Where did the big ones go?

[Coldfeet]

I have been fishing crappies on Lake "X" for four years now. Size wise I would guess that it is about 200 acres with a lot of islands. There is quite an array of structure to try, rock piles, shallow bays, sand bars, etc. with a couple of holes that drop to 30' - 35'. The water level rose a few years back and there are quite a few tree tops sticking out of the water. It used to be 20' max for depth so it's gone up about 15' or so in the last 6 or 7 years. The first year I tried it, I didn't get out there until late January, but I caught my limit every time out while being the only one on the lake. The fish were not huge, mostly in the 9" to 10" class, but they were abundant. The second year I started fishing there as soon as I could get on the ice and I was catching some very nice 13" to 14" crappies and again, there were quite a few fish down there. A funny thing happened though, from January on, all I would catch were the 9" to 10" with a rare 11" or 12" fish all the way to late ice. Same story the last two years. Other people have picked up on the fishery, but I would say that they've been keeping their lips sealed because the most fish houses I've seen at one time is maybe 8 on what I would consider a fairly good sized lake (They all set up within 50 yards of me though). I am fishing off of an island with a steep break. I'm maybe 15 yards from shore in about 24' of H2O. Another 5 yards closer and I'd be in 15', and five yards out it bottoms out at about 30'. My question is, if I'm catching the big ones in Dec. but can't find them from Jan. till ice-out, where in the heck did they go? I've tried 15' and 30' without any luck. 15' seems to produce only small northerns and 30' is the same story as 24' but with fewer fish on the graph. The bite seems to start around 4:30 - 5:00 and shuts off at around 7:00 - 7:30. Do I need to change locations? Time of day? Presentation? I've tried the two latter ones without any luck, but maybe I'm not picking the right time and presentations to try. Any help would be appreciated.

[Matt Johnson]

Those larger crappies will move out from early ice spots as winter progresses. You will still catch a lot of smaller crappies but the slabs typically won't be there. I would venture out to the mainlake basin and work any structure thats obvious first. If you know of any deep water rockpiles then those might be a good target. I've noticed that the larger crappies will relate to rocks in deeper water during mid-winter. They will slide off the rocks from time to time to roam open water, but they will cycle back through. If you have any mud nearby the rocks then punch holes both over the rocks, off the rocks, and over the mud. Those crappies will use the connecting mud too to feed on plankton and other organisms. Rocks will attract the baitfish as well, so that will give the crappies a wide range of forage.

That sharp drops that you are fishing now are typically good spots to target larger crappies, but if they aren't producing I would head to a new spot. Large points that drop into deeper water that have any inside turns are good choices too.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[mark n]

what are we looking for in terms of prespawn/spawn structure, depth, weeds, ect. ( Late ice )

Thanks guys for the great tips.
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And with that....I'll pass

[CrappieJohn]

Points,as Matt has stated,are going to become key areas soon. We are half way thru February and as the days get a little bit longer those piggies start heading to different water. The best points will have a touch of current and have a deep/shalloe relationship....deep water channel and shallow bay area. In mid-state to northern regions, these big fish will start to show up quite close to their spawning areas while you are still walking overhead. Notice I said "quite close to" not at the spawning sites. With the water still being as cold as it is, they will remain in the deeper water of the immediate area. They will be very much influenced yet by fronts and high pressure. The shift to these sites will not come as a major exodus, but a slow migration that can take a couple weeks. If you know the water well or have a good map, you can plan a bit and ambush these moving fish. Remember though that the fish are still more inclined to be vertical movers and not horizontal movers....they'll move up a chute or trench a ways and then will fall back into more more familiar up and down feeding patterns. This pattern is repeated until they get to where they are going. Any point found enroute will be a big attraction to them as long as the deep/shallow water is there. Deep water with a very steep drop-off is another area to look for the piggies when they seem to have vanished. A key here is to find fish that are NOT on the bottom. Suspended fish found tight to the break at mid- water column will be the feeders. Those found deep are the movers and will be hard to connect with.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
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[CrappieJohn]

Mark...every body of water is unique unto itself when it comes to the structure crappies will use in pre-spawn/ spawn periods. Much of the variation in this instance will com from the fact that we are at different ends of the state geographically....literally. To answer your first question about pre-spawn/spawn location, you have probably got the answers to that already. By getting a map of the water you fish, find where the fish spawn and where they are at during the hard water season and assume that they can be found somewhere in between for the late ice/ pre-spawn....keeping in mind that deep water (8-25 feet) will be elemental in holding the fish. If the water you fish has current to some degree, I think finding these fish is easier. With current I look for points, either visible or sub-surface using a map) and really concentrate on them. If you can find a bay, so much the better. I'll use the instance of a water w/current and a bay. At late ice/ very early open water I pay most of my attention to the downstream point where the wash will carry the warmer water out of the area past the point. As things warm up and fish begin to stage closer to known spawning sites, I tend to find the fish more on the upstream point. On waters without bays or current the fish will stiil relate to points but tend to be more scattered. The need for deep water nearby is paramount to holding the fish at pre-spawn as they are still influenced by cold fronts to a great degree. On the average day the fish will be found deep early to mid-day and shallower from mid-day till evening. With a major front sitting on top of you, stay deep. Weeds may or may not play a part in pre-spawn water, depending on the stage of developement. They may should never be ruled out of the equation if they are able to hold food for the craps. Submerged wood is a better structure, I think, and I find tons of major league fish tight to wood in deep water within a very short period after ice-out. The one thing most people get caught up on is waiting to see craps in the "usual" spawning ares before they begin fishing them thinking they just all of a sudden appear. Forget that idea and start fishing the same sites but in much deeper water a bit earlier than you are used to and you will find much better quality in the fish you take. By the way, I don't fish according to the calendar, but, rather by water temperature.I have found that when the water reaches 58 degrees at eight feet, the games begin.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
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[rockhardinmn]

what i do 1st is check out the map well if you can , this can help you eliminate some places right off the bat .. check the deep holes 1st .i have found that i do better if i can find some sort of sturture sticking into the deep water . personally if a nap is around for that lake , look for the longest bar sticking out into the deeper water .deep is a variable with what the deeper water is on any lake . you may end up completely away from anyone else which is nice too.on a lake like bowstring for example i have a spot like this that puts me out 1/4 mile or better out from most others fishing. it produces year after year for both crappies and walleyes.on this one it drops from 22 feet to 30feet in a distance of 40feet. i set myself in the 27 to 29 feet with the deeper water on 3 sides of me .remeber now that i am out about 3/4 to a mile out on this spot . i cant renber the guys name but he had a show for awhile that taught fishing sturture this way. takes time to find spots like this thou cause many of them are realy small ,, some realy long like the one i said above , many times i will start in deepest water then work in a circle from it looking for those fingers sticking into the hole . this works better for me on smaller lakes like you are talking about . with that many islands and not knowing anything more about it there could be many spots like i mentioned but only smaller . hope thois helps you .

has anyone else tried this b4? Tom you like to fish wood? boy do i have alake for you to try if you are up for a trip some time . drop me a mail and i will tell you about it .

[CrappieJohn]

Rock....I fish wood at three specific times of the year: pre-spawn, heat of the summer deep water, and post fall-turnover. I use brush anchors and tie right up tight to any wood thats visible and fish straight up and down in it. If it is deep wood, I'll use the electric to hold just over it if possible, otherwise I back away from it and double anchor and fish it with a slip float. I think fish relate to wood for two reasons: cold fronts and food. If they are in the wood period, they are actively feeding if they are up and in the limbs. If they are way down deep and tight to branches bigger than an arm, you can forget them- they'll likely have lockjaw.

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

[rockhardinmn]

Tom ,, would you like to try a lake that is approx 4.5 miles long and about1 mile at widest that has trees everywhere ? there is extremely little of this lake that does not have some sort of timber on it. be it in what you would think is open water or shore lines. 1 area that is approx 60 thats open and thats about it . it is a challenge this lake is ,, very nice crappies if you can keep the pike off your line who said you had to hit red for monsters ,, that is IF you can Find Them. and it is a big IF

[CrappieJohn]

Rock...throw me a mail at home. We'll talkm about it off site.. Tom

[rockhardinmn]

Tom ,,
Mail is sent . as a matter of info also ,, there is numerous lakes like this where i talk about in mail .