Author Topic: Best way to catch crappie through ice?  (Read 17791 times)

Offline ckfish

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Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« on: Dec 21, 2011, 05:22 PM »
I fish a lot for perch and pickerel through ice. Recently found lake that seems to hold nice population of crappie. Caught some decent ones in summer. How should i fish them? I assumed glow jig with mousie or spike. Or maybe tip up with minnow, any suggestions?

Offline addicted to ice fishing

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #1 on: Dec 21, 2011, 09:29 PM »
Slender spoons,  little cecils,  and buckshot spoons work well, along with plastics.

Offline stripernut

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #2 on: Dec 21, 2011, 09:30 PM »
I catch a lot of nice one last season on Chubby Darters...

Offline Swift

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #3 on: Dec 21, 2011, 10:01 PM »
Find the food source/feeding area and  put something that imitates it in their face. Usually horizontal jigs/plastics, Darters, Raps or spoons

Offline shantysitter

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #4 on: Dec 22, 2011, 05:31 AM »
Break out the lantern

Offline Gills-only

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #5 on: Dec 22, 2011, 06:28 AM »
Puy your line in the water!!!

Offline nw/jigmaster

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #6 on: Dec 22, 2011, 06:42 AM »
 Start by cutting 100-200 yrd. troughs in the ice.. Now you can properly troll your bait..  ::) Once you figure out what they want, you can vary your trolling speed by how fast you run beside the troughs.. ;D
shut up , bait up , or whind  up

Offline stripernut

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #7 on: Dec 22, 2011, 07:17 AM »
Run beside? Isn't that what you sled or 4 wheeler is for? Boy, I must be doing it wrong...

Offline Loggy

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #8 on: Dec 30, 2011, 10:57 AM »
Over the years the small size 2 silver jiggin Rapala has consistently produced for me.

Offline Postletown

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 20, 2012, 02:41 PM »
Here in WNY I use a small bare hook with a shiner hooked slightly by the lips so it swims around a lot, if the minnow dies, put a live one on...I also use an easily sinkable slip bobber, the Crappie get real finicky it seems, so for me simple and light seems to work the best...Spring and through the ice.  We need some ice so I can go out and catch some  >:(
-Chris

Offline bearbgone

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 25, 2012, 08:19 AM »
6mm Wolfram tungsten jig tipped with a crappie minnow or 2 to 3 waxies.




Offline bluemountainlaker

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 25, 2012, 08:24 AM »
i always fish at night for them and u use a hali tipped with a grub/spike/minnow. but they seem to get more agresive at night

Offline flyangler00

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #12 on: Jan 25, 2012, 08:49 AM »
main lake basin adjacent to spawning ground using northland forage spoon tipped w/ fathead minnow head a proven producer here in lake country!!







may you have tight lines and good times, we'll see you on the water

Offline Trouty

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #13 on: Jan 25, 2012, 09:08 AM »
I do well with a horizontal jig tipped with a few spikes.

Offline spotail

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #14 on: Jan 28, 2012, 03:52 PM »
My best catches have all come on the same set-up.  A large banna style jig that glows green tipped with an emerald shiner that is hooked just under the dorsal fin.  This jig is fished on a slip float system were I use a large ice'n'fly thill float and set my depth with a small rubber band knotted to the line.  I usually begin to target crappie 1-2 hours before dark and fish into the night. I like to keep the jig glowing by putting it in front of a LED light every 15-20 minutes or so.  Additionally, my preference is to use 6 lb. flouro with a short heavy action rod, since the bobber indicates the bite and I like to quickly pull the fish out of the hole.  This set-up works extremely well at night just make sure the rod you use has large eyelets to avoid icing and to easily reel the knotted rubber band into the spool.

Offline Fontona19

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #15 on: Jan 28, 2012, 09:01 PM »
I do well with a horizontal jig tipped with a few spikes.


Same here.  ;)

Offline bearbgone

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #16 on: Feb 04, 2012, 01:25 PM »
I also like to use a Swedish Pimple #2 or #3 tipped with 3 waxies.




Offline eriksat1

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #17 on: Feb 16, 2012, 01:36 PM »
As much fun as jigging is, it's still hard to beat tip downs with a crappie minnow. I use 2 tip downs and jig with one rod and have to say the tip downs out produce at least 3 to 1 what I can jig.

Offline Pklures

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #18 on: Feb 19, 2012, 10:40 PM »
Couple of nice Manitoba slabs.  Best way to catch crappie through ice?  Some might accuse us of being biased, so just check out the March / April edition of In-Fisherman.  Great article on monster crappie.  Good read.


Offline RIVERRAT2

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #19 on: Oct 11, 2012, 01:00 PM »

Same here.  ;)
RIGHT ON ,ME TO,
 ;D ;D ;D
RAT
I LOVE FISHING.IT IS A FULLTIME JOB

Offline NYSporty

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #20 on: Oct 11, 2012, 01:07 PM »
RIGHT ON ,ME TO,
 ;D ;D ;D
RAT

3X
FRESH spikes.
I also like to dead stick my other 2 rods with the same style jigs tipped with a live fathead hooked through the lips.
"Problem solving is hunting. It is savage pleasure and we are born to do it."
Thomas Harris


Offline JAM3S

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #21 on: Oct 11, 2012, 02:44 PM »
Don't know about where you are, but crappie around here aren't picky.  Just about anything with a waxie on the end of it.

Offline Chris338378

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #22 on: Oct 11, 2012, 10:19 PM »
I always had good luck with Sweedish Pimples.

Offline fishinfanatic1

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #23 on: Dec 09, 2012, 04:10 PM »
Don't know about where you are, but crappie around here aren't picky.  Just about anything with a waxie on the end of it.

i'll second that all day!! i like ratso's and another thats similar but cant remember their name...
every good fish story begins with this aint no bull  "captain phil harris"

Offline fiesty

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Re: Best way to catch crappie through ice?
« Reply #24 on: Dec 10, 2012, 04:09 PM »
couple chainsaws and a small purse seine....
It's all about Karma.....

 



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