getting the crappies to bite?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I would like to add a little on this. I too have had instances like the sticka(great walleye catcher) has had. Where crappie will come in and just look then head out. I have also done the ole set the hook anyway deal like described to have thta work at times too... But what has worked best for me is this...

Usually I will jig constantly to get a fish to come in and then let it sit still to trigger the bite. If a fish swims in and then stops when I stop I make real small jiggles with the rod tip and ignore the finder for a second, concentrating on the rod tip.. the second I feel or see weight I set.. Some days they want that bait moving, not sitting..

I also use waxies during the day and minnows at night. Or sometimes waxes at night too... I am not into covering the hook tip, I will often hang 2 waxies off the jig much like you would a eurolarvae...This has a lot of action, yes you loose them more than euro because they are thinner skinned.. but the action is what I am after!

[Guest]

That is a good post Exude. When the bite is really tough, that is one of the best ways to get them to bite, plus the action tells you when they are hanging on there. Scott Steil

[Guest]

All great ideas.

Site fishing like Scott said is another way to factually see how the fish respond and react to certain things.

Do whatever is most comfortable for you, and good luck.

PCG

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thanks for the kudo's Mr.ScottS, always feels good to get a pat ont he back from a peer!

[Guest]

Good Point Exdude, some people like duck hunters dont know when to stop "calling". Some people have a tendency to "over jig". Knowing when to pause can trigger a lite biter.

J-man

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[Guest]

Hey PCG,

I was out fishing last weekend with my brother in law. He was using his Vexilar and said he likes to watch his Vex to know when to set the hook.

I gave it a try and missed alot more then I caught, so I went back to my spring bobber, but my brother in law caught almost near his limit using his Vex as the bite indicator.

Just thought I'd let ya know,

thanks, Westlin

[Guest]

Is there a good way to keep the tip covered when using eurolarva? I have tried to "feed" the larva down the hook, but I end up with a juicy mess everytime.

thanks in advance, Westlin

[Guest]

Keeping the barb and tip of the hook covered is a good idea. I have seen as well that the fish, particularly Sunfish, are apprehensive to striking when the tip of the hook is showing.

Great tips guys.

"sought da' fish?"

[Gordon Fothergill]

Some tips to add:

On the smaller gill and crappie jigs it is often advantagous to "open" the hook gap. This will increase hooking percentage and reduce fish lost on the way up.

Shy gills and crapps sometimes won't even approach your presentation if it is moving (meaning you will not even know they are there if you are constantly jigging, they won't show on the vex).

I wish alot of this info on this forum was available years ago, It took many hours on the ice for many of us to learn all these tricks. Sometimes doesn't seem fair to give em up!

[IceHawk]

As far as hooking eurolarvae on small hooks I found the best approach is to hook two-three on the hook. The key is to hook the maggots through the tip of the blunt end. You will be able to see to black dots on one side. Just pierce the tip through this end. They will kind of dangle down from the hook, with the look of spider legs in the water. Sometimes I find that certain colors matter. The key is see what color combination works. Over the years all red, 3 of them to be exact has been deadly on crappies for me.

[Guest]

If you want a good spring bobber call up thorne bros. they make one that fits into most fuji guides. Other wise they sell the rod tip it fits into.I always keep a rod set up with one of these for lite bitting panfish. There graphite rods are the best thing on the ice for panfishing. (very sensitive alot of backbone). The #14 glow red fatboy with larvae seem to be the ticket most of the time for me for crappies. Other wise marmooska jigs are the anwser>

[Toad]

Great thread, guys. Particularly interesting reading about how some of you (ScottS) prefer covering the hook point with waxworms. While I definitely agree that bluegills and crappies can be unbelievably visually oriented when feeding, I'm skeptical that these fish really become turned off by the sight of an exposed hook. Personally just don't think that fish possess this level of reasoning. While this is one man's opinion, also acknowledge that I could be wrong in some situations. Though if some of you guys can discern a bluegill "blowing" on a bait by watching your line-- something that's nearly impossible with even a spring bobber-- then I submit that you fellas posses a sixth panfish sense most of us don't. And I'm impressed.

