I found some Crappies....Now how do I catch them?

[friendlyfisher]

Hey guys, I need some help on how to catch some slabs that I have found recently. I have found some crappies that have been moving into the shallows before dark and I want a better way of catching them. Here is the situation. They are moving into about two feet of water with a very very muddy bottem. Its nothing more than one big mud flat with a ton of 12 and 13" crappies, but they dont stay long. There are a few dead/broken rushes in the area, but not much.

I actually found them casting a #13 rappala for northerns and I caught two of the 13" beasts on it. I was very very suprised to catch a crappie on a #13 rappala. Theese must be some hungry aggressive fish.

How can I be more effective on catching theese fish. Here is what i have come up with as possiblilities.

1. Throw a smaller rappala and fan cast till I start finding the school and keep casting where ever I catch the first one.

2. throw out a crappie minnow under a bobber and wait?(not very fun if you ask me.)

3. Throw out a bobber with a crappie jig and paddletail or simular type soft plastic and slowly real it in till it triggers a srike.

4. Use a small mepps spinner and try to cover water and get the reaction strikes from theese very aggresive fish.

5. jig and minnow. (my favorite, but its to muddy and to much debrie in the water)

\

6. Dynamite

I have only crappie fished for a couple years and im still learing what works best when, and how to maximize you catch in a short timespan. I only think the fish are in this bay for about 20 minutes or so. Also How much longer will theese fish be moving into the shallows? And do this do this in the early morning as well?So please tell me what you guys think.

[CrappieJohn]

Since the fish are moving up onto very shallow water you will want to keep things low key so they don't spook. Casting the rap, even one down in size, can make enough noise to mess with them unless you want to settle for a couple or three and then move along. The shallow water will also want to be covered with consistancy depth-wise. This requires the float. At this time of year the fish can show a preference to bait over plastic and vice-versa on a minute to minute basis so being flexible is a must. You can figure this out by having two rigs ready with separae baits and alternate the casting to figure which turns the greatest number of hits. If this water is really dirty, you may have to play the trading game with colors to get in line with what they can see the best. In low light with dirty water contrast will become a key to getting hits....they have to see it to zero in on it.

[7 grand kids]

I'll give this a shot since I have found something similar for shallower water.

I use a modificaiton of item 3 under your list. I have a light action fast taper 7' rod and place a small styrofoarm ice fishing float coupled with a hooked lipped fathead on a no. 6 glow demon. The styrofoam float is a long skinny ice fishing style that I slit with a sharp knife to insert the line and secure with some plastic pegs on both ends. It allows quick adjustment of depth. The styrofoam helps with the noise and keeps the weight down to detect bites.

I then cast the setup and use a slow steady retrieve. I use feel to detect bites. I find that fatheads this time of year and a swimming retreive to be more effective than sitting in one spot most of the time with a smaller crappie minnow,(most but not all the time). Sometimes just a twister tail works but as I have used both presentations with success. A glow version demon also seems to help sometimes as I use this setup well after dark. Shallow walleyes have also been caught.

Hope this helps.

[CrappieJohn]

Don't dismiss glow as an only "after dark" bait! Even in clearer waters on dingy, heavily clouded days the glow colors can be fish catchers when other non-glow heads are taking a rest. We're really discovering that what lies in your winter tackle box is wasting half of its time there.

[friendlyfisher]

Thanks for your replys guys, i plan on going after them tonight. I hope they are still comming into the shallows. I have been to busy latley to go chase them, I have to many kids and to many wifes to fish as much as i would like. Thats 4 kids and 1 wife, thats time consuming. friendly

[B@ssDoctor]

The only thing you need to catch these crappies is a cell phone. I know (90% sure) which lake you are talking about and I would be more than willing to attempt to jump on them with you. I have not fished the lake for crappie like I have the past 2 years. Not sure if you are still in the boat, but mine is still making out 4-5 times a week.

BTW....This is not a desperate attempt to catch fish. I have been on walleyes for some time (2-weeks) now but it sure would be fun to punch those hogs. Be willing to trade time with you. I will have 20 hours of lake time this weekend between ducks/fish.

When I hear 12-13 inch fish I can think of one lake that consistently produces these....

Let me know...Go Tigers...

[friendlyfisher]

Bassdoc, I would be willing to bet that i have you on this one. The lake is only about 10 minutes from town. I tried last night and I got to the spot a litle late, but as far as i could tell the bite is over. I still may be interested in some walleyes as long as your not talking about the stinky river downtown. DO you have an email address I could reach you at? friendly

[B@ssDoctor]

BassDoctor2 @ Yahoo .com

I would more than willing to get you on a couple of walleyes. I have all kinds of time this weekend and also a few 1/2 days fishable next week.

Let me know...

[friendlyfisher]

bassdoc, you have mail, as long as I did it right.