Now that the snow is flying I am excited for some hard deck fishing. I have had fair success at PV for dinky perch. I really want to catch some crappie. Should I use the same lures that I perch fish with to catch crappie? What’s the best technique, dropping to the bottom and leaving it alone, jigging and reeling all the way back up, or just jigging? Any pointers as to which part of the lake to search? Are they good eating? I want to be a crappie fisherman, no pun intended. Thanks.
**If you are being specific to Pineview, that is one thing. But, as you might suspect, they can be very different in different lakes. For example, in Utah Lake you might fish them in water only a few feet deep…and they might swim by just below the ice. Not in Pineview. **
As with most fish in most waters you have to find the food first and the predators will be nearby. In Pineview…for crappie and perch…that usually means you should look for the large schools of perch fry…young perchlets less than about 2 inches long. During the cold months of winter those little perchies school up right on the bottom in deep water…50 to 60 feet deep. Unfortunately, since they moved the “security buoy” further away from the dam they eliminated some of the best winter crappie fishing areas.
The good news is that not ALL crappies hang right on the bottom all winter. There are several spots in the narrows and out in the main lake where they will be on the bottom in shallower water. And, they often cruise around the lake suspended at some distance above the bottom…from a couple of feet above the bottom to only a few feet below the ice. You really need a good sonar and know how to read it if you wanna be a crappieologist.
You can’t generalize as to what works best for crappies because it can be something different on different days…and it can change throught the day on any individual day. You have to be prepared to change the depth of your presentation, the size and color of your jigs and the “sweetener” you tip them with.
This year there seems to be a large number of smaller crappies…and they hang in the same zones as the bigger ones. And, unfortunately, they will hit the same jigs you use for the larger fish…resulting in bringing up a lot of small fish that will only die if you put them back in the hole after bringing them up from deep water.
**For that reason alone, I plan to fish mostly “heavy metal” and bigger jiggers. I have an assortment of blade baits, jigging spoons and other larger jigs that have hooks no smaller than about size 2. I catch lots of big crappies on them…and too many small suicidal ones too. Instead of using bitty bugs and single waxworms I send down a 1/4 oz. spoon or jig with a good sized strip of perch meat (smaller than the 1 sq. inch legal size). Sometimes they bite worm even better. Not often. **
If there are lots of dink perch or “fly swatter” crappies down there, you will get lots of “rattle rattle” bites. Don’t set the hook. Wait until you get a strong pull-down or solid THUMP before snapping your wrist to set the hook. On some days, when the fish are not as active and aggressive, the take of a larger fish will be nothing more than just a bit of extra weight on the line…the “rubber band” feel. Be ready to set the hook when you even THINK there is a larger fish holding on to your offering. You may “whiff” a lot but you will also hook some fish that you would not hook otherwise…by waiting for a harder strike. Hooksets are free.
One of the reasons I like to use heavier jigs…or at least a heavy “flasher” setup…is that it helps keep the line tight in deeper water. Fishing a 1/32 oz. jig in 50 feet of water is tough. It takes a long time for the tiny jig to get down into fish country…and you are not really sure when it does…or you can’t tell when you are dropping to the bottom…or getting a bite. Even the best quality super light lines will have a few spiraling coils down into the water with only a light jig. A light bite will only barely straighten out the line a little bit and does not register as a bite…even if you have a spring bobber.
**One good rig is using a heavy jig as a “dropshot” weight…putting it on the bottom and then adding a second smaller jig from 6" to 2’ above the heavy bottom jig. The lower you put the second jig the better for perch. The higher the better for crappies that often cruise at about that depth above the bottom. **
Put a big bait on the big jig and smaller bait on the smaller jig and send them down. When they touch down, take up the slack and then “bounce” the heavy jig on the bottom a few times to raise a puff of mud…and then hold or set your rod so that the bottom jig is only a few inches off the bottom. This tactic brings in curious fish from several feet away. They feel the vibrations and see the puff of mud and wonder if there is another fish feeding, or at least something edible.
Sometimes the fish want a lot of motion to attract a strike. Other times you will get more hits a few seconds after you wiggle the jigs and then “dead stick” them. On other occasions you will get more bites by propping your rod in place and just waiting for cautious fish to nibble on the bait…or pull the rod tip down.
