Crappie Lake Help

Going to hit this lake tomorrow and was hoping someone could give me some input on where to search for bigger crappies. This lake is loaded with crappies, a vast majority in the 7-8″ range (I’ve never caught a keeper here out of thousands of fish). But people keep telling me there are keepers there so I’m going to give it a shot. I took the lake name off the map so the local’s don’t get upset.

It has a pretty pronounced basin, which is full of springs. I was thinking about starting on the deep water and working it towards the southern point. There are fish cribs all over the place in 8-10′ of water, but they are just packed full of 3-6″ bluegills that I DO NOT want to catch.

Where would you guys think the bigger fish would be? Red dot is the deepest area of the lake

I would say that red dot is a good spot to start, especially this time of year, deep basin is where I would start. Where did you fish when you went there on other occasions? Try a different area on the lake that has similar water to spots you have fished perhaps. Also other than the cribs, is there any other structure (i.e. wood or weeds)?

The largest yellow square, that #10 to the south east of it. Right there was loaded with 7″ crappies.

There are some downed trees in the shallow bays but only in 2-4′ of water. No weeds. Its loaded with carp that take care of the weeds.

I should have said earlier that the lake is 50 acres, and the red dot is max depth of 22′.

Yes then I would definitely try going out deeper to the 22 foot hole, with crappies not that far off in the 10 ft area it would not surprise me if you head straight out from there to the basin where the bigger fish will be. If not there I would try the other hole to the north and east as well, looks like its like 12-15 ft. Also watch where the locals (the guys that claim the fish are there) are fishing.

Kevin also try changing up your bait selection when I am trying to sort through the school I go to a bigger more aggressive presentation to try discourage the little guys maybe try a salmo or a lindy darter.

Starting at the red dot drill enough holes in each direction to reach about halfway up the break leaving you with a cross shaped pattern… Check each hole with your electronics (swinging your transducer to see out to the sides) and hopefully you’ll figure what depth they’re relating to. For us last weekend they were not in the deepest water but suspended 8-12′ down over 14-16′ around the edges of the basin.

Once you find fish try using a little bit larger bait to discourage the little ones and only target larger fish… My new big fish bait is the Trigger X nymph and I know Joel loves the mustache worm almost to the point where we’re thinking of signing him up for that strange addiction show on TLC

Good Luck!

2008 survey: July 14

Black Crappie:

5-6″ 12

6-7″ 8

7-8″ 11

8-9″ 0

9-10″ 1

White Crappie:

5-6″ 17

6-7″ 30

7-8″ 10

8-9′ 2

9-10″ 5

10-11″ 3

11-12″ 3

12-13″ 1

I fished it summer of ’11 and caught hundreds of 7-8″ whites and blacks. ’12 was the same size. ’13 was few blacks but mostly whites in the 7-8.5″ range. In other words, some might be growing but most are stunted.

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Starting at the red dot drill enough holes in each direction to reach about halfway up the break leaving you with a cross shaped pattern… Check each hole with your electronics (swinging your transducer to see out to the sides) and hopefully you’ll figure what depth they’re relating to. For us last weekend they were not in the deepest water but suspended 8-12′ down over 14-16′ around the edges of the basin.

Once you find fish try using a little bit larger bait to discourage the little ones and only target larger fish… My new big fish bait is the Trigger X nymph and I know Joel loves the mustache worm almost to the point where we’re thinking of signing him up for that strange addiction show on TLC

Good Luck!

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I think that is more or less my plan for tomorrow. I’m going to start at the north end of that 22′ basin and drill right down the channel. If I see nothing I’ll return to the center and start going to each side until I hit roughly 10′ of water on both sides. That should cover the entire basin. If they are not there I’m heading to the sharp break on the main lake point and if there is nothing of size there I’m heading for the couch and TV.

Hopefully I don’t step on a spring in the process as the deep hole was dug as a borrow pit and has springs bubbling up. Picks will be worn tomorrow. Crazy, was on 16″ of ice yesterday and I’ll have picks on tomorrow.

Search bait will be a CJ&S demon spoon, then I’ll work on them with a gulp or trigger-x minnow to try and get some bigger fish. Darters and other plastics will be along for the ride as well!

Me personally, I would look in the deeper water until I found a school, drop down a good size spoon and work the top of the school. It seems like the bigger ones hang out up higher in the school.

I personally would start also in the 22′ hole, but work north! Towards that shallow water I think 16′ area but then it drops into another hole that goes to 18′. Being a smaller lake 50 acre lake it should take you no time to find the fish and upsizing your presentation will allow you to catch the bigger fish like stated before. North End bays will warm up faster as exposed to the sun longer on these winter days, which may trigger some additional food sources in that northern hole. Once again 50 acres so it shouldn’t take long to find some fish.

I live on a small lake like this one. My included picture has a red circle where I would start looking. I am assuming that it is a relatively clear lake. To the left of circle is the start of the weed bed in the summer. In the circle is the 18 to 20 fow. This should put you on the edge of the dying weeds in the winter providing some structure for the fish prowl.

Good luck.

Visibility is 6″-1′ in the winter. That rock point in the middle has an aerator on the left side of it which makes the ice not safe on the west bay area. Most of the lake has 8-10″ of ice now, which is very good for that lake. Usually it only gets 4-6″ with all the springs in it.

Hey….I know that lake.

See that little appendage that runs out to 12-14 feet of water smack in the middle of the lake. Right there on the end of it and along the deep water side of it. I’d start deep and work towards the shallower areas of the sharp slope.

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Hey….I know that lake.

See that little appendage that runs out to 12-14 feet of water smack in the middle of the lake. Right there on the end of it and along the deep water side of it. I’d start deep and work towards the shallower areas of the sharp slope.

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There’s an aerator there, not safe around the rock pier. Not to mention about 500 geese and 200 mallards making the open water even bigger every time we get above freezing.

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Have you ever fished it in the spring during the spawn? I’d fish the deep breaks in front of the shallow bays myself. 25′-35′. I’d also fish around any underwater point in that depth range.

Edit – thought it was deeper. 15′-20′ are the depths I’d fish, same locations.

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Yep, spawn beds are right here.

Not going to make it out there today, but I will tomorrow. Still plenty of time for you guys to change my mind on where to fish.

Basin is were i would start this time of year.

Everyone loses! Fished the main basins and caught nothing but 5-7″ crappies. Went in to a 10′ break along a point and caught some bigger fish. Two 9.5″ and one 11.25″. Bite was dead at noon.