Fall Crappie Tactics

[Richard Whittemore]

I would like to get some crappie for the freezer in time for winter...

Any suggestions as to catch crappie in Georgia lakes???

(any ideas would help...) Thanks :unsure:

 

[TrepMan]

Richard - I'll BET Dan J will chime in, he loads up on them on Lanier! If you find a good place, let me know I may have to come down and fish with ya!!

 

[Rich Stern]

Richard, most of my crappie fishing is on Lake Hartwell, but this stuff should hold true for the the other big reservoirs. I've found that the fishing maps with brushpile locations are helpful. Once you locate a pile, just choose your favorite downsized bait. I like Roadrunners with a small white grub trailer, Beetle Spins, also with a white grub, or Rooster tails in rainbow trout, green and/or white colors. Sometimes I'll throw a jig head with a small grub. I try to cast past the pile and drag it right over the top. You have to be ready to lose a bunch of these lures, cause they will get hooked in the pile. Break off without going into the pile to get it.



Some of the very small Bomber crankbaits work well, and the little trebble hooks are much more consistent for landing a fish that hits than the single point hooks, but I find that I am unwilling to lose them as readily, so I cast more conservatively with them, which reduces the effectiveness.



If the fish are fickle, a live cricket on a downline works.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

See my post on fishing in the rain. I troll 1 inch twirl tail grubs in Smoke/Salt-Pepper and Smoke/purple fleck and black/chartruce tail. The lake I fish for crappie has no brushpiles or docks. They move from deep holes to shallow depending on the weather. Gotta know your water!!



Also there is a float n' fly method where you can float a crappie jig over the brushpiles and not get hung up. If they get real finicky, use minnows, I never do on the small lakes but need them on Anna with clients. Heck, CIII caught one on a 5 inch Senko!!LOL!!



TOXIC



I didn't know crappie would hit a cricket??

 

[Dan J.]

I've found a double rigged curly tail will be almost 100% effective. Using 4-6 pound line, I'll tie a 1/16th oz. curly tail to the end and add another one of the same size (sometimes varying the color) about 6-10 inches above it. You then have two baits, swimming almost synchronized through the strike zone, one hanging just below the other. It's been proven deadly on Lanier and just about everywhere else I've used it for Crappie. Your total weight cast and retrieved is just over 1/8 oz. and can be counted down effectively at about a foot per second. With the weight split between the two jigs, you are also able to creep it along alot slower (if necessary) than one 1/8 oz. jig. Depending on the depth of the structure you're fishing, count it down to within a couple feet of it and start your steady, moderate retrieve. Using a light to ultralight rod, when you feel a bump or it loads up, just pop your wrist and reel, reel, reel. My little boy and I just came up from the dock after catching (and releasing) a couple dozen before dark. Just about every dock with brush on Lanier is loaded now, with most (like mine) holding Crappie year round. Good luck!!



Here's a couple average dock slabs:

 

[Richard Whittemore]

Nice slabs Dan J. ! Thanks to all who responded. I'll head up to Sinclair/Oconee next weekend.

Trepper you welcome to come on down. Just let me know.

(still can't believe you went to the dark side) :huh:

 

[Texas Transplant]

Dan,



That is just not fair to someone that hasn't had breakfast as yet! Mmmmm, mmmmm good.



Tex

 

[Michael Snow]

There's a tactic they'll use down here, usually in front of the dam/rip rap. It's called "spider rigging". You get 8 or so rods, 2 of each length (8-14'). You run them out either side of the boat, so you've got one rod 8, 10, 12, and 14 off each side. One guy runs the trolling motor SLOWLY, as in slightly faster than dead still. The other is the rod-tender. I hear a sandbass can really wreck a spider-rig.



There are two places to catch crappie -- brush piles and stick-ups. On stick ups, you put the rod tip as close to the trunk as you can and move around slowly if you get no takers. Your graph should tell you the depth of the fish. Otherwise, let a jig fall to the bottom. Lift it up a couple of feet and hold steady for about 15 seconds. If that doesn't work, slowly drop back to the bottom and repeat. Do it three times, then crank up a couple of feet and do the same thing (dropping down to the last "high spot").



Remember, they're a schooling fish, so if you find one, you'll usually find many.