Early Ice Panfish/Crappie

[icefishingmn]

Any one know any articles or videos or tips on where are the better locations of panfish and crappie, like what depth or structures.

[hamms-scooter]

Search for anything by Brian Bro Brosdahl. The guy is an expert and gives great seminars. Usually you with find these fish on a break or in the weeds. I love fishing shallow weed flats for big gills.

[B-man715]

Don't know of any vids, but early I catch the most fish in the green weeds and on the outside edge..........but don't overlook the holes near a big weed flat either......sometimes they are suspended out deep that time of year; depends on the lake and the cloud cover on a particular day.......

-hope this helps!

[Chad Peterson]

Don't know of any vids, but early I catch the most fish in the green weeds and on the outside edge..........but don't overlook the holes near a big weed flat either......sometimes they are suspended out deep that time of year; depends on the lake and the cloud cover on a particular day.......

-hope this helps!

Good points here, and it really depends on the lake you are fishing. I always start working the shallow lakes and shallow bays that have green weeds. You will find nice fish there and as the year gets later; look to work the deeper weedlines next to a deep basin. Crappies and sunfish will be there until late ice and then they will be in shallow again. That has been the pattern that I have followed for years with success. Good Luck.

[Fishin4fun_MN]

Bro will be at Thorne Bros. on Friday noon to 3. He is also going to be at the St. Paul Ice fishing and Winter Sports Show next weekend (Nov. 30 - Dec. 2).

[MikeRaetz]

When Im out searching for Pannies I tend target the edge of the basins usually right outside of there spawning bays most of the year including early and late ice. They are not packed up in big schools so drilling holes is a must but I tend to find the larger fish out there. The deepest i usually fish is around 40 ft but I have had great success and most of the time catch some very good quality fish suspended off the bottom. The Weeds are also a great way to target them as well. A fish tv works great for finding weeds with oxygen.

[icefishingmn]

well i dont have a underwater camera(fish tv) and how would i locate weeds like that, only a Vexilar Fl-20

[NCLaker]

If you don't have a camera to find weeds, part of the key is to figure out what depth the weedline is at. Depending on water clarity, it is common to be 6-12 feet. Find breaks where you think the line might be, then drill a series of linear holes going deep to shallow. If you get to shallow, you will actually pull up weeds in your auger.

Then use your vexilar and a rod setup with a heavier jig and work holes starting deeper and working your way to shallower holes. Drop your Jig, if it continues to take out line past what looks like the bottom on your vex, you are usually on weeds (assuming you are not on a steep break). Or the more obvious is you will snag weeds (escpecially if using something like a jigging rap). Once your find the weeds - that is likely the weedline depth for that lake. Note the depth - you can use that depth with your GPS/map to find other areas of the lake to find your weeds/weed lines.

[DLD24]

This is my first early ice and I plan on hitting a river for early ice? If there aren't weeds, what else do you guys look for to find them?

[Dylan8351]

One of my favorite lakes around here is hit every summer with a few methods of weed control/eradication. Because of this, the fish loose a great deal of habitat. We tend to find them deep in 25-35 feet of water suspending 4-6 feet off bottom. Otherwise I look at weed edges and openings.

[mww24]

DlD24. If a river is your early ice spot he careful.

[Lawrence Luoma]

Here is a great link for some videos.

http://davegenz.com/Dave_Genz.com/Videos/Videos.html

Check out Ice Fishing Today's HSOforum also!!

[Dylan8351]

Missed this post earlier. My early ice spot is a river as well. I fish predominately when flows are ideal. I am looking for rising or high water levels only. Falling water levels means the fish are not biting. I fish weed edges and the deeper channels, mainly 6-9 foot for gills and crappie but I find perch in 4-6 foot most of the time. Weeds hold fish but I pick most of my fish as the cruise through the channel. The best spots are in sparse weeds in the open. They hold and replenish fish very quickly! When I am fishing deep water for crappie on the river I look for 20-22 feet with no cover. If I can locate the school I work to find a direction and stay ahead. I find they cruise along shelves but rarely go on them. I know I am on the shelf or at least too shallow when I start catching perch! Hopefully this helps!

[Jim Uran]

Early panfish.... This is why I spend time out on the water during the fall. This is the species I chase year round. From late summer to late fall you'll notice a change in the depths to target. Late fall locations will carry on right through to Midwinter.

Check the edges of the basins, basins=deepest parts of the lake(relatively speaking).. 30-40' basins are ideal to fish, but I'll scoot on up to the edge of the basin because these fish will push on up to shallower water during low light periods.

Basins will be different depths, obviously... And even on a given lake you will have basins that will hold more fish, or more fish will hold in them because they are the right depth. Don't be scared to try different areas. But stay close to the edge of the basins because that's where more of the fish will tend to congregate. For the most part I'm talking about bluegills, but you will find crappies in these same areas. Crappies will tend to hover over the deeper water, more so than bluegills.

Dang I hope I didn't confuse you more than help you

[icefishingmn]

Early panfish.... This is why I spend time out on the water during the fall. This is the species I chase year round. From late summer to late fall you'll notice a change in the depths to target. Late fall locations will carry on right through to Midwinter.

Check the edges of the basins, basins=deepest parts of the lake(relatively speaking).. 30-40' basins are ideal to fish, but I'll scoot on up to the edge of the basin because these fish will push on up to shallower water during low light periods.

Basins will be different depths, obviously... And even on a given lake you will have basins that will hold more fish, or more fish will hold in them because they are the right depth. Don't be scared to try different areas. But stay close to the edge of the basins because that's where more of the fish will tend to congregate. For the most part I'm talking about bluegills, but you will find crappies in these same areas. Crappies will tend to hover over the deeper water, more so than bluegills.

Dang I hope I didn't confuse you more than help you

Ya im getting my gas auger ready and planing to drill lots of holes to find those fish, but i need a approximate spots to start drilling, thanks to all who answered!

[Jim Uran]

It varies lake to lake... What type of lake are you fishing? Size/depth..

One of my favorite lakes, the deepest spot in the lake gets to 40 feet, I won't look there for fish. I'll look for the mid depth basins, ones that top out in 25 feet, and I'll fish from 25 feet up to 12 feet, at any given time that's the range these fish will cover.

You can look at the basins on a map, and take a look at the surrounding shallow water. Look for large area of shallow water adjacent to the deeper water. Fish the pivot points between the deepest water and the shallow stuff. Usually you'll find weeds along the top pivot point, those, if healthy, will hold more fish. But they could also be out at the deeper pivot point and along the basin. I

It's good that you have that gas auger and that Vexilar, they are a much needed tool in the panfish game!

[icefishingmn]

It varies lake to lake... What type of lake are you fishing? Size/depth..

One of my favorite lakes, the deepest spot in the lake gets to 40 feet, I won't look there for fish. I'll look for the mid depth basins, ones that top out in 25 feet, and I'll fish from 25 feet up to 12 feet, at any given time that's the range these fish will cover.

You can look at the basins on a map, and take a look at the surrounding shallow water. Look for large area of shallow water adjacent to the deeper water. Fish the pivot points between the deepest water and the shallow stuff. Usually you'll find weeds along the top pivot point, those, if healthy, will hold more fish. But they could also be out at the deeper pivot point and along the basin. I

It's good that you have that gas auger and that Vexilar, they are a much needed tool in the panfish game!

the first lake ill fish is a natural lake with the max depth of 20ft

[bturck]

if you have you tube access type in ice fishing. Hours and hours of good videos on all species and seasons. Good luck