Freakishly large Papermouths are seldom or NEVER caught in numbers by accident. Number one importance while targeting these “Donks” is to focus your efforts on lakes that have the big fish. Note to self…If the lake your targeting Large slabs hasn’t produced them for ANYONE for 20 years you’ve alreadly learned something very important!! If your shooting for PB’s or just large slabs time you might want to plan your next trip to an area that is noted for giving up the big girls. Now you can utilize some of the following information to help put bigger fish on your wall or in your camera!!
HERE YA GO!!! After catching a million or so “EATERS” it has been my PERSONAL focus to locate, Catch and Digitalize the biggest and baddest of all species. When it pertains to slabs here is what I’ve learned. Big Crappies show their dominance often times by suspending a foot or 2 above the rest of the school or swim in small pods seperating themselves from average sized fish. It is in my opinion that by seperating themselves above the rest of the school in the water column they get first crack at suspending swimming treats. I also feel that 2lb plus slabs are focusing energy on bigger baits. This by no means says that maggot/shrimp imitations won’t produce big girls, but I feel that best matching the bait they have there eyes on will increase your percentages on fish located vs. bites. Case in point… I am a huge fan of the Diamond jig through Custom Jigs and Spins. Anyone sharing ice time with me knows I SWEAR BY THEM. Yet at times when I’m selling out for the big girls you will see me switch over to a glow demon spoon tipped with 1/2 a minnow. You can fish it fast, and the size best matches the small perch the big slabs feed on up here. Another key is to study your Marcum as to the precise level the Bigger marks seem to be coming in. If you notice the big slabs will often times locate themselves at a very precise depth. For me in the past few weeks that is 7 feet off the bottom, so you can bet If I’m in a hole where the fish aren’t I’m jigging at 8 feet off the bottom!! No use jigging below a fish that feeds up!! Might as well take a nap if your going to do that!!
Have you ever found yourself plucking dink after dink out of a hole?? OK….Dumb question!! WHEN you find yourself catching dink after dink you have a couple options. You can sit still take it easy, and HOPE that the bigger class of fish finds YOU. I prefer to stay on the attack, and get myself on the bigger fish. Now this may very well mean making your auger sweat in the winter or burning some gas in the summer, but might be vital to your results. First of all lets come to the realization that there are far more small fish than big fish on most bodies of water. Locating FISH in general is good enough for many anglers “ARE WORK IS DONE HERE EARL!!”. If you are satisfied by simply locating the target speices regardless of quality then seldom will you locate the big fish. Likely the big fish are maybe just out on the edges of where your fishing. Be BOLD… Always tough to leave fish to find fish!!! I understand, but it might be a needed move to pin down the trophies!!
Lastly never be TOO PROUD!! If you think you know it all then you are definately done progressing as an angler. I learn things from customers often. What I have learned to focus on is the presentations that are triggering fish, and locations that fish are being marked. If your dropping the hammer on big girls 40 yards away from me you can bet I’m doing an Olympic Ice run in your direction. If fish are pounding a certain type jiggin motion I’M IN IMMEDIATELY!! Anyone fishing with me during the past weeks understands in our GIANT SLAB SMACKDOWN we’ve fished as a team. We’ve spread out sharing information not with the world, but within our party!! RUKIDDING ME!!. We’ve learned what the fish want by reading our graphs, and noone has been too proud to change up presentations in order to best match the mood of the fish. Case in point was a couple days ago when my customers were putting the wood to the slabs while I was convincing the fish in every hole to bite me. I changed up to a Demon jigging spoon, and promptly was getting hammered by EVERY FISH!! I wouldn’t say that is common as I usually prefer a more subtle presentation, but thats what you get for thinking!! Let the fish do the thinking for you. Respond to what they want that hour, day or week. Get a nice variety of Demons, Lightning spoons, and Diamond Jigs. Then go to work!! The Big fish are waiting for you!! There not really that much smarter, they just often know what they want. I prefer go after the BIG AND THE DUMB!! Sometimes a bit tough to locate, but ALWAYS WORTH IT!!
Tight Lines Team!! Ice Some Giants!! I’ve reached my 16.5 this year, so now I’m after the 17 incher!!
