Crappie at night in a lake thick with smelt?

[frosty]

Hi Guys, Was wondering if anyone has had this problem before. I try fishing a lake at night for crappie but there are so many smelt in the lake that finding crappie or getting them seems impossible. I like fishing for smelt but wouldnt mind finding some crappie at night. I get them during the day without any problems, at night it's a whole new ball game. The vex lights up from top to bottom with smelt, doesnt matter what depth your in. Any one have any ideas on finding the crappie at night or suggetions in this situation? Thanks

[fiesty]

If you're getting the craps right at sunset, I'd try in the same area...if the smelts are biting at your jigs and that is a problem, take your bait off...just keep the glows glowing and the tip shaking and you should find em...or go up in jig sizes to something the smelt won't bite at...

[Remdog]

Hi Guys, Was wondering if anyone has had this problem before. I try fishing a lake at night for crappie but there are so many smelt in the lake that finding crappie or getting them seems impossible. I like fishing for smelt but wouldnt mind finding some crappie at night. I get them during the day without any problems, at night it's a whole new ball game. The vex lights up from top to bottom with smelt, doesnt matter what depth your in. Any one have any ideas on finding the crappie at night or suggetions in this situation? Thanks

Notsure, sounds like a great problem to have.  Where I fish for Smelt in CT-ITs been difficult to catch more than 20 per day. (all day)

Where are you fishing?

[frosty]

That is a problem. I have tried increasing lure size to that of like for walleye and bass, have also used minnows and still landing smelt. I have tried using a light down the hole, the smelt move away but no crappie after sitting for awhile. It has me stumped.

[frosty]

I have found a couple in shallow in the weeds.  They are sending in scouts for spawning grounds. How far from the spawning area do you think they may be holding. It drops from 5-15 feet of weeds to 20-30,30-40,40-50,50-60,60-70,70-80 feet of water.I have searched most of the area where they should be staging but still no luck. I see the smelt wont go into the weed beds at night, But still dont get into any crappie over the weeds at night either.

[MUNICH]

If you find where they are holding you can stay in them all night. Don't overlook any part of the water column, sitting in a 30 foot hole before and they were right under the ice. They like to feed right at sunset. Use tip ups with small shiners and glow sticks and see what happens.

[frosty]

That is part of the problem here. The smelt are so thick in this lake.This year I have been catching them during the day. First time I have ever seen this in about 15 years of ice fishing. The smelt move all over the last hour of daylight and get thicker during the night. The smelt have taken minnows of all sizes, unbaited jigs,They have evn gone after the glow sticks. I know there are big crappie in here, but this is the only lake were trying to get one in the nightime seems impossible. I have checked the water column all the way to about 60-65 feet deep with no luck, nothing even on bottom with the vex. I think this is the most holes I have drilled in a few years! Out deeper than that I am finding alot of lakers and other trout from 65-90 feet of water.