Bluegill - Big Bluegill2024-03-28T20:30:01ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorganhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2192395932?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://bigbluegill.ning.com/group/crappiecrew/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=1xfaewn5vd9l5&feed=yes&xn_auth=noCrappie Articlestag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2019-07-08:2036984:Topic:7801902019-07-08T13:27:02.076ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a href="https://www.crappienow.com/">https://www.crappienow.com/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.crappienow.com/">https://www.crappienow.com/</a></p> Where The Crappies Are... GREAT IN-FISHERMAN ARTICLEtag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2016-11-20:2036984:Topic:7047512016-11-20T02:52:06.651ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.25pt; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: 28.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #040503; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Where The Crappies Are…</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.25pt; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: 28.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #040503; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Where The Crappies Are</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #7e7e7e;">by </span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #040503;">Dr. Rob Neumann</span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #7e7e7e;"> </span> <span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Telemetry studies can track daily movements and seasonal migrations of fish, with the use of surgically implanted or externally attached transmitters. Technological advances have produced miniaturized transmitters that can be carried by smaller fish like crappies, without limiting their movements. Transmitter battery life also is longer nowadays, extending observation periods from months to over a year. Telemetry studies on movement patterns and habitat use by crappies have provided the most detailed look yet into the lives of these fish.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Among the most recent crappie tracking studies, fishery biologist Ryan Oster of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and a research team tracked both white and black crappies on Kentucky Lake, a massive reservoir on the Tennessee River famed for its crappie fishing. This study is unique in that it compares habitat use and behavior of black and white crappies inhabiting a single water body.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“During prespawn, both white and black crappies were most frequently found on flats adjacent to primary and secondary channels,” Oster explains. “The two species occupied similar habitats, though white crappies were located more often on deep flats (10 feet or deeper) than black crappies. River channels, both shallow and deep, were the next most utilized habitat for white (33 percent) and black (43 percent) crappies. Flooded shoreline brush and rocky banks did not attract either species during this period.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">During the Spawn Period, both crappie species moved from deeper water to flats less than 8 feet deep. Oster suggests that shallow flats adjacent to secondary creek channels were the most common habitat for spawning. Black crappies made greater use of flooded shoreline brush than white crappies. “During the spawn, we often found black and white crappies along rocky banks, not a classic spawning location. Rocky banks rarely attracted fish except during the spawn,” he says.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Following the spawn, the differences in habitat preferences between species became most apparent. “Traditional wisdom at Kentucky Lake holds that, after spawning, crappies vacate flooded shoreline brush and other shallow cover and immediately move out to the nearest creek channel, ledge, or other major structure near spawning areas,“ he says. “There, it’s believed that crappies undergo a brief postspawn recovery, followed by active feeding to replenish energy reserves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“Over the years, successful local anglers and guides have timed this migration effectively. Those who move with the fish often enjoy spectacular fishing. Our tracking showed, however, that while this annual postspawn migration theory holds for white crappies, it doesn’t for black crappies. After spawning, white crappies quickly departed spawning areas and moved to deeper water near secondary river channel ledges and submerged structure, while black crappies remained in the same type of habitat where they’d spawned.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“As summer approached, we guessed that rising water temperatures (over 80°F) would push white and black crappies from shallow habitats toward cooler, deeper main-lake structure,” he says. “Similar to our postspawn observations, white crappies proved us correct, while black crappies remained in shallow habitat. The few male white crappies that had remained shallow during the Postspawn Period joined others in deeper water, holding on deep flats and near river channel drop-offs and ledges. Deep river channels accounted for almost half of summer locations for white crappies.