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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Crappies => Topic started by: TeeBugg on Jan 12, 2014, 10:28 AM

Title: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 12, 2014, 10:28 AM
I know this pond i fish has crappie in it as ive already caught one nice one thru the ice. And during spring and summer i catch a ton of em. Now im fishing in the same spots i normally do....but just cant catch em. Tried every jig and plastic imaginable,and now i have about 2 dozen emeralds and a few rosies i need to drown lol. Pond at its deepest is only 10ft give or take. Should i focus on structure like downed trees in the pond, or should i look elsewhere? Any other tips? Ive read just about every post in here and tried just about everything! Help!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Swift on Jan 12, 2014, 10:57 AM
Summer and winter food sources may not be the same and they'll be where that is. Just need to find them. Winter -  day, transition/staging and night spots usually aren't the same either. They are there, can't migrate South for he winter but they will move around to suit their needs. Punch holes and learn the water
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 12, 2014, 11:59 AM
Ive punched holes all over it. Looks like a block of swiss cheese! Im gonna probably fish it all day tomorow and just keep hole hopping!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Swift on Jan 12, 2014, 03:29 PM
Partnering up with people one can trust makes things simpler. Solo and you may be in a right place, slightly wrong time dilemma. Often happens with Perch chasing as well. Just takes time and persistence to figure out the relative pattern, stick with it and good luck 
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 13, 2014, 06:29 AM
Went back yesterday afternoon. Finally caught one on a deadsticked minnow. 9" but it was the only one i caught. My guess is they have moved into the shallows. Last ice season i caught a whole mess of them in the deeper section but apparently not this year. Then again i looked at the pictures from last season....all caught on one jig, and i havent used that jig at all! Maybe thats my problem haha!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Raquettedacker on Jan 13, 2014, 06:36 AM
Try going out an hour before dark.. Fish the deep spot...  It helps if you have a flasher...My best time is as the sun is setting right into the evening...  Good luck....
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: hardwater diehard on Jan 13, 2014, 06:43 AM
Try going out an hour before dark.. Fish the deep spot...  It helps if you have a flasher...My best time is as the sun is setting right into the evening...  Good luck....
    also hard to beat a wax worm on a horizontal/vertical jig and a latern...... lil lull right after dark but soon after game on
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 13, 2014, 06:43 AM
Sat there from 230 til past dark yesterday. Fished a few of the deeper holes. Only caught the one but that was around 345. Ive tried night fishing a few times out there with zero luck. No flasher for me unfortunately but i did put a hurting on some nice gills!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: GrizlyGarou on Jan 13, 2014, 06:53 AM
Sat there from 230 til past dark yesterday. Fished a few of the deeper holes. Only caught the one but that was around 345. Ive tried night fishing a few times out there with zero luck. No flasher for me unfortunately but i did put a hurting on some nice gills!

In my favorite pond, the crappie often run near or with the gills. Next time the gills come in, fish a foot or so above where they're holding. If it's legal where you are, a second jig a foot or two up your line might not be a bad idea either. Crappie seem to be more likely to go higher to feed than other panfish.

Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 13, 2014, 07:12 AM
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd388/armyscout101/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2014-01-13-08-07-34.png) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/armyscout101/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2014-01-13-08-07-34.png.html)

Sorry for the crappy picture but this is the pond. The whole north shore area is shallow with depths maybe getting to 4 feet, but not many spots. The sw corner is the deep end, and in the south east corner you can see a small "creek" that runs from a small stream into the main pond. Its somewhat deep but its deepest where it connects with the main pond.Any ideas? Lots of weeds in the middle of pond but still shallow there.
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Swift on Jan 13, 2014, 11:10 AM
Pond that small they should be easy to find. Either they are into something very specific as a food source or they are literally tucked "deep" into the weeds and only venture out every now and then. Night time may be the answer or drill right into a weed bed, let it rest a bit and then deadstick(ish) something in it. Considering the decent 'gills you posted in the bluegill forum, I'd stay after them
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 13, 2014, 01:04 PM
Pond that small they should be easy to find. Either they are into something very specific as a food source or they are literally tucked "deep" into the weeds and only venture out every now and then. Night time may be the answer or drill right into a weed bed, let it rest a bit and then deadstick(ish) something in it. Considering the decent 'gills you posted in the bluegill forum, I'd stay after them

