Looking for Crappie help PLEASE

[Dock Boy]

Hello pan fisher people. For the last few days I have been fishing a remote Canadian lake for Crappies. This is a stained lake and were fishing in 35-40 ft of water. Normally I head up with some smaller buck shot jigs with a small treble and use a whole crappie minnow or minnow head. This past weekend I was schooled by the wax worm guys and plastics. I'm looking to add to my arsenal for my next trip in a week. I did catch some crappies, but wax worm dudes were catching 5 to my one. The crappies we are catching average 12 inches and I saw a few bigger 16-17 inches come up the whole. Fishing in deeper water should I buy some Tungsten jigs? What size/colors should I use in Deeper stained water? Thanks for any help you can provide. Also any plastics that I should look at. Thanks!!

[clayton08]

Get some tungstens size 12 or 10 if your fishin bigger slabs. Impulse plastics work good the tapeworms especially. Give it a shot guarantee you wont be dissapointed. The colors are different for each lake so just buy a variety of jigs and plastics would be your best bet.

[theiceman]

PUDDLE JUMPERS!! Get them in variety of colors the big slabs love them. 2 in model

[Dock Boy]

Thanks guys, Would anyone else like to chime in. I ordered some tungsten jigs a few packs with 6 in them. I ordered the tapeworms, but couldn't really find a great place to order the puddle jumpers from. I ordered the jigs from bobbersdown. They sure don't give those jigs away!

[th64]

Atomic Nuggies have great action and texture-put that on a Fat Boy and you are in.

Good Luck

[th64]

BTW I always bring plastics and waxies-be prepared, find out what they want that day, some days they only want minnows.

Good luck

[Borch]

Add a 2" power or gulp minnows on a 1/16 oz jighead. I've done very well on this setup for big crappies.

Smaller offering include CJ&S Ratsos or Little Atom Nuggies. The past 2 years I've done well on the Lindy plastic line as well. At that depth you'd be best served with the tungsten jigs just to get it back down there.

[EBass]

What about spikes?

[Jim Uran]

Dont skimp on size, especially in stained water. Check out the bigger Lindy Watsit jigs, and grab a Lindy darter or two. The vibration and action of those darters will keep those big hogs on the chomp.

[CANOPY SAM]

Can we start to expect crappies and gills to move shallow now, or is it still too early?

Jim, I'm at about the same latitude as you. I'm kind of hoping to get out for some nice crappies and gills with my kids soon, and would appreciate some general tips on depths to start looking.

[pushbutton]

Also concur with the puddle jumpers late ice/early ice out. Fleet farm usually carries a version called crappie scrubs from Kalins.

Sam, probably a little early yet, but when the shorelines start to deteriorate you will often find them move up and stage on the first break near the ice out feeding areas and spawning beds.

Having said that, shallow..er green weeds will often get you fish this time of year. Easier said than done though......

[Musky Buck]

My weekend report was 28' of water and I can see why it's hard for some to stop fishing, caught 50 on thursday night and an unknown number on Friday night as we just released them on Friday, it was insane. Took longer to set up then it did to catch your 10 fish, all on minnows, fatheads, they wanted the big minnows for some reason. The hog was a 15.25" with basically 12"-13.5" those were the majority. Friday was fun because we could leave the augers at home, just used the same holes and same results. When that front rolled through on Friday night it was absolutely crazy. I'm glad my friends were on-board with letting them go, none of us after cleaning 50 the night before wanted any part of cleaning another 50 or whatever. Ice major thick/snow, barely could get through with the auger.

[Jim Uran]

Sam you will stll find them in the basins, but in the afternoon/evenings they are definitely pushing up against the shallows to gorge their fat faces! We still have a ton of ice, its an odd year. Im going to give it a whirl tonight for some action. I will let you know where I find them. Most likely in video form lol

[fish_eat_sleep]

Buy 1/32 gold jigs for sure. with panfish assassin plastics. Or any small plastics that don't look like anyone else's. shop the summer panfish isle and pick out something goofy that the fish haven't tasted before.

[Jim Uran]

Check out the Outdoor Pro Store flutter jigs..... seriously, those are some great slab jigs. big hook gap, color patterns, and they are built to last.

[Borch]

I've been finding crappies in less than 10 feet of water lately. The nice sunfish are starting to filter in as well. I guess it depends on the lake. I think you'll find shallow fish in most right now but they are also still in the basins as well. Call it transition....

[Musky Buck]

Still basined out in Ottertail county where we were last weekend, no where near shallow water but we're only a 1/2 mile from the shallows which in a days time they can get there, that transition will happen soon but as of last night 1 of the gang took a friend to our holes again and it was on fire at dark once again. 27' of water about 12 feet down. The longest 1 last night was 14". And they want the big minnows, fatheads we've been going with, not overly big fatheads just your average ones, a step up from crappie minnows, seems like when they move in on it they are liking that minnow to swim hard away from them for a little chase it down factor, idk.

[younggun]

Saturday night I was still getting them suspended over 45 FOW after dark. But then a few miles away I hear great reports in less then 5 FOW. Should be an interesting weekend.