Looks like a good time.

THOSE ARE SOME GREAT LOOKING CRAPPIE !

It was Dick , quality fun with Greg and yes Carl we are on the big Crappie earlier by a full month this year at this lake !

Two hook setting differences today after noticing hits and drops . Watching line swim off with a bit of slack and setting the hook on the movement not the feel of the fish worked best  . I often prefer a slight load of the rod tip before setting as it makes a more direct  angle to the hook but if the Crappie drop quickly I become a line watcher and set before feeling while reeling in slack.  .

Hope this is helpful to others .I am consistently finding good Crappie 12-15', trolling crank baits  out side weedlines in the 20-15' zone.  These trolling paths and watching the sonar  lead me to 10'-5' breaks and drop offs where i catch more jigging , slow back troll dragging and casting over weed tops.

A few more vertical jigged at 18' .Blue skies and sunny 10 am-2pm time slot made it tough but these two took a Berkeley Gulp Black Leech.

JOHN;; THOSE ARE NICE ONES;; ANY TIME OF THE DAY !   FILLETING TIME !!

You bet Carl .Gonna have to keep some of these again .Been awhile cleaning and cooking up these tasties!These 12" + Crappies take 3" baits .I'm using Bass size hooks on them !

The most consistent Slap Crappie baits have been two slender 3" baits ,. The Mojo Reefer in Blue (8 Slabs  between 12"- 14" ) and the Berkeley Gulp Black Leech ( 3 Slabs  between 12"- 14")

To be more accurate the fish are coming on 2-3,1/2 "Baits.The two best baits are the 3.5" Blue Mojo Reefer and the 2" Black Berkley Gulp Leech.

Crappie hitting Carl Hendrix Jigs ,floated , without float,  tipped and untipped.

WOW JOHN !  I STILL GET AMAZED IF MY  JIGS WORK !  THANKS FOR TRYING THEM OUT BUDDY !    NICE CATCHE ON THE CRAPPIE !

They worked great . Got 4 untipped then 6 more with some crawler attached .

Three early ice Crappie 1/11/17 Here are two:

Wish I weighed her , 15"

John I sent a friends request because we are so close and your on my favorite waters. If you want you can accept and if not that's alright to I'll understand.

That would be nice for sure. Love the lakes in your area Randell chain and of course my favorite the coldwater chain both loaded with fish of all different varieties and sizes..Take care and GOOD FISHIN...

Ever been over to the Pinkney area?  There's a lake every mile or so there.....

Half Moon Chain another great chain. There is a chain hidden in back full of great gills if you get a chance Allen a great little lake.

The Crappie from 10"-14" have been hanging by an inflow pipe for the past week . Taking to 16th oz. Squirrel Tail Jigs and 32nd oz. Tube Jigs and 2" plastic Minnows .Particularly good fishing and after during the rain . Bullheads and Channel Cats are prolific also.

Nice Catch John, looks like you had a blast. BTW personally I have the same jig (or very close) to the one in the pic, I have never caught a thing with it. Just goes to show ya what an expert can do compared to a novice.

I am no expert but i have a honey hole thats been producing . Today more fish on 32nd oz and 64th oz curly tail plastics . It's all about The spot as I see it JW!

WAY TO GO MUSIC MAN !!    LOVE SEEING ALL OF THESE PIXS !!

'Nother on 1/8th oz. Squirrel Tail

Getting plenty of 10"ers like this on plastics

32nd oz Plastic Tube Jibs are catching Late August Dink Yellow Perch,Bass and Bluegill  but a 10" and 14.5" Crappie also! The honey hole is still producing and with the coming rain I hope it will turn on like it did in early and Mid August . Several Colors worked but the Smoke and the Red/Chartreuse Jig got the Crappie .

The 14.5" estimated weight : 1.9#

Squirrel Tail Jigs don't let me down .Tried out some 32nd oz and got four 10-10.5" Crappie .About 1/2 #

Down sized with a 32nd oz tube Jig and got this 13.5" mixed in with a bunch of dink Perch and Gills.

Thirteen Crappie on live shiners .Suspended halfway in 30'.

Love the charts and info John. The articles on "Where the crappie are" is most interesting.!

Nice Crappies, John!

Thanks Allen .Glad you like JW!

Killer Crappie Day yesterday .13-15.5" .

Shiners on a 16th oz. Bucktail or Squirrel tail Jig fishing vertically .The fish were suspended in 25' about halfway down /.

Nice ones John.

Thanks Dick .Greg and I cant wait to get back but may try another lake next time to see whats going on there.

WHOA JOHN !!  LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD A TERRIFIC TIME CATCHING THOSE SLABS !   WISH I WAS THERE !!

Nice!  I need to get out with some live minnows again.  Been trying a new-to-me lake, crystal-clear water, and you had to really hunt to find fish.

Allen that's what nice about the lakes in your area they are so clear need farther casts. I love and really miss fishing them lakes.

Yup.  I've found that the little 5' UL rig that strung with 6 lbs test Nanofil is actually a pretty good "distance casting" rig, especially from a low seated position.  It's either make a long cast, or fish deep.  AND, my sonar wiring needs to be redone, as my sonar wouldn't fire up this past weekend.....

The water these crappie came from showed a Chartreuse spinnerbait about 5 feet down where we were fishing for the crappie .The pickerel water wasn't as clear.

If you can see 5' down that's I would consider clear were as a lot of the Michigan lakes I consider almost crystal clear.

I think of Maine lakes as clear ya have to get out past 12 ' for the Smallmouths .Just past where ya cant see bottom anymore .

There's at least one lake up in northern MI, possibly the UP, that is so clear you can read a dime 20' down, maybe deeper.

What species are found in that lake Allen?

No idea.  Haven't been there.  It's word-of-mouth from a friend at work about water clarity.