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Many black crappies stayed in flooded brush, stumps, and aquatic vegetation, as shallow as 2 feet during the middle of the day. Other fish occupied brushy shallow flats. “Both species showed strong fidelity to their chosen summer habitats, as few fish shifted habitat types,” Oster says. That’s important news for anglers, because during stable summer conditions, schools of fish are likely to remain in the area for extended periods. Modifications in presentation may be needed but location should remain rather constant.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“Once summer arrives, most white crappies have established home areas near river channels, offshore ledges, and deep flats,” he says. “Black crappies, however, prefer shallow flats and near-shore edges of aquatic vegetation and flooded timber. For both species, summertime movements are slight, so you may have to search for schools of fish. But once located, several crappies can be expected if you find the right presentation.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Large Rivers</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Large rivers tend to be overlooked by anglers as crappie-fishing opportunities, yet they can provide qualty fishing for slabs that can rival lakes and reservoirs. Tracking studies on large rivers have mostly focused on identifying wintering habitats, as finding suitable wintering sites is critical for a number of fish species living in rivers. Many species don’t tolerate current in cold water, especially in the main river where temperatures can plummet to below freezing, so current refuges become critical overwintering habitats. Backwaters serve as ideal wintering areas, but many backwaters have become degraded through siltation and other human modifications.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Biologists at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have been tracking crappies in pools along the Iowa portion of the Mississippi River since 1999. The goal is to identify the requirements of wintering crappies to help guide habitat management on the river. Mike Steuck and Kirk Hansen say that their research stems from previous findings by Iowa biologist John Pitlo, who observed many largemouth bass returning to the same backwaters each year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Steuck has been implanting radio transmitters in black crappies in fall, following their movements over winter, until transmitter batteries expires, about 6 months. “In summer, crappies are scattered and use a variety of habitats such as side channels and other areas off the main navigation channel,” he says. “Then as fall arrives, crappies vacate summer areas and begin to stage closer to the entrances to backwaters. These are good areas to search for fall crappies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“Water temperatures falling below about 50°F que movements into backwaters. Some fish move in later, and others earlier, depending on the suitableness of the backwater as wintering habitat. In some areas crappies don’t move in until they need to. The best backwaters have ample dissolved oxygen and no current. The deeper the better. Those at least 6 feet deep tend to be used more.” Deeper water in ice-covered backwaters allows slightly warmer water near bottom, up to about 39°F.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Locating structure and cover is a key to finding backwater crappies in winter. “The crappies are cover oriented,” Steuck says, “with an affinity for snags, weeds, docks, and pilings, depending on what’s available. In one backwater they show an affinity for weedlines, in another they use marina areas, or you might find them around lotus and lily stems.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">Steuck and Hansen note that the river crappies are migratory in their annual habitat preferences, something that you typically don’t think of as characteristic of panfish. Hansen has recently started another river tracking project supported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This study also contributes to identifying critical habitats and crappie behavior. The transmiters Hansen is using have a battery life of up to 400 days, so individual fish can be followed throughout a full calendar year and beyond.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">A study by biologists Brent Knights and Barry Johnson of the U.S.G.S., in conjunction with Mark Sandheinrich of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, reveals that wintering crappies (they also studied bluegills) in the backwaters in Pool 5 of the upper Mississippi River can move quite a bit. River backwaters can be environmentally unstable. Current speed and dissolved oxygen (DO) can fluctuate frequently, while temperatures of 0°C (32°F) are common in winter—representing the coldest water that crappies experience anywhere.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“When DO first decreased below 2 parts per million in Third Lake in December, bluegills and black crappies moved out of this lake and into areas with higher DO,” the study states. Not only does this study show crappies move to find better habitat in extremely cold water, it suggests that 2 parts per million of DO might be the lower limit of tolerance for crappies in winter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">“Areas with current velocity greater than 1 centimeter per second (cm/s) were avoided by bluegills and black crappies in our study,” the document continues. “Avoidance of current would reduce energy expenditure and possibly improve over-winter survival of fish that depend on stored energy to meet metabolic requirements. Another possible explanation for avoidance of current may be that black crappies are unable to maintain their position for extended periods at current velocities exceeding 1 cm/s when water temperatures are near 32°F.