01-12-2004, 12:06 PM
[cool][size 1]Hey, IFG, as an old-timer who has extracted many a crappie from both Pineview and Willard...in the "good old days"...allow me to back up some of the points you made. The first being that these fish are notorious for being slow and finicky...both in open water and under the ice.[/size]
[size 1]About the only time most people score on crappies is when they charge the banks for their "spring fling". At that time, almost any nimrod can hang a jig below a bobber and catch crappies. Of course the better crappieholics will catch more. And it is not uncommon at that time to hang crappies on everything from plastic worms to crankbaits. I have taken some dandies with spinnerbaits being dragged along the banks for bass.[/size]
[size 1]Once the crappie finish making little crappies, they move offshore and often suspend at mid depth over much deeper waters. If you can find sunken trees in their preferred temperature zones, they will sometimes school up pretty good. [/size]
[size 1]Catching them is another matter. It takes good sonar and a vertical presentation...much like ice fishing. It also takes much smaller jigs than during the spawn. When they get touchy, even a 1/16 oz tube jig is too big. I used to catch some bigguns on my smallest marabou jigs...down to 1/64 oz on size 10 or 12 hooks. [/size]
[size 1]That condition can hold through the summer. Look for crappies suspended over underwater humps, points and trees. Fish small and slow, and use light tackle with a sensitive rod. The "strikes" are often nothing more than a light tick...as the crappie sucks in the jig...or even just a bit of pressure that wasn't there before.[/size]
[size 1]In the fall, there is often a brief period when crappies go back on the feed. If they have been out in 30 feet of water, over a point, they will sometimes move up into ten to fifteen feet of water and be suspended at about mid depth. A good way to fish them then is to rig a tandem tube jig rig, with two 1/32 oz. heads with different color tubes. [/size]
[size 1]Find the fish with sonar and toss over a marker for visual reference. Don't toss the marker right on the fish. Stay back within easy casting distance and toss the tandem rig right onto the fish. Tight line the drop and be tuned for a "pop on the drop". Count down the sink and know how long it takes for the jigs to reach the bottom. Whenever they stop sooner, set the hook. Once you know the "count" of where the fish are suspended, you can start reeling slowly when your jigs reach that level.[/size]
[size 1]Again, as IFG pointed out, DO NOT use a lot of jigging movement. Crappies are wierd in this respect. They will seldom munch a lure with a lot of action. They prefer to tip their noses up and intercept a falling lure...or to just inhale one as it swims steadily by within easy range. No aggressive rod-shattering strikes from these fish.[/size]
[size 1]As the water cools and gets toward iceup, the fish go into their coldwater mode. That means that they downshift from first gear to almost neutral. While you can sometimes still find a few that will hit a slow retrieve, the vertical approach works best. That means sonaring a school and dropping straight down. [/size]
[size 1]If you are fishing off the bank, rig a slip bobber...the smaller the better. Use tiny chartreuse plastics on the lightest heads you can get away with. White sometimes works well on bright days, but the hot colors are hard to beat in cold water. The real key is to be a good bobber watcher. You don't have to give your rig any action...especially if there is a light "fishing ripple" on the water. But, you do have to keep your eyes glued on the bobber. One that lays down and then tips up when you have a taker is ideal. Otherwise, you need to watch for the slightest twitch...or moving sideways...anything. I have had days when I hooked nice slabs within 30 seconds on every cast, while guys fishing right next to me (and on top of me) were going ZIP. I watched their bobbers and told them when to strike but they just did not have the touch.[/size]
[size 1]Now, the purpose of this thread...CATCHING CRAPPIES UNDER THE ICE. Both Willard Bay and Pineview used to be "money in the bank" for a batch of crappie fillets. Didn't matter if you couldn't score on the other fishies. There were always hordes of crappies. Of course, that has changed. But, they are still in both waters and they still act the same.[/size]
[size 1]I use the phrase "You can't catch them where they ain't". That is most applicable to fishing for crappies under the ice. You need good sonar, a knowledge of the underwater terrain and a lot of luck. But, once you find them, they will often be in the same areas...as long as the conditions remain pretty much the same. [/size]
[size 1]That is the big problem on the Utah waters these days. The spots you could normally count on to hold some winter crappies are out of water. They have had to find new holding areas and it sometimes takes a lot of prospecting to find them. [/size]
[size 1]When prospecting a new water...or an old one with changing conditions, I start by finding docks, trees or other underwater structure. Crappies are structure oriented. Even one small stickup is sometimes enough to gather a good sized school. [/size]
