Fishing deep

[Chester-MN]

I am going to be doing some crappie fishing in 35 to 40 FOW.

When I have done this in the past, it takes a long time to get a lure down that deep. I've done well with small jigs and plain hooks with minnows under a float.

I was just thinking of trying a heavier lure or adding weight to the line. I have some ratsos and bloodworms that I thought about trying, but the thought of waiting for them to get the the bottom makes me think twice.

Any tips? Any ways that I could try that I didn't mention?

[Borch]

Use the plastics on heaveier jigs. I often use fatboys, Genz bugs, tungsten based jigs and the flutter jigs for a vertical presentation. I rarely add splitshot to my jigging set ups but do to bobber rigs.

[Chad Luebker]

I would jig with a spoon(forage minnow, buckshot)something smaller in size....You have to have a ultra light rod to feel them bite but it should work.

[Coach1310]

I like jigging spoons like mentioned already... forage minnow, buckshot, etc.

I also like Marmooska's(they fish "heavy") and Fiska's which do the same. With these you might want to bend the hook gap open a bit more, as the hooks are catered more to gills and are quite small. Good luck.....

[Borch]

The spoons are a good option. Even the 1/16 oz spoons fish heavy.

On another note reel these deep fish up very slowly or you'll kill everyone of them. Even then you may end up keeping some you'd otherwise toss back as they often die when brought up from so deep.

[Chester-MN]

Thanks for the advice!

[mille lacs muskie bum]

i use the 1/8 oz. forage minnow in 40 ft of water. goes down FAST and the crappies love it. it tends to pick out the bigger ones too! you will feel them take the bait and the line will go limp. thats when u set the hook. bring them up slow, i havent killed one yet. just squeeze their belly until their mouth closes and the are ready to go.

[Chode2235]

Use something like a Diamond jig, or something that fishes much heavier for the size.

I was using the size 10 and fishing for crappies in 37 FOW without a problem this past weekend.

I also have had success using a small 1/8 or 1/16 jigging spoon like the Frostee spoon.

You want something with a smaller profile but some heft.

[CrappieAttitude]

I fish in 30+ fow often for crappies. I use diamond jigs, bro bugs, and any small jigs that fish heavy.

I really like forage minnow spoons, and the thingamajig.(actual name of it) They drop real fast. The only downer with some of the smaller spoons is you need to adjust your gain quite a bit to pick them up on the vexilar when fishing that deep. I really like fishing with them tho.

CA

[tearin' lips]

Go with the Jigging Spoons.

[go4carl]

as a follow up question to reeling up deep fish slow... How slow do you need to bring them up? I've seen a few fish with their bladders coming up through their throat (perch). I hate to think I'm killing all of these fish. I was catching crapies tonight and made an effort to reel slower and did not notice the same thing, but a couple of them did stay on top of the water for a few seconds before they swam away.

I'll take any advice..

[Borch]

I reel them in painfully slow, just enough to keep tension on the line. If I'm catching fish that are too small to keep I move on. No sense putting those fish through tat stress.

[tearin' lips]

I agree with Borch. Most of the time moving on, even just a small distance will put you on some better fish. Either that or upgrade to something that the smaller fish are not likely to hit...like a larger spoon.

[hooksetta16]

Couldn't agree more, I have noticed this all year. Last night we were out and we would go hole to hole dropping down... it was like they just wanted to see something new come down and boom they would show up.