When forced to dig deep in my own bag of tricks, one option involves a tiny barebones leadhead jig-- phosphorescent glow head, 1/64 to 1/200-oz.-- sporting a grub-holding barb. Hand-select the largest individual waxworm in the tub and thread it onto the jighead just as you would a plastic worm. Lightly ease the worm up onto the barb without splitting the bait open (why a big waxy is best). You want the worm to hang perfectly straight on the jighead-- again, just like a tiny version of a plastic jigworm. Rigged right, only about a 1/6 to 1/8-inch tail remains behind the hook. For me, this trick often gets 'gills and crappies to inhale the entire jig, even in the most extreme situations.

Finally, when things get almost desperate, you can't beat observing the action with an underwater camera. No matter how good you get with sonar, there's just no substitute for reality-- reacting instantly to a fish that's only breathed the bait past the hook point into its mouth for a split second. Not to mention precisely reacting to reality-- precisely what fish are doing in relation to every move you make with your bait.

Again, a few of you guys in this discussion probably possess an ability with tough panfish that 99% of us never will. Just as fishing remains a game that's larely measured in experience and attention to detail. Thanks for a cool topic and some great answers guys!

-a friend called Toad

[CrappieJohn]

Many times the fish you see approaching your lure/bait are coming in for a bit of a smell. Use the freshest waxies available, or if you buy them like I do ,by the bulk tub, go thru them every day and remove the old off-colored and black ones. Also, thry putting a dozen or so powerbait waxies in with your live ones. When you have run out of the real mccoys simply remove the artificial ones and put them in the next carton you buy. This helps.Try it!

[Guest]

A picture of a few crappies that my dad and I caught. (Had to feed Grandma and the relatives)

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

Something that has worked very well for me is adding a "trailer" to my jig. I use a hand tied very small trout fly, best seems to be black or brown, I tie the fly to 3 or 4 inches of 1# tst line to the base of the hook on a marmooska, or something that fishes heavy. Then I work the jig more slowly letting the fly do a swiming like motion. Alot times the jig will bring the fish in and the fly will close the deal.
Cautious fish will inhale the fly over the marmooska. (sometimes I will put a larvae on the hook of the fly)

[Guest]

Lots of good suggestions. Toad, a sixth sense only, sometimes I think they have a seventh...they know not to be where they are suppposed to be

As for covering the hook. There are times that a fish will hit a plain hook, your sinker, that potato chip you dropped in the hole the day before, the wrong end of your jig, the spearing decoy, whatever. However, they do not hold these objects. I prefer to cover the hook because I am not able to sight fish on every lake and I believe I buy a hundreth or even a second by covering the hook. Curious gills will quickly suck a lot of things in there mouth. The key is getting them to hold it long enough to set the hook. So, I am not going to go as far as say they have a sixth sense but rather a good sense of feel and taste.

I have tried a lot of bait combinations for panfish yet I still come back to the waxworm covering the hook. For me it is not about how many bites I get but how many fish I get. I truely believe I get more fish by covering the hook. Great topic. Scott Steil

[gone fishn]

Has anyone tried da swedish pimple? I take the hook and all the rings off then tie on a trailer with a plain hook. Works pretty good to draw them in.
It sure is great to get all these new tips and ideas

[protrapper]

Gillchaser,
I thought i was the only person to try that method i think it works extremly well on sunfish. In fact i like sight fishing in shallow water. I use the tungsten beaded pheasent tail nymphs as they sink fast and they have good action jigging them. I have also tipped them with the euros. I havent really kept a record of it but im pretty sure i have had better luck with this presentation during the day with no euros on it. The sunfish just inhale those trout flies as they are natural to there environment. I use 1 to 2 pound micro ice with this type of fishing. Glad you brought this up its a good presentation for gills and crappies.

[Pig_sticka]

i have been having alot of success lately using waxies. but the main secret is twitching the rod "super" fast a inch above the fish and then starting to raise the jig while twitching. if the crappies start raising up, i have been catching them now. either i am getting better or the fish are biting better. i think i got the techniques down more and being able to use the vex to perfection almost. outfished my friend last saturday 17-3 on 11-12 inch crappies, and he usually outfishes me. thanks to the help on this topic and trying new things i am gettin better at this stuff.