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;">The study goes on to point out that the swimming ability of black crappies in the laboratory is “uniformly poor” at temperatures of 39°F or below.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;"><br/> <br/>Read more:</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.in-fisherman.com/panfish/crappie-black-or-white/where-the-crappies-are/#ixzz4QISuWS75"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #003399; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.in-fisherman.com/panfish/crappie-black-or-white/where-the-crappies-are/#ixzz4QISuWS75</span></a></span></p> Drifting Live Bait/ Float Fishing Live bait from shore ,two different lakestag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2015-10-28:2036984:Topic:6373152015-10-28T18:53:06.768ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p> In this case drifting medium large Herring over structure at a 26-30 foot bottom produced 12 fish ,10 Crappie between 13-15", a 19,1/2" Pickerel and a 11,1/2" Perch . Number 4 Aberdeen Hook , #5 or #7 shot and 6# test . Greg and I worked the wind drift and this spot on a spot for about 4 and 1/2 hours they were biting but tight to cover and only caught with the drift ,not on the the troll back up to the start of another drift .A dozen Herring produced 12 fish . Both live and dead herring…</p>
<p> In this case drifting medium large Herring over structure at a 26-30 foot bottom produced 12 fish ,10 Crappie between 13-15", a 19,1/2" Pickerel and a 11,1/2" Perch . Number 4 Aberdeen Hook , #5 or #7 shot and 6# test . Greg and I worked the wind drift and this spot on a spot for about 4 and 1/2 hours they were biting but tight to cover and only caught with the drift ,not on the the troll back up to the start of another drift .A dozen Herring produced 12 fish . Both live and dead herring worked .Dead herring we twitched a bit with the rod tip .Live Herring were left to their own enticement .</p>
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<p>Gear I've used twice now on these good sized Crappie : Berkeley Bionix 6' Medium action Rod rated 4-12 # test. It's 100% graphite and has a nice sensitive tip for the cold water light tap of most November Crappie bites . Granted it not like the whip tips of other Crappie rods but this rod tames these fellows while still feeling a good shake from them plus if I get a big Bass it'll do the job . It works great on the Pickerel I'm catching in the same lake .The matched reel is a Daiwa SS Tournament Series 'Whisker S1300 ' .This is my preferred Smallmouth Bass Combo but it 's serving as an excellent Live bait rod for Drifting and Trolling for these very fine Crappie I've recently located . The shot placed 8" up the line has been something like #3/0, #7, #5 . I didn't change the #4 Aberdeen hook even though the shiners I used this time are quite a bit smaller that the Herring ,brother Greg and I used the first outing.</p>
<p> An Aberdeen # 6 used with a fathead or small shiner caught some Crappie from shore using a Betts Mr. Crappie twist on twist off slip float : <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/161333763304?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82">http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/161333763304?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82</a> Nice size and design and it's easy to twist it off and go with split shot /bait/hook method which sometimes is preferable.</p>
<p> :</p>
<p> 11/29/15 Third Time out to the Bluff and the vertical traveling Crappies .Got 4 Crappie and one Perch .Fished Blue cloudless skies noon-2:30 pm . Using one shot and shiner caught one 12 " Crappie.Using 2 split shot caught three Crappie ,one was 15" and an11,1/2" Yellow Perch . Cold day ! Shiners got down to the fish .Nothing on the fathead I was hoping a big Bluegill would grab.</p>
<p> 12/4/15 Float fishing Shiners and Fatheads from shore, about 15 fish .All Crappie about 5" except one at 12". Fatheads caught all the fish except for a few that came on a small tube jig/tipped with crawler chunk and one dink Bass on a medium /small shiner. Two best fish of the day 16" ,2#6oz LMBass and skinny 12' Crappie . Both took a floated fathead . </p>
<p> 12/6/15 Back out to the Crappie Honey hole drifting Shiners. 45 degree water temp. Seven Crappie between12-13,1/2" . Some were farther away from the Bluff which I found was where the Perch were . Now have a line on Yellow Perch near my Crappie haunt .Caught three along with my seven Crappie ,biggest Perch was 13.1/4"<br/> 12/10/15 With buddy Steve O' Bringer ;26-30' rowing around with live shiners. 9 Fish 5 Crappie ,2 Pickerel , 2 LM Bass . Best Crappie: 15" , Best Pickerel 21", Best Bass 3.3#</p>
<p>It's looking like this ;October through December ,medium Large Herring for Big Crappie and good sized Perch progressing to November; smaller bait medium large Shiners for Crappie and Perch to December 1,1/4"Fatheads for smaller Crappie and 3"shiners for Bass .</p>
