Catching crappies?

[fishingguy]

I have been put on a spot a good friend showed me for nice sunnies. We have been doing real well for a couple weeks or so on the very same spot. A couple time now while fishing sunnies my buddy has caught one or two really nice crappies. 13" plus, but only one or 2 tops at a time. I would love to get into some more of those nice slabs, but have been unable to find them.
We are fishing in12' to 13', with weeds aprovx 2' high, near a deep 20' plus hole( aprox 50 yds away). I have tried all over around, in, and adjacent to this hole with no luck catching any of these crappies. I even fished well into dark thinking it may be a night bite, still nothing.
Any thoughts or ideas where we can find more of these crappies? Thanks for any help!

[IceHawk]

I would assume those big crappies are staying tucked into the weeds. I think as the season wears on those big boys may start suspending under the ice giving you a shot at them. Last year around this time I got into a pod of 1lb plus crappies in the weeds. These slabs really seemed to roam alot, the key was pop alot of holes along and in the weeds. I moved along looking for fish suspended right below the ice, when one was spotted I would drop on it usally it was a huge crappie. You may also want to check some of the deeper holes in the lake and look for a pod of suspended fish they could be staging in another area.

[Guest]

I would try deeper 30ft plus we are getting crippies 12-14 inch on a lake near me 15 a night find a spot with no other people and find the fish you will run into the big ones

[Wigeon]

I'd give the shallower water a try 7-12' I have been on lakes that kick out crappies in this depth at this time of year ice fishing. Weedline is nearby or for that matter catching them in the weeds happens.One lake I fished before it froze out I fished in 4' and got'em.

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

4' wow. even a blind squirl finds a nut every once in a while. I've been doing it for alot of years go deep or you will just keep getting afew when they push into the shallows at dusk to feed!!! C&R~~~~~>')))))><

[deadeye]

I was out yesterday and you could literally just follow the crappies as they moved up shallow in the evening. I started out in 30ft of water and followed them up to 18ft. Fishingguy, do you have a fishfinder? I was wondering if you were marking fish in that deeper hole. They might be suspended pretty high and that might be why you weren't getting into them. The ones I got into yesterday were up 5-10ft off the bottom. Another thing to look for is where the weedline is, if you can find where the weeds end you might find the crappies cruising next to it. ><>
deadeye

[ackotz]

Less than 1% of a lake's crappie population is going to be in that 12"-14" range (DNR surveys)...so if you find them sporadically, those are probably the only ones left in the lake. Also realize that when you find several of them at once, that's a particular year class that's migrating together. That year class will soon become fished out and all that's left are the smaller ones from subsequent year classes.
If possible (consciously) release the biggest ones...or don't complain about stunted or small fish...

[fishingguy]

deadeye, I have not marked fish in the deeper hole. I haven't marked anything but sunnies in the 12' to 14' range. I tried part of the 14' to 20' areas today but only marked the 2 northerns and 10 or so small perch I caught. I will keep looking for them, and sooner or later will find them. Thanks for all you advice!

[Wigeon]

I should have clarified the lake I was fishing is a private lake.Common fishing strategies you could have thrown out the window. This lake has since froze out, but is making a comback. This season chasing gills I have caught 90% of my crappies in 15'of water or less. 6 1/2' being the shallowest,with weedlines not very far away.

[Pig_sticka]

Wigeon,
i fish a private lake alot and found that the crappies stay shallow. i have plugged millions of holes out deeper and haven't found one yet. since there is no pressure out there the crappies stay in shallow for some reason. i usually find them deep in the weeds during the day and then they move more into the flats during the night to find the plankton and minnow schools. if you are only getting 1 or 2 drill a ton of holes in the depth your fishing. then just hole hop until you find an active fish or 2. use catch and release if you want to keep catching these slabbers. keep the sunnies your catchin if you need food.
good fishin