Wish they were easy to find lol. Think next time im gonna try and fish the shallower end and see what happens. Funny they were in the deep end like crazy last year!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 13, 2014, 01:17 PM
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd388/armyscout101/20130129_161650.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/armyscout101/media/20130129_161650.jpg.html)(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd388/armyscout101/20130129_135644.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/armyscout101/media/20130129_135644.jpg.html)

There are some good crappies an gills in there!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: CrappieGuy on Jan 15, 2014, 02:19 PM
Since you are in NY and can use so many lines, I would setup Tip Downs and then jig.  This will allow you to cover a large area using minnows.  Also try the same approach at night.
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: big bobber on Jan 15, 2014, 04:38 PM
Sat there from 230 til past dark yesterday. Fished a few of the deeper holes. Only caught the one but that was around 345. Ive tried night fishing a few times out there with zero luck. No flasher for me unfortunately but i did put a hurting on some nice gills!
a flasher is a must to be an effective night crappie fisherman... ;)
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 16, 2014, 12:50 PM
Next year! Probably grab a marcum showdown troller!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Whale79 on Jan 16, 2014, 10:16 PM
When I fish crappie and I always do at that depth nine times out of ten fish half way down and you'll get em. They feed up so you always have to fish above them.
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: big bobber on Jan 21, 2014, 01:46 PM
When I fish crappie and I always do at that depth nine times out of ten fish half way down and you'll get em. They feed up so you always have to fish above them.
x10!!!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: jumbo chaser on Jan 21, 2014, 11:08 PM
Horizontal jigs with red wedgee tails
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: GrizlyGarou on Jan 26, 2014, 11:46 AM
When I fish crappie and I always do at that depth nine times out of ten fish half way down and you'll get em. They feed up so you always have to fish above them.

I've caught a lot of crappie this winter fishing below them. If I see them follow my jig up a few feet without hitting it, I drop it down below them. Usually ends up with a crappie on top of the ice. Fishing below suspended fish that didn't follow the jig up is less likely to get one on the hook, but still happens occasionally.

Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: FraBilKil on Jan 27, 2014, 11:36 AM
I caught a bunch of sub-legal crappies yesterday. Only four keepers. Almost all were on a dead-sticked Custom Jigs & Spins Striper Special (Glow Brite) tipped with small emerald shiners. It was the first time that I used my Jason Mitchell 28" Meatstick Combo. I sat over a bunch of fish with my Marcum LX-5, but couldn't find many keepers. I didn't want to change my location because it was so cold out. There was action none the less.
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 27, 2014, 11:57 AM
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd388/armyscout101/20140127_101008.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/armyscout101/media/20140127_101008.jpg.html)

Found em! Deep water but in the limbs of a tree that fell in the water. They were about 12-18" below the ice. I thought they were bass at first until i caught this one! Only saw a few but at least i know they are there! Tiny red gill pill with a single spike and i had to sight fish em!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: razvy on Jan 28, 2014, 05:44 AM
What I found is the crappies when are not active they are on the bottom , when they become active I find them in upper first third (ex water depth 21 feet they aper at 5-7 feet from the bottom ) and jig above them 2-3 feet ,rare I got them below the ice.
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: Townie on Jan 31, 2014, 10:35 PM
Good work finding 'em Tee bug!
Title: Re: crappies are there....but cant catch em!
Post by: bassandbucks1 on Feb 03, 2014, 08:28 PM
As others have mentioned, I always target the higher riding fish as they are (or seem to be) more active. I'm most often in 10-12 foot of water and fish in the 4-8 foot range just seem to hit more often. I usually have four rods rigged up with different color and size jigs. If a fish seems interested but doesn't hit I do a quick switch to a different lure. Sometimes it works. The flasher makes a big difference just knowing a fish is there and how it is reacting. I often don't feel the bite but slowly raise my bait when I know a fish is right there and I see the rod tip drop.