<p></p> FAVORITE P-R-P (Patterns Rigging and Presentation) for the Crappietag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2015-04-22:2036984:Topic:6030612015-04-22T21:17:21.697ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059852228?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059852228?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a>Here's where you share your favorite rigging presentations lures etc for nailing the trophy or quantities of Crappie white or black...</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059852228?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059852228?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a>Here's where you share your favorite rigging presentations lures etc for nailing the trophy or quantities of Crappie white or black...</p> CRAPPIES ON ICE... Tip,Tricks and Rigs for catching them thru the icetag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2015-01-26:2036984:Topic:5804852015-01-26T17:09:32.826ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848084?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848084?profile=original" width="618"/></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848084?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848084?profile=original" width="618"/></a></p> SLIP SINKER'S CRAPPIE CHANNELtag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2015-01-24:2036984:Topic:5797122015-01-24T05:24:57.439ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848416?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848416?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>2014 ended up to be a very good year for me with the Crappies… my first fish of the season was a lunker crappie and the success continued through out the season. Found some great crappie locations by exploring more open water or confined open water instead of just the deep weed edges. Trying new tackle and lures… Berkley Nanofil was my number one line for the crappie.…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848416?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059848416?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a></p>
<p>2014 ended up to be a very good year for me with the Crappies… my first fish of the season was a lunker crappie and the success continued through out the season. Found some great crappie locations by exploring more open water or confined open water instead of just the deep weed edges. Trying new tackle and lures… Berkley Nanofil was my number one line for the crappie. Very sensitive.</p>
<p>I quite possibly hooked a few friends and family members to fishing by introducing them to a good crappie bite with some good tackle. Hey that’s how my dad got me hooked… it was one crappie after another.</p>
<p>So im looking for a 2015 season to top 2014… and hoping to provide helpful tips that may help others as well as picking up tips along the way from this great site and its contributing members!</p>
<p>Note…the two fish shown on the right are Master Angler nudgers...</p> Electric Chicken SBStag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2015-01-14:2036984:Topic:5776622015-01-14T18:32:22.672ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p>Ok, here's how I tied the Electric Chickens for Jeffery Abney. I'm using 1/32 tube jig heads for this SBS. I have a BUNCH of these things, so I use them when I don't want to use the jig heads that I don't have a large quantity of.</p>
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<p>Start the thread on the hook, and wind to the bend. Tie in some marabou, and tie to the hookshank all the way to the head. Advance the thread back to the bend. Prep a couple duck flank feathers. Here, I'm using Eclipse-phase Mallard flank…</p>
<p>Ok, here's how I tied the Electric Chickens for Jeffery Abney. I'm using 1/32 tube jig heads for this SBS. I have a BUNCH of these things, so I use them when I don't want to use the jig heads that I don't have a large quantity of.</p>
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<p>Start the thread on the hook, and wind to the bend. Tie in some marabou, and tie to the hookshank all the way to the head. Advance the thread back to the bend. Prep a couple duck flank feathers. Here, I'm using Eclipse-phase Mallard flank feathers. Nicely mottled. However, I prefer to use Teal flank feathers, as the barring is more pronounced.</p>
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<p></p> Eagle Claw Species Specific USA made Hookstag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2010-04-03:2036984:Topic:777722010-04-03T13:28:46.038ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a href="http://www.eagleclaw.com/site/wp-content/uploads/PDF/LZ/Hooks.pdf">http://www.eagleclaw.com/site/wp-content/uploads/PDF/LZ/Hooks.pdf</a></p>
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<p>pg 21 of the Eagle Claw hook catalog shows L214 # 8 (Specie Select Crappie) L214AG-8 $3.00 ($.30 each) 10 count</p>
<p>This 'Crappie' hook should make great BlueGill hooks for bait such as worms and Mealworms.</p>
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<p>These are non offset and come out of the fishs' mouth easier than offset.They are very light hooks and…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eagleclaw.com/site/wp-content/uploads/PDF/LZ/Hooks.pdf">http://www.eagleclaw.com/site/wp-content/uploads/PDF/LZ/Hooks.pdf</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>pg 21 of the Eagle Claw hook catalog shows L214 # 8 (Specie Select Crappie) L214AG-8 $3.00 ($.30 each) 10 count</p>
