I was wondering if there were Lake Trout there.

lol Allen, I'd be happy to read a dime at 1ft.

Guys, I have a question. Though I must preface it with the fact that I have very little experience with crappie. Which is better to eat, Black or White crappie, or are they the same?

Both the same I can tell no difference.

Both the same I can tell no difference.

I never caught or ate a White Crappie , so don't know . I think their usual diet is a little different which may make them taste a little different some times.

JW;;   ANOTHER WAY TO PUT IT IS;; IS THERE A TASTE DIFFERENCE;; BETWEEN A REDEAR;; AND A BLUE GILL ??  NOPE !!  BOTH ARE EXCELLENT TABLE FARE !

Thank you Dick, john and Carl!  I'm asking because I may have an opportunity to go after some in the coming weeks. One lake has white and the other has black predominately. 

John, I know the Great Lakes are getting stocked with Lake Trout, and a few of the bigger inland lakes are also stocked.  Which ones, I couldn't tell you.

I've never been able to taste a different between White and Black Crappie.

JW;;  BUDDY;; IF YO UNEVER CAUGHT CRAPPIES BEFORE;;;  IF YOU CAN FIND THEM;; YOU WILL HAVE A TON OF FUN !  KEEP THE NET HANDY !    JIGS;; MINNOWS;; AND FLOATS;; JUST A FEW WAYS TO GO FOR THEM !

Carl, Thanks, I will look forward to using all of those, plus some jigs that a very skilled and gifted artist sent to me recently. I'm planning to try to spider rig and troll to find them and then mark the spot and then hit them with everything I have to enhance my odds. lol

Caught with Shiners/Spinner Rigs.

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It was a Tip Down Frenzy on this day. Rosie Reds, tiny treble, split shot = Crappie Gold. Biggest @13” the rest 10-12”.

Good eats Joe, Congratulations. What did those fish take and how deep were they?

NICE CATCH JOE  TIME TO HEAT UP THE COOKING OIL

• Those were from about 4 weeks ago.. I tend to fish crappie with ‘Tip  Downs’. This past open water year I focused on a lake that doesn’t receive much pressure/attention. Found as many weed beds as I could throughout the year up until about end of November. Came back early ice December 18th here (2.5” of ice). Landed on a Crappie bite that lasted about 2 weeks. Caught over 100 fish in 3 outings. Put most back kept about 25. Weed beds were about 17’ deep with weeds up to about 10’ kept the baits on tip downs anywhere from 1 foot to 4’ above the weed tops.  We can run 3 lines per person here in WI so I usually fish 1 jigging rod and either 2 Tip Ups for pike/walleye or 2 Tip Downs for crappie/perch/walleye. And yes  you can’t beat cold water crappies and gills.

Some real nice craps you got there John. Those are the fish crappie masters wait patiently for. 

Thanks for the tips on how you got that amazing amount of Crappie,Joe!

Salted Fatheads and Salted Shiner heads under a float =Slab Crappie Killer!

Fall Crappie:

Having trouble finding the Crappie in the Summer months but Greg found one with a 4" Swimbait!

nicely done Greg!... John I find them all year round on the 6-0 to 9-0 flats during the summer i find them even shallower.

Targeting with major interest in the b.gill I find the crappie mixed in with our numbers.

IMO crappie are driven by minnows where the majority of the time the food group is fixed in with the foods chain being churned up by the warmer waters,sunlight and weed growth.

In my area  the deeper lakes stratify mainly at the 15-17 foot level and weeds stop growth at 10-12 so generalll they move into the weeds.

I read somewhere that crappies are defined as confined space type fish where they like gaps of weeds on a flat, trenches on a flat or the like.

I put up a couple videos lately where my son and I are mainly targeting the gill but I knew we would mix in a few of the crappies also… if we expressly were targeting the crappies we would fish more of the crappie like base baits like the 2” Power Minnow.

Thanks Slip , I dont know what it is this year .The Crappie at my the two lakes i fish the most just dont appear in the spots I have caught them in recent years . Here's my old Crappie Calendar of a Crappie from each month: http://bigbluegill.ning.com/photo/albums/crappie-calendar

4"Easy Shiner Vertically Jigged at 15' .This 1.5# Crappie was competing with numerous Pickerel.

Happy to get 1st prize award for this Crappie : Check out Crappienow Magazine .Great articles and tips!

https://www.crappienow.com/photo-contest-12/?fbclid=IwAR0zjgcxWZsb1...

Here's the pack of Tackle I was awarded: Check out the Buffet Rigs!

Greg and I each got a Slab Trolling Crankbaits through the basin and near the basin this summer and Fall.Greg's was 1#5oz. mine was 1#14oz. Greg's came suspended over 30 ' and took a Bomber 6A  and mine was suspended in 14' but near basin water away from shore .That one took a Perch Pattern Shad Rap. 

Caught these slabs in my home lake here in southeast Va. both over 2lbs

Congrats Mikey-D!Excellent Fish .What did they hit?

Live Minnows under a slip bobber in 12' water.

Oh yeah that'll do it ,Good work!

Got to go crappie fishin yesterday had13in the cooler 4 were a lb and better definitely stackin up for the spawn 55degree warer 6/7 fett of water.

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16" 2# Nov.18 2021   

Nice crappie John they look like twins 1.34lbs it was dinner

Anxious to get on them again Mikey. I haven't caught any Slabs yet this year so far!

I have caught a few so far this year water temp is 67deg. been catching them long line trolling with curly tail grubs 2in. on 1/8 jig heads and southern crappie rods 11 footers.

Hoping I can get some Slab Crappie before the years out. Spring and Summer yielded very few for brother Greg and I.

Those are some nice crappie John hope to get out this weekend the grass is starting to die out some and got family coming in from the hills good luck to you and Greg hope you find them.

Likewise Mikey! Looking forward to pics of Slabs from you me and Greg!

Trolling /Drifting Live Medium Shiners scored 6 fine Crappie and two dink Bass on a pleasant "Indian Summer"solo venture on 10/7/22. Rowing around in a 10' Boat. Crappie two 12", a 13" two 14" and a 15" 

The 1300 Tournament Series 'Whisker' Daiwa Reel is a great reel for Smallmouths and Slab Crappie or Finesse Bass Fishing! I have six-pound test Suffix Siege on it and was able to pull the 15" Crappie out of a snag using it yesterday! I believe I bought it sometime in the late 80's. It's paired with a 6', Medium Action Berkeley Bionix Rod, rated for 4-12 lb. test and 1/8th-3/8oz lures. My most frequent use of this Combo is as a Live Bait Trolling and Drifting Crappie Rod.

Well guys looks like you had a good day Greg looks especially happy you defiantly found the honey hole congratulations fellas. 

Going back again this coming Tuesday. Hope we time it for a great Slab Fest Mikey!