Hiring a Crappie? Get a good reference first!

[united jigsticker]

I like to hire and employ Crappies, typically on the weekends.

They are very good for a few job duties that I have open.

One would be tugging on the end of my pole and line.

Two would be the delicious meal me and my family enjoy after a successful "interview" with the fish.

But before I hire a Crappie, or even interview it for the livewell position, I like to get some good references.

Some people like to use a tree or clump of trees as a reference. Others use a certain building on the lakeshore.

Some use GPS, although not as accurate as some of us Crappie anglers need it to be.

I like to throw a marker bouy. Maybe not right on the school of fish, but adjacent to, or anywhere for that matter.

That way, when I catch a fish or two, I can gauge where I caught the fish in relation to the marker bouy.

Sometimes this time of year, fish may be tightly schooled in groups or pods, and unless you're right in the midst of the school, you're pole may not bend, and that leads to Frowning Fred's in the Front of the Boat.

I have been known to use trees, houses, or twigs floating in the water as a reference for open water fishing.

But a marker bouy can be particularly helpful when, for instance, you're fishing some pre-spawn Crappies on a large flat that is the same constant depth...Perhaps there is no weedline, and the water is dark. It may be hard to detirmine exactly where the school is, or it is just so tight that without a visual aid, there would be no chance of contacting that exact same spot repeatedly.

Whatever the case is, its a good tool to give a reference as to where the fish are, and help a fisherfolk stay on the bite. It'll put the Crappies to work the way you want them to.

[delmuts]

soooo; did you find any you will willing to hire ?

[united jigsticker]

I found some 11" work horse Crappies today in 6 feet of water scattered amongst a stiff bottomed flat.

They were picky, as the minnow had to be fresh and the jig had to be perfectly horizontal.

I was getting a mix of both males and females. The males were stealth black.

Surface temp 61, water clarity 1 foot.

[mnrstrider]

Great your one of those people I see and have to go fish inches of

Seriously I rarely use marker bouy, it seems like an open invitation for anyone to come fish with in inchs of your boat . Though I tolerate it.... Gps are tough, if the spot really is that small. I guess I watch a lot of shore line.

Honestly this year, I may need to put a bigger add in the job section of the crappie daily new, since I haven't seen many new hires yet this year.