Who's been out?

[Guest]

Our last topic isn't working anymore so I thought I would start a new one. Who has been out fishing Crappies or Gills? I would be nice to hear the area of the state you are in and where you are finding this fish. I will start.

In the St. Cloud area, the crappies are pretty much done in the shallows. A few smaller fish left but the big females have taken up home in the deep weedlines. The gills can still be found on the spawning beds in many lakes but we are getting to the end on the warmer lakes.ScottS

[Skeets]

We did VERY well up in the Alexandria area last week. It sure was FUN!
Crappies were easily found in 7-10' of water on the outside weed line. They were aggressive biters when found.
The huge male gills were on the beds. We used floating poppers in 2-3' of water. We caught some big males guarding the nests. The bigger females seemed to have moved out deeper allready. I would say in another week or so, the spawn will be over.
Get out there and wet a line, the fish are biting!

[juggs]

Wow, a site devoted to just bluegills and crappies! I have been trying to find crappies on the rivers--the St. Croix most recently. They may be in the transition between spawning and setting up for the summer. I do fish lakes in the summer also. Seems most people don't know where the fish go then. I find them right up against the weedy dropoffs close to deep waters. Don't need bait, either, just a jig. One sixteenth ounce works best if you're fishing anything deeper than about eight feet. If you hit it right, limits are easily attainable and you can fine tune for bigger fish. They seem to be right near the bottom and the smaller ones are closer to the surface. Anyone have any suggestions for really good crappie lakes within an hour or so drive of the Metro? Or has anyone had any river success?

[Guest]

Juggs, we are not far from the cities, the St. Cloud area. But, it you are on the South side of the cities, there are great crappies lakes down South. Within and hour of the cities depends on what side of the cities you are coming from.ScottS

[juggs]

Scott, I do get up to the St. Cloud area regularly (Annandale, more specifically) and am very pleased with the quality. (I would encourage everybody within earshot of this post to try B.J.'s annual crappie tournament). The drive gets to be a factor, though. Can you give me names of lakes in the south metro? I'm definitely within range. Thanks.

[Guest]

I have been out fishing and let me tell you how great it has been...

Crappies are biting good in 3-10 feet of water on plain jigs, and better in the evening. Some good action can be seen on poppers.

Bluegills in the area are hot on the beds yet.

Looks like summer is here to stay.

Good fishing,

PCG

Nothing new here.

[SpikeRoberts]

Although the crazy weather kept me off the lake much of the weekend, I did get to spend some time chasing panfish in the Crosslake/Emily/Fifty Lakes area.

The sunfish were still protecting their beds in 12"-18" of water (that's right, inches). My wife and I pulled out scores of fish including some giant bulls -- kept a pan-full of 7-8 inchers and let many bigger and smaller ones go. After trying various presentations, we settled on a plain #8 hook with a waxie 4"-6" below a small pencil bobber. Picked up a few bass as a bonus.

The crappies were hanging out along the edge of the cabbage beds. I fished by sight not depth, looking for the outer edge of the visible cabbage and working in and out over that edge. Two presentations worked equally well, but both involved rowing (NOT using the trolling motor) verrrrrry sloooooowly and quietly along the weed edge. The first presenation was a plain hook and a crappie minnow (no sinker) allowed to free swim and when the line begins to move set the hook -- don't wait until you feel something -- look for the line to suddenly tighten up, move to one side, or just plain stop. The second presentaion was to jig a 1/64th crappie queen tipped with a waxie -- slowly pull to the surface and let it sink back down, again looking for the line to suddenly tighten up, move to one side, or just plain stop.

That's my report, let's hear yours.
Spike

[This message has been edited by SpikeRoberts (edited 06-24-2002).]

[dlskills]

spike.
i grew up in nisswa and we used to fish a lake called mitchel.. it used to have big gills in it. is that one of the lakes you fish!!
thanks dwight

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Dwight Skillings
[email protected]

[SpikeRoberts]

dlskills,
I've fished Mitchel many, many times. There is some nice action to be had there, but almost any lake in the area can put out nice numbers and some good sized panfish. Many of the lakes are smaller and can't stand intensive pressure so be kind and harvest sensibly.

[Guest]

I was on two different lakes that the Bluegill haven't even started spawning yet. Yes, they are crystal clear and the water is cool, but compared to the rest of the lakes in the area, they are pretty far behind. Looks like we have a couple more weeks of shallow fishing.

The crappies are stacked up pretty good in on the deep weed edges. It was dead calm last night and as Spike said, you could easily sight fish. Lots of fun!ScottS

[Guest]

These HOT calm days really speed up the spawn when it happens this late in the year. I was out last night and the Bull Gills were wild. The males were on the beds but the HUGE ones (females) were staged up deeper. Yes, the ones full of eggs! Catch and release-but lots of fun. Not one over a pound but many in that 3/4 pound range. Those are Bulls and that is a lot of fun!!!ScottS