Finding crappies

[fisherdog19]

This will be my second year of ice fishing and first specifically targeting some crappies on ocassion. The lake I have in mind has a good number of crappies in it and is only 220 acres. My question is where should I target them. Max depth of the lake is 39' with a gradual slope from 20-30' but more pronounced from 5-20'. Max weed depth is 21' and water clarity is 11.5'. The lake has one small peninsula/point with similar depth increase as the rest of the lake, there is also one small hump that tops out at 10'. The lake has a good amount of weeds in it and I am looking for a starting point, any ideas from the experts? Thanks for replies.

Fisherdog

[This message has been edited by fisherdog19 (edited 11-07-2003).]

[Guest]

Sounds like you got a nice lake on your hands. Now, location....

Crappies will relate to shallow weeds and adjacent drop-offs during first ice. But since the lake you mention has good clarity and weed growth in deeper water, I would look off the drop-offs near the start of the basin. Primarily where the weeds stop and the bottom contour changes. You can expect to find crappies here. Shallow water crappies might also be tougher to catch and they will spook easier because of the water clarity and thin ice allowing them you see you and react to something "different". I would focus on the slightly deeper weeds. Does the 10 foot hump you're talking about have weeds on it? That might be a good bet if it does. Especially if the edges have no weeds, it'll be like a "playground" for the hungry crappies. The crappies might also relate to the point as well, look to see if the inside turn has any weeds, if it does, then you might have found a honeyhole. Sounds to me like you have a nice little body of water for hot early ice crappies. With all the weed growth and the depth at which weeds remain make it that much better. Only being 220 acres is a bonus too, allows you to cover a lot of the main structure and weedlines without too much hassle.

I've had a lot of success heading deeper for early ice crappies in lakes that are relatively clear. 12-18 feet seems to be a good depth. I've also found that the feeding window is much longer as well. Crappies will almost feed all day in some of these lakes assuming forage is accessible. Crappies have even more of an advantage at night on clear lakes and fishing the deeper water during the day gives you that little bit of cushion from noise, sight, etc.

Also, if you have any pockets or depressions in the shallows (holes), say where 6-8 feet suddenly drops to 12-15 feet or deeper, hit those spots. Crappies often times relate to structure, and structure within structure is even better. People like to refer to it as a "spot on the spot." A shallow bay, 3-6 feet, with pockets dropping only a foot, can mean more fish. Fish those pockets and keep hopping from hole to hole. Those little incriments can go a long way in improving your catch.

Crappies will also suspend off the drop-offs just off the weedline. Baitfish out here are an easy meal for hungry crappies. These spots have two important characteristics. One, they allow the crappies to move back into the shallow weeds to feed. And two, when baitfish/forage is chased or migrating in open water, the crappies can join them for an easy meal. Minnows have no chance in the open water when a group of crappies come after them. I guess there is another point as well, crappies will also use the weedline/weeds as cover. Crappies tend to hold on the weedline unless a storm/cold front comes through causing a change in barometric pressure, this then causes the crappies to hide deep amongst the weeds and tight to the bottom or they vacate the shallows and hit nearby deeper water.

I could go on and on, but I'll let others jump in. I'm an avid crappie man during hard water and I spend most of my time chasing them and gills. I've kept a pretty decent journal and I hope someday to write a book on crappies through the ice. A few things are already started

A lot of other variables come into play as well. Presentation, change of winter period (midwinter, late ice, etc), aggressiveness of fish, weather... Basically anything and everything could change on any given day. The best advice is to be prepared to fish different sitautions and staying mobile if fish are negative. There are fish out there, they just have to be found and triggered into biting. Location can often times be the hardest part, so if you can get that out of the way then its just a little fine tuning.

Nothing better then seeing the water shine and then a flopping 14 inch slab crappie on the ice!!!

Come on ice!!!

