What is your favorite ice - crappie method?

[portageman]

Just curious what everyones favorite ice - crappie tactic is.

[Borch]

Mine is covering water using plastics. Has been very productive for me.

[Bobb-o]

lots and lots of holes, with either a white jigging rap or a diamond jig with a little atom plastic on it.

[juggs]

Once Crappie Keith showed me the "lift" method, I've been using it ever since. I used to think crappies hit a bait mostly on the fall. I'm amazed at how often they won't strike when you jig at their level but if you lift it above them it triggers them into feeding mode.

[maros91]

Lots of holes, fatboy or Genz bug and larvae. Always jig them up!

[vermilionwally]

I got my crappie today on a plain hook and a fathead, not even a bobber on the line. I just put the rod down and waited for the tip to bend and set the hook. Works for me

[MJCatfish]

My favorite method was to use a small glow buckshot rattle jig with a couple of maggies. But, I'm thinking after picking up a few of the new #3 Chubby Darters in glow colors, I may change my mind. I like to use my house or portable as a warming house and work maybe 15 or so holes around the house with my flasher in tow.

MJ

[palisade1kid]

I use small hair jigs or plastics.I'll drop down to them ,then preform a lift to trigger the strike.Running the fish up to their ceiling to force the issue is key.

Thanks Juggs,you ole fart!

Hitting the Horn with Mallard to do some lifting or should I have said hoisting.

[Cyberfish]

hehe

[Matt Johnson]

Upsizing to plastics is by far my most productive winter tactic. 2-inch Berkley Power Minnows and size 4 Ratsos are my go-to's. Run and gun and stay on the move like Borch said. Also don't be afraid to fish only a couple feet below the ice... and nothing is too shallow in the winter for big slabs either, don't always assume they're out deep

[palisade1kid]

I agree in some waters upsizing may be the ticket.

However in some water the reverse is true.

You should have all sizies to give the fish want they want at any given time which will change throughout the ice season,depending largely on available forage and oxygen levels.

On the lakes in our area getting big is a detriment when fish seem sluggish.

If a fish will come up to investigat a bait ,it usually wants to feed.

Finding the right pattern will catch those fish.

Runin & gunin may not be the answer looking for those few fish that are aggressive.

If you are marking a lot of fish,finding their trigger will put more fish in your bucket with less work.

I do love during late ice to run & gun.

Staying on top of active fish may be the way.

Each day is different and to be versatile will make it

more fun on the ice for everyone.

[Scotty]

How can I post my pics of my crappies???? I have never posted pics on here before. Thanx

[Fred_Bear]

Early ice... I like to find the fish suspended over deep water and i almost always catch most of my fish in 2 or 3 holes.

Late ice... I move between up to 15 to 20 holes in pretty shallow weedy water. The best is fishing about 2 feet below the ice and watching the crappies come in and bite

I always use fairly small jigs (#6 or #8) with wax worm euro larvae or small plastics. Every once in awhile i'll be forced to use a minnow on certain lakes.

[Corey Bechtold]

Scotty. First off you want to downsize the photo so it doesn't take up too much room. Then go to a photo sharing site like Imageshack.us or Photobucket.com. If you go to Imageshack you need to click "browse" and locate the picture you want to host. Then click "open" to get the photo in the window. Then click "host it" . In a short time you'll have a lot of choices to upload. I use the "hotlink for forums (1)". Rightclick and "copy" the and go back to FM. Then rightclick again where you want the photo, rightclick "paste". After you "continue" you should be able to preview your post with the picture.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[Kilmo11]

i like to use a really small jig like a shrimpo and jig it right on there noses and then get them to chase it up a foot or two and then they usually hit it because the seem to commit to the bait. then i put a dead stick in my other hole and keep the minnow 4-5 feet off the bottom to get the cruisers.

[Grant Pearson]

that's a great looking crappie Corey!!!!!!!!