<p>This 'Crappie' hook should make great BlueGill hooks for bait such as worms and Mealworms.</p>
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<p>These are non offset and come out of the fishs' mouth easier than offset.They are very light hooks and BlueGills and Crappie have no problem taking them.</p> Locationtag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2010-03-28:2036984:Topic:772952010-03-28T20:48:12.081ZAllen Morganhttps://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059827591?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059827591?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> E<strong>arly spring</strong> in my shallow NE New Jersey home lake (average depth 6-10' with a few spots deeper to 25'or a bit more ) Crappie really relate to willow tree branch blow downs and will hang in 2-5 ' in North West and North East areas of the lake.I'll catch them on 32nd oz. jigs( no float) and they will often hit just as the jig enters the water when…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059827591?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059827591?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a> E<strong>arly spring</strong> in my shallow NE New Jersey home lake (average depth 6-10' with a few spots deeper to 25'or a bit more ) Crappie really relate to willow tree branch blow downs and will hang in 2-5 ' in North West and North East areas of the lake.I'll catch them on 32nd oz. jigs( no float) and they will often hit just as the jig enters the water when conditions are right with a steady temp around 52-55 degrees . I have had success in warm May rains with Bass sized tube jigs right along with Largemouths dragging the lure over sandy bottoms while wading or shore fishing. These fish have been in the 12" -14" range.</p>
<p> <strong>After spawn through late Summer</strong> the Crappies I've gotten take to trolled Cranks like the Bomber 4F's and are suspended 4-6 ' down over 12-15' of water. Remember to go back over the same water with a slower jig or flutter spoon presentation to pick up other less aggressive fish in the area . .I suspect after the spawn they key in on open water areas and follow Bait fish into compression zones like incline deposit areas,/Dams,spillways and stream entry spots where the depths are closing in on rising hump structure. These areas are best explored in a boat at this time but shore fishing these spots on overcast or low light hours can still be productive .</p>
<p><strong> Come fall</strong> they seem to stack up on the best structure they can find, like an Oak tree that fell into the lake extending out to 6-8 ft with deeper water up to 12 ' or more not far away. At another lake its a Bluff where the shoreline bank rises .Structure near basin areas can be key and check the Basin for suspended Crappie and troll slowly with a crank bait at their holding depth if they are spread out . From late October to mid December . This time of year can be a bonanza ! 32nd oz Buck-tail jigs ,even without tipping baits ,work great at times when faced with this situation.May have to slip bobber the jigs but not always necessary.</p>
<p> Also come Early Fall through Late Fall the last of the available medium Large Herring are killers on Big Crappie but shiners will do as well with fathead minnows as a last option when the first choice Herring are no longer available a t the local Sport shop .Structure oriented Crappie in 20 feet or more by a steep bank may be picky and only want that live minnow . #4 or #6 Aberdeen light wire hook on 6# test spinning rod drifting over their lair does the trick but you may find small light tube Jigs in a variety of bright colors are a faster way to catch numbers of smaller fish .The fat 12" and bigger with the bulging stomachs are keying on bait that swims. Big Herring or shiners drifted very slowly have taken Big Crappie from 12-15" and going two lbs.Below 52 degree water temps it is imperative to slowly present baits with very little movement or just letting the bait wiggle on it's own .(dead sticking) If you can get out on calm water days, or days with just a slight breeze ,action can be great ! High winds are the cause of many a skunking when one can't present slowly enough to a fish that has a slow metabolism at this point .When drifting ,finger the line with a flipped bail and when you feel that subtle tap, release line ,lower rod for a bit of slack, flip bail over to ready the hook set .Before a relaxed hook set let the rod tip load a bit with the fishes take then merely lift with steady pressure .Let papermouth help you set the hook securely as you embed the chosen light wire hook into it's paper mouth .Keep the fish coming slow and steady to the net . Don't give slack so the fish can slip the hook and don't yank like Bass fishing in summer so as to rip an escape hole in the fishes mouth .If you have the hook in the harder roof of the mouth and the hooks are sharp you should have him solid.</p>
<p><strong>On ice in Winter</strong> Fishing near a steep bank ,it's small bait on ice jigs up in the column close to dusk for fish to 10"but the slabs will go for a heartier meal .Often as its getting dark and I'm headed home the last fish is an ice Crappie. Don't underestimate a dead salted minnow head on a Swedish Pimple ,Kastmaster ,Nungesser ,Hus, or Rattlin' Flash spoon for Slab Crappies . My best Crappie through the ice were caught this way12"-14" If not a Crappie a Yellow or White Perch may be the reward.</p>