Good Fishin,
Matt

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Catch-N Tackle
MarCum

[CrappieJohn]

If this lake has clear water and the ice sets without snow cover, I would suggest fishing the low light periods or cloudier days until the ice either thickens or snow covers it. During open water there is usually some breeze available to help refract the light and that helps to keep the fish in shallower water...not so now and this is when people will find out how light sesitive crappies can be. As MJ stated, the deeper weed edges and humps are great places to start...one thing about humps- you will seldom find fish there that are not hungry. Watch the barometer closely! Cold fronts at this time can give crappies a terrible case of lockjaw...especially deep cold fronts. Another thing to help up your success ratio, switch from your braids and lines with flourescence to one like Berkley's vanish flourocarbon in 2 pound test. The line literally sinks when its wet helping to get tiny lures and baits down faster, it has a breaking strength of about 4.5 pounds and is absolutely invisible in any water...don't think that crappies cannot see the difference in lines....studies have shown the the eyes of crappies are adjustable from being like a telescope one second to being like that of a microscope the next and that they can, in clear water lakes, target a 1" waxie at 37 feet! Whether or not they can see the line early on is paramount to catching fish.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
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[Guest]

Tom, great point about the flourocarbon line, that can be key in clear water for neutral/negative fish, not to mention clear water fish in general regardless of aggressiveness level.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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Catch-N Tackle
MarCum

[Corey Bechtold]

Don't be afraid to search the shallow areas of the lake near dropoffs. Look for green weeds that remain. Sight fishing is the key here. I fish a similar lake and have caught crappies that are cruising around all season. Nothing is more fun that watching these schools of crappies come marching through. Have lots of holes and try to stay in front of them. This way of ice fishing crappies is too often overlooked. The down side is that this way of fishing is very addicting. Good luck.

[united jigsticker]

In my opinion, the main ingrediant for success on clear water lakes is dusk and dark periods.

Also, when looking for productive areas early on, try to target structure on structure areas. By that I mean, find the weed edge (one point of structure) and try to find an inside turn area, dip, point...anything that would add additional structure to a key target area.

Don't be afraid to hit the basins either. Alot of lakes see early hard water Crappies holding to weeds, while others see them hanging out in the basin areas right away as well.

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Good fishing,
UJ
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[Guest]

Another point. If you find fish on structure say, the 10 foot hump, you will probably also find crappies suspended at that same depth over adjacent deeper water. I've found that to be true a lot on the past. Crappies will relate to structure, whether it be a rockpile, underwater bar, point ,etc. And they will also be found at that same depth suspended over deeper water near by.

Here's an example:

I'm catching crappies on an underwater rockpile in 15 feet of water (hole one). Crappies are biting anywhere from on the bottom to 3-4 feet off the bottom. Crappies are still biting but are beginning to slow down. I move to the adjacent deeper water/drop-off. Now I'm in 30 feet (hole two). I find suspended fish 15 feet off the bottom.

The distance between hole one and hole two could only be 50 feet or so (there are more then two holes drilled but these are just holes A and . More often then not I'll find crappies suspended over deeper water at the same depth as they were on the structure.

A lot of ice crappie fisherman overlook this, but it can really improve your catch. Crappies don't always hang on or over structure, check near by deep water for suspended crappies. Find the key structure, but don't stop there.

I've also noticed that some of by bigger crappies on the day came from the deeper water. Suspended crappies are also more active in my opinion. They are typically chasing food or raking in zooplankton and are eager to bite jigs that are put in front of them.

This method works really well on overcast days and low light periods. Actually, it might hold true on all days even. Crappies want to feed, and they have an advantage over their prey in open water.

Next time you find crappies hanging on structure, try the adjacent deep water for suspended crappies, it might give you that extra edge.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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Catch-N Tackle
MarCum

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 11-09-2003).]

[fisherdog19]

Thanks for all the great info, I'll try to remember it all when I'm out. If any of you guys are in the Detroit Lakes area this winter, give me a holler and I'll take you to the lake I mentioned. It won't be long til we're drilling holes.

Fisherdog

[This message has been edited by fisherdog19 (edited 11-10-2003).]

[united jigsticker]

Crappies are typically a fish of suspended nature, which makes them alot easier to find quickly with electronics.

