La Crosse Area First of the Fall Crappies

Leaves are changing color and falling in the back yard already, must be stressed out trees from the long hot dry summer we have had. Not being a fan of hot, these new weather patterns arriving have been welcomed with open arms. Woke last weekend to chili morning conditions, just in time for opening bow season. This weekend’s weather looked to be the same if not cooler. All good signs of fall and a weather pattern that should trigger the paper mouthed crappies into a fall feed.

Sunday morning the legs were tossed over the bedside at 4:30AM and my feet had me headed down the stairs to an awaiting apparel of cloths laid out the night before. It was time to sport some of the heavier stuff as to ward off the morning cold. And yes, we had a chill in the air as the overnight temp dropped to 27degrees in Sparta. With bibs on for the first time this season and a heavy jacket tossed in the truck it was time to head down the road and meet up with buddy Mikehd. The plan was to be on the water before sunup with the hopes of finding the Black Crappies hungry and looking for that before sunrise breakfast.

Arriving at the landing shortly after 6AM it was visually clear the timing was perfect. The landing and wood line were dark but there was a glow of light in the clearing on the water. The surface had a little fog rolling over the top and the cold air had just enough bite to water the eyes while cruising to the first area to be fished.

We started looking for the pies in 3-5fow. At first we had non stop action with some small fish, only 3 keepers made the grade in the first hour or so, not the bite that was anticipated on this fall day. There was a need to start bouncing around and looking harder for the nomads. Everything from 3-12fow in wood and along ledges was picked apart while staying on the move looking for a feeding school. A bite here and there with a few dinks coming to the boat had us thinking the day could just turn into a bust. Shaking such thoughts from the head, a new game plan had to be made. Slow trolling wasn’t producing anything to brag about. The plan was to head for a cut that runs between 2 humps, kind of a necked down funnel area that runs from one deep hole to another.

When we arrived the locator lit up showing fish suspended in the 12 foot deep tunnel cruising anywhere from 3ft to 7ft below the surface. Anchored up this time, small jigs 4-6ft under slip bobbers tipped with minnows were tossed out. A steady northwest wind had a good walleye chop on the water, or should we say crappie chop? Two bobbers hit the water at the same time only to disappear instantly! The first pitch had Mike and I doubled up on respectable crappies. We chuckled telling each other that was a fluke, that will never happen again, man were we ever wrong!!

With the wind kickin’up the crappie chop did also. The wind for the first time in a long time was no bother to Mike nor myself, we were doubled up cast after cast and the wind had no ill effects on the fun. The minnows were leaving the bait bucket in a hurry and time was being wasted baiting jigs with every hit.

A crappie bite like this is when the Berkley 1 inch Gulp Alive minnows out shines any live bait. The plastic bodies are rugged and last longer on the hook than any live bait. What does that mean to me? Less time reaching in the minnow bucket for bait, and more time presenting crappie treats to the feeding frenzy below. Also when pannies hit the scented bait they hold on and they don’t let go making for hook setting action. Once I mentioned my gulp was sitting at home Mike pulled out a jar of the mini plastic minnows. He didn’t have to offer me twice, baited up with the Gulp I was out fishing the minnows. Not dinking around with minnows had the plastic bait in the water faster between fish, more time in the water equals more time catching. It wasn’t long and Mike seen what was happening and had Gulp sportin’ his jig too.

We might have been battling some wind but this was for sure one of the best crappie bites us two old farts has had in a long time. Without any exaggeration 100+ crappies found their way boat side. The majority of the fish ran 8-10inches and a limit of 9-11.5 inch fish was kept. This was the fall bite we were hoping for, and one we will be talking about for a long time. We just hope to find a few of these schooling piranhas come ice season which is right around the corner

It was another great adventure on the water buddy Mike! Lets do it again sometime

Get out there and hit the fall bite, it is only the beginning of good fishing to come.

Good luck fishing people