Ice Fishing Supended Crappies

[TackleBoxMike]

I'm looking for some ideas on how to catch supended crappies when ice fishing, also is a flasher necessary?

Lets keep are hooks sharp!!!
TackleBoxMike

[Matt Johnson]

You want to target the fish that are the highest up first. This will help keep the school underneath you longer and you won't spook the fish by dropping your jig through the suspending fish. And often times the higher fish are more aggressive and will even close in our your jig as your drop it done from time to time.

A flasher is definitely a useful tool, it allows you see you jig in relation to the suspended fish and lets you know that there are actually suspended fish down there, and not bottom huggers. If you know what depth the fish are coming in at then you can drop down a set-line or deadstick rig and concentrate on that depth as well.

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Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
Pro Staff Coordinator
FishingMN Sponsors

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Guided Ice Fishing and More...

[united jigsticker]

Ditto!

Fish the top fish first. Like Matt said, they are typically the most aggressive anyways.

However, I have found at times when the top fish were lacking in size, that dropping to the center or bottom of the school can produce more quality sized fish.

The "need" for a flasher is really felt after using one only once. And to truly know where the top of a school is, it could be considered a nescessity.

If you're looking for ideas for baits and lures, my favorite has been the colored larva (maggots). You can easily create different color schemes on your hook, as they are available in red, green, orange, and creme.

My favorite lures have been jigging spoons the last 3 winters. I get the 1/32 oz size, and they are available in glow colors too. Another plus about them is they are rigged with treble hoks, so the hooking percentages go way up. (Hey, this really helps on them URL Crappies that like to rip off at the bottom of the hole when theres 42" of ice)

There is alos alot of quality terminal ice tackle available that is very effective in coaxing the winter-time Crappies.

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Good fishing,
UJ
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[TackleBoxMike]

Matt, and Jigsticker

This is going to be a new fishing experience for me fishing supended crappies. I'm looking into getting a flasher sound like that the tool for supended fish.

Thank you

TackleBoxMike

[CrappieJohn]

TBmike....Matt and UJ have given some good advice, not only as to the fish but the flasher. I mightadd a couple things to help. Don't get frustrated. Crappies that are suspending may or may not be feeding. Since their movements are somewhat limited during the hard water period, move and fish another area, but come back later if the fish are showing reluctance.

As stated, crappies will tend to "stack" or stratify according to size. This is due to the pecking order which they live by. But if you are only finding small fish , regardless of where within the school you fish, try moving to the outside of the school and maybe a bit deeper. Often times these fish ( the larger ones) will move just out of the way of the masses to feed and since up and down is already occupied, horizontal movement is all that's left.

Don't get lulled into using just a couple different baits ( jigs, spoons, minnows, whatever). Be flexible and try a variety of approaches. Keep in mind that if the fish are not hitting what you are currently using, the change cannot hurt the fishing. Change colors when things get stagnant. Try different jigging actions.

Crappies are different animals. Some days they will hit like there is no tomorrow. Other days they will not hit for any reason. And then there are those days in between. The simplest way to approach them is to simply accept the challenge.

With regard to the flasher. Definitely. Not an lcr, but a flasher. Now here is a hint. If money is going to be an issue and you want to get a year-round unit, chech out some of the lcr's with a flasher mode in the menu. The flasher will operate at real-time and do everything that a more expensive unit will.....just not in color. Some of these units can cost as little as a c-note and a half. When money is not an issue, go for the gold and pick a quality unit and use it specificaly for icing. Regardless of which direction you go with a flasher, once you learn a few of the "core" tricks, your crappie fishing will get much better.

Good luck and good fishing!

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

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[united jigsticker]

Re: Short on cash;

Refurbished units are also available from some manufacturers at an appealing price. These are typically alot less then brand new units, but are rebuilt and just as good.

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Best of Luck,
UJ
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FMSponsors

[Corey Bechtold]

If your looking for a used flasher, I have an older vexilar FL-8 and a Clearwater classic that I took off my boat when I bought it. Both work but the Clearwater classic doesn't have a transducer for ice fishing. I'd be open to an offer on either locator. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any intrest. [email protected]

Corey Bechtold

[Mr. Pike1]

Crappie Tom, what part of the state do you fish crappie. I am mostly in the metro but also get to the St. Cloud area quite a bit. Last year I had some great crappie success on the horse shoe chain and also some lakes North of St. Cloud. On one lake with the vex I thought we were seeing large schools of very very active crappies in deep water and they turned out to be tulibee in the 1-3 lb class. They were an absolute blast to catch on ultra lite equipment...I am catch and release so species is not as important as action. Also on the horseshoe have had some great days getting cats in the 1-8lb class on ultralight tackle with walleye and crappie all mixed in.

