Been in Alexandria area the past two weekends catching crappies. BIL is local and has been on 14 & 15’ers since New Years Eve. Caught mostly 13-14’ers, some 10-12’s but not many. And very few smaller ones. We were on different lakes each weekend too. We kept a few amongst the 4 of us and gifted a couple. From what I’ve been gathering from lots of sources including IDO, it’s been a great crappie season so far!
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Well this is the worst thing you could put on a public forum.
You’ll wonder why your spot is over run by 100 guys next weekend. I’m very glad the few guys I take with me to the spot I’ve been fishing, do not post the town area or lake. Otherwise they would lose the invite. Especially with the winter we are having now, every one is seeking good ice and fish.
On a positive note, very nice crappies.
Well I know where I want to drive on Saturday!
Well I know where I want to drive on Saturday!
No! We have bad ice and 6 feet of slush… 
DT
Well I know where I want to drive on Saturday!
No! We have bad ice and 6 feet of slush…
DT
[/quote]
4 ft of snow, 25 inches of slush, 3 inches of ice.
I used Alexandria as a very wide center point. Very wide. I’m not worried about a ton of traffic on either of the lakes I was fishing. But there has been a couple shows lately that aimed at crappies. And there’s been more reports of crappies on Red. I’m thinking of going to Ottertail County or Cass now!
Make sure when you get the fish, you go online and report the area. Lol. Only giving you a hard time. But in all seriousness, those reports start from a single report like this. Only a personal opinion though, I’ve been burned to many times.
I would Rather see multiple fishing report threads than the typical political threads that will dominate February and March.
Lots of good panfishing in Alex and OTC right now. Get out there.
I used Alexandria as a very wide center point. Very wide. I’m not worried about a ton of traffic on either of the lakes I was fishing. But there has been a couple shows lately that aimed at crappies. And there’s been more reports of crappies on Red. I’m thinking of going to Ottertail County or Cass now!
Greg – You are correct Alexandria area is a wide area. If people believe that this Info. is giving up info. on a hotspot. They are welcome to go fish all the lakes in the area and see if they can find the one or two you caught yours on. Who knows they may even find a hot bite on a totally different lake in the area while trying to find the right one.
I’ll back up your post by saying there is also a good bite in the Ottertail lake area as well as one in the Brainard Lakes area
I would like to let you all know I catch all my fish over there.
Even though I live in Grand Rapids and don’t travel. Please go over to the Alexandria area and fish.
No lake specifics who cares, we all need to go out and find them.
You should contact the IDO video team, Guessing after not posting a video Sunday they are looking for a good crappie spot. LOL
I’m still wondering if my hunch is correct about the status of crappies now? And sunfish. Are they getting more populated or just more popular? Is technology making them easier to find? Or are regulations for lower limits and/or size limits having a positive impact? Or both in either instance? The BIL that I mentioned, who lives within X miles of Alex and Fargo, says that the sunnies are eating lots of zebes. So clearer water and lots of forage could be a factor. I dunno, I was just posting our fish on the brag board and making an observation. Bearcat nice fish yourself! North Branch you say? Have a good one!
It’s just one of those terrible ice years, every one and there mother is looking to go some where and can’t find anything. So I try not saying any areas on social media that will get people to flock. I’ve seen it happen in my area way to much.
I didn’t mean to sound like a ass hole but I’m sure that’s the way it’s read. And lol yes north branch. Good luck any one that comes this way.
To many guys flock to pound 8 inch crappies, let alone actual nice ones. Seen to many times face book destroy a good unknown fishery.
I just try to not to give a area up to easy. And yes I know Alex is a giant area with many water holes. But it’s not to tough to figure out. I’ll go back to my spot where we have been very lucky to have no word getting out as of now.
And again nice fish. Feels good getting on those bites.
