Crappies and sunnies together??

[panfried]

If sunfish are using a particular flat for feeding purposes is it safe to assume that the crappies will use it as well? Maybe not until after dark, but wouldn't they also be interested in the food that the sunnies are eating? It sounds like Matt is doing exactly that and i was wondering if this is common on most lakes?

[CrappieJohn]

I think it would depend on what the lake as a whole offers for food sources. Crappies will eat much of what sunnies feed on, but will oftentimes look for dinner in a little larger package. Quite often many different foods will be available and in different sizes and you find both species feeding in the same area.

[Matt Johnson]

Like Tom mentioned, both crappies and sunfish will feed on similar forage during the winter months. Most of which consists of plankton and other micro-organisms - small stuff. The whole idea of always having to buy crappie minnows when targeting crappies in the winter doesn't apply to my style of ice fishing. To be honest, I haven't bought crappie minnows yet this winter. Only bait I've used to target panfish has been maggots (eurolarva). Or else I'll use some type of plain plastic.

Crappies will indeed eat was sunfish eat, and often times that will be the case. I'll catch crappies and sunfish in similar areas as well. Are there times when crappies prefer one thing and sunfish prefer another? Yes. But as a general rule of thumb I can usually get by targeting both crappies and sunfish with similar presentations.

Some situations call for up-sizing when going after crappies, and in that case I won't expect to catch a lot of sunfish with the presentation I intend to use. Like when I up-size to a size 6 Ratso I'm looking for crappies (even though sunfish will eat them too, but not as often). I know Corey will use the 2-inch Power Minnows quite often, and that would be another example of applying a presentation that will focus more on crappies, instead of sunfish.

Most lakes will experience this, or at least a good majority of the lakes that I fish during the winter months. Don't get me wrong, sunfish will hit the size 6 Ratso (my two largest sunfish this winter came on that), but I wouldn't count on that size presentation for all situations.

This is a great topic, I'm interested in hearing other people's points of view as well.

Right now I'm spending the weekend with CrappieTom, and I'm sure we'll be discussing this topic while relaxing this evening...

[juggs]

Matt--Do you realize how many ice fishing paradigms you're upsetting by saying no minnows and no bait?!?! By the way, how big is that crappie you're holding?

[delmuts]

hey Matt!!! how about taping the discussions you and Tom have on fishing??? wish i could sit in on that and listen!

[CrappieJohn]

Who talks about fishing? Our conversations are generally "x" rated.

That crappie in Matt's avatar is 14.75 inches.

[Matt Johnson]

LOL... Tom isn't kidding

juggs,

I rarely use bait anymore under the ice, at least not this winter (that could very well change with this cold front we're seeing). Finesse plastics can, and will, catch fish. Ratsos, Shrimpos, Lindy Techni-Glo tails, Little Atom plastics, the list goes on... and they all have their place and time and they all have the power to trigger fish into biting.

Sometimes it's demanded that a piece of meat is needed. But this winter has proven to be a winter of plastics for me. Not only does it make fishing much more productive and efficient, but it can throw something unique to these fish. Not having to re-bait can pay off in dividends on some days. Not to mention when running and gunning. The action that some of these plastics is incredible as well!

So yep, I guess I'm going against the norm when I say "no minnows and no bait," but I've been told my whole life that I'm far from normal anyway

And Tom is right, that crappie in my avatar went 14.75 inches (I told him ) And yes, that crappie was caught on a size 8 Ratso without bait

[Mutty]

On most of my good panfish lakes I can catch crappies and sunnies together. Generally, the crappies will be a touch deeper until it gets dark, then they move shallower.

On some of my better lakes, I catch both out of the same hole all day long.

I rarely use minnows either. I have found a set line sometimes works when fishing suspended crappies, but when jigging weeds and weedlines, minnows are just a hassle.

[john.wells]

I have caught some of the biggest sunnies of my life on minnows on a lake in the middle of the state while fishing for crappies in 30 FOW. They were suspending right in the mix. On that same lake, I have also gotten lots of crappies with a 1 ounce Rattling Buckshot and fathead head (the same thing I use for walleye) in the middle of the day when nothing else works. I guess the fish don't always follow the rules, so it never hurts to experiment. Not to get off subject even further, but my brother in law caught a 4 pound walleye one time ice fishing with a countdown rapala.