Decided to leave my homewaters of Minnetonka for the last week and hit some smaller lakes in the west metro. Game plan has been to search for suspended basin crappies. I have found crappies in three different lakes suspending 15 to 25 ft down in main lake basins close to areas I know crappies use in the spring. Action has been very good and size has improved. Haven’t found any true slabs but lots of 9 to 10″ fish. One nice thing is basin roaming crappies will bite all day long although you have to move to stay on them. #6 Ratsos have been the top bait – pink head/whitebody and glow head/pink body have been the best colors. Live bait has not been necessary. During my day trips I have used my Aquaview to great success. Simply suspended the camera 5 ft above the crappies and pointed it straight down. I was amazed at how many fish where actually under the camera versus what I saw on the flasher. Used to think the Marcum was a showing more than what was down there but no longer. Bite was very light to the point I was watching my line more than the spring bobber. The slightest twitch in the Fireline Crystal was met with a hookset. Very often when not using the camera I would lift to start a jig and a fish was already on. Camera revealed the crappies would just glide up and softly suck the Ratso in and then just sit.
The real nice thing about these smaller lakes is the lack of snowmobiles and other traffic. Do a little research with a lake map and try some of these smaller lakes. Lots of fun.