One of my favorite techniques for crappies, especially when they are cruising through at different depths, is what I call the “shiver lift”. I drop a tandem jig rig to the bottom, flip the bail and then gradually start bringing my jigs back up through the water column a little at a time. I use my wrist and the rod tip to wiggle the jigs just a little, while raising the rod tip a foot or so at a time. Then I drop the tip a foot and reel a turn or so on the reel and continue the process until I am above any fish marks on the sonar. Hits may come at any time but often they are just a bit of weight on the line as you are raising it. Crappies often come from below to take a jig and they will just move up under it and suck it in. No hard chomps. Takes an experienced wrist and delicate touch to feel the fish and snap a quick hookset.
My favorite colors are chartreuse with a hot red eye, white with red eye, my “pale perch” pattern and of course fire tiger. Sometimes they work fine without glow. If there is low visibility due to heavy snow pack on the ice or low sun angle a bit of glow can help. This is especially true for night fishing. And night fishing for crappies can be very productive. But you should have a tent and a heater if you don’t wanna become an ice sculpture on Pineview at night.
Well, that’s not much but it is about as much as I think I know.
Thanks TubeDude. I will definitely give that a try. I do have a pretty good variety of glo jigs and fire tiger lures. From the sounds of it I may have just been missing a lot of bites by waiting for the pole to bend, I will be paying more attention to the line instead of just the rod tip. Of course I can’t deny that there has been my fare share of whiffs too.
+1 to TubeDdes Post. They are starting to gather under the docks @ UL. Caught a few last week. Tons of bites. Small jigs tipped.
Shawn
Hey Tubedude,
The buoys at PV looked even further from the dam than last year on recent drive-bys. Do you know if this will change at all during the ice season? Sure messes up some good spots.
Thanks,
Justin
I looked at it pretty hard as I drove by last Tuesday. As near as I can tell it is about the same as last year.
I couldn’t believe it the first time I saw those red buoys and the harsh signs that went with them. All I could think of was that virtually ALL of my best late season and ice fishing spots were now off limits.
**DuBob communicated with the “officials” last year and they assured us/him that they would review the situation and would be open to some kind of compromise location. As suspected, they had not even considered fishermen’s input before arbitrarily running the buoy line up the lake. **
But, I’ll bet those buoys have prevented at least a dozen terrorist attacks on the fish behind that line. Does the government really think those things will deter an individual or group who is determined to cause harm to the dam? Kinda like posting a sign at the airline terminals politely requesting that terrorists please not bring dangerous items on board. Yeah, right.
TubeDude, I believe it was you last year that posted a map of Pineview with all the names of everything shown. If you still have that, please post again…great map.
Here 'tis.
Sorry I didn’t pinpoint all the fish but I’m not sure where they stocked it this week.
Exactly the one I was hoping for. You’re the man. Hopefully I can pinpoint some of the fish here shortly and get a chance to return the favor.
Since we are on crappie, I know they are in the marina pretty heavy at Willard in the spring, but how about at this time of year? It is a quick trip from my house and would like to give it a try in the tube if so.
**The marinas can be very productive for late fall crappies but don’t get nearly the pressure they do in the spring…during the spawn. Probably because they are a lot slower and harder to catch. In the spring they hit almost anything…but preferring small jigs…white, chartreuse or other colors. In the fall you gotta slow down and downsize too. **
Some of the “regulars” work the crappie around the ends of the docks on the south side of the north marina. When the fish are in, they provide good action. Some nice big perch come inside the harbor in the late fall too. Even a stray wiper or two, but they usually play in and out the structure and arrange an early release.
If you are in a tube or some other quiet floatation system, you need a good sonar and a stealth approach. There are several areas that the crappies seem to like, year after year, clear out away from any apparent structure. They will sometimes be stacked in a small area. But they can be tough to catch. I have had success in the past by using tiny ice jigs with a single wax worm…on a slip bobber setup. The fish will usually be in 10 to 12 feet of water but may be suspended anywhere above the bottom. Rig your bobber to float your jig just above the greatest concentration of fish. They will rise up to take it but will almost never move down to take something below them.
Use the smallest and most sensitive bobber you can find. Many times the “strike” will be a single ripple spreading out from the still-floating bobber. Other times the bobber will make a half inch move to one side or another. Not the aggressive haul downs of the spring fling.
Just before iceup the bite changes. The crappies often cruise around the entire harbor, down near the bottom…probably feeding on mud worms or other invertebrates. That is when slowly drifting around with a tandem rig of two small light jigs can also pick up some crappies.
