Crappies?? This musky guy needs your help.

I booked a guide trip for sunday, the only problem is the guy I am taking out wants to target crappies. I am fishing Shady Oak Lake down by Minnetonka. It is a private lake so we are using his boat. When I was younger I used to catch crappies in the summer fishing weed edges in the morning and evening. I haven’t done it in so long I am not sure how to approach the midsummer bite. Combine that with the fact that I have never fished this lake before, and I am sitting here looking for advice. Any of you folks out there have a tried and true strategy for getting crappies to open there mouths in the summer???

How about a tiger tube

No, no Tiger Tube…….Use a Kitty Tube!!!!

Can’t go wrong with miny tubes and Mini Mites…..

Dan, if you’re talking Shady Oak Lake off of Shady oak road on the Hopkins/Minnetonka boarder, it’s not private. There may be a motor size restriction.

There are 3 lakes. The main, where the beach is, the 2nd is under the small walking bridge and the 3rd which you would need to go across the train tracks to get to.

The 2nd lake has some nice bass. In the days when we didn’t have a boat, we shore fished there a lot. Crappie’s were a little small.

The main lake has some very nice Northerns. A few years back, my Dad pulled a 13lb’r out while Ice fishing.

Jo

I am a bassman myself, but decided to try for some crappies for the first time ever on a lake up north last weekend. I bought myself a couple ultralights, some crappie tubes and some crappie minnnows and I couldn’t keep them off hook. I fished a weedy area off a small drop off that went from like 5 feet to 10 ft. They were all about 2 feet off the bottom.

His boat, his lake and you are a muskie guy going for crappies? It sounds like he’s the one guiding

Yeah you should be paying him???? I’ve never fished it, but I’m sure you can’t beat a slip bobber and minnow or small beatle spins. Mini Mites work too. Good luck, but I have a feeling you won’t feel much whit your musky rods, they don’t quite have the sensitivity….

JoJo,

What kind of weeds are there. Any cabbage? Pads? or otherwise?

I have two words for you ….

Puddle Jumpers!!

Not trying to start a fight but I guess I would question the etiquette of a guide taking money for something he doesn’t really know.I would save your reputation as a guide and tell him you’re a Musky guide and not a crappie guide. I hear about that all the time with Musky guides that take on Walleye trips and vise versa, not only does the client lose by wasting their hard earned bucks on a guide that isn’t what they’re looking for but the guide who may be a great other species guide ends up with less of a name.

Just my $.02

I dont think your guide insurance is covered on somebody elses boat..

He lives on the lake and just wants to learn how to catch fish on it. His wife gave the trip to him as a father’s day gift. I was originally under the impression that he just wanted to go out and catch anything that bites, so I figured we would bass fish. I am going to bring top of the line equipment (Loomis/Shimano), and I have many years of experience fishing for panfish, walleye, bass, and muskies. The only reason I threw this question out there was to look for a couple of new ideas. Who am I, or who are you, to judge what someone wants to spend their money on. Supposedly I am fishing on a converted paddleboat equiped with trolling motor and depthfinder. Should be interesting.

I don’t know what your beef is with Dan and I, but we just went through this with you a few months back. If you have a problem I think it would be better resolved off line.

I think its great that a guide will go in someone elses boat and teach them some things on fishing. A fellow fisherman asking a question for advice doesnt deserve to get lamblasted because they are a guide…geez! ANd my take on crappies…cant go wrong with small minnows below a bobber!

Agentesox, remember that saying, if you don’t have anything good or useful to say, then don’t say anything. I don’t know what ax you have to grind with Dan and Bob, but it must stem from something. Good luck Dan, and keep us posted as to how it went.

It is funny how the the ugly hemlet is getting mad all over again.

I do not know any of these guys in person but I think they are pretty good guys.

So take your and your $.02 elsewhere.

A GENT E SUX… it seems you have nothing but negatives to say.. i too remember the b.s. a couple months ago..
if your going to discourage fishing, go somewhere else, and if its personal, well, i have a great line for people like you, its not my line but it fits… “your mad at your father, not me!” the question was about fishing for crappies, not guiding101…

Kinda lost track of the question here…

What did you decide on using Dan? Personally for crappies I prefer any wet fly with white in it…but I know not everyone agrees that fly fishing is the most fun you can have standing up.

Let us know how you did!

Ps Take Bob along for a camera man

Back to fishing.

Some important points not to be lost here…

#1…Dan was ASKED to share his expertise.

#2…Many Guides I know try to fish the prominent species in their area…visa vie “MUSKY GUIDE”.
They may be very competent in other species.
I am primarily thought of as a Walleye Guide but have a LOT of experience Bass fishing and love Musky fishing…I am also a very accomplished trout fly fisherman and tyer.

I just can’t get all of that on the little business card…

i agree DAN is a muskie guide, and will undoubtably put you on a trophy fish, but he also knows how to put you on other species. I personally have caught my largest, Muskie (Forest Lake), Walleye (Mille Lacs), Smallmouth (Mississippi River), Carp (Mississippi River), under Dans guidance…i would encourage anyone to seek the advice of a guide with so much experience in so many species of fish!..

Thank you goes out to the guys that have put in great words for Dan The positive posts will stick out far longer than the negative ones. I don’t know Dan, but he sounds like a great guide I am positive Dan will help the customer out and both will have a great day on the water

Dan-

How did the trip go?