[size 1]Docks are usually one of your best bets...as long as there is enough depth. But, you need to stay on the ice and drill your holes next to the docks. If you stomp out on the docks and then start drilling and fishing you will likely be washing jigs in fishless water. I have had more than one experience of having a wild session on crappies ruined by some bozo who came stomping out on the dock to see how I was doing. That may turn things off temporarily or for the day.[/size]
[size 1]Next to docks are underwater trees or brush piles. A good GPS unit can help you find the known ones, and mark your own discoveries for future reference. When the water levels are down, you should be out locating and marking good structure for the days when the water comes back up.[/size]
[size 1]When you find crappies under the ice, you will see a cloud of marks on your sonar...from fairly shallow to almost the bottom. Which of these fish are biting? Who knows? As a prospecting procedure, I fish with two small ice flies...one white and the other chartreuse. I use a couple of fresh waxies and lower the offering slowly to the bottom...not allowing it to just sink...a controlled stop/start. [/size]
[size 1]Sometimes you get bit right under the ice. I have had times when the fish rose in the water column to a point that I could see them by looking down through the hole. Other times they will be deeper. [/size]
[size 1]If my rig reaches the bottom unmolested, I start it back up. I do not reel...or do any jiggling. I raise the rod tip slowly as I bring the jigs back up through the zone. You need to stay poised for a tick, or watch for your rod tip to hesitate just a smidge. That's how the bite usually is.[/size]
[size 1]As usual, a whole lot of words. There are books and books on crappie fishing. But, there aren't any on the subtleties of fishing specific waters in Utah. I don't claim to know all there is about them, but I have accounted for my share...mostly by applying the tackle and techniques refined by others in other areas, and adapted to Utah. [/size]
[size 1]Regardless of where you find crappies, they do have some common traits that can work either for you or against you. If you take advantage of them, you can have a lot of fun. If you are clueless, then you can be fishing in crappie-rich water and never hang one. [/size]
[size 1]And, in all honesty, I have been humbled by them more times than I care to admit. You can't catch them where they ain't, but sometimes you can't catch them where they is, either. There will be times you curse your lying sonar for showing all those marks and being able to catch nothing. Then we blame it on the moon, or whatever. Works for me.[/size]
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[size 1]About the only time most people score on crappies is when they charge the banks for their "spring fling". At that time, almost any nimrod can hang a jig below a bobber and catch crappies. Of course the better crappieholics will catch more. And it is not uncommon at that time to hang crappies on everything from plastic worms to crankbaits. I have taken some dandies with spinnerbaits being dragged along the banks for bass.[/size]
[size 1]Once the crappie finish making little crappies, they move offshore and often suspend at mid depth over much deeper waters. If you can find sunken trees in their preferred temperature zones, they will sometimes school up pretty good. [/size]
[size 1]Catching them is another matter. It takes good sonar and a vertical presentation...much like ice fishing. It also takes much smaller jigs than during the spawn. When they get touchy, even a 1/16 oz tube jig is too big. I used to catch some bigguns on my smallest marabou jigs...down to 1/64 oz on size 10 or 12 hooks. [/size]
[size 1]That condition can hold through the summer. Look for crappies suspended over underwater humps, points and trees. Fish small and slow, and use light tackle with a sensitive rod. The "strikes" are often nothing more than a light tick...as the crappie sucks in the jig...or even just a bit of pressure that wasn't there before.[/size]
[size 1]In the fall, there is often a brief period when crappies go back on the feed. If they have been out in 30 feet of water, over a point, they will sometimes move up into ten to fifteen feet of water and be suspended at about mid depth. A good way to fish them then is to rig a tandem tube jig rig, with two 1/32 oz. heads with different color tubes. [/size]
[size 1]Find the fish with sonar and toss over a marker for visual reference. Don't toss the marker right on the fish. Stay back within easy casting distance and toss the tandem rig right onto the fish. Tight line the drop and be tuned for a "pop on the drop". Count down the sink and know how long it takes for the jigs to reach the bottom. Whenever they stop sooner, set the hook. Once you know the "count" of where the fish are suspended, you can start reeling slowly when your jigs reach that level.[/size]
[size 1]Again, as IFG pointed out, DO NOT use a lot of jigging movement. Crappies are wierd in this respect. They will seldom munch a lure with a lot of action. They prefer to tip their noses up and intercept a falling lure...or to just inhale one as it swims steadily by within easy range. No aggressive rod-shattering strikes from these fish.[/size]
