Fall Crappies

[Jim Uran]

Over the last few years I've been getting off the deerstand and in the boat a little more often. I wish I would have started doing this sooner, because I've learned a few things over the past few years that have been helpful, but have a lot more to learn.

Basically, fishing healthy green weeds will always be an option. If you have green healthy weeds that's where the fish will be, but more often than not those hot summer time patches will be browning and starting to die. The fish will move down to the next patch, and than deeper along the edge as the fall progresses. They aren't too hard to find during low light periods, stick to those deep edges and inside turns and you'll run into them in time. jigs and slip bobbers are my go to tactic.

After turnover look to the basin areas, look deep during the day. Last year we found them in 33 feet of water anywhere from belly to the bottom to 5 feet up on an area lake. Slowly dirfting and veriticle jigging 1/16 oz jigs did the trick. On another lake the next week I found them over another basin area but suspended halfway up. Slip bobbers and plastics worked best. Most times you'll find these schools of crappies suspended over the basin areas in 20-50 feet of water during the day. They are bullseyes on the depthfinder and can be verticle jigged with spoons, jigs, or one of the varieties of horizontal minnow baits like Lindy's Darter and Flyer. Or pop on one of Northlands Puppetminnow's.

As the day progresses I have found them to move towards the shallows again, whether it's on a feeding flat, brushpiles, sunken timber, old weedbeds, the possibilities are endless and it's up to the angler to put the pieces together while on the water.

Another possibility to catch some slabs is after dark, friends of mine have been doing this for years and I just never into it because I was too busy in the fall, but get yourself some lighted floats and hit the shorelines after dark. Standing bullrushes were always the best, sandy gravely areas that held young of the year sunfish and minnows were magnets for these big fat hungry fall crappies. They always said that they caught the biggest crappies of the year doing this, along with some bonus pig 'eyes!!!

So don't put your rods away just yet fellow outdoorsman, get out there and fish and learn some new patterns, and if you have something to add to this please do because I still have a ton of learning to do.

[oreno4]

Hi leechbait:

Thanks for the excellent information relating to fall crappies.

I fish a lake in the Longville area. It has a good crappie population and we do well in the spring and summer. In the summer we fish weed lines.

We have trouble in the fall.

I'd like to email you to discuss our lake and get some advise.

Email address?

Thanks

Oreno

[JBMasterAngler]

Alot of good info there. I'm thinking about hitting some lakes this november that I normally hit for early ice, and see if I can track down some slabs and bluegills. Hopefully it'll be a fun new experience.

[pushbutton]

can not stress enough about night fishing. about five years ago was fishing for walleyes and dumb luck put me on a school of slab crappies at 2:30 am. it was that fish every cast action and i have been hooked ever since!!! while i do catch some nice fish during the daylight hours, the night bite is the time when some can push 15 and above(on central minnesota lakes). i usually am pitching a 1/32 tipped with live or artificial in water 2 to 8 ft. current is a bonus, but if you locate schools during the day holding deeper near weedy shallows, they will probably making runs into it after the sun goes down. also as leechbait mentioned, you will more often than not find a good mess of eyes mixed in. this night bite has already started but the colder it gets......the better. my son picked up this slabzilla last week around 9:30pm....hope mom doest read this and find out he was up after his bed time (pict. was taken following morning)

[Jim Uran]

Oreno, my email is in my signature! pushbutton, very nice fish and great information!!!

[TruthWalleyes]

Love the pic! Good Info too!

[reinhard1]

great expresstion on the childs face. nice fish. good luck.

[Slabasaurus]

Awwww... haha.

Great pic, not sure whats better, the expression, or the Slabopotamus!

Sage like advice as well for fall slabhuntin.. good times

[pushbutton]

slabopotamus, slabasaurus.....if i use those terms in the future do i have to quote you and pay royalties?

[ozzie]

for slabasorus you would have to pay John Gillespie as that is his phrase....haha

[Slabasaurus]

John who?? Hahaha... Just kiddin. Not sure where I heard them first... but they're my two fav's for sure!

Probably going to call my fishin bud's twins slabasaurus and slabopotamus when they arrive in the next few weeks. Mom won't approve, but dad's gonna love it

Edited... As i typed this I got a text from my buddy... the little slabs were born this mornin! Everyone's doin well, even Dad

[curtistodd]

GET THE FRABILLL!!!!!! That guy is intense.

If only we could get the crappies to sleep the same hours we sleep.

[Irish]

Another classic Gilespie: "Oh yeah that's a Frabilizer!"