MY 2-cents: For crappies consider moving instead of sitting, move up to 1mph, bigger size can be good now too, just caught a bunch on 3″ Gulps, 10″ fish will slurp those up. Big ‘gills in dark water will sit in mid depth basins, Gulp or crawlers drifted close to bottom will get them-graph them 1st. In fall specks will school up more and be easier to graph, get out there they taste better than deer!
they taste better than deer!
Not sure I agree on that statement. Was just out last weekend and picked up a limit of specks similar to you dragging good ol mister twisters, we were moving a little faster up to 1.5 mph.
Yup-bigger and faster than you would think. Sunnies esp. way better than deer!
IMO. (Have had amazing venison jerky and summer sausage, thats not the deer tasting like deer though.)
May I ask when you guys say drifting or dragging, are you referring to using a jig, Lindy rigging,Bottom bouncing, Drifting a slip bobber, or???
May I ask when you guys say drifting or dragging, are you referring to using a jig, Lindy rigging,Bottom bouncing, Drifting a slip bobber, or???
Slip along the weedline at a pace in which your presentation will be down at the weed edge, preferably up a couple feet, and preferably someone else half way in the water column, once ya catch one stop, go back and pitch to school, or keep motoring around picking one off here and there.
Sometimes it’s a loner fish, typically find out soon if it was, I mostly find em schooled up w a few fish at each spot
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bullcans wrote:</div>
May I ask when you guys say drifting or dragging, are you referring to using a jig, Lindy rigging,Bottom bouncing, Drifting a slip bobber, or???Slip along the weedline at a pace in which your presentation will be down at the weed edge, preferably up a couple feet, and preferably someone else half way in the water column, once ya catch one stop, go back and pitch to school, or keep motoring around picking one off here and there.
Sometimes it’s a loner fish, typically find out soon if it was, I mostly find em schooled up w a few fish at each spot
Thank you sir 
Good plan, your graph will help you find where in the water column they are. Varying speeds is a good idea, last time I was out they were very scattered, they should start to school up when the water cools, course 100 degree temps will not help.
The kid pulled a hog a few days ago, going on the wall due to it dying after it inhaled a crank 16.5
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Thats a very nice fish BC,cograts to your son.
Great speck!
Nice fish. That’s how a 6.5 smallmouth ended up on my wall. Rear hook and 1/2” of a crank bait were all that was sticking out of the stomach. FYI, get it to the taxidermist ASAP. Even wrapped to all the best instructions. A crappie can freezer burn in a few weeks, due to skin thickness. Also put a copy of that picture on the back of the mount or framed near it. The fish is only half the story.
This fish is on its way to the taxidermist as I type this. The kid is pretty pumped. The fish hit a rip n rap worked fast, it wasn’t a small one either and some how the fish inhaled all but the nose of the bait
Beauty. The tail fin and the tail are wide.
May I ask when you guys say drifting or dragging, are you referring to using a jig, Lindy rigging,Bottom bouncing, Drifting a slip bobber, or???
I was talking about using the front troller and running a jig and plastic like a troll, usually for me I let it back until I’m just ticking the weeds a little.
Nice speck there BC!
I was talking about using the front troller and running a jig and plastic like a troll, usually for me I let it back until I’m just ticking the weeds a little.
Thanks John!
Bigger faster and more aggressive. Haven’t floated anything. ( these keep the farmer happy so we can get those tasty deer)
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Very nice BC!
‘Tasty deer’
Tim if I made you a venison chop, cooked properly I could change your mind.
So with all the words of advice, are you catching any good ones Tim? Other then I don’t think these warm water fish are all that great, I’ll give them away until winter. Coming soon I’ll be enjoying tasty deer and cold water fish. ( all those keepers in the net are 12 to 13.5 inch. Bigger went back and smaller went back.
The last almost 2 weeks since I posted I have been fishing bass and doing pretty well. Thought this thread was getting a bit sleepy so thought I would toss out a couple of ideas. Was being a little flip about the venison, I have eaten plenty of it, its good food. That said I have known many deer hunters who mix it with beef, intentionally hunt where it tastes like beef or season the heck out of it. some cuts prepared well probably taste great, years ago my wife spent 3 months in New Zealand, they eat lots of it there, its more healthy than beef they say.
Fish wise I always bury my fish in ice in the open water season, firms the flesh helps with flavor too, more free words of advice!
Where does one shoot a deer for it to taste like beef ? Red meat is red meat, venison is much leaner, but not exactly better for you. Fat is good for the body and why cow is the preferred animal.
The cooler with ice is a good idea, we just don’t catch and keep panfish very often, more so just catch for fun and release. Otherwise we eat lots more of it in the winter.
I was involved raising beef growing up. Our beef was raised naturally similar to deer. Commercial beef has a lot more injections and feed additives. From that standpoint I would consider deer a little healthier in your diet. If you don’t add fat to your venison, it’s naturally leaner that is healthier.
I just saw this post. Crappies better than DEER?!?!?! OMG 
Can’t wait for bow season. I’ll have a little surf and turf. Fresh veny and the crappies have been easy. If they stay that way it’ll be fresh loins and fillets. Catch some crappies the night before and hope for some loins the morning of.
I was involved raising beef growing up. Our beef was raised naturally similar to deer. Commercial beef has a lot more injections and feed additives. From that standpoint I would consider deer a little healthier in your diet. If you don’t add fat to your venison, it’s naturally leaner that is healthier.
With out the fat the nutritional value disappears. Fat is needed. That’s why vegans need to eat so many supplements
That’s why vegans need to eat so many supplements
And generally look weak or sick. 
Venison and beef are different, not all red meat is the same-its leaner has more nutrients and less saturated fat. Any meat that is raised with a wild/natural diet tends to have more nutrients, omegas, and flavor. We all know salmon is good for you but the farm raised is not as good as ‘wild caught’,we see grass fed beef too. Have not had venison from the Canadian border but I have heard those deer up there that are eating pine cones instead of corn taste ‘gamey’ basically they taste like a deer! Now lets get back to talking fishing! This is the fishing forum!
You guys been targeting the lakes or rivers for the crappies ? This time of the year we focus on the rivers. Being the Croix, or the snake.
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