[size 1]As the water cools and gets toward iceup, the fish go into their coldwater mode. That means that they downshift from first gear to almost neutral. While you can sometimes still find a few that will hit a slow retrieve, the vertical approach works best. That means sonaring a school and dropping straight down. [/size]
[size 1]If you are fishing off the bank, rig a slip bobber...the smaller the better. Use tiny chartreuse plastics on the lightest heads you can get away with. White sometimes works well on bright days, but the hot colors are hard to beat in cold water. The real key is to be a good bobber watcher. You don't have to give your rig any action...especially if there is a light "fishing ripple" on the water. But, you do have to keep your eyes glued on the bobber. One that lays down and then tips up when you have a taker is ideal. Otherwise, you need to watch for the slightest twitch...or moving sideways...anything. I have had days when I hooked nice slabs within 30 seconds on every cast, while guys fishing right next to me (and on top of me) were going ZIP. I watched their bobbers and told them when to strike but they just did not have the touch.[/size]
[size 1]Now, the purpose of this thread...CATCHING CRAPPIES UNDER THE ICE. Both Willard Bay and Pineview used to be "money in the bank" for a batch of crappie fillets. Didn't matter if you couldn't score on the other fishies. There were always hordes of crappies. Of course, that has changed. But, they are still in both waters and they still act the same.[/size]
[size 1]I use the phrase "You can't catch them where they ain't". That is most applicable to fishing for crappies under the ice. You need good sonar, a knowledge of the underwater terrain and a lot of luck. But, once you find them, they will often be in the same areas...as long as the conditions remain pretty much the same. [/size]
[size 1]That is the big problem on the Utah waters these days. The spots you could normally count on to hold some winter crappies are out of water. They have had to find new holding areas and it sometimes takes a lot of prospecting to find them. [/size]
[size 1]When prospecting a new water...or an old one with changing conditions, I start by finding docks, trees or other underwater structure. Crappies are structure oriented. Even one small stickup is sometimes enough to gather a good sized school. [/size]
[size 1]Docks are usually one of your best bets...as long as there is enough depth. But, you need to stay on the ice and drill your holes next to the docks. If you stomp out on the docks and then start drilling and fishing you will likely be washing jigs in fishless water. I have had more than one experience of having a wild session on crappies ruined by some bozo who came stomping out on the dock to see how I was doing. That may turn things off temporarily or for the day.[/size]
[size 1]Next to docks are underwater trees or brush piles. A good GPS unit can help you find the known ones, and mark your own discoveries for future reference. When the water levels are down, you should be out locating and marking good structure for the days when the water comes back up.[/size]
[size 1]When you find crappies under the ice, you will see a cloud of marks on your sonar...from fairly shallow to almost the bottom. Which of these fish are biting? Who knows? As a prospecting procedure, I fish with two small ice flies...one white and the other chartreuse. I use a couple of fresh waxies and lower the offering slowly to the bottom...not allowing it to just sink...a controlled stop/start. [/size]
[size 1]Sometimes you get bit right under the ice. I have had times when the fish rose in the water column to a point that I could see them by looking down through the hole. Other times they will be deeper. [/size]
[size 1]If my rig reaches the bottom unmolested, I start it back up. I do not reel...or do any jiggling. I raise the rod tip slowly as I bring the jigs back up through the zone. You need to stay poised for a tick, or watch for your rod tip to hesitate just a smidge. That's how the bite usually is.[/size]
[size 1]As usual, a whole lot of words. There are books and books on crappie fishing. But, there aren't any on the subtleties of fishing specific waters in Utah. I don't claim to know all there is about them, but I have accounted for my share...mostly by applying the tackle and techniques refined by others in other areas, and adapted to Utah. [/size]
[size 1]Regardless of where you find crappies, they do have some common traits that can work either for you or against you. If you take advantage of them, you can have a lot of fun. If you are clueless, then you can be fishing in crappie-rich water and never hang one. [/size]
[size 1]And, in all honesty, I have been humbled by them more times than I care to admit. You can't catch them where they ain't, but sometimes you can't catch them where they is, either. There will be times you curse your lying sonar for showing all those marks and being able to catch nothing. Then we blame it on the moon, or whatever. Works for me.[/size]
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