A typical and most common approach for me is to blast holes in the highest percentage areas where I believe fish to be holding until I find a school, and then punch a bunch of holes in a small area around that same school so that I have a litte bit of area to quickly cover. Also, if the fish move around a little bit, I can quickly and easily follow them without drilling more holes and potentially spooking them once the bite is on.

However, keep in mind that on certain bodys of water fish may only suspend at certain times of day, and also may only feed at certion periods, which at times means waiting them out, as long as you know a general feeding "time" and location.

Also, in shallow lakes where there is alot of area, fish will often times be laying right on the bottom, or just underneath the ice, and not be easily detectable with your electronics This is especially true on those Crappies that like to hang close to the top of the water column, as they'll most likely spook when you bore a hole.

In normal situations I don't even drop a line unless I see fish on the Vex. But on lakes where these "hide out" Crappies are, I typically drill a bunch of holes in a pattern, and let things calm down a bit. Then I will hole hop, and fish for 1-2 minutes in each to see if a hungary fish will come off the bottom, from the side a few feet away, or whatever the case may be..

This is where a larger, more aggresive and flashy presentation will do you better. If the fish come in and don't like the large offering, you can change your presentation and fine tune it, but at least you've got some fish down there to play with.

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Good fishing,
UJ
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[Guest]

Good one UJ.

Once you locate a school of fish, try and fugure out why they are there, although sometimes hard, just think about bottom content, depth, structure, time of year, etc. If you realize that you are over a weedline, hump, saddle, or whatever, take note, then punch holes in the area. The school of fish won't swim accross the lake, but they will often times roam around the piece of structure and hold on different spots, or they will vacate the structure to adjacent deeper water to suspended for periods of time. If you have a hot hole one minute and it goes cold the next, the fish are just a short distance away and in most cases that same hole will become hot again in the future. Start fishing the other holes you punched until you locate the school. Once you locate the school you can then sort of figure out a pattern that the fish are using, that makes it easier to follow them and stay on fish, and you know what holes are hot and what ones are off structure or out of the feeding zone.

And when you locate a school of fish, fish for the crappies that are the highest in the water column, that way you keep the school there longer, by dropping your jig down to the bottom those weary crappies will scatter sometimes. Also the suspended fish tend to be the most active as well. If you are fishing a school of crappies and another fish shows up higher on the flasher, raise your jig and most often then not you will get bit by that fish that was higher. Those higher fish are feeding most of the time and are eager to strike a lonely jig that passes in front of their nose.

Also, when you are working the highest fish, try to get them to chase your jig up a foot or so, that puts a little extra leeway for you to keep the school present. It also ticks off the crappies and they will change towards an aggressive nature to strike the fleeing jig.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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[united jigsticker]

Yes...Make them Crappies chase it!

Sometimes what I do when the fish disapear from my "hot hole" is tilt the transducer from side to side.

Quite often, the fish have moved just outside the cone angle, and by angling the ducer in all directions I can quickly tell which way I need to go to get back on them.

Like Matt has eluded to, the highest fish are where its at. I know at times that I can pick off 2 or 3 nice fish per hole before getting into tiny ones, or even seeing the clump of fish quit altogether.

You're right Matt. I should also bring along a journal. I forget more then I remember.

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Good fishing,
UJ
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[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 12-05-2003).]

[SpikeRoberts]

Good tip about tilting the transducer UJ -- I'll have to try that. Many times when one hole dies, they've only moved short distance and the flasher could help identify which way they moved. My method of finding them has been a combination of chance (i.e. I think they went that way) and a system based on time of day. If fishing in the morning, I go deeper as it gets lighter. If fishing in the evening I go shallower as it gets darker. This approach has been generally effective for me but doesn't take into account the possibility for lateral movement that could be picked up easily with the flasher.

[CrappieJohn]

On more than one occasion I have had a hole cool off on me..especially when company arrives and starts to pop holes near where I am at. I too will lean on the electronics a bit to see if the fish have moved to MY side of the activity. If they have, I simply take the spud and go for a walk about thirty feet past where I think the fish are and tap on the ice while walking in an arc- shaped path...my holes being the pivot point. You don't need to beat the ice, just make enough commotion that the fish move back into your picture. These little round-ups have saved the day quite a few times.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
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