Crappie fishing after dark

[zooplankton]

  ........WOW!  Last week I had one of the best fishing outings of  my
 life and the best thing about it was , it happened after the sun went down.
I tried once before (last year) with no luck, but last week I fished all day
with only a few fish to show for (scratchin) but around 3:00pm I caught
two gills in this one hole  back to back, so I decided to drill another
hole with the 'Gator', flipped over the 'guide' and dig in. I convinced my fishin
bud to join me & we proceeded to catch crappie after crappie until 8:00pm
when we decided to quit.........long story made short, we could do nothing
wrong ...... tried it again this weekend & it was a little  harder to catch them
like we did. The one thing that was the most challenging was trying to hook-um
they were very crafty, does anyone have any advice on hookin the smarter ones.
99% of the fish I catch live to see another day, I always practice "Catch & Release"
                            Zoo. 

[IceCowboy]

Bustin' out old school redneckish now...

SHHHHHH.......

Treble hooks and minners

[slipperybob]

the smarter one's???

Nope...I just go for the dumb one's or for the biggest marks on my flasher...the dumb little one's usually comes in and snag the bait before the big one gets a really good long look at it. 

Sometimes I will down size or up size.  Down size so they'll just breath it in and I set the hook.  Up size so that if they bite it...they'll need to open their mouths just a little bigger to take it all in.  They'll less likely to spit it out after that extra effort of already opening their mouth once...now twice is just too much work for them lazy smart big ones.   

[52niner]

The only thing you should change is find there depth and swith to a slip bobber.

[donaldstauffer]

I keep returning to the holes that produced, then I check the other holes before I give it up.

[DR.SPECKLER]

if your lookin to get more hook ups a #16 micro treble and shiner combo will do the trick.

[abishop]

tru-turn #6. once you set the hook make sure 2 keep the tension tight cause all it takes is a split second and they r gone.

[slipperybob]

I've gottem the best of luck with #10 or #12 trebles. 

[bearbgone]

........WOW!  Last week I had one of the best fishing outings of  my
 life and the best thing about it was , it happened after the sun went down.
I tried once before (last year) with no luck, but last week I fished all day
with only a few fish to show for (scratchin) but around 3:00pm I caught
two gills in this one hole  back to back, so I decided to drill another
hole with the 'Gator', flipped over the 'guide' and dig in. I convinced my fishin
bud to join me & we proceeded to catch crappie after crappie until 8:00pm
when we decided to quit.........long story made short, we could do nothing
wrong ...... tried it again this weekend & it was a little  harder to catch them
like we did. The one thing that was the most challenging was trying to hook-um
they were very crafty, does anyone have any advice on hookin the smarter ones.
99% of the fish I catch live to see another day, I always practice "Catch & Release"
                            Zoo. 

I fish crappie at night quite often. I found that if they are skittish, once I have my minnow/waxie just above them I will let it sit. Some fish just want to take a long look before biting.  If I move it after they have it in thier sites they take off. Sometimes it feels like it takes forever for them to bite. It does however work.

[bassandbucks1]

A flasher really, really helps. You know a fish is down there and can slowly lift up jig until you feel it. You can also target fish higher in the water column which also tend to be more agressive. I mark a lot of followers and have found using smaller jigs (Rat-Finkee, #10 or #12) helps some.

[howesfc]

........WOW!  Last week I had one of the best fishing outings of  my
 life and the best thing about it was , it happened after the sun went down.
I tried once before (last year) with no luck, but last week I fished all day
with only a few fish to show for (scratchin) but around 3:00pm I caught
two gills in this one hole  back to back, so I decided to drill another
hole with the 'Gator', flipped over the 'guide' and dig in. I convinced my fishin
bud to join me & we proceeded to catch crappie after crappie until 8:00pm
when we decided to quit.........long story made short, we could do nothing
wrong ...... tried it again this weekend & it was a little  harder to catch them
like we did. The one thing that was the most challenging was trying to hook-um
they were very crafty, does anyone have any advice on hookin the smarter ones.
99% of the fish I catch live to see another day, I always practice "Catch & Release"
                            Zoo. 

Wacth your line if it goes slack set the hook but not too hard they call them paper mouths for a reason!

[fiesty]

bigger jigs....holding the jig still for a moment....seems to induce harder strikes at night...not sure why....

[mealworm]

i have good luck with either rosie's or regular fatheads on a size 16 treble hook dead stick,i also think that the lantern on high sitting on the ice helps sometimes the planktons so thick my finder freaks out

[wiredstone]

Anyone use crappie candles ? I just ordered 2. Do you hook the bait in the mouth or behind the dorsal fin ?

[howesfc]

Up threw the center of the head.

[JokersWild]

I like to use a vertical jig(CJ&S Demon or the like) in size 10 with a crappie minnow hooked through the back.  I think the vertical jig gives a larger profile for reduced weight, which I believe means more easily seen and less easily felt.  I always keep a few rods rigged up and will not hesitate to change to a darter style horizontal presentation jammed with spikes to hopefully turn the sniffers to biters.  I dont like to hook the minnow through the head if I dont have to because a "sipper" will not get the bait in its mouth because the line (90 degrees to the bait) is guarding the head and generally crappies, and most fish, eat minnows head first I just like to stay away from it.  Hooking in the dorsal will allow the bait to "pivot" and slide in headfirst.  The reason you get most fish that bite spikes/waxies is because they are light-weight compared to the rest of the jig and will turn and be the first to enter the fishes mouth when the "suck" it in...  Just my 2.

[wilenard]

Agreed!

[wiredstone]

That is some very useful info. Thankyou