As for your hunch, pan fishing is huge in the winter season. All of what you said could be true. Technology makes them 100 x easier to find but not always catch, most the time finding them is over half the battle. We haven’t seen any restrictions in our area yet, and the other restrictions have been set for so little time I doubt the impact has been to much. Your fishing a fertile area, lots of booms and busts. I’m hoping to see alot more lakes pick up the 5 crappie limit and even better would be 5 sunfish as well. No one needs 20 sunnies a day
This you bearcat
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I love it Glen
I would agree that sunfish/crappies have always been very popular. I think technology and availability of good youtube videos on guys like tom boley etc actually helping people learn how to fish has made the average guy (thats not just parking an ice castle on the same spot every year) just overall better too. It has really come down to picking lakes or even different structures on popular lakes to be on nice fish now. I was also giving you a hard time. Super nice fish!
No doubt this winter has made a lot of us go to plan B. I’m walking out so looking for good structure close to the landing. Wishing I could motor out to remote trophy panfish lakes. Totally agree on YouTube teaching us to be smarter and better. I’m thinking the boom and bust scenario is at play in my instance. Otherwise we would have seen more smalls and eaters. Anyway it was a great experience but I’m still hunting for my next pb.
There are nice ones to be had in itasca co. too!
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Since everyone thinks we should not post location, you can always PM me the lake. Cordinates would be nice but not necessary. Don’t worry I won’t spread the information around 
Since we have a crappie thread going I love chasing them in winter.
What’s been working for you guys.
My biggest fish have been coming on my snare rod with a big minnow. Hooked to a old school pink doodle bug. Waaay up above where I am seeing most fish. This has been mostly when I am hunkered down just after sundown. Haven’t been deeper than 13 ft or so yet.
Otherwise during day a pinhead minnow has been good and Tungsten with Maki plastics.
I almost always start with a pink ice fly and waxie. My next go-to is a gold/circus slender spoon. Not sure if I’ve even caught a crappie on a minnow yet this winter. I’ve been shallow for most of the winter, around 12 feet. I was fishing 29 feet this last weekend but most of my crappies were 12 to 14 feet off the bottom. Been a great season so far.
DT
Years ago I saw a post on a lake that was about 50 acres-that’s basically posting a spot. If you say ‘tonka is good you have whole counties that have fewer acres of water than Minnetonka. This weekend when you watch football think about a ice fisherman sitting there, that whole field is ONE acre, now think about all the lakes in this state with over 10,000 acres and LOW with a million acres and THOUSANDS of islands. Yup here in the metro we need to be a bit hush and totally agree on the 5 limit on specks & gills.
Pink and crappies are kind of like some girls and their outfits. Sometimes it is their only choice.
Suspended crappies are especially fun
Crappie (per BearCat’s comments) truly are one of the most feast and famine species … seems like each lake or area has age classes that boom and then are often mercilessly fished off by anglers. Like perch lakes in the Dakotas.
I know they are “just pannies”, but why not consider say a 5 fish limit (double possession limit?) with an 8″ min and one fish over say over 14″ or 15″. Most of my keepers are 10-12s with maybe a couple 9s if we are hungry.
I almost always start with a pink ice fly and waxie. My next go-to is a gold/circus slender spoon. Not sure if I’ve even caught a crappie on a minnow yet this winter. I’ve been shallow for most of the winter, around 12 feet. I was fishing 29 feet this last weekend but most of my <em class=”ido-tag-em”>crappies were 12 to 14 feet off the bottom. Been a great season so far.
DT
We were fishing 12 to 14 this last weekend as well
Thanks for giving away my spot JERK!
Crappie (per BearCat’s comments) truly are one of the most feast and famine species … seems like each lake or area has age classes that boom and then are often mercilessly fished off by anglers. Like perch lakes in the Dakotas.
I know they are “just pannies”, but why not consider say a 5 fish limit (double possession limit?) with an 8″ min and one fish over say over 14″ or 15″. Most of my keepers are 10-12s with maybe a couple 9s if we are hungry.
I’d be fine if they closed the season for harvest to coincide with the closure of walleye, pike, and bass too. C & R only until mid May on inland waters. Drop the bag limit to 5 is fine too.
There are nice ones to be had in itasca co. too!
Dang Dude! That’s where we go every year in June! Nice bag o’ fish.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Gino wrote:</div>
There are nice ones to be had in itasca co. too!Dang Dude! That’s where we go every year in June! Nice bag o’ fish.
almost certain I can name the lake!! 
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