What makes a good basin for crappies?
Have had good success drilling lots of holes in smaller lakes and finding them eventually. But on Minnetonka today the structure that lake has and how gigantic it can be I was coming up empty on anything on the sonar.
How deep is to deep? Do they suspend over 50-60′? Try to find the basins that snuggle up into some structure? Not opposed to going to every 30-40′ hole and plugging holes if that’s what it takes.
Any thoughts appreciated!
Not an expert but basins can be a mid winter pattern, so they might still be on weedline. As far as basins to pick it depends on the lake, but typically 25-30′
Personally I would probably target the shallower bays on Tonka. I’ve never targeted crappies out there but I’d try to find a bay that imitates the smaller lakes you’re familiar with. I know people fish Grays bay for crappies, but there are several other bays that are similar.
Inside turns adjacent to the basin this time of year is another place to key on if they aren’t in the weeds 5-11 feet at this time on your body of water.
I echo nhamm’s opinion that a mud basin bite (30-40′ max) is “typically” best mid-winter for those slabs in numbers.
I fished Crappies all weekend east of Mankato. Started the search in the 15-18′ range and slowly moved in until I found them in about 10-12′, just outside the weedline. Another few weeks and you will begin to see them suspend in 30ish FOW on basins. For the heck of it, I tried 8-10′ and couldn’t find anything but a ton of small sunfish and some pike to chew my jig off.
I was able to get out 3 times over the long weekend.
On a small lake I found them suspended 18-23′ down over 27′.
On a large lake yesterday I found some in 17-19′ of water pinned to the bottom, but willing to bite. The action was pretty hot until the front hit and the wind started to blow, it was like someone hit the off switch. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to see if they had moved to some nearby weeds.
Took my daughter out and punched serious holes in some basins yesterday and found nothing but baitfish, one small school of non biters. First skunk in awhile on a lake that fishes really well for me. Kiddo and me still had fun, and looking forward to this crappie transition stuff. Thanks for all replies thus far!
Inside turns adjacent to the basin this time of year is another place to key on if they aren’t in the weeds 5-11 feet at this time on your body of water.
I echo nhamm’s opinion that a mud basin bite (30-40′ max) is “typically” best mid-winter for those slabs in numbers.
Spot on, but with the year we have been having, thin ice and not a lot of snow cover, the weeds may last longer than normal and the Crappies may hang on those weed edges even longer or all winter. The reason they suspend in deeper water is the slightly warmer temp and oxygen level.
Areas that are 30-35 ft with near by access to shallower bays, inside and outside turns are key areas to focus on the break lines.
A week ago fished the deepest part of a lake 27-28 feet. The hole wasn’t huge but held crappie. Many would follow the my jigs, but had to be coaxed into biting and many took a look and headed to the bottom. So I tied on a slender spoon as it dropped and they intercepted it at about 17-19 feet and were aggressive. All the higher flyers, 15-19 feet, were aggressive no matter what the presentation.
Fished a southern lake the other day and crappies were suspended on the inside turn in 16-18′ of water adjacent to the 24’basin of the lake.
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