Deep Lake Crappies

[jlm]

I live on a lake that is very clear and very deep. The majority of the lake is 40 to 50 feet with holes up to 80 feet or so. I have heard from the locals that there are craps in there. My question to all the crappie experts is where do I begin? Should I look for suspended fish over the deepest holes or should I look for fish to be in the areas that are less deep but have deep water all around the area? This lake is also connected to two other lakes that have much more structure and are not as deep....would I expect the crappies to migrate to these lakes in the Winter for the structure? DO you think this lake is even worth trying? Any help would be greatly appreciated and if I hit the mother load, I will get an invite to you ASAP!

[CrappieJohn]

With water that deep, it is unlikely that you will find craps down that far. I would get a map and look for water that has some shelving...breaks that sort of look like stairsteps into the deep stuff. By punching holes from shallow to deep you can investigate the various depths and look for the fish to be just past the drop or lip of each flat. Craps will suspend over very deep water if there is a food source available, those however could be very tough to locate if the lake has numerous such deep water pockets. I prefer to look for some structure that will sooner or later be a key to thier activities. To make the search move along a bit quicker, use a jigging spoon type lure with a minnow or a minnow head. For color, think "new glow" red.

------------------
Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
[email protected]

[Mike Smith]

Crappietom,
I live in southern wisconsin and fish Lake Delavan which has a depth of 50 feet clear water and the hot crappie bite the last few years was in 50 fow on the bottom and they were up to 14 inchers. Now you still catch them in 50 fow but the size is smaller. Also a similar lake (geneva) up to 80 feet and you cannot buy a crappie deeper than in 40 fow and the crappie bite.

[CrappieJohn]

MS....With the forty feet of water, several things may come into play. Crappies straify in the water according to size/age class. If you are finding smaller fish where you once found larger ones, it could be the larger fish are atop of the school, much shallower than you suspect. Electrnics should show if there are fish suspended over that deep water. If you see signs of that happening, move up and fish. Another issue is food. The preferred food source may not be found in that area right now..or even for many years...things change down there. The water temp at those depths will be much higher than near the surface. It may be that a food source buried in the garble at the bottom has yet to mature enough to be attracting minnows and craps just yet...or possibly already has happened. If this deep water is surrounded by steep drops or radical subsurface banking, I'd start looking for fish by moving tighter to that sort of structure- staying deep: IF I couldn't find them where you once did. Winter craps are not notorious for lateral movement in the water.I would bet that if you snooped around a bit near the center of this hole where small craps are found, you'd find your larger fish and they are most likely over the small fish or just to the side of them. Remember, craps are opportunists. The big ones will force the small ones into less favorable water when it comes to food. Another possible senario is related more to time. With the recent snows piling up on the ice, things will begin to get darker down there and when clouds or sun come into play things can really get muddled....even on clear-water lakes. Especially ones that deep. And of course, you have tried changing baits and presentations. Your fish are there. You ,though, are just finding out why the craps can be so frustration in the winter.

------------------
Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
[email protected]