[TackleBoxMike]

I'd lake to thank you to everyone for there help. I looking forward to fishing for supended crappie, and hoping I will tie into some crappies this year. I'd like to get my two kids and wife into fishing crappies. The funny thing is I'll be the guy taking fish off there hooks and helping them bait up. Don't get me wrong I enjoy pasting the sport on to my kids. With the new experience of fishing supended crappies I'll be just as much a kid as they our. I live in the Shakopee, MN. area and I'm woundering what lakes you guys might try fishing in this area for crappies?

Let's Keep are Hooks Sharp.

Thank You

TackleBoxMike

[Matt Johnson]

Mike,

Prior Lake holds crappies which is a little ways south of you. And Lake Minnetonka is North/Northeast and is an excellent crappie fishery as well. There are also a lot of smaller surrounding area lakes that can be little crappie gems too.

How far are you willing to travel?

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[tulikow]

I have had a lot of fun fishing suspended crappies. I like to use a really light jigglestick for these fish instead of the ice rod and reel which is what I normally use. I use 4 lb line with a hackled ant, small demon, or a rat finkee tipped with a few waxies. Then I add a really thin thill bobber (Im not sure but I think its called a shy bite bobber.) This presentation is so well balanced and precise that you can tell if a crappie is even looking at the bait. If the fish are aggresive I can usually set the hook when they pull the bobber under. Otherwise I'll wait till I see the bobber rise. I hope this helped.

[TackleBoxMike]

Hey, Matt and tulikow

Traveling is not a problem it's part of the fishing adventer for me it trying a new lake. The information and storys about ice fishing supended crappies has me excited about this year ice season. I've been working on the fishouse a 7' x 10' if the weather nice this weekend I'll be painting the fishouse giving it a fresh coat of paint and fixing up a few other things to have it ready for ice. With the reading of the posts I wish the lakes were iced over and ready to fish. Well is there anything else I should prepare? What kind of line are you fisherman using also is they a special lure for them crappies?

Let keep are hooks sharp.

TackleBoxMike

[Matt Johnson]

Mike,

I'm with ya, bring on the ice!!

Line...I like to use mono or flourocarbon for panfish in the winter. I usually use 2 pound test Micro Ice or Vanish by Berkley. P-Line also has a good line, as does several other choices.

Lures...I like to use horizontal presentations for those suspending crappies. Jigs like the JR's Tackle Ice Minnow or Systems Tackle Fatboy are good choices. The Pumkinseed by JR's Tackle is another good option. Custom Jigs and Spins Ratso and Rat Finkees catch a lot of fish too and are always rigged up on one or two of my rods. I had a lot of luck last winter with red glow. Size 10 in the Ice Minnow or Fatboy worked the best for me. Tip them with maggots, like Eurolarva or spikes. Small jigging spoons, 1/16oz, work well on suspended crappies too. You can get up and down the water column quickly and you will trigger a lot of reaction strikes with a spoon as well.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[united jigsticker]

I was a horizontal only ice-angler as well, but then discovered the jigging spoons. They are the only vertical fishing lure I will use.

I have also found that these bigger lures will sometimes bring on a bite on the harder to coax Crappies faster then downsizing to micro-jigs will at times.

I like the treble hooks, because not only do they increase the hook-up percentage, but they also allow me to get an array of different colored maggots on my lure and present it in a somewhat neat manner.

Good stuff here guys!

[Skeets]

Northland's Forage Minnows and Rapala Jiggin Raps #2 get my favorite vote.

I have had good success fishing these baits for suspended crappies.

A good flasher like the Vexilar is a must.

[deeky]

I was in looking for some new line this weekend. I have used a lot of Fireline and others, but was looking at P-Line. My question - what is the difference between P-Line's florocarbon line and florocarbon leader other than the yardage on the spool (125 vs. 25)? Thanks for the help.

Deeky

[2muchwork]

hey mike if you are taking the wife and kids with having quite a few rods set up with a variety of lures can make the difference between a good trip fishing and less work tying. also it's easier to figure out whats working.I started fishing slabs three years ago and you are in for the time of your life. good luck and good fishing.

[CrappieJohn]

2much....I'd like to offer our welcome to FishingMinnesota.com! Its always nice to see someone new come aboard. Again....welcome.

[TackleBoxMike]

2muchwork,

Not enought play well, yes it going to be fun fishing this year with the family. My kids ,wife and me have been working on the fishouse repairing a wall and perpared the outside surface for painting. My daughter age 6 helped me in picking the color for the fishouse was a shop floor gray now the color is purple Go Viking!!!! so if you guys see a brite purple fishouse stop and say hi. Welcome to the forum.

Lets Keep are Hooks Sharp.

TackleBoxMike

[2muchwork]

thanks for the welcome guys, this posting stuff is new to me but love the info provided.it sure makes things a lot easier to understand when and why and how.url was good to me the first two years but didn't make it last year .got lucky on a pothole close to home with steady 10-12" slabs. hope it wasn't a fluke year. hey mike if you fish at night in the house small light sockets in the corner of the hole work awesome on a 12 volt system. we used auto light sockets.good luck & good fishing