Mid Jan 2013 - What depths are you find the pannies now?

[Lusid]

Still by weeds? or have they moved deeper?

[Vitreus]

I've been finding fish suspended in deep water.

[bbfenatic]

Reached my goal of that 16" crappie after hunting hard for 3+ yrs, putting in lots of time and fishing small ponds in the woods. Got this monster yesterday E of DL and North a bit in the woods. Plus 7 more over 14"...a day to remember; got stuck early before getting to the lake luckily about an hour later two guys came down the trail and pushed me out. Took a while to get dialed in then found the spot on the spot, 18' off the edge a 30' Basin, conditions were perfect, warmer temps falling barometer and the big boys were feeding for a change. Pic below, thing looked like a freak coming out of the hole, measured then released to swim another day. Most fish on bobber set, plain hook and very large fatheads but did get a couple 14's jigging with a white Northland plastic impulse on a pink jig head jigging very aggressively.

[Jim Uran]

NICE FISH!!!! Way to go you ol putz!

I caught some footlongers this weekend in a 25' basin.

[bbfenatic]

Thx Jim! Thought for sure you'd beat me to the goal but my extra time this year vs your lack of time gave me the edge....see you soon!

[harvey lee]

In the last few weeks', I have found my crappie from 24-36fow. The gills have almosy all come in the 16-18ft range.

This is on a lake with holes up to 40ft.

This worked for me the last 3 week's until this warm up, no idea where the larger groups are now, I lost them.

[Vitreus]

Reached my goal of that 16" crappie after hunting hard for 3+ yrs, putting in lots of time and fishing small ponds in the woods. Got this monster yesterday E of DL and North a bit in the woods. Plus 7 more over 14"...a day to remember; got stuck early before getting to the lake luckily about an hour later two guys came down the trail and pushed me out. Took a while to get dialed in then found the spot on the spot, 18' off the edge a 30' Basin, conditions were perfect, warmer temps falling barometer and the big boys were feeding for a change. Pic below, thing looked like a freak coming out of the hole, measured then released to swim another day. Most fish on bobber set, plain hook and very large fatheads but did get a couple 14's jigging with a white Northland plastic impulse on a pink jig head jigging very aggressively.

Wow! Nice fish and nice release. You are a true sportsman.

[GSP4ME]

14 crappies in 13 feet of water on Saturday, In the North Metro all on VMC Tumbelr and crappie minnow

[Slimdart]

Did really well this weekend on the break 16-20fow. weeds top out at about 12. basin is 27fow

[Lusid]

The mouth on that 16" crappie is like a bass! Congrats man..

[BartmanMN]

Good Lord BB, that thing is huge, plus a bunch of 14's. WOW.

[slurpie]

So I can usually find basin fish but if not there I get lost. For you guys finding them on the breaks what is there that the fish are relating to? If you have them in the basin do they go to the closest drop or travel across the basin to the far drop? Usually in the basin I fish they are not in the deepest part but just off to one of the sides. Just wondering what makes you drill holes in a certain spot. Is it usually a steep break into the basin or a gradual slope.

[slim33]

I love the VMC tumbler, I used it all weekend and it killed it, it glows awesome. 26 feet suspended at 6-12 feet down with gulp minnow heads and real minnows. It was a blast watching fish race to hit the bait.

[clayton08]

Matters on lake I guess....Tourney this weekend we were catching all our big fish in 6 fow in the weeds get out any further nothing....Lakes around alexandria that I fish 11-15.....Metro 28 fow all fish suspened in the water column its all matters on the lake but big fish are usually shallower in my opinion.

[Vitreus]

So I can usually find basin fish but if not there I get lost. For you guys finding them on the breaks what is there that the fish are relating to? If you have them in the basin do they go to the closest drop or travel across the basin to the far drop? Usually in the basin I fish they are not in the deepest part but just off to one of the sides. Just wondering what makes you drill holes in a certain spot. Is it usually a steep break into the basin or a gradual slope.

Look for inside turns, steep breaks, and other abnormalities such as a deep passageway between basins. These all serve as good starting points. I start shallow and move deep, usually drilling ~10 holes before even dropping transducer. Holes on steep declines are usually drilled closer together then I spread it out a bit as I reach the deeper water of the basin. This is partially because I have a larger sonar footprint at that point and partially because the fish that aren't relating to the aforementioned structure could be just about anywhere out in the basin. If I don't mark anything, I keep drilling. If I'm marking fish, but not catching fish within 5-10 min per hole, I keep drilling. If I'm catching small fish, I keep drilling until I find larger schools. Stay mobile and you will find the big hungry fish.

[fishdaddy]

My biggest crappies this ice season have been in 10' or less near weeds. Not as big as yours bbfenatic. I'd love to see a crappie that big without going to cabelas.

[09ultra]

wow nice fish

[harvey lee]

Nice fish.

This weekend I found all my gills in 18-20fow, pretty much where I have found them all winter, just a few feet deeper. Fishing off a very deep 40' hole. Not sure where my crappie went, I was icing them in 24-28 but that was not the spot yesterday.

[th64]

People still finding crappies in or by weeds? Weeds must really be taking a hit now with 30+ of ice and snow on top. People on this forum still talk about 'punching' holes to find fish-think it took me about 4 min. a hole last sat.-walking is slow, driving tricky-I'm ready for some melt.

Are shallow lakes still good? Are people concerned about winter-kill?