Big surprise Chasing crappies in shallow water!!

[MikeRaetz]

We were on a local lake today chasing down the crappies in 3 1/2 fow. It was truly a great day already and things got much better when the hook was set. My mind raced on what it could be. It took around 30 minutes to drag her up the hole with almost being spooled out twice. Along with catching very nice crappie it was one of those days you never forget.

[silverbulletguy]

Nice fish! Thanks for sharing.

[harvey lee]

Indeed a fun day. I hit the crappie and gills very well yesterday but I was much deeper, like 20fow.

[Tim Moore]

Excellent!

[Rick G]

That's a nice fish Mike always more fun when you aren't expecting them. Was it local?

[MikeRaetz]

Thanks!!! Rick, this was local. We started out in 8 fow and got into the crappies very well in the morning and around 10 they started to scatter so my buddy decided to go a little deeper and I went shallow. Drilled about 4 or 5 holes and on the 3rd hole I marked a fish which I was thinking had to be a gill or crappie and when I dropped the jig down and the line got much much bigger. This is a personal best pike for me It has been a different year for me. Im usually out deep but this year I have spent alot of my time in shallow weed flats and it has really paid off for me on blue gill and crappie.

[CAMAN]

Very nice! Did you get a measurement?

[Jim Uran]

Way to go Mikeyyyyy!!!

[Kevan Paul]

Sweet!!!

[amateurfishing]

great suprise, nice job, biggest crappie ive ever seen!!

[aaron otto]

dig it.

[Lunker Luke]

Nice fish.

[Scott M]

Great catch. My biggest northern pike I iced last year was while crappie fishing

[Rick G]

Like I said, Nice fish Mike. I looked at the background and I'm pretty sure I know where you were at the gill lake, am I right? There are some monsters in there. I CPR one just under 40in earlier this winter. It has a pretty healthy forage base for those pike to fatten up on.

[MikeRaetz]

you are on the money Rick

[Matt Johnson]

Awesome fish Mr. Raetz!

[MikeRaetz]

Thanks Matt!!!

[Gary Parsons]

Great fish Mike!

[MikeRaetz]

Thanks Gary!!! This fish hit on the simplest presentation for panfish. purple 1/64th oz lindy jig and 3 maggots in red white pattern.

[Charlie Mason]

Nice FAT pike

[Sonicrunch]

Nice Piggy!!

[JeremyCampbell1582814062]

You the man!