Question for the experts

[BobT]

I’ve never spent much time chasing after crappies. This year I’d like t give it a try but I have no clue where to start. Here’s the scenario. It’s the first of March, the ice is nearly 3 feet thick, and snow covered. The lake is anything but a large bowl with a lot of structure; points, humps, old weedbeds, sand flats, etc. Okay….it’s Lake Osakis.

From what I’ve read over the years I have the impression that a good starting point might be out in the main lake basin. Especially during midday. Well, if you’re familiar with Osakis, I don’t know what that would be because the lake doesn’t really have a main basin, at least not what I envision as a basin. About the only area that fits my understanding of a basin would be Manthey’s Bay near Head of the Lakes resort where it gradually flattens out at about 30 feet. I like to think of it as a lake within a lake.

When trying to locate crappies in midday, would this be a likely starting point? Would I be putting the odds in my favor by starting out over the middle of the basin and working my way shallow or vise versa. Or would I be better off perhaps starting near where the bottom just begins to bottom out and then working my way up the slope? This area of Osakis for the most part doesn’t have a sharp droppoff so working up the slope is a relative term.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Bob

[Hardwaterjigin]

I am originally from that area and we normally fished over by buck point...it has been a while but I would look for any humps or structure that are at say 12-16 FOW and drop off into deeper 24+ FOW. Beyond that I cannot say much without physically showing you on a map.

[Shack]

Hey Bob,

You may have seen this thread, but in the Crappie-Sunfish area, they have breaking down lakes and many of the questions you asked, have been answered.

Breaking down a lake, click here.

[Coach1310]

Bob T.... you have mail!