Author Topic: any tips appreciated  (Read 1699 times)

Offline MBrown4

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any tips appreciated
« on: Sep 14, 2010, 11:12 PM »
i would like to get into crappie this year after only hitting perch last year.it was my first year that i was really into ice fishing and i would like to start catching other fish jigging.any tips are welcome.thank you

Offline slipperybob

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Re: any tips appreciated
« Reply #1 on: Sep 15, 2010, 06:15 AM »
Crappies can hit anywhere on the water column.  You should jig from few feet below the ice all the way down to the bottom.  The big ones vary from time to time in the crappie school.  In most cases they'll be the ones on the bottom of the school.  However sometimes the big ones are the lone ones that usually suspends a few feet under the ice too.
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Offline jasond37

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Re: any tips appreciated
« Reply #2 on: Sep 15, 2010, 10:26 AM »
Cold water crappie is some of the tastiest fish I've ever eaten.  It will be easier if you have some type of flasher so you can locate where the fish are.  Don't be hole shy either, they are always on the move.  Drill a series of holes starting shallow and working your way deeper.  Crappie can be targeted in a variety of location and depths, depending on the lake either the base of a drop off adjacent to shore or a mid depth hole near structure is a good place to start.  Don't be afraid to look in those deep holes either.  We've often located crappie suspended 15' below the ice in 40' of water.  If you don't have a flasher you can start by working a few feet off the bottom, and if nothing bites reel up another few feet and so on.  The most common technique is a crappie minnow on a jig or plain hook under a float.  Easy, but can be boring.  There is an array of small jigging spoons or jigs that when tipped with a minnow head, waxie, or some form of plastic can be extremely effective.  The techniques you'll use are similar as jigging for perch.  Often we'll catch a few small perch when crappie fishing.  I use a ML to UL rod depending on what I decide to tie on.  Good luck, maybe you'll get yourself a limit of these!


Offline michianafisherman

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Re: any tips appreciated
« Reply #3 on: Sep 15, 2010, 10:46 AM »
Bite time for Crappie is more important than anything. Once you locate them find out what time they start biting and then show up a half hour before ready for action. I mean have all the holes drilled and baited and go to go. I know guys how find them during the day, but I have better success at night. I go home from work, look at the clock, and figure out how long till I have to be there. Can even get a nap in most times. Your lake may vary, but the times won't change of when you can expect a bite. I use minnows on a horizontal jig. If I am missing I will pinch off the head of the minnows and slide the hook into the body so the point sticks enough out the top to catch them. Jig a few times and give them a chance to zone in on it. The one with the pinched off head is easier for them to find. Also you will need to know what kind of minnow they prefer. Some lakes the Crappie like the fat heads only. Others like shiner minnows only. Once you figure these few things out you will have enough confidence to Catch Crappie all season.

One more thing if you have a short bite. Meaning it doesn't last too long, your getting them going from one place to the other. This usually happens toward last ice and they are hard to hold in one spot. Fish them in a known spot that holds Crappie and move out to deeper water off the drop off from that spot. A flasher will make it better, but if you fish say 7 foot deep in 21 foot of water you will find them. Depends on the lake you fish.
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