The slabs also school up out off the humps and bumps in front of the entrance to the harbors…on both sides. You might have to move around and make a lot of casts to find them but if you do you can toss over a marker buoy and have regular action all day. Some walleyes usually hanging out with the crappie crowd too and they will hit the same small jigs. White is always a good color, but I also do well with blue/clear sparkle on 1/16 or 1/32 oz. heads.
You can also fish next to the docks from your tube. Maybe even better because you are not tromping on the deck above to spook the fish. If you have one of those long crappie rods…or a retrofitted fly rod…you can stay a ways off the docks and slowly lower your jigs. Don’t give them a lot of action. Raise or lower them slowly or move them horizontally at paint-drying speed. Be ready for any light hesitation or smallest tick. Even a 15 inch slab feels like an introverted water flea.
I have not hit the Willard marinas in the fall as much as I used to. But, in past times they were both the places to be just before iceup. And if you can stand the cold of approaching darkness in late November or early December you can sometimes score big time. Afternoon and evenings are often the best times.
I definitely have to hit both the north and south marinas within the next weeks. They are leaving the gates open at the south marina for the winter…for the first time in years. In years past that was a bonanza for all species at this time of year. I reckymember one trip just after Thanksgiving in which I caught over 100 crappies, at least a dozen walleyes and several cats…all inside the south marina harbor area. I also reckymember that a week later there were people ice skating on it and I was catching crappies, walleyes and cats through the ice. Also got a ton of big bluegills inside the harbor that year.
Sorry, TubeDude, but I have to edit some parts of your post. [;)]
** In the spring they hit almost anything (except what Springbuck is throwing)…but preferring small jigs…white, chartreuse or other colors (somehow different from what Springbuck throwing, but exactly what the guy next to him is). In the fall you gotta slow down and downsize too. **
** There are several areas that the crappies seem to like, year after year, primarily dictated by where Springbuck isn’t, clear out away from any apparent structure. They will sometimes be stacked in a small area (away from Springbuck). But they can be tough to catch, (especially for Springbuck).******
** You might have to move around and make a lot of casts to find them (or not, if you are Springbuck) but if you do you can toss over a marker buoy and have regular action all day. Some walleyes usually hanging out with the crappie crowd too (walleye don’t actually exist).**
The truth must be told. Thanks.
**Wow! Sounds like you are the product of severe fishy abuse. **
Maybe you should join Fishaholics Anonymous. I hear they got a great 12 cast program. And if you get skunked on a fishing trip you call up a buddy and he comes over and you get drunk together.
Theres some good “crappie” info in these posts
** if you get skunked on a fishing trip you call up a buddy and he comes over and you get drunk together.**
im in!
Dude, that is some funny stuff![;)]
I have always been curious, is there a difference between a tandem jig rig and a double shot jig rig? I fly fish and use a double shot set up where a use a couple split shot weights on the bottom and then have two seperate flies above; just wondering if there was a difference between a tandem and doubel shot rig?
**The same…only different. **
The double drop shot rig is as you describe it…sinker(s) on the bottom and then either 2 flies or light jigs on droppers above the sinkers.
The tandem jig rig (as the term implies) is two jigs. I usually rig the biggest and heaviest on the bottom, with the lightest above it at anywhere from 12" to 36". But, sometimes if I am slow trolling from my tube I will hang the heavier jig from the dropper and let the lighter one (or a fly) trail out behind.
Actually, a high percentage of the time my tandem jig rigs are both small tubes rigged on 1/16 oz. heads…usually each jig being a different color. These can be cast and retrieved…at whatever depth…or they can be vertical jigged or bottom bounced behind a tube or boat.
In the OLDEN days, before I first installed sonar on my float tube, dragging a tandem jig rig around the lake was my “fish finder”. When I got a bite I threw over a marker buoy and fished the area thoroughly. Not sure I could ever have the patience to make that work any more. I am blind without my sonar.
Thanks TubeDude. I really enjoyed fishing what you described as a tandem jig rig at Utah Lake last spring for the white bass. I would just mix and match different color and sizes of small jigs. I also use the set up ice fishing. Appreciate the explanation.
I also use both dropshot and tandem jig rigs when ice fishing. The major “hangup” is that the second jig sometimes catches on the ice when you are trying to bring a fish up through the hole and it can cost you a fish…especially the big ones. But, it can be the ideal way to fish for species that are not only on the bottom but might be suspended a couple of feet off the bottom. A good example is the perch and crappie at Pineview. There are some days when the perch only bite right on the bottom but the crappies cruise through above the bottom. A good sonar helps to let you know how to rig up and when to raise or lower your offerings.