Dear seasoned fishermen...

[Derek]

How did you Target suspended crappies before electronics? I have been fishing for four years now and my second with a vexilar. I never caught a slab until I purchased it. I have friends who would like to fish with me, but feel bad bringing them along when can not see the crappies which is basically the only thing in the lake. Any old tips? Thanks

[matt12]

as long as you have the flasher, find the depth they are coming in at and have your buddies set up some dead sticks around that range. then have them set up a jig type rod and set a bobber knot at around the depth they are coming in. they will catch them if tthey are there.

[slipperybob]

A little slip bobber is what I used a lot before the flasher.  It's pre-rigged at home and set to ten feet.  Then change it higher or lower depending on water depth.  However, I've also done the count the reel handle turn as I drop my jig down the water column.

[IceFisher64]

trial and error

[Swift]

A reasonable understanding of the water and work the whole water column, day or night. Can only locate the hot biters that way but it did work, run and gun. Still an effective way to find Perch, just only need to work the bottom 3'-4'. Picked up a "Green Box" in the early '70s, never left home without it, not finding fish wasn't much of an issue

[icejunky]

some very good tips here. The flasher even when used only by one angler can help the other fishing around you if you notice a trend.. fish at 10ft, or 15ft or so on.

I dont know how many rods you are allowed in your region, but if you have a fews guys fishing close together, set up a few rods at different depths as dead sticks and then fish a few rods at select depths. once one rod continues to get bit, you found the depth

Nothing beats a flasher, so use it to help you freinds. Often when fishing a hole, once i find the fish, i will pass the flasher off to the others to scout theri holes ( I expect it back) but it lets them play

[sjmorgan]

I belong to IDO fishing.com also, and they have a great list of free videos to watch. Everybody should check them out. There is a lot of good stuff there. Some of the best ice fishing out there. Hope this helps

[acrawfor]

I have friends who would like to fish with me, but feel bad bringing them along when can not see the crappies which is basically the only thing in the lake.

I know how you feel. Last winter I brought 2 buddies crappie fishing with me. I had my 'bird but they neither of them had anything. In 2 hours I outfished them 15 to 3. that was their combined number, 3.  Now they both own flashers

As some said, setting dead sticks and having them jig near the depth you are catching fish helps. but as you know crappie can be pretty quick to strike and drop so if they aren't paying attention it may have varied success. Usually what I do when fishing with someone that doesn't have a flasher, and if we are in a shack, is drill a hole between our fishig holes and put my flasher down that. I make sure the 3 holes are close enough to be picked up on the screen. It gets a little confusing at times but at least 2 of us can see fish and our jigs.

[FishGut]

I fish with two friends, and I am the only one with a depth finder (portable open water FishEagle2). It tunes well enough to see the jig and fish and depth in real time -- or at least close enough, since I fish by feel and not by sight when it comes down to it. I share all the information I can to make sure we all have a shot at catching more fish. Depth of water at a spot. How deep fish are holding. How how high the weed growth goes. The cadence that is bringing in the fish. When it comes down to it, by the time any one angler has caught 3 fish, enough info should have been shared for everyone to be on them. But you don't need a flasher to catch fish through the ice. Even by yourself, here in Nebraska we get 5 lines per person. I didn't have a depth finder for years other than a lead plumb, so I drilled holes and sounded for bottom. One line on the edge of the moss in really shallow (3 foot) water, set six inches up from bottom. Another every few yards out from shore to get a range of depths from deep to shallow. For crappie, find/remember dropoffs and fish on top, down deep, and suspended out at the level of the dropoff.

[chfishon]

I belong to IDO fishing.com also, and they have a great list of free videos to watch. Everybody should check them out. There is a lot of good stuff there. Some of the best ice fishing out there. Hope this helps

Thanks for the link

[DaveW731]

My pre-graph strategy was to drill 2 holes and if the water was 20' or less, put a deadstick down about 3' off bottom for each 10' fow, then jig with the other pole, starting 1' below that depth and working up to about 4' above the deadstick.  If no action, I would raise the deadstick 3' and repeat the process.  When the deadstick got to 2/3 of the way up and no hits, I would move and repeat the process. 
Now that I have a graph ( I LOVE my X67c) and I can watch how the fish move,  I start with just a jig pole at the 3' off bottom depth and wait to see movement before putting down a deadstick at whatever depth fish are coming through at.  I then adjust jigging depth accordingly.