Where should I start?

[kwiggy]

I mostly fish walleye, and not to well at that, so I am hoping for a little advice on crappies/sunfish. I want to go out tomorrow after work (1-23-09) try fishing for crappies/sunnies on a smaller lake. The lake has one hole about 30' deep. I am wondering what depth I should start at and what kind of structure to look for.

I have never fished the lake, but have heard the water is clear. I want to bring my son out and have fun with a camera.

Thanks for any help.

[hondarider550]

Well our experience of finding crappies is to look for the weedline usually rather shallow. Start with something small and horizontal. If you get on a group of crappies you will have a ton of fun...

[CrappieAttitude]

If it were me and it was a new lake I was looking to fish, I would start at the 30 foot hole. I probably would do my exploring in the afternoon and set up camp over the deeper water. I currently have my permanant in 32 fow. This is a small lake and the deepest part as well. I have been catching crappies all season. They have normally been suspended from 15-25 fow.

Another thing to consider in trying a new lake is the time of day that you are out fishing. For example, If I went out to my house in the mid afternoon, I wouldn't see anything or probably catch very few fish. However the same spot a few hours later during the low-light times they are in there thick. Timing is everything!!! You may have to spend a few hours finding out when exactly that particular lake turns on.

Most of the lakes I fish up here are clear as well, so I concentrate most of my efforts in the morning, or evening.(low light hours) However many of the darker waters tend to keep the fish active longer into the day.

Good Luck

CA

[kwiggy]

Thanks Guys,

I'm heading out soon. I will give you a report, if I am successful

[kwiggy]

Sadly, I will have to continue calling this sport 'fishing' and not 'catching' I fished the hole for the last two hours of daylight and 2 hours more after that. I saw tons of fish on the Vex, but my spring bobbers didn't move once. I didn't even get a chance to set the hook. I guess they just weren't hungry.

Thanks for the advice guys, at least I saw fish and was entertained by the vex.

[irishwalleye]

Here's how I would approach this.

Look for steepest drop into the deep hole. If not one, find any weed flat near deep water.

Set up real-weeds suspended 15 feet down for night time bite.

Drill 6 holes in a circle starting in one direction moving into the deepest part of lake.

Start with your biggest most aggressive presentation. Mine is a Chubby Darter if I am targeting crappies.

Move from hole to hole quickly just looking for active/responding fish.

If one particular set of holes are working - I drill more in that direction. And if the darter isnt working I will change up to a jigging spoon or forage minnow.

As it gets close to prime time -- I move back to where my weeds were originally set up and hope the weeds were able to hold some of the passer-bys.

Good luck