Crappies??

Hi guys, I just wanted to get your take on the best presentation to get these fish. I know where they are going to be setting up soon at and have targeted them a couple times but to be honest I catch more big ones on accident. I just wanted to see what you guys do and what the best way to target a big crappie would be. In the past I have just used small tubes and plastic tails on an clear adjusta bobber that I can slowly reel in. It works but sure there is a much better way. I really am searching for one big one. Chasing ideas anyways.

I will be focused on rip rap areas with low to no current. 3-7 fow.

Biggest crappies I have caught on the river have been on small crankbaits -sizes 4 and 5. You could also use slab raps and rip n raps in shallow water like that. Seems like that would produce a chance at big fish.

I hear you Matt.. I have ran into a few big ones on 4.5 inch white moxies. I just don’t want to go get a scoop of fatheads and watch floats. My guess is that is the best way about it but hoping someone talks me out of it with a better idea

Assuming this will be in the next couple weeks you’ll be starting?

Plastics from 1 1/2″ to 2 1/2″. Play with profile and action of the plastics as daily, and even hourly, shifts in the barometer can goose the crappies into a completely different type of bite and presentation. Color preference can change quickly too.

Crappies are notorious in the cooler water you’ll be finding for the next few weeks for hanging tight in specific water depths, even around the rip rap. Hanging a jig/plastic under a small fixed float can be a deadly approach and if your targeting larger fish you’ll want to be aware of the depth you start finding them at and the general size of those being caught as the big guys aren’t going to be enjoying the company of smaller fish.

50-60 degrees is when I consider starting to use a crankbait as a crappie tool but I have caught several right after ice out on smaller cranks if they are not being blistered thru the water on the retrieve.

We drove thru the backwaters around Wabasha today and the dike road to Nelson was absolutely peppered with anglers. Lots on minnow buckets though.

Like you say, I have got my biggest crappies which were in the 15″ range by accident. Usually drifting pulling 4″ ringworms in the middle of the day hoping for a walleye.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

We drove thru the backwaters around Wabasha today and the dike road to Nelson was absolutely peppered with anglers. Lots on minnow buckets though.

Yep I drove through there on Monday. Talk about masses of people in a spawing area hammering the fish. Glad the limits will be adjusted next Wednesday on this side of the river.

Thanks Tom. I will be reporting back. I plan to start chasing Them tomorrow. It’s that or walleyes but I sure would like to see a big Mississippi crappie. I always wanted to put more time into chasing one so think this is the year.

Bushman….The weather for today and tomorrow is supposed to be pretty rocky. Right now we have a serious east wind in Rochester. I can’t see the river seeing any different. The river is still on the rise although slowly. I think these factors will become an issue with crappies tomorrow with similar weather conditions and the cold water and a barometer going downhill.

Walleyes may come out to play with you while the weather sorts itself out but crappies will probably be a tough one to get into. If you can find some deeper water very close to the rip rap [ a few yards, not 100 feet] that is in an eddy or an area that allows to water to stay free of current you may find the fish down deeper, but scale back on plastic size and slow down the presentation to near vertical and you can expect color to come into play in this instance. Try a solid purple or purple/chartreuse tail. Someone mentioned a ring worm…..lop the last two inches off a purple/chartreuse ring work and hang it on a 1/16 ounce jig and bounce that in front any mark you see on the locator.

Personally I’d wait until Monday or Tuesday if you have that leeway.