Washington County (Crappies)

[Hello High Water]

I need help with presentation to entice a crappie bite. I will be fishing Big Carnelian today and will appreciate any advice given. I know the cold front will make it tough but willing to try anyway.

[CrappieMagnet]

Hi and welcome!

If i was to go out today...Find mud...warm water,flowing water.Look to where a slight breeze is blowing up...If the wind is coming out of the nw...fish the se corner of the side the wind is blowing up on.Try the first weedline and then secondary's.Find the baitfish...you'll find the crop's and sunnies.Try white jigs,chartreus,blues,yellows and greens,varying your retrieve from slower to fast.Let the fish tell you how finnicky they are.Mostly look to the north side of a lake unless there are south bays with mud or muck.They warm faster.

Good Luck!

CM

[Hello High Water]

Thank you. I will. any specific baits? Will minnows work or am I just jigging?

[CrappieMagnet]

Yeah...But i use plastic tubes in the spring.Minnows will work because the fish are putting on the feedbags,preparing for the spawn.Also...look for inside turns and abrupt dropoffs,in case the first and second weedlines arent working.look to corners of bays too.

!Good Luck

CM

[This message has been edited by CrappieMagnet (edited 04-09-2004).]

[Hello High Water]

I would love to but I am at work now. Have you fished these lakes before for Crappie? Is there a better Lake in the metro to try?

[CrappieMagnet]

As a matter of fact,yes on other lakes and i am going to Tonka in about a half hour.No to your lake but as a general rule follow those steps and you should bag some spring time crappies and sunnies.I don't fish to many rivers,except Rainy and a few others.Oh,and one more thing..if the fish aren't shallow yet.(1-6 ft ) they will be close by..in deeper water.Try shallow first,then move deeper.

Tonka is a all around good fishing lake because it's a series of bays that make up a huge body of water and each bay is different and unique,with all kinds of different species too chose from.I don't ever recall ever getting skunked on Tonka.Always caught something there.

Again Good Luck and Happy Easter!

CM

[This message has been edited by CrappieMagnet (edited 04-09-2004).]

[Hello High Water]

Thanks for the info. You have a good easter and good luck today on Tonka. Try Seaton.

[Hello High Water]

I will be going out this evening to BC again. Should the fish be more apt to bite? I got skunked on Fri. but had a good time. I will take more tips if you have them and try it again.

Thanks

[mnrstrider]

FYI I was out yesterday, I tried shallow, and ended up in 18-22 fow to find my crappies right off the bottom, If I hadn't brought my LX3 along with me, I don't know if I would've caught any fish, the crappies could not be seen on my X-51, only on the flasher. I used a jig and minnow, with a slip boobber.

[Hello High Water]

Were you on B/C?

[Hello High Water]

I wasn't skunked this time!!!!!! No crappies but 5 1-2lb snakes. Whoo hoo! I love fishing.