Author Topic: Tips for catching morning crappies  (Read 5783 times)

Offline Mncrappie

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Tips for catching morning crappies
« on: Nov 16, 2016, 09:48 PM »
I wanna wake up at 3AM and head to the lake this winter. I can be set up by 3:45 am. Any tips on how to fish this period? Let's say 3:45-7 am? Also what other fish will bite this early in the morning? Sunnies? Perch?
Just a teen who loves the outdoors

Offline UFCreel

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #1 on: Nov 17, 2016, 07:05 AM »
Drill Drill and Drill some more. Get everything ready to go. Let your holes cool off for a bit and then start your search. I use a lot of Fiska's and plastic whip tails. http://icefishingtime.com/. I get mine From Joe Moreau in Racine Wisconsin. Good luck and let us know how you do.
Flags up! Bobbers down!

Offline Monticatgeek

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #2 on: Nov 20, 2016, 12:18 AM »
that time of the morning might produce walleyes if you find them. may run into gills once the sun is up. catfish would be another possibility. I see your in Lonsdale so I would guess you are fishing the Faribault area lakes. if so check out Mazaska, Hunt, French, Circle, Roberts, & Shields lake. these were the ones I fished when I lived down in that area.
Fishing is not a hobby it is a way of life

Offline Chris338378

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #3 on: Nov 20, 2016, 01:00 AM »
Use glow jigs.

Offline Flint

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #4 on: Nov 20, 2016, 10:15 AM »
Find brush/cribs or breaks. Don't just drop your ducer down the hole and make a quick decision that there are no fish. Maybe they are sitting inside the brush and barely moving, so study it a bit after the hole cools from drilling.

Offline hardwater diehard

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #5 on: Nov 20, 2016, 10:37 AM »
Know where the crappie tend to be ....mid season they should be in the basin for the most part ...early and late they are in transition ...to/from the basin from shallow flats . Glow horizontal baits as your jigging presentation with a waxiy ....along with a dead stick minnow ...I assume your in a shelter ...if big enough/allowed add a tip-down . Start high and jig down to the fish... pause about a foot or so above them to pick off the most aggressive fish . Perch cant see past dark and will be hunkered down ..sunfish can be caught but tend to just stay on your screen and "play" with you ...I fish mostly afternoon into dark ...and have stayed out til midnight just playing with sunfish who were tough to catch ...but it was a nice warm night and fun .  A good lantern is also good to have ...as well as a submersible green glow light ...FTR some lakes shut down a few hours after dark and may not be worth fishing past 7 PM...so a limited window for night bite .

This has worked for me ...just pull it up ..pause/wait ...even if you don't see fish on your screen ...some times that pause/wait...then back down the hole will get those aggressive fish to slam your bait

Give a man a fish he eats for a day .Teach a man to ice fish he has an obsession for a lifetime

Offline drscholl14

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #6 on: Nov 20, 2016, 11:40 AM »
FYI artificial  lights are illegal in MN unless it's on an underwater camera.....

Offline Mncrappie

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #7 on: Nov 20, 2016, 12:30 PM »
that time of the morning might produce walleyes if you find them. may run into gills once the sun is up. catfish would be another possibility. I see your in Lonsdale so I would guess you are fishing the Faribault area lakes. if so check out Mazaska, Hunt, French, Circle, Roberts, & Shields lake. these were the ones I fished when I lived down in that area.

Any tips on fishing shields? I've tried a few times but not luck. I mostly fish cedar by new Prague and pound crappies and perch
Just a teen who loves the outdoors

Offline Monticatgeek

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #8 on: Nov 20, 2016, 05:59 PM »
MnCrappie never really ice fished shields but did hit it during the open water season at times. attached is a lake map with 18 areas to check. I marked each area as to what it is, just match number for number to understand each area. if for some reason this pic of the map gets removed just PM me your email address and I would send it that way as a PDF file.

Fishing is not a hobby it is a way of life

Offline Mncrappie

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #9 on: Nov 20, 2016, 11:00 PM »
MnCrappie never really ice fished shields but did hit it during the open water season at times. attached is a lake map with 18 areas to check. I marked each area as to what it is, just match number for number to understand each area. if for some reason this pic of the map gets removed just PM me your email address and I would send it that way as a PDF file.

(Image removed from quote.)

What kind of fish did you catch on these areas?  What was the best lake you ice fished in the faribault lakes area?
Just a teen who loves the outdoors

Offline Gimper

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #10 on: Dec 01, 2016, 05:35 AM »
MnCrappie never really ice fished shields but did hit it during the open water season at times. attached is a lake map with 18 areas to check. I marked each area as to what it is, just match number for number to understand each area. if for some reason this pic of the map gets removed just PM me your email address and I would send it that way as a PDF file.

(Image removed from quote.)

Just looking at the map, I would set up between #5 and #15 in 26-29ft of water. The only other place I'd check is the #18 point and drill, drill and drill some more from 15ft on down. If I was after walleyes that would be an entirely different approach.

Offline chilly-willy

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Re: Tips for catching morning crappies
« Reply #11 on: Dec 01, 2016, 06:23 AM »
At night I would set up in areas  2,3,6,7,and 12 reason is there close to deep water part of the basin  the crappie will suspend diring day light hours...  then will do what is called bait out crappie in they switch positions the bait will head deep and crappie shallow at night till early moring..  once sun come up then fish the deep suspended fish..  use a lantern to attrcaked fish to you and fish minnows and stuff like wedgee tails from custom jigs and spins...  I like the glo green tails but that's me ...  for Minnows I use Tru turn hooks like size 2 and 4 but  bend the bend open so to catch them in the mouth..   will use  a couple split shot